<Last Match・Gamba Osaka Review>
In the early stages of the game, a back-and-forth battle continued, with the young guardian of the blue and red team, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, standing in front of the goal.
The first highlight came in the 41st minute of the first half. Despite being caught on a long counter attack and facing a 1-on-1 situation with the opponent, they calmly assessed the situation, limited their options, and reacted sharply to the shot. They stretched out their left hand and deflected the ball.
In the 3rd minute of the second half, he firmly blocked the opponent's middle shot with his right hand and defended the goal. And even in the pinch that came in the 22nd minute of the second half, his big save saved the team.
He was headed from the near side from a set play, but he stretched out his right hand with superhuman reflexes to change the course of the shot from close range and successfully deflected it just above the goal.
Continuous fine saves. It cannot be overlooked that he has become able to quickly reach out his hand to the opponent's shot.
"The goalkeeper is in a defensive position, so it is important to react while keeping an eye on the opponent and the ball, as the play depends on the opponent's actions."
However, in the 40th minute of the second half, we allowed the first goal due to a gap created by the opponent's player substitution.
Tokyo, who is looking to counterattack, launches a fierce attack towards the end. In the second half additional time, it seemed that Henrique TREVISAN scored the equalizer from a left corner kick, but the previous play was judged offside and the goal was not allowed. The time was up. They suffered a disappointing defeat at home and remained winless in 4 league matches.
His performance has been improving with each game. "Personally, I feel like I've been getting better and better in the last few games," says number 41, who also feels confident. That's why he wants to win.
"It's really frustrating because we were able to hold on as a team until the end. Of course, it's important for everyone to put their bodies on the line, and the goalkeeper also needs to put their body on the line as the last line of defense. My biggest desire is for the team to win, so I want to make sure we bring home a victory in the next match against Sagan Tosu."
Match Preview
Following the 3rd round of the YBC Levain Cup held last Wednesday, the 17th round will be played in Tosu. After a tight schedule of playing every 2 and 3 days during Golden Week, this round will see them face the "Golden J" away with only 4 days of rest.
This week, attention is focused on the players selected for the Japan national team across various age groups. Following March, Yuto NAGATOMO has been named to the Japan national team, and for the U-23 Japan national team aiming for the Paris Olympics, four players have been selected: Kuryu MATSUKI, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, Kashif BANGNAGANDE, and Ryotaro ARAKI.
In the away match against Avispa Fukuoka, which took place immediately after the announcement of the March national team members, three players, Nagatomo, Yoshifu, and Araki, who were released to play with the Hinomaru, scored goals and achieved a great victory. They contributed to the team's first win of the season in Fukuoka away, the first since July 2000. We cannot help but expect a high performance from them in their blue and red uniforms in this match as well.
The away game at Tosu marked the first victory in the cup tournament since the 2019 season, but it has been a "difficult place" where the team has not been able to win a league game since June of the 2015 season. Although the team has not been able to produce the desired results with four winless games in the league, they hope to use the victory they won in the penalty kick battle in the previous week's Levain Cup as a springboard for a comeback.
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI]
Q, although we conceded a goal, last week's match was a display of solid defense.
A, I think we delivered a good overall performance. However, if asked whether it was our best, I would say no, and I am disappointed that we conceded a goal and lost. I feel that there is still much for us to learn and acquire. Also, I feel the pain of not being able to achieve a victory in the match against Gamba Osaka. Even so, I see it as something necessary on our journey. While focusing on developing our style of play, I want to move forward toward the next match.
The players clearly understand what they can do and what challenges they face. We must continuously evolve to get closer to our ideal. Of course, paying attention to details within that process is also important. To become a team that no one can stop, I believe it is essential to repeatedly make corrections and improvements and keep moving forward.
Q, We will have a rematch with Sagan Tosu in a short period of time.
A, I want to focus first on our own style of play. I think this match will also be tough, but we are making good preparations. If we can play our football, we will be able to score goals, and we are gradually regaining solidity in defense. We will continue to pursue the team's objectives until the final whistle and aim to secure all three points.
[Player Interview]
Teruhito NAKAGAWA
Q, How do you want to tighten the team again while being far from victory in the recent official game?
A, from the start of the match, I want the team to aggressively win the ball and maintain an attacking mindset that finishes with shots, bringing intensity to our play. Regarding defense, I believe we need the fierceness to not give the opponent any freedom. We want to thoroughly reinforce our defensive approach as a team once again.
On the offensive side, monotony was also noticeable. In recent games, we have felt a lack of threat in scenes where we properly rotate the ball and in the length of time we possess it in the opponent's territory. We need to elevate our game to become a threat to the opponent and a monotonous attack will not scare their defense. In addition to the league matches, we will have a busy schedule in June with the Levain Cup and Emperor's Cup. As a team, we want to share again how we can maintain a high level of performance with the same mindset regardless of who is on the field. We believe that by clearing each challenge on both offense and defense, the most important thing is to "keep doing it".
Q, Please tell us about what Teruhito NAKAGAWA is focusing on and what he is conscious of in his own play.
A, it depends on the position I play. When I play centrally, such as an attacking midfielder or lone striker, I always focus on using my strengths—receiving the ball to create rhythm, dropping back once, then making runs behind the defense—to support the team in advancing the ball. When I play on the right wing, I communicate with the players behind me and consciously make movements not only staying wide but also cutting inside to create space for the full-back to join the attack.
Basically, I am not always playing in the front line, but I am conscious of increasing the number of times I touch the ball by dropping back to the midfield position. I do not want to be too caught up in my position, and I want to be able to sense the situation on the pitch and make the best decisions.
Q, this is a match against Sagan Tosu that took place about a week ago in the Levain Cup. What kind of performance are you expecting?
A, by having faced them recently in the Levain Cup, we were able to somewhat experience their playing style and tactics on the pitch, and of course, I believe the opposing team is in the same situation. Tosu is a team that builds up play from the back, and in our previous match, we played with the mindset of aggressively pressing from the front. It’s not about recklessly trying to win the ball up front, but as a team, if we can stay compact and win the ball in the opponent’s territory, I think it will lead to attacking opportunities. I also believe the opponent has scouted us, so I want to make play choices based on reading the flow of the match. Especially the first 10 to 15 minutes of the first half are crucial; creating chances and scoring the opening goal will be the key points to winning this difficult away game.
<Kashif BANGNAGANDE>
Q, in the league we are in a situation where we have not won in four games.
A, although we have been away from victory, if you look closely at the details, I think there has been progress in defense compared to the beginning of the season. It’s not that there were no clear chances or opportunities in the matches we lost. There are many cases where we miss the final step or concede the only clear chance to the opponent. First, we want to correct those areas. On the attacking side, I feel that we are able to create the shape we aim for. Regarding the final shot quality, and speaking for myself, I want to steadily improve the accuracy of my crosses and the timing of their delivery. If we can solve these issues during the match and connect them to victory, I believe the team can aim higher again. I think other players feel the same way on the pitch. We want to focus more on correcting these issues and linking them to results.
Q, Victory, please tell me what is necessary to continue winning streaks.
A, I think it comes down to finishing decisively in key moments, throwing your body in to cling to the ball in the final defensive moments, and how much attention you pay to the finer details. Even if it feels like we are doing these things during the match, looking back later, it seems we fall short compared to when we were on a winning streak. I want to demand this not only from myself but also from those around me. By communicating this to others, I believe it increases the responsibility for my own play, and I want each individual to raise their awareness and play with that mindset.
Q, Sagan Tosu, who played against us in the Levain Cup, is our opponent this round.
A, I did not participate in the Levain Cup, but after watching the footage, I think it was a very tough match. Looking at the past results of Sagan Tosu’s away games (league matches), we have been far from victory, and if we can win, I believe we will definitely gain momentum. This will be a turning point match, and we want to make it a game decided within the 90 minutes, something we couldn’t achieve in the Levain Cup. We want to bring back only a win to Tokyo.
