《Yojiro TAKAHAGI》
(Reflecting on the match)
"Since we took the lead and were able to extend it, this was a match we wanted to win."

(Reflecting on my winning goal)
"The ball from the corner kick was returned by my teammate and came to me in front of the goal."
The goal itself was just a result of striking the ball without thinking about anything in particular.

(The team will head to Qatar for the ACL, and their enthusiasm is)
"As FC Tokyo, we will represent Japan, so we want to play well to win the championship."

(Although Player Higashi has returned to the midfield position, what I felt while playing together is)
"I think he plays aggressively in both offense and defense, which has given the team momentum."
"Also, considering the time and the situation of the match, I felt that this return is significant as it shows direction for the team as a player."

(It feels like another big force has been added to the midfield)
"The more sources there are for the ball, the harder it is for the opponent to grasp."
I feel that it is very good in the sense that it increases the patterns of attack.

(The ACL has a tight schedule with two days in between, but important plays within that are)
"At first, since this is a league match, goal difference will also come into play, so it is important not to concede any goals."
While considering that, I want to launch attacks and play aggressively in both offense and defense without disrupting the team's balance.

《Keigo HIGASHI》
(What I felt after standing on the pitch for the first time in about 4 months)
"I want to express my gratitude to everyone who supported me during my recovery from injury."
I felt the joy of being able to play soccer as a professional soccer player and the happiness of standing on the pitch once again.
This feeling is hard to experience when you have been continuously playing in matches, but I want to restart from here.

(Feeling of performance on the field)
"Once again, I felt that soccer is fun.
However, I believe that the team must bring home 3 points, and we still have a long way to go in that regard.
I want to prepare well for the next ACL.
I want to improve my condition and be able to move without being satisfied.

(It was a comeback match that the coach highly praised, but personally)
"It didn't feel as good as I expected."
I was managing with adrenaline, but I need to maintain sharp movements at key points for the full 90 minutes.
Today was a 70-minute game, and adding another 20 minutes is a significant challenge, but I want to continue to practice diligently as usual.
And more than anything, I am really frustrated that we couldn't win the match today.

(However, I was able to behave as I did before the injury)
"My play may have many understated aspects.
But I enjoyed playing, and I want to further improve my quality.
It is challenging to keep going for 90 minutes, but I want to prepare well so that I can do it for the team.

(I think there were parts where I couldn't join the team due to injuries until now)
I believe that by working together, we can give various advice, and there are really many things you can feel while playing in the matches.
You can't understand the atmosphere on site just by watching on DAZN or from the stands.
I think that with my return, we will be able to have many detailed discussions from now on.

I think there will be more tough matches than today in the ACL.
I felt that we still have to become a stronger team.
There are many really strong teams in the ACL, so tougher matches than today are ahead.
We need to win games like this, and I felt it is necessary to improve the team's strength.
The aspects that can be changed by each individual's awareness and the team's strong desire to win.
I want to play with more attention to that.

(Before the match, there were fans and supporters holding up the number 10 jersey in the stands)
"Once again, I feel that the power of the fans and supporters is significant.
In this difficult situation due to the pandemic, I felt my heart swell again when I stepped onto the pitch.
It is very disappointing that the ACL matches will also be held without spectators.
However, there is the Levain Cup Final Round on January 4th, so I want to become a strong team by then and level up as an individual before returning to Tokyo. I would be happy if we could fight together again at that time.

《Tokyo - Kenta HASEGAWA, Coach》
"I think both teams' emotions clashed, and it became a thrilling match for the spectators. Although we couldn't secure the win, I believe it was a very heartfelt game. It was very pleasing for the team that Keigo HIGASHI, who had been out due to injury since July, was able to return and play until midway through the second half. His play, which reflected his emotions, helped calm the match, and I believe we were able to play with a strong core as a team."

(How do you see Keigo HIGASHI's play)
"Despite the gap, he played exceptionally well"

(The effect of Keigo HIGASHI's return)
"It was a match to see how far we could play today in preparation for the ACL, and he played more solidly than I imagined. While I'm happy to have a midfielder back, I want Mita, who came on as a substitute, to show more passion in his play."

(What is your evaluation of player Kodama?)
"In the final stages, there were scenes where it wouldn't have been surprising to be turned around, but the fact that he firmly defended was very significant for the team."

(We were able to earn points in a tense match, but how do we evaluate the team?)
"We have been preparing for the Sendai match, and I believe the players who participated today understood their roles well, even with the short turnaround of two days. If we had scored multiple goals in the first half, the match could have developed differently. In the second half, Sendai's good momentum from their previous match, where they scored four goals, was revived with Nagasawa's goal, and in the closing stages, players returning from injury made aggressive movements. There were moments when we were able to endure, so I want to acknowledge that aspect."

《Sendai - Takashi KIYAMA, Coach》
"It was a shame that we conceded the first goal so easily; I feel that we shouldn't have allowed that. In the second half, we continued with our approach, and we wanted to change our position a bit more to push forward in attack and get closer to the goal. We managed to equalize, which was very good."