Player comments can be found here

"Tokyo U-23 Tetsu NAGASAWA Manager Press Conference Summary"

"We are grateful for the fans and supporters who came to cheer us on yesterday in the J1 League, but we are extremely sorry that we were unable to win."

The match was surprising as the opponent had a 3-back formation, but in the first half, we lost the ball within the opponent's defensive block and were often caught on the counter. We were unable to play according to our attacking priorities, such as making uncomfortable movements for the opponent and taking advantage of their defensive gaps. We lost the ball and were cleared by the opponent's 3-back formation, and were constantly under pressure. However, our young defense worked hard in the final moments. It was good to see that they were able to withstand tough situations, as it shows that the U-18 players have grown since the beginning of the season.

I was hoping to score after conceding a goal, but when the defense line was set up, I had to move the 3 back in the middle, but the play continued in front of that. I took several shots, but they were all limited in their shooting range, so it was a difficult situation to score. Once, Riku Kobayashi made a chance by breaking through the opponent's defense line, but we needed to repeat such plays more and confuse the opponent or make them uncomfortable, but we couldn't do that. We ended up choosing only safe plays and falling into the opponent's trap, resulting in us conceding a second goal. Even though we knew what we needed to do in a situation like today, it's important for young players to be able to demonstrate that on the field, and in terms of perseverance and cunningness to continue taking action regardless of whether or not a pass comes from a teammate, the opponent was superior.

We are extremely disappointed to have lost to the same U-23 team, but it is our mission to use this as motivation. I have just spoken to the players in the locker room with harsh words, but we want to accept this match and prepare for the next one.