《Kensuke NAGAI》
(Looking back at the shooting scene)
"Abe did well to pass the ball behind."
After that, I shot with my body positioned to bring the ball inside and be able to shoot to the far or near post.
I was thinking of kicking it far, but I was stopped in the same situation during the Shimizu match, and I thought the near side would have more power, so I chose that.

(It felt like there was a momentary pause at the timing when Abe was about to pass)
"I thought Abe would pass it to my feet."
However, since it was played behind me, I was able to reposition myself and head straight towards the goal.

(On the confidence in defense)
"Keeping a clean sheet gives the team confidence."
I want to continue this, and I also want to be conscious of everyone, from the front line to the defense, properly defending together.

(Regarding the victory without conceding a goal)
"We won at home and were able to stop the losing streak. Honestly, I am relieved."
As a team, we had not been able to score the opening goal for a while, so we were strongly aware of that.
I thought it would be the key to today's match, and I believe the team gained momentum after scoring the first goal.

《Go HATANO》
(Reflecting on the match)
"It was a match that I absolutely wanted to win."
I am glad and relieved that we were able to win without conceding any goals.

(I have been starting in the last few matches)
"There are things you can't understand unless you play in the match."
I think I've gained confidence in the last few matches and have been able to spend fulfilling time.

(The team has been conceding goals)
"Of course there are matches where we concede goals, but as a GK, my goal is to finish every match without conceding a goal."
I'm glad that we were able to achieve visible results in that sense today.

(I think the team's motivation was difficult without the Levain Cup Final Round)
All the players have prepared for today's match with high motivation, even without the Final Round.
I was always conscious of speaking out and fighting on the pitch, and I think I was able to show my true self in today's match as well.

《Tokyo - Summary of the Press Conference with Director Kenta HASEGAWA》
"We fought patiently and aimed to win at home together. I think we fought hard and persevered until the end."

(The aim of today's formation against Sapporo, who are good at attacking using width)
"While they do use width, today's starting lineup can be described as a zero-top formation, utilizing vertical passes and combinations. Rather than focusing on width, the emphasis is on the transition between attack and defense, with players in good form like Chanathip, Komai, and Arano moving freely to nullify marking, so we were conscious of how to manage them.
In the first half, there was one dangerous moment when Lucas FERNANDES made a return pass, but otherwise, there were no entries into the box. After regaining possession, Sapporo switched quickly from the front, and Tokyo struggled to move forward, but the goal scene was a typical Tokyo attack where Abe created space to utilize Nagai's speed.
"In reality, there was an intention to push more, but within that, we were able to utilize our strengths and score while fighting patiently."

(Stopped the losing streak at 4)
"Although I felt frustrated that the Levain Cup Final Round was postponed, the team showed their determination for this match. The mental shift was well managed, and the veterans helped lead the team effectively. If we can achieve consecutive wins from here, we still have a chance to go to Qatar for next season's ACL. I believe that winning today has led us to a victory that will carry over into next season."

(A matchup between coaches who have achieved 200 wins. After actually competing, my current thoughts are)
"I am very happy to have won against Sapporo led by Coach PETROVIC.
Every match becomes a battle of whether to strike or be struck, so if we lose our focus for even a moment today, we could be in trouble at any time. It was good for the team to be able to compete against Sapporo, led by coach PETROVIC, in this way.
I want to thank the players for their hard work today.

《Sapporo - Zoran PETROVIC Press Conference Summary》
"Today, we were able to show our attacking and aggressive style of play from the start for the full 90 minutes. I believe the opponent's chances were only during the scoring scenes, but we couldn't convert the 3 or 4 clear opportunities we had. Recently, our performance has been good, and the results have gradually followed, and we wanted to continue that, but unfortunately, today the performance and the results did not match. However, I think the players were able to express their style of football well."

(Teams like Tokyo and Nagoya continue to struggle to score even when they have clear chances. What do you think is lacking?)
"A simple solution would be to spend a lot of money to bring in players who can score. However, we do not have such funds, and today three university graduates are playing, including Kojiro NAKANO and Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA, along with other university students.
Our style is to play aggressive soccer while developing players. It is harsh to demand that they score goals. While effort is important to score, talent also plays a role. If Musashi SUZUKI had remained with the team, we might have achieved 15 to 20 more points this season. Soccer is about whether you can score goals or not. There's no point in lamenting the absence of such players.
We need to have solid discussions with the president and the strengthening team about what kind of players we will reinforce for the next season. Sapporo has grown significantly over the past three seasons, having played against Tokyo, Kashima, and Yokohama FM, where any match could have gone either way. In order for the team to consistently compete at the top, we need to make adequate preparations.
While being an interesting presence in the league, the reality is that we sometimes win against the top teams and sometimes lose. Considering our aim to target the top positions next season, this is a challenge we must resolve. I believe that teams like Nagoya and Tokyo choosing to solidify their defense and aim for quick counterattacks against Sapporo is a sign of respect towards us.