Match Review
The excitement and enthusiasm of the first Tokyo Verdy match in 16 seasons stirred up the players' fighting spirit. The blue and red fans and supporters, who filled the goal end, welcomed the players who came out for warm-up with loud applause and cheers. Yuto Nagatomo, in particular, responded by pounding his left chest with more force than anyone else and riling up the fans and supporters.
"Losing at "Home" is not acceptable for Tokyo's pride. The 90 minutes have begun to unfold, showing that "We are Tokyo" in the best atmosphere.
1st HALF - Numerical disadvantage due to a player being sent off after conceding 2 goals
In the first half, which started with high tension, it was Tokyo who created the first chance. In the 11th minute, they went to put pressure on the enemy's high position, and Teruhito NAKAGAWA cut the ball in front of the area. Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA, who received the pass, swung his left foot in the area, but it was blocked by the opponent. In addition, they created another shooting chance in the 15th minute. Kei KOIZUMI picked up the second ball, and Kashif BANGNAGANDE made the final pass. Although it didn't connect, Teruhito NAKAGAWA picked up the loose ball and aimed with his right foot. The shot hit the frame, but it went straight to the goalkeeper.
If we can't convert these two chances into goals, we will give up a PK in the 26th minute. This was scored by player Miki. In addition, we conceded a second goal in the 34th minute. The ball that Enrique Trevisan tried to connect was intercepted, crossed, and then hit by player Someya with a powerful volley shot.
Tokyo, who fell behind by two points in one go, is dealt another blow. In the 43rd minute, Soma ANZAI received his second yellow card and was sent off. They will now have to fight with one less player for the remaining time.
2ndHALF—Dramatic equalizer just one step away
Despite being at a numerical disadvantage and chasing two points, Tokyo did not falter at all. During the difficult period of having the ball passed around by Tokyo Verdy, all members ran diligently to defend and their attitude of waiting for a chance gradually shifted the momentum in our favor.
In the 23rd minute of the second half, Kosuke SHIRAI, who did not miss the opportunity when the opponent's pass was short, intercepted and ran up the right side with a negative cross. Tsubasa TERAYAMA, who jumped in, made a through pass, and behind him, Keita ENDO kicked it in with his right foot, scoring the first goal.
Tokyo, who wants to push forward, brought in Riki HARAKAWA and Jája Silva, and intensified their attack. However, Verdy's defensive awareness was high and they were unable to break through the goal, entering the additional time with a one-point deficit.
Even there, Go HATANO couldn't carry the ball to the goal, and at the time when he was prepared for the end of the game, it was Endo who saved the team. In the second half, 45+4 minutes, goalkeeper Go HATANO sent a feed to the front line. Enrique, who was on the front line, competed for the loose ball, which Nakagawa picked up and passed to Endo, who was next to him. Endo received the pass, created his own shooting lane, and took a powerful shot with his left foot. The intense shot shook the goal net.
Afterwards, Tokyo continued to push for a comeback goal with their momentum, but the final round ended without a goal being scored. However, the players in blue and red, who had fought back from being two points behind with only 10 players, were cheered on by the fans and supporters in the stands. They promised to win the match against Verdy in August, which will be played at their "home" stadium.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Go HATANO
DF Kosuke SHIRAI/Kanta DOI/Henrique TREVISAN/Kashif BANGNAGANDE (28th minute: Yuto NAGATOMO)
MF Takahiro KO (38th minute: Jája SILVA)/Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA (16th minute: Tsubasa TERAYAMA)/Kei KOIZUMI (38th minute: Riki HARAKAWA)
FW Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (16th minute: Keita ENDO)/Soma ANZAI/Teruhito NAKAGAWA
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF Masato MORISHIGE
GOAL
First Half 23rd Minute: Keita ENDO/Second Half 45+4th Minute: Keita ENDO
＜Verdy Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Matheus
DF Kazuya Miyahara/Naoki Hayashi/Hiroto Taniguchi (39th minute: Kohei Yamakoshi)/Daiki Fukazawa
MF Kosuke Saito (17th minute: Hijiri Onaga)/Koki Morita/Tetsuyuki Inami/Tomoya Miki (34th minute: Yuan Matsuhashi)
FW Itsuki Someno (34th minute: Yuto Tsunashima)/Yudai Kimura (17th minute: Hiroto Yamami)
SUBS
GK Yuya NAGASAWA
MF Tiago ALVES
GOAL
First half 28 minutes: Tomoya MIKI/First half 33 minutes: Itsuki SOMENO
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]
Q, please look back on today's game.
A, I think we had a good start in the first half, but there was a bad period of about 10 minutes during which we conceded. That changed the flow of the game. However, there were moments at the beginning and towards the end of the first half when we were able to play well. I believed that if something changed in a particular situation or moment, the game would shift in our favor. At halftime, we talked about that and also said, 'If we score one goal, we can score another.' In the end, we went for the third goal, but time ran out and the game ended.
The players gave their all on the pitch and fought desperately to turn the game around for the fans and supporters. The fans and supporters really gave us amazing support and are the best in Japan.
The players gave us a truly amazing performance until the end and tried to turn the game around. It's unfortunate that we couldn't get 3 points, but I hope we can reflect on today's game and continue to grow. The players showed a warrior-like mentality and played with pride. However, we ran out of time and I feel sorry that we couldn't deliver a victory to our fans and supporters.
Q, Yesterday, Keita ENDO, who was announced as a full transfer, scored 2 goals.
A, I believe he made a strong impact today and truly showed something wonderful as a player. However, he still has room to grow. He has a great character, and I think the full transfer is a positive thing. Today as well, he fought hard while working diligently.
Q, please tell us about the intention of the last substitution.
A, Takahiro KO and Kei KOIZUMI worked extremely hard while moving skillfully to seize the flow of the game. We wanted to bring in Riki HARAKAWA and Jája Silva as early as possible, but we had to consider the balance. The substitute players delivered very good performances and caught up well. Even after equalizing at 2-2, they showed an attitude of going for the win, and the warrior-like mentality of the players is not something every team has; I believe it is proof of the growth we have achieved through the training we do every day.
[Player Interview]
＜Keita ENDO Player＞
Q, it was a splendid equalizing goal. Please review the game.
A, the passionate feelings that the fans and supporters put into this match were fully conveyed, and although we were down to 10 players in the first half, being able to play without giving up until the end led to the equalizer. Above all, the support from the fans and supporters became our strength. Even during the tough moments, I felt the fans' support from the bench, and we could not afford to show a disappointing performance against Tokyo Verdy. Once I stepped onto the pitch, I only thought about repaying that support with results.
Q, both goals were scored with great enthusiasm.
A, it wasn’t just my own effort, and I don’t know if it was right or wrong, but I believe that being able to play desperately as a team was everything. We absolutely could not afford to lose 0-2. I think the two goals we scored were powered by the support from our fans and supporters. Kosuke SHIRAI won the ball in an advanced position, and the ones running into the goal area were Tsubasa TERAYAMA and me. As players who came on as substitutes, we talked on the bench about 'let’s change the flow ourselves,' and I think being able to out-sprint the opponents led to the goals. Regarding the second goal, when I received the ball, I was thinking about shooting, and I’m glad it was finished in a good way.
Q, On the 11th, the complete transfer to the team was announced. How do you feel about your immediate performance?
A, I hadn’t been able to score goals until now, so I saw this big game today as a chance to make an impact. Even after equalizing, I kept aiming for a goal, and I believe we secured at least one point. Ryotaro ARAKI and Kuryu MATSUKI have been leading the team’s attack so far, but after they left for the U-23 Japan national team, I absolutely did not want anyone to think, 'After all, we were relying on them.' There were times when I couldn’t even get on the pitch while I was in Germany, so from here on, I want to work hard to earn the recognition of the fans and supporters. I believe top-class players can consistently show good performances. I want to continue demonstrating strong performances beyond just these two goals.
<Kosuke SHIRAI>
Q: It was a tough game. Please review the game.
A, In the end, we were able to come back from 0-2, so I think this is the minimum acceptable result. We should have managed the first half of the game better, and I believe it's too late to switch gears only after falling behind, so we need to play properly from the start.
Q, With one less player, there were scenes where I had to keep an eye on both the opponent's fullback and midfielder. What were you particularly conscious of in the second half?
A, conceding a third goal when down by two goals would have made the match even more difficult, so I focused on playing in a way that would prevent conceding. As we saw in today's game, I believed that scoring one goal would change the flow of the match, so I was conscious of moving forward while not conceding.
Q, What was your goal for the second half and how did you play?
A, We switched to a 4-4-1 formation, so we focused on forming a solid block and aimed to score through counters and set pieces, which worked out well. We knew the opponent would panic if the score changed from 0-2 to 1-2, so we managed to score an additional goal and equalize. I think the way we managed the second half went exactly as planned.
Q, Kosuke SHIRAI's sprint speed saved the team.
A, That is my strength, and it has gradually improved since last season. I feel that I have finally been able to show my own play, and I am happy that it contributed to the team's strength.
Q, how was the atmosphere of the match with Verdy?
A, I think it was an intense match unlike anything I have experienced before.
Q, please tell us your future goals.
A, I still have many points to reflect on, but I am gradually able to show my play, so I want to firmly secure my position as right side back.
<Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA>
Q: This was my first start after transferring. Please review the game.
A, It was my first start, but we fell behind 0-2 in the first half, and then being reduced to 10 men was the result of showing a weakness and being caught off guard. I need to reflect on that.
Q, What were you conscious of when playing with Teruhito NAKAGAWA, who was often close to you?
A, Both of us are players who can play either at the front line or one row back in the second line, so when one drops back, the other takes the space behind, and we were conscious of playing by alternating like that.
Q, In the first 20 minutes, we saw plays where the opponent's defenders were being taken behind. What kind of sharing was happening within the team?
A, Targeting behind the defense was also part of the team's concept, so I was making plays to get behind them, but I couldn't create plays that led to goals. I want to work on being able to come up with different strategies in such situations.
Q, Did you have any takeaways from today's game despite having to focus on defense due to the impact of the player being sent off?
A, I think it was good that we showed our true strength and managed to catch up in the end. However, we also need to reflect on the first half because of that. I hope we can continue to catch up against opponents who are leading in the future as well.
