Match Review
"Gold J" was held in Sec. 17, and Tokyo, who had traveled to away team Tosu, had all four U-23 Japan national team players who were announced the day before starting in the lineup.
The starting members have changed two players from the last match, with Taishi Brandon NOZAWA as the goalkeeper. The defense line consists of Soma ANZAI on the right, Kyosei KIMOTO, Enrique TREVISAN, and Kashif BANGNAGANDE. The midfield features Takahiro KO and Kei KOIZUMI as a pair, with Kuryu MATSUKI positioned as an attacking midfielder. Up front, Teruhito NAKAGAWA is on the right wing, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA on the left wing, and Ryotaro ARAKI has moved from the attacking midfield position to the lone striker role. Additionally, Hotaka NAKAMURA, returning from injury, has joined the bench and responded to the "Hotaka" calls from the Tokyo supporters with applause during warm-ups.
Following the victory achieved after a penalty shootout last Wednesday in the J League YBC Levain Cup 3rd Round, this is an away game in Tosu. Although the performance of the team is improving, the results have not followed, placing them in a difficult situation with four consecutive league matches without a win. They are eager to secure a league victory in Tosu, a place they have struggled with. The match kicked off at the EKIMAE REAL ESTATE STADIUM, where some brightness remained.
1st HALF - Yasu's powerful shot gives an early lead goal
Tokyo, who showed an aggressive attack from the beginning. Tawara Tsumita's cut-in dribble, Araki's through pass, and others are approaching the opponent's goal.
And in the 11th minute of the first half, player Araki's right corner kick was deflected and player Takahashi connected it with a header, sending it forward. Player Kimoto, who remained on the front line, then struck a powerful shot with his right foot, breaking through the near upper corner. The assistant referee raised the offside flag, but with the support of VAR, the goal was awarded. The players formed a circle of joy near the center circle after scoring an early goal.
Tokyo, who wants an additional point, had a chance in the 23rd minute of the first half when Julian made a long feed to the left side and Tawara Taketa broke through. The opponent's defender and goalkeeper's back pass were disrupted, and the ball that couldn't be cleared fell to Matsuki's feet. Matsuki, who was free in front of the goal, slid the ball in and shook the net. However, after a long 5-minute VAR support and on-field review, Tawara Taketa's position was judged to be offside and unfortunately the goal was not allowed, and no additional point was scored.
Tokyo continued to dominate with Araki's strong ball retention, aggressive pressing from the front line, and sharp reactions to loose balls. In the 38th minute of the first half, Nozawa made a super save by stretching his right foot to deflect a shot from close range, just barely keeping it out of the goal line. He once again protected Tokyo's goal with his sharp reactions, following his performance in the previous match.
As each player demonstrates their strengths, in the 43rd minute of the first half, there was a big chance on the left side. Matsuki, who had created space in a high position, played a soft through pass to the near pocket, and Nakagawa made a sharp cutback from top speed. At this point, a final pass was sent to the space behind the opponent's defense, taking advantage of their vulnerability. Takai, who had made a run, aimed for the near post with a left-footed direct shot, but unfortunately it was saved by the opponent's goalkeeper.
The first half ended after a long 7 minutes of additional time due to a VAR check, with a lead of 1 point going into the second half.
2ndHALF—Protecting the one point with Daishi's save and Yoshifumi's block
Against the counterattack from Tosu, once again, the guardian deity that Tokyo takes pride in stood in the way, following the previous match against Gamba Osaka. In the 5th minute of the second half, after a ball loss in their own territory, Marcelo RYAN received a shot, and in the 6th minute, Yokoyama cut in from the left side and took a shot from inside the penalty area, but both were firmly caught by Nozawa. He shut down the opponent's attack.
Tokyo, who calmly builds up their attack while keeping Sagan Tosu at bay, will use time. In the 20th minute of the second half, they will try to change their formation by substituting Nakamura for Nakagawa and repositioning Yasuzaki on the right wing.
Despite it being his comeback match, Insoo YU's persistent defense was still strong. He effectively stopped Tosu's strong point, left winger Yokoyama's attacks, with his physical defense and took away their freedom.
Tokyo, who wants to prioritize defensive stability and aim for additional points, breaks through the left side with a big one-two by player Matsuki in the 29th minute of the second half. He takes a precise left-footed shot, but it narrowly misses to the right of the goal.
Tokyo, who are aware of the situation where they have been conceding goals towards the end, are increasing their defensive awareness. In the 37th minute of the second half, they faced a dangerous situation from the opponent's left cross, but Marcelo RYAN's header was blocked by Kashiho FUKE. They narrowly avoided a crisis and hugged with Henrique in front of their own goal.
In the final stage, Shuhei TOKUMOTO and Riki HARAKAWA were brought in to strengthen the defense from the front line. In the 5 minutes of additional time, they used a combination of attacking plays in the opponent's territory and defensive blocks in their own territory to maintain their lead until the end of the game. Taking advantage of the early goal they scored, they secured their second clean sheet victory of the season.
This marks the first league victory in away games against Tosu since June of the 2015 season. The chant of "the city that never sleeps" echoed through EKIMAE REAL ESTATE STADIUM.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Soma ANZAI (substituted at 43 minutes: Shuhei TOKUMOTO) / Yasuki KIMOTO / Henrique Trevisan / Kashif BANGNAGANDE
MF Kuu Matsuki (substituted at 31 minutes: Diego Oliveira) / Hiroshi Takau / Kei Koizumi
FW Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (substituted at 31 minutes: Jaja Silva) / Teruhito NAKAGAWA (substituted at 20 minutes: Hodaka Nakamura) / Ryotaro ARAKI (substituted at 43 minutes: Riki Harakawa)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Masato MORISHIGE
GOAL
First half 11 minutes: Yasuki KIMOTO
<Sagan Tosu>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Park Il-kyu
DF Yamazaki Kosuke/Ueebisu Katsunori/Marubashi Yusuke (substituted in 27th minute: Horigome Yuki)
MF Kawahara So/Tezuka Kohei (substituted in 37th minute: Fujita Naoyuki)/Kikuchi Taichi (substituted in 37th minute: Kitajima Ikuya)/Naganuma Yoichi
FW Yokoyama Ayumu (substituted in 42nd minute: Kawata Atsushi)/Togashi Cayman (substituted in 37th minute: Vinicius Araújo)/Marcelo Hian
SUBS
GK Masahiro OKAMOTO
MF Shota HINO
GOAL
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[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]
Q: please review the game.
A: It was a good football match. Both teams displayed entertaining and quality football, showcasing their strengths. Regarding our play, we were able to deliver a strong performance and maintained control and dominance. We created good momentum leading to the first goal; although we couldn’t score the second, I believe we showed enough to deserve it. At halftime, we discussed bringing out more of what we have and entered the second half with the mindset to go for the second and third goals. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t add more goals, but we created enough chances to do so. I think Sagan Tosu, under Coach Kawai, is a very active and well-moving team with great stamina, and against such a team, we believe we fought a match worthy of victory. For those who came here today and for the fans and supporters in Tokyo, I am happy we were able to secure the three points.
Q, please evaluate the defense that held on without conceding any points.
A, not only the defenders but the entire team was able to play very good defense. We were able to press aggressively and from there, we managed to seize the momentum. Every player on the field strictly followed the defensive rules. I am pleased that we were able to keep a clean sheet, and I believe we showed a performance worthy of that. Building on that, we were also able to move the ball as we wanted in attack. However, I am disappointed that we could not score multiple goals from there.
[Player Interview]
＜Yasuki KIMOTO＞
Q: please review the game.
A, in the first half, both our attack and defense were in very good shape. We were able to attack while maintaining possession of the ball, and I was able to score a goal within that, so I think the first half was good. In the second half, there was some physical fatigue, and we set up more defensive blocks. We created scoring opportunities, so if we had finished them, we could have scored three or four goals. This was something we discussed as a team and identified as a challenge for the second half.
Q, Especially in the second half, the amount of time we were under attack increased. How was our defensive strategy different from the first half?
A, Since we were unable to press as much as before, the defensive line dropped lower at times. However, we still maintained a solid defense without collapsing and were able to launch counters. We also managed to advance while keeping possession of the ball, so it wasn't all negative. We want to continue this going forward.
Q, the scoring scene was a spectacular volley shot. It was the first goal in two seasons.
A, I wasn’t aiming for it (laughs). I just focused on getting the ball on target, and it happened to go that way. I was happy, but the fact that the team hadn’t been winning was more mentally tough, so I’m glad I could contribute to the team’s victory.
Q, As a team, this is our second game of the season without conceding a goal in the league since the Kashima Antlers game in Sec. 7.
A, I have been playing every match with the awareness of keeping a clean sheet, and recently, since I have been playing in the games, we have been able to keep the goals conceded to a minimum. I was confident that if we continued this, we could keep a clean sheet. On top of that, today, everyone on the team was able to defend with strong determination, so I am happy with the clean sheet result.
Q, the Levain Cup and Emperor's Cup will continue to be played from here. How will the team overcome this?
A, last season we lost both the Levain Cup and the Emperor's Cup in an unsatisfactory manner, so this season we aim to win all the titles. It will require the strength of the entire team, and since we have a deep roster, I believe anyone who plays can perform well. First, we will focus on getting into good condition for the first match of next week's Levain Cup playoff round.
<Taishi Brandon NOZAWA>
Q, please review the game.
A, I think scoring from a set piece early on made the flow of the game easier. However, we should improve on not being able to capitalize on the opponent’s gaps to score a second and third goal during the match, but it was good that we were able to win 1-0.
Q, whether to connect or kick out big, it seemed like the team's decision during build-up led to a good flow.
A, As I gain more match experience, the team's coordination improves, making it easier to make decisions while observing the opponent's movements.
Q, The Kashima Antlers match just before heading to the AFC U23 Asian Cup was also a clean sheet.
A, last time when I returned from national team activities, I couldn’t really get into the flow, so this time I want to make sure that doesn’t happen and be able to contribute to the team’s victory even after fighting with the national team.
Q, after this, I will join the U-23 Japan national team's activities. Please give us your enthusiasm.
A, This will be my last activity before the Paris Olympics, so I will do my best to make a strong impression and secure a spot on the Paris Olympic team until the very end. I will fight carrying the name "Tokyo" on my back.
＜Hotaka NAKAMURA＞
Q, it was my first appearance in a while.
A, injuries are indeed tough. During the time I was injured, as long as there were people who reached out to help me, people who supported me nearby, and people waiting for my return, I felt deeply sorry that I had to show them that I was working hard and performing well. Thanks to the help of many people, I was able to come back onto the pitch. Since a series of consecutive matches will continue from here, I want to do my best to definitely be a strength for the team.
Q, it was a difficult game. I think there were a lot of things we needed to do on the defensive side.
A, Soma ANZAI was putting his body on the line and working hard from the first half, so during the first half, I was watching ANZAI’s play and the opponent’s play, imagining what kind of play I would make when I entered the game. By the time I came on, the match had become somewhat open, turning into a series of counterattacks, so my job was to handle one-on-one situations and to close down defensively. In that regard, since we didn’t concede any goals, I think I was able to fulfill that role.
Q, there are many good rivals competing for the position of right back, such as Yuto NAGATOMO and Kosuke SHIRAI.
A, both players recorded goals and assists while I was injured and have been performing very well, so I felt very frustrated that I couldn’t be there with them. When I get a chance, I just want to fully express all the feelings I’ve been holding inside. I believe whether I can survive depends on the results, and since that’s the kind of world it is, I definitely want to show on the pitch that I am Tokyo’s right back.
Q, please tell us your enthusiasm for the future.
A, I just want to win. I only have the desire to be involved in goals and to win no matter what. I will win.
