Match Review
In the previous match, Tokyo faced Nagoya Grampus and suffered their first defeat in 5 games. They looked to restart their momentum in this match against Yokohama F.Marinos at home in Ajinomoto Stadium. Facing such a tough opponent, Tokyo made 4 changes to their starting lineup from the previous match. Henrique Trevisan was placed at center back, Yuto Nagatomo at right back, Kuryu Matsuki at attacking midfielder, and Ryotaro Araki at striker. Teruhito Nakagawa, who will face his former team, started on the bench and waited for his chance to play.
Preventing consecutive losses, and aiming for the second win of the season at home at Ajinomoto Stadium, the stands were dyed in blue and red, and the kickoff whistle blew amidst high voltage.
1st HALF - Gradually take control after conceding the first goal
The first chance came to Tokyo. In the 4th minute of the first half, Ryotaro ARAKI's free kick was crossed by Henrique on the far side. Kashif BANGNAGANDE reacted to this and aimed for a shot, but it was blocked by the opponent. Then, immediately after, Yan Matheus from Yokohama FM created a chance from the right side. In the 5th minute of the first half, he cut in and swung his left foot, but it was touched and deflected by goalkeeper Taishi Brandon NOZAWA.
From there, the opponent held onto the ball for a while and Tokyo continued to chase the ball. In the 25th minute of the first half, the flow changed as Matsubara intercepted a pass from Takahiro KO aimed at Tawara Tsumita and quickly changed sides. In the end, Nam Tae-hee scored a beautiful goal and we conceded the first goal.
After passing the first 30 minutes, Araki, the forward, started to move left and right to pull out the ball, gradually creating an attacking rhythm for Tokyo. In particular, Tawarazumiya, the player who made bold moves, came close to scoring multiple times. However, they were unable to score due to the opponent's desperate blocks in front of the goal. In the end, Matsuki had a big chance but couldn't convert, and they went into halftime trailing by one point.
2ndHALF - Despite a fierce attack, Nagatomo's powerful equalizer was not enough for a comeback.
Tokyo continues to attack even in the second half.
Immediately after the kickoff, a big chance was created. Yasuki KIMOTO passed the ball to Soma ANZAI, who broke through the right side and sent a fast ball into the goal area. Ayumu ARAKI threw his body forward and dove for the ball, but he couldn't quite reach it.
However, Tokyo, who gained rhythm with this play, aggressively approached the goal and a tying goal was born in the 10th minute of the second half.
Matsumaki player connected the loose ball from the cross ball put in by Lori player from the left side, and Nagatomo player who jumped in near the penalty area flashed his right foot. The brilliant shot pierced into the goal.
Tokyo, who has completely grasped the pace, aims to reverse without letting go. They surpass the opponent in both ball possession and second ball recovery, and add thickness to the front line by bringing in players such as Nakagawa and Diego OLIVEIRA. However, the crucial reverse goal is not easily decided.
In the 23rd minute of the second half, player Yoshifu jumped in to volley a cross from player Nagatomo, but the shot was not met cleanly and flew straight to the opposing goalkeeper. In additional time, player Nakagawa's left-footed shot narrowly missed the goal, and right after that the game ended. While they were able to prevent a loss, they were unable to score a goal despite their offensive efforts, leaving them with only 1 point.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Yuto NAGATOMO/Yasuki KIMOTO/Henrique TREVISAN/Kashif BANGNAGANDE
MF Kuryu MATSUKI (43rd minute of the second half: Riki HARAKAWA)/Takahiro KO (43rd minute of the second half: Kosuke SHIRAI)/Kei KOIZUMI
FW Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (21st minute of the second half: Teruhito NAKAGAWA)/Soma ANZAI (31st minute of the second half: Jája Silva)/Ryotaro ARAKI (31st minute of the second half: Diego OLIVEIRA)
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF Teppei OKA
GOAL
10 minutes into the second half: Yuto NAGATOMO
＜Yokohama F.Marinos＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK William POPP
DF Ken MATSUBARA/Takumi KAMIJIMA/Taiki WATANABE (37th minute of the first half: Riku YAMANE)/Katsuya NAGATO
MF Kota WATANABE/Takuya KIDA/Nam Tae-Hee (0th minute of the second half: Keigo SAKAKIBARA)
FW Matheus Yan (17th minute of the second half: Kenta INOUE)/Anderson LOPES (17th minute of the second half: Asahi UENAKA)/Elber (17th minute of the second half: Ryo MIYAICHI)
SUBS
GK Fuma SHIRASAKA
DF Ren KATO
GOAL
First Half 25 Minutes: Nam Tae-Hee
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]
Q: please review the game.
A: I have mixed feelings. It was a match where we were able to secure a win. I think it was a very entertaining game, with both teams playing aggressively and showcasing good football. I believe this was also good publicity for Japanese soccer. I think we had to endure for about the first 30 minutes of the first half. From the latter part of the first half, we were able to fight strongly, and I believe we gained the elements that allowed us to turn the game around after entering the second half. We were able to fully demonstrate that in the second half and created enough chances to win the match. Overall, it was a good game, so I want to build the team so that we can play even better.
Q, the game development was completely different between the first and second half. What was the reason for the change in momentum?
A, in the first half we were a bit passive and became heavy at the back, but from around the end of the first half we were able to push forward. Then, just before the end of the first half, I think we were able to move the ball well while effectively using the spaces we intended to use. That continued into the second half and brought about a good flow. I was confident we could definitely catch up to make it 1-1, and I believed we could score the second goal.
I am truly proud of the players. They gave everything they had to fight for the win. We want to continue to improve and learn from each game. It is important and a strong aspect of our team that we were able to show our strength. We hope to continue to improve and grow, and get closer to the team we have dreamed of. However, there are still things we need to do in order to achieve that.
[Player Interview]
＜Yuto NAGATOMO＞
Q: It was the first goal in 5118 days at Ajinomoto Stadium. Please review the scoring scene.
A, when Kuryu MATSUKI had the ball, I was also in a good position and free, so I imagined taking a direct shot as soon as the ball came to me. Kuryu passed the ball at the perfect timing, so all I had to do was swing.
Q, I think the side back has become more aware of taking a high position.
A, not only myself but also Kosuke SHIRAI and Kashif BANGNAGANDE have been involved in many scenes leading to assists and goals. I believe this is the result of the team's efforts.
Q, What kind of communication did you have with Soma ANZAI, who is on the same side?
A, Since we haven't played together much, I think we can build our relationship much more from now on. Anzai plays dedicated defense and never neglects the small details like pressing back, so he is a great help to me and makes it easier for me to play as well.
Q, during the consecutive games, it seemed like the team was able to switch gears from the previous defeat and approach the game.
A, Not falling apart is a good point for the team. The first half was a tough situation, but we were able to talk and make adjustments on the pitch, and by the end of the first half, we managed to take control of the flow. The fact that players can communicate and make corrections on the pitch is something that makes us feel our growth.
<Yasuki KIMOTO>
Q, please review the game.
A, thanks to sharing and making adjustments on the pitch, the overall low defensive line was resolved, and from there, we were able to regain possession and launch counterattacks. I think the team's strengths were shown. This was also the case in the previous match against Nagoya Grampus, but there have been noticeable instances where we conceded goals from situations that were not major threats. We want to learn how to manage the game better, including the resilience to hold firm and the mindset to accept a 0-0 scoreline in the first half depending on the situation.
Q, in the second half, there were build-up plays and forward movements from player Yasuki KIMOTO.
A, I think I was able to show my strengths in how I got involved in the attack. I want to continue doing that. The issue in today’s match was that there were few opportunities leading to chances after playing the ball vertically. Since Tokyo’s forward line is filled with high-quality players, I want to keep focusing on plays that become the starting point of attacks.
Q, How do you look back on being able to avoid consecutive losses and multiple goals conceded?
A, I believe that in order to aim for the top, we absolutely must not have consecutive losses. I think we were able to achieve at least the minimum result. Although we conceded a goal in today’s match as well, we were conscious of not conceding goals consecutively like in the Nagoya game, and especially needed to stay focused during the five minutes after conceding. I think being able to fight patiently without conceding additional goals or collapsing significantly will lead to the next step.
<Kuryu MATSUKI>
Q, Ryotaro ARAKI was used in the starting lineup at the same time as the Urawa Reds match for the first time since the Urawa Reds match.
A, today the match developed into an open game, so there were not many opportunities for the two of us to connect passes, but both Araki and I are always within a distance where we can see each other, so we want to continue improving to achieve results.
Q, an aggressive attitude such as taking a middle shot was also seen.
A, throughout the game, I wanted to calm the game down a bit more. After the opposing center-back player was substituted due to injury, the match became open, so I think we should have moved the team while keeping possession without adapting to the opponent.
Q, the second half had more driving force forward than the first half.
A, we changed the way we applied pressure midway through the first half. We discussed it at halftime and continued with it in the second half. Since we maintained a good pace from about the last 10 minutes of the first half, I think it was a match we could have won if we had finished the chances we should have. However, to win, we want to work on establishing a good pace from the start of the match.
