Previous Match: Cerezo OsakaReview of the Match
That one swing was an acrobatic, powerful, and beautiful moment that stunned the entire stadium, creating a moment of silence followed by explosive joy.
The pitch at Ajinomoto Stadium, which was hit by heavy rain, was slippery and made it very difficult to control the ball.
Still, Tokyo players demonstrated their technical prowess and achieved a "traveling with the ball" style of soccer by thoroughly connecting short passes. While there were moments where they were caught on the counter due to their aggressive play, they continued to fight with high intensity on defense through their high defensive line and quick pressing back.
However, Tokyo conceded the first goal. When a free kick was given near the penalty area, the ball was placed between the defender and the goalkeeper. The player who broke through couldn't be caught and was pushed into the goal.
It would not have been strange to be disappointed by the goal conceded while controlling the game, but the Tokyo players switched their mindset and took an attacking stance towards the Cerezo Osaka goal.
In the 23rd minute of the second half, Shuhei TOKUMOTO, who was in a deep position in his own half, managed to evade the opponent's pressure and pass the ball to the right side. Hotaka NAKAMURA's early cross found Ryoma WATANABE, who had made a run into the penalty area. WATANABE controlled the ball with his chest and then spectacularly volleyed it while twisting his body in mid-air.
The shot that the opposing goalkeeper couldn't move a step for had a slight drive and shook the goal net.
Continuing to dominate the game with the momentum of catching up, we allowed a winning goal in the end and suffered our first loss of the season at Ajinomoto Stadium. It was a tough result, but we will continue to never give up and use this as a lesson for future games.
Player WATANABE commented that even though the team is not in the desired shape, a spectacular goal will be born from a team that continues to win. Next, he will score a goal in Tokyo's style of "attacking with the ball" and secure 3 points.
Last season, the match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima was highly anticipated as a battle between two new coaches with distinctive tactics.
Style of controlling the game by holding the ball and pushing the opponent to score, and style of pressing with high intensity from the front line to steal the ball and immediately transition to attack with short counters. It was also sometimes contrasted with the phrases "possession" and "storming".
The result was 2 wins for Tokyo. In the match at Ajinomoto Stadium, which was the home opener, despite not being able to connect the ball as desired, each player seized their chances and brought home the victory. In the away match, they were faced with a tough situation where they allowed the opponent to take the lead and were overwhelmed by their physicality, but in the final moments, they were able to score a goal with Adailton's individual skill and achieved a dramatic comeback victory.
This season as well, it seems that the outcome of the match will be determined by the battle at the ball.
Considering the team's situation, it is no exaggeration to say that Hiroshima, who has won 5 consecutive official matches since April, is currently the most powerful team in the J-League. On the other hand, Tokyo struggled in both performance and results in early April matches. However, in the league match against Cerezo Osaka and the Levain Cup match against Gamba Osaka, they were able to regain their style of pushing the opponent while maintaining possession of the ball, and were able to score goals despite the challenges.
Connect the ball without hesitation against a strong opponent, pass the opponent who quickly approaches the ball side with a strong pass work, and take control of the game. It is a challenge this season to come up with ideas to open up the goal after pushing in, but now is the time to show the results of the training we have been working on since the camp, as we are starting to regain our form.
[Albert PUIG ORTONEDA Interview]
Q, the Levain Cup the other day was also played with the 4-2-3-1 system. Will you continue with this system in future league matches?
A, this season we plan to switch systems according to the situation, but I believe that the team's style is more important than the system itself.
Q, in the recent Levain Cup, the side back's good play improved the quality of ball possession.
A, as the team's style further develops, the side back players are required to play more offensively and technically. If we can control the ball better than we do now, the time and frequency of defensive play will naturally decrease. Therefore, we expect the side back players to play more offensively. Looking back on the Levain Cup so far, I think we have been able to express good play, and when viewed in fragments, there were also scenes where we outperformed the opponent with good play. There is still a long way to go to establish our style. We want to continue working on it.
Q, how will you make use of the gains from the Gamba Osaka match in the Sanfrecce Hiroshima match?
A, I believe Sanfrecce Hiroshima tends not to make major changes to their lineup between the league matches and the Levain Cup. Hiroshima’s strength lies in their high-intensity pressing and play that leverages combination, led by a great coach commanding the team. They are a dangerous club competing at the top, but we are also gradually regaining the good feeling we had at the start of the season. After the opening, several players were consecutively sidelined, and we couldn’t maintain that good feeling, but now we are in the process of recovering it. Along with that good feeling, the players are also refining their good chemistry and connections. Because a positive momentum has been born again, we want to deliver a good match tomorrow and regain that momentum in the league matches as well.
Q: What kind of momentum has been created for the team by winning the Gamba Osaka match?
A, just like in life, mentality influences the outcome in soccer. Naturally, losing a match causes significant mental damage. On the other hand, winning can help recover the mentality and create a tailwind. The victory against Gamba Osaka had a positive impact on us.
Q, How is the condition of Kashif BANGNAGANDE?
A, in situations like this, physical condition is not everything. Even if players like Ryoma WATANABE and Shuto ABE have regained their condition, they must first regain their match sharpness. The same can be said for Kashif BANGNAGANDE at this time. By gaining playing time in official matches, they can recover their match sharpness.
Q, we played against Hiroshima in a training match before the opening. I think the team has a good image of that time.
A, of course, there was a good feeling. It wasn’t only the training match against Hiroshima that gave us a good feeling; the opening match against the Urawa Reds was the same. However, after that, we had a series of players sidelined, and we lost that feeling. It seems that multiple players were sidelined as the matches progressed. We shouldn’t place too much importance on the results of training matches, but we were certainly able to proceed through the preseason in a good way.
Q, it is a match against Hiroshima, who specializes in high press.
A, Of course, I think it will be a difficult match. However, I also believe it will not be easy for them to break through our press. We will stick to our style and fight aiming for victory.
Q: In the recent Levain Cup, Soma ANZAI player made a full-time appearance. Please evaluate him once again.
A, a positive point in our style is that when a technical player joins, the ball becomes the lubricant for communication. Since passing the ball is also a form of communication, it won't take him long to adapt to that. Players like him are exactly the ones we expect. A bright future awaits him.
Q, it seems that the depth of the player layer of the side back has increased with the addition of player Yasuzaki.
A, there are no players in the team who have guaranteed positions or playing time. I believe that everyone has a chance to play.
[Player Interview]
＜Kashif BANGNAGANDE＞
Q: How is your condition now that you have returned this week?
A, I think my condition is improving. I was sidelined for about three weeks due to an injury, but I was able to return to training in good shape.
Q, do you feel confident playing from here without any worries?
A, yes. I am able to play without any particular worries or symptoms related to the injury.
Q, please tell us about tomorrow's Sanfrecce Hiroshima match.
A, it is an important match for the team to change the momentum. We were able to secure a good victory in the Levain Cup match against Gamba Osaka. We want to continue that by winning this game and creating an even better flow.
Q, do you also feel an increasing desire to participate in the game?
A, even during the period I was away, I was full of the desire to play as soon as possible. If I get the chance to participate, my feeling is, "I'll give it my all!"
Q: During the period of absence, did you review your own play?
A, of course I reviewed my own play, but I also paid close attention to Shuhei TOKUMOTO's play. The inward movements, which I myself lack, were very educational for me.
Q, how do you plan to utilize your experience as a member of the Japanese national team in the future?
A, through my activities with the national team, I deeply realized the need to raise all levels of my play and technical skills, especially the play inside. However, it was also a period that worked positively for me. Since I had a continuous period where I couldn't play soccer, I want to spend fulfilling time from now on.
Q: Did you feel any sense of accomplishment while playing and working with players from around the world?
A, I still felt that I have a long way to go.
Q, the impression was that the participation in the friendly match was highly regarded by the public.
A, the impression was certainly that the evaluation from others was high, but personally, there were plays I wanted to express, and I still feel there is room for improvement.
Q, if you were to participate in tomorrow's Hiroshima match, it would also be an opportunity to express what you have gained through representative activities.
A, if I have the chance to play, I want to actively try out what I have gained. Before that, I prioritize the team's victory above all else.
Q, what specific plays do you want to try?
A, I want to increase the number of plays where I move inside and in the attacking third, which is also one of my strengths. In the friendly match against Colombia, I was not able to play at all in that area. I want to demonstrate my strengths more effectively in a more advanced position through aggressive play.
Q, please tell us your impression of Hiroshima again.
A, I have the impression that their intensity and individual abilities are high. If we can outperform them in individual battles, I believe it will lead to victory. Increasing aggressive plays on the sides will also help us take control of the game. If I get to play, I want to take the initiative actively.
