<Match Preview>
Now, heading towards the 4th league cup winner. Peter Tokyo sets sail on a new journey.
On April 17th (Wednesday), FC Tokyo will face J3's Y.S.C.C. Yokohama in the 2nd round of the 2024 J.League YBC Levain Cup. The match, which will determine the winner in a single game, will be an "away" game at NHK Spring Mitsuzawa Football Stadium.
The tournament has changed its format starting this season. In the previous season, J1 clubs and the relegated J2 clubs from that season participated, competing for dominance through a group stage, playoff stage, and knockout stage. However, this season, the format has changed to a tournament style with all 60 clubs from J1 to J3 participating. J1 clubs will enter from the 2nd round, and Tokyo will also have their first match of the tournament here.
YS Yokohama will face each other for the first time in club history (excluding FC Tokyo U-23). They are an unknown opponent, but as a club with three past championship wins in this tournament, it is a must-win match that we must advance in.
The team showed their fighting spirit by equalizing in the dying minutes of the 2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 League Sec. 8 match against Tokyo Verdy last weekend. Despite falling behind by 2 goals in the first half and being reduced to 10 men, the team rallied together and turned the tables, securing a 2-2 draw with 2 goals from Keita ENDO and earning 1 point.
In a situation where they were one player short, there were concerns about fatigue from the intense battle, as they showed their superior running ability. Furthermore, in this match, three players from the U-23 Japan national team will be absent, but players who have come off the bench in the previous two league matches have scored goals and performed well. Endo, who had a good result in the previous match, also said, "I didn't want them to go to the U-23 Japan national team and think, 'They were really reliable after all'," showing that the players who were selected are fighting hard. They are showing the depth of their squad, where any player can make a difference.
In addition, this tournament is also known as a "gateway for young players", so we can also expect the efforts of players who have not had the opportunity to participate so far. Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI said, "This is a tournament where if you lose, it's over. I want to make decisions on player selection based on their condition. Whether they are young or not, it doesn't matter as long as they are ready to play and have the strength. We want to prepare to play our own football and aim for victory while considering the use of fresh members."
On July 8, 2007, Yuto NAGATOMO wore the blue and red uniform for the first time and stepped onto the pitch for a J-League official match. It was none other than Mitsuzawa.A, the venue for the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup (at the time). Wearing the number 36, his growth and evolution since then, as a designated player for the JFA and J-League, needs no further explanation.
This match will be played away on a weekday, but it could be a turning point for the selected players in the future. It is interesting to watch from that perspective while observing the coach's decisions.
First, we must win the first battle. We want to start our journey towards our fourth victory by showcasing an unchanging aggressive fight, no matter who stands on the pitch, and firmly climbing to the top.
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI]
Q, This is the first match of the J.League YBC Levain Cup against Y.S.C.C. Yokohama. Are you considering using young players?
A, I will bring the members who can win the match, and I am currently considering that. Of course, I will also check each player's medical information and decide based on the practice the day before the match. Whether they are young or not does not matter to me. As long as they are prepared and have the ability, whether they are 17 years old or the oldest, I will simply select and prepare the members so that they can play our football.
Q, Three players from the U-23 Japan national team are absent.
A, I believe that is also part of the process. It applies mentally as well, and steadily improving our play and what we do every day is a step toward success and achieving something great. I think the team is moving in a good direction now, but we must continue and do even more.
Q, The Levain Cup has changed to a tournament format starting this season. How do you feel about the differences and difficulties compared to last season?
A, The difference is, of course, that if you win, you advance to the next round, and if you lose, it's over. Although the format has changed, nothing has changed for me. It is about selecting a team that can play every week, fighting with a strong mentality so that we can play our football, and winning the match. That does not change whether it is the Levain Cup or the league matches. The starting 11 must be fully prepared to fight, the substitutes must be ready to make an impact, and everyone must be on standby to fight until the very end.
Q, After practice, I spoke to Soma ANZAI. What words did you say?
A, I also spoke with him after the Tokyo Verdy match. In that game, Soma Anzai might have been under various pressures. Following Anzai’s sending off, how the team would respond became crucial, and the team’s mentality was important. We had to overcome that for the club and for Anzai himself. I think it was good that we managed to come back from a two-goal deficit. We almost scored a third, but time ran out. What I told Anzai was to stay positive. We assured him that we would support him 100 percent—that was the conversation we had.
Q, there may be more teams that close in and take measures like in the Verdy game or the previous Kawasaki Frontale game. How will you surpass that?
A, If they close the center, other spaces will open up. I think it’s important to quickly find those spaces and move forward. We want to develop our style of play and way of competing.
[Player Interview]
Tsubasa TERAYAMA
Q, the Tokyo Verdy match ended in a last-minute tie, and we have another match in 3 days. The J.League YBC Levain Cup is a different tournament, but it will be a good opportunity to regroup the team during this consecutive match schedule.
A, unlike the league matches, this is a tournament where losing means elimination, so I think it is a match where we must always play with a sense of urgency. It is important to express our own style of soccer firmly without adapting to the opponent.
Q, As for Tsubasa TERAYAMA himself, he came on as a substitute in the Verdy match and was involved in a goal. With his condition and performance improving, isn't this the perfect timing to continue in official matches?
A, it is important to show my play within the time given and to gradually increase my playing time, which I believe will lead to becoming a regular starter. I want to focus on delivering solid results in the time and position assigned to me.
Q, Were you able to organize your role and enter the game when you were used in a position one row ahead of the volante in the previous game?
A, Although the situation of being down to 10 men was (clearly) difficult, when Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI gave instructions from the bench, I was able to quickly organize what I needed to do, and within that, the team was also able to communicate effectively. I was able to fit in well there too.
Q, if you return to the position of midfielder in the next opportunity, are you still organized in terms of what you should do as an individual?
A, The view changes when playing as a defensive midfielder. I think it’s just about showing what I’ve done so far, and in matches, only what you consistently practice every day will come out. It would be great if I can express that well. The most important part is game control. I want to play while effectively using my teammates and bringing out my own strengths. Winning the ball is one of my strong points, so when it comes to securing possession and creating the game, I want to work together with my teammates by communicating and acting as a team.
Q, Y.S.C.C. Yokohama is a team currently belonging to the J3 League. It is expected that they will approach the match with a similar feeling as when they faced Tokyo in the Emperor's Cup while Terayama was playing for Juntendo University.
A, I also had a strong determination to absolutely win at that time, and to be honest, I was in a position where I had nothing to lose. I felt like I was fighting while borrowing Tokyo's strength. This time, I am in the opposite position, and I think the opponent will come at us desperately, so we must not let that affect us. Unless our passion and spirit surpass the opponent's desperation, I believe that if we show any weakness, we will be eaten up. It is important that we do not match the opponent but instead focus on our own play and overcome them.
Q, Do you have the consciousness of aiming for a big title even though the tournament has not started yet?
A, of course, we must have the awareness that losing means the end, and if we enter the match half-heartedly, it will become a difficult game. The entire team must stay focused because in tournaments like this, regardless of category, anything can happen. Each player on the pitch wants to play with a strong sense of responsibility.
<Tetsuhiro OKA player>
Q, I think there is also a possibility that it will lead to a chance to fight in a different tournament from the league in the midst of consecutive games.
A, It is the J.League YBC Levain Cup amid consecutive matches, and I have been preparing while thinking that my turn will come. I have always been ready to play in the league matches as well, but since I have not been able to seize many opportunities, right after the Tokyo Verdy match ended, I thought I would leave results in this Levain Cup. My condition is not bad, and I am confident I can perform.
Q, even after entering the season from camp, there are many practice matches, and among them, you are always maintaining a high performance.
A, At first, I struggled to adapt to the basic way of playing, but now I have reached a state where I just need to do what I am supposed to do.
Q, in the past few games where the condition has improved, the team's foundation lies in building up from the defense line with solid passes. How do you feel about the progress in the build-up phase?
A, in the build-up phase, those around me provide considerable support, and although it is also an area for improvement, I am able to play with the mindset of not passively hoping the ball won’t come to me, but rather taking the initiative to move the ball myself.
Q, I think that as an opponent belonging to the J3 League, you will face it with considerable motivation, but as a challenger, Teppei Oka himself can also face the opponent in a strong state in terms of feelings, right?
A, I also have a challenger spirit. However, I also have a strong determination to overcome and defeat. I used to be the type to get very nervous, but now that’s no longer the case, so I can prepare with a calm mind. Also, when I belonged to the U-18 team, I played a match against Y.S.C.C. Yokohama at NHK Spring MitsuzawaFootballStadium as a member of FC Tokyo U-23, and that was the place where I experienced the feeling of competing as a professional. It’s the place where I gained confidence that I can do it, and now that I have truly become a professional, I want to prove it.
<Ryunosuke SATO>
We will face our first match of the J.League YBC Levain Cup against Q and Y.S.C.C. Yokohama.
A, This season is a knockout format, and if we lose, the Levain Cup itself will be over. I believe my stage can only continue by winning, so I want to create my stage by winning.
Q, What kind of play do you want to make when competing in a tournament different from the league?
A, This is true for our usual matches as well, but I think there are especially many players hungry for games in the Levain Cup. Within that, each player needs to bring out their own play, and the team must come together; otherwise, we can't win. I want us to work on that balance through discussions among everyone. However, I believe we will only be evaluated by victories, so I want to play football that ensures we are winning when the final whistle blows.
Q, How is the team's atmosphere after the two consecutive games at the Japan National Stadium and the match against Verdy?
A, In the last three league matches, there were no bad games overall, so the team is in a good atmosphere. Even the players who have not been able to play are maintaining their focus and continuing their training, so I believe everyone is prepared for the team.
Q, this will be a match away from home. Please send a message to the fans and supporters.
A, Many players are hungry for matches, and I believe that feeling can only be conveyed to the fans and supporters on the pitch. We want to play with our emotions fully on display and make it a game that makes everyone glad they came to watch. We appreciate your support.
