This season's start is a challenge to Asia!

The AFC Champions League 2016 has kicked off, preceding the J-League. Tokyo will participate from the playoffs and face Chonburi FC (Thailand). This match not only marks the start of Tokyo's season, but also the beginning of J-League's challenge in Asia.

Tokyo, who welcomed new coach Shiroyuki this season, has new additions Akimoto, Koman, Ha DAESUNG, Mizunuma, and Abe in the starting lineup. The formation is a 4-4-2 with Maeda and Abe as the two top players. Mizunuma on the right side, and Higashi on the left. Yonemoto and Ha DAESUNG form a double pivot in midfield. Chonburi also lines up in a 4-4-2 formation.

The wind is a little strong, but the harsh cold of the past few days is not felt at Tokyo Stadium. The match, which aims for the ACL main tournament and pursues only victory, started at 7:30 pm with a kickoff in Chonburi.

Tokyo Challenge Asia In 2016 Opening Game

F.C.TOKYO kicked off the new season with an AFC Champions League playoff game against Chonburi FC of Thailand. Not only was the game the first competitive match of the season for Tokyo but the first appearance of a J.League club in the tournament this year. Newly appointed manager Hiroshi Jofuku named five of the new signings to his starting eleven: Akimoto, Komano, Ha Daesung, Mizunuma and Abe. Abe partnered Maeda in attack while Mizunuma played on the right of midfield and Higashi on the left. Yonemoto and Ha Daesung filled the central midfield positions in a 4-4-2 formation. Chonburi also lined up in a 4-4-2. Despite the fairly strong wind Tokyo Stadium felt less chilly than the recent bitterly cold weather. Only a win was an acceptable result from the game as Tokyo aimed to make the group stage of the AFC Champions League. Chonburi FC kicked off shortly after 7:30pm.

Show a dynamic battle and a fierce goal rush

Immediately after the start of the match: We took the opponent's ball and played mostly in their territory.

6 minutes: Right corner kick won. Kicker Mizunuma's kick was cleared by the opposing DF who was competing with Morishige from near, but it hit the feet of the Chonburi DF in front of him and went into the net. Chonburi took the lead with an own goal.

9 minutes: East creates an opportunity on the left side, and then Mizunuma, who has moved up to the left front, keeps the ball. After carefully timing it, he passes it back to Abe behind him, who then enters the area. He fakes out the opponent's defender and then shoots with his right foot, scoring a goal!! Abe scores his first goal in Tokyo with a swift attack. They quickly add another goal and then control the game without any danger. Even when Chonburi has the ball, they press them in the front and midfield, successfully taking the ball and launching quick counterattacks from there.
 

34 minutes: Tokunaga from the right side of their own field → Mizunuma skillfully passes to the right front line while being surrounded by the opponent's DF. Tokunaga overlaps here and advances further into space. From a high position, he sends a precise ground cross to the center. East then powerfully strikes it with his right foot!
They expanded their lead and ended the first half with a dynamic and cohesive battle.

Dynamic Tokyo Surge Into Early Lead

Tokyo set the pattern for the game straight from the kick off by winning possession and moving forward into the Chonburi half. 6th.minute: Tokyo won a corner on the right and Mizunuma swung the ball in to the near post. Morishige and a Chonburi defender both went for the ball but failed to make contact; the ball struck a defender on the shin and deflected into the goal. Tokyo took the lead thanks to an own goal. 9th.minute: Higashi prompted a move down the left before finding Mizunuma in the channel. Mizunuma took the ball to the byline then played it back to Abe inside the Chonburi area. Abe faked past a defender and drove the ball hard and low inside the near post. Abe's first goal for Tokyo had given the side a two-goal cushion with less that 10 minutes on the clock. The home side then played a steady game, pressing hard to regain the ball when possession was lost and attempting to hit the visitors on the break. 34th.minute: Tokunaga found Mizunuma inside the Tokyo half on the right. Although surrounded by opposition players Mizunuma jinked past one and then chipped the ball over another as Tokunaga raced forward on the overlap. Tokunaga slid a low ball into the Chonburi box that Higashi met on the run and drove hard inside the near post. A thrilling, dynamic move had extended the lead to three. 3-0 was the score at half time.

Recorded the highest score in club history, now heading to the ACL

54 minutes: Morishige sends a long feed from the DF line to the front line. East, who received the ball behind and on the left side of the opponent, dribbles to draw the opponent DF and passes to Maeda who has moved up in the center. Maeda shoots freely and GOAL!!

55 minutes: East on the left side → Komano overlapped and advanced with dribble, left cross. In response to this, Yonemoto, who ran into the left area, headed. The shot that hit the course went over the opponent's GK and was sucked into the net.

56 minutes: Kono is substituted for Higashi and remains on the left side.

62 minutes: From Ha DAESUNG's development, Tokunaga advances. From there, a right cross is matched with a jump by Mizunuma on the left, in front of the opposing DF, and marked with a right foot, also marking Mizunuma's first goal in Tokyo. Immediately after this, Hashimoto was substituted for Abe, changing the formation to 4-3-3. Ha DAESUNG as the anchor, Hashimoto as the right inside half, and Yonemoto on the left. The front line is formed by Maeda in the center, Kono on the right, and Mizunuma on the left.

72 minutes: Yonemoto → Left side Mizunuma takes advantage and carries it forward, crosses. Kono jumps into the center of the area and pushes it in with his left foot.

76 minutes: Hanyu replaces Mizunuma as an inside half, and Hashimoto becomes a FW.

84 minutes: Komano clears the ball and Yonemoto connects it to the center. Hudson on the right side passes it to Hayu in the front right, and advances into the area himself. Maeda crosses the ball and runs to the front right, while Hayu passes it to Hudson. However, right before crossing, the opponent's DF slides and the ball heads towards the Chonburi goal. In additional time, Kono runs into the area after receiving Yonemoto's through pass, but is fouled and earns a penalty kick. He scores the 9th goal himself and the game is over.

They overwhelmed Chonburi with a club record score of 9-0 and secured their spot in the ACL group stage.

※Please refer to the FC Tokyo official mobile site for player and coach post-match comments.

Record Score Takes Tokyo Into ACL

54th.minute: Morishige hoisted a long ball over the top of the Chonburi defence as Higashi darted between their centre backs. Higashi took the ball down coolly, neatly sidestepped a charging defender then rolled the ball towards Maeda near the penalty spot. Maeda stroked a low, first-time shot inside the near post for another goal. 55th.minute: Higashi took the ball down the left, then fed the overlapping Komano. Komano lifted a cross into the box that Yonemoto met on the run and his looping header arced gracefully over the Chonburi keeper and into the far corner. 56th.minute: Kawano replaced Higashi, taking the same position on the left of midfield. 62nd.minute: Ha Daesung moved the ball out to Tokunaga who raced down the right and hoisted a towering cross towards the far post. The ball sailed over the head of one defender and Mizunuma darted inside another before clipping a jumping volley first-time inside the near post. It was his first goal for the club. Following the goal Tokyo replaced Abe with Hashimoto and switched to a 4-3-3 formation. Ha Daesung played as midfield anchor with Hashimoto on his right and Yonemoto on his left. Maeda played in the centre of the front three with Kawano on his right and Mizunuma on the left. 72nd.minute: Yonemoto found Mizunuma down the left. Mizunuma took the ball forward before spearing a cross into the box to meet Kawano's run from deep. Kawano reached the ball before the advancing keeper and prodded it into the net. 76th.minute: Hanyu replaced Mizunuma and took a position as inside half with Hashimoto moving into the front line. 84th.minute: Yonemoto picked up a Komano clearance and moved the ball on to Ha Daesung who found Hanyu on the right. Hanyu attempted to roll a pass through to Ha but a Chonburi defender stretched out a leg and diverted the ball past his own keeper. Deep in additional time Yonemoto hit a through pass that bisected the Chonburi defence and set Kawano free inside the penalty area. Kawano went down under a clumsy challenge and the referee pointed to the spot. Kawano took the penalty himself, drilling the ball low into the left corner. It was the 9th. and final goal as the full time whistle blew shortly after. Tokyo had set a club record with a crushing 9-0 victory and qualified for the ACL group stage.