Match Review
In the second half of the 2024 season, Tokyo welcomed Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo to Ajinomoto Stadium. With a record of 8 wins, 6 draws, and 5 losses, totaling 30 points, Tokyo finished the first half in 6th place. However, this season, they have struggled with a poor record of 1 win, 4 draws, and 3 losses in 8 home games at Ajinomoto Stadium. With the opening of the second half today, they hope to start strong and gain momentum for the future.
In the previous match, Tokyo secured a hard-fought victory against Shonan Bellmare away. For this midweek match, they made four changes to the starting lineup. Taishi Brandon NOZAWA took position as goalkeeper, and Kosuke SHIRAI, who returned from injury in the match against Shonan, was utilized as the right side back. Yasuki KIMOTO, back from injury, entered as center back, partnering with Teppei OKA, who has started in two consecutive matches.
In addition, Shuhei TOKUMOTO, who scored a brilliant middle goal in the match against Shonan, was named as the left back. The midfielders are Takahiro KO and Riki HARAKAWA, with Kuryu MATSUKI positioned as the attacking midfielder. On the wings, Soma ANZAI is on the right and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA is on the left, with Ryotaro ARAKI as the lone striker. Furthermore, on the bench, players who have supported the team so far, including Keita ENDO, who has recovered from injury, are ready, and they kicked off vowing to secure a victory at home.
1stHALF - Gradually creating opportunities and approaching the goal
Sapporo, which has adopted an unconventional system of forming a 4-back while dropping midfielder Baba to the final line based on 3-6-1. They have been responding to Tokyo's 3-top with a man-to-man marking while creating a numerical advantage. Tokyo has been connecting passes, pressing from the front line, and looking for attacking options.
In the early stages, both teams set their lines high, but Sapporo quickly dropped back to a 4-back or even a 6-back with both wide players returning, making it difficult to create chances. On the other hand, the defense, which adopted a high-risk high-line defense, responded firmly to the opponent's quick attacks. In scenes where they were in danger of being countered, player Okada made sharp tackles to prevent any potential danger.
In the 27th minute of the first half, the team's goalkeeper once again saves the team, just like in the previous match. Despite allowing a powerful left-footed shot from player Suga after a long ball was dropped in the front line, player Nozawa makes a super save by diving to the right corner. This play reminds the team of their previous match where they endured defensively and secured a victory, giving them momentum going forward.
Tokyo has been struggling to create scoring opportunities as they would like, but as time passes, they are gradually creating chances.
35 minutes into the first half, Whitey player broke through on the right side with a feed from Kimoto player who had moved up from the final line. Araki player in the center aimed precisely with his left foot for a ground cross, but unfortunately it was cleared by the opposing defender.
After this play, Tokyo's fierce attack will start. In the 40th minute of the first half, player Yasuzaki supplies a through pass that cuts through the opponent's defense, and player Matsuki breaks through and approaches the goal, but is unable to shoot due to being closed down by the opponent at the last moment.
In the 43rd minute of the first half, NAWAZA player quickly jumped out against the opponent's counter and made a beautiful long pass to the right side with one touch. MATSUKI player broke through and ARAGAKI player took a volley shot from a chest trap in the area, but it was also blocked by the opponent.
Just before the end of the first half, there was a chance for a direct free kick from the left 45 degree position. Hirokawa aimed for the top left corner of the goal with his strong right foot, but his shot was blocked by Sugano's sharp reaction and could not shake the goal net.
Tokyo gradually became able to create opportunities, but struggled against the solid Sapporo defense that stuck to their opponents. The goal that led to victory at home was carried over to the second half.
2nd HALF—Anzai scores the winning goal! A long-awaited victory at Ajinomoto Stadium!
Second half attacking towards the fans and supporters who passionately support from behind the goal. The blue and red army has been increasing the pressure towards the goal from the beginning.
In the second half, at the 2-minute mark, player Tawarazumida dribbled in from the left side and took a shot from a cut-in. Furthermore, they attacked with corner kicks, long throws, and crosses, but the opponent's counter was firmly blocked by player Nozawa's sharp reaction. They raised their awareness towards the goal and supported the team in defense, working together towards the 3 points for a home win.
In the 15th minute of the second half, a big chance was created from the left side. Tokumoto made a through pass, cutting through the enemy's territory with his left foot. Araki reacted sharply and broke through, but his sliding attempt to push it in just barely missed.
Tokyo, who wants to score the first goal at home, makes a move in the 18th minute of the second half. Diego OLIVEIRA is substituted in as the lone striker, and Teruhito NAKAGAWA is brought in on the right wing, replacing players Araki and Tawara. Yasuzaki is moved to the left wing as they go on the offensive.
Here, Morimoto was injured and Morishige was substituted in the 27th minute of the second half. Immediately after, Morishige returned the opponent's feed with a powerful header, which went to Matsuki in front. Captain's through pass to Anzai who made a sliding shot. Diego followed up on the rebound from the opponent's goalkeeper, but couldn't react in time due to his top speed and the ball unfortunately missed the right goal.
In the 33rd minute of the second half, once again, a shot was taken by Sugai from the left side on a counter attack, but standing in the way of the ball aimed at the near post was once again Nozawa. With precise positioning and quick reactions, he defended the goal and the entire team supported the attackers as they went for a goal.
Victory at Ajinomoto Stadium──. The strong spirit of the team and the entire stadium finally bears fruit in the form of a first goal in the 39th minute of the second half.
From the right side, Dawhan player made a one-touch pass to the far side. Robert player then slipped behind the opponent defender and stretched out his left foot. He hit the ball directly on the drop and the shot hit the bar before being sucked into the goal.
Anzai, wearing number 38, runs straight to the goal-line fans and supporters. When he scored his first professional goal that led to a draw in the match against Júbilo Iwata in Sec. 18, he said, "I want to seek more goals that lead to victories. As long as I am used in the front line, I want to meet expectations with results." He accomplished a significant feat with consecutive goals at Ajinomoto Stadium.
After 6 minutes of added time in the second half, supported by the chant, "Let's burst forth, Tobitakyu! There's no way we can lose!", we finally marked our second league victory of the season at Ajinomoto Stadium. In a united battle with fans and supporters, we achieved the victory at Ajinomoto Stadium that we desperately wanted, starting the second half of the season with the best result.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Kosuke SHIRAI (substituted in 45+3 minutes: Hodaka NAKAMURA)/Yasuki KIMOTO (substituted in 27 minutes: Masato MORISHIGE)/Teppei OKA/Shuhei TOKUMOTO
MF Kuryu MATSUKI/Hiroshi TAKAU (substituted in 45+3 minutes: Kei KOIZUMI)
FW Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (substituted in 18 minutes: Teruhito NAKAGAWA)/Soma ANZAI/Ryotaro ARAKI (substituted in 18 minutes: Diego OLIVEIRA)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
FW Keita ENDO
GOAL
39' Second Half: Soma ANZAI
<Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Takanori SUGENO
DF Takao RU (substituted in 44th minute: Rei IEIZUMI) / Daihachi OKAMURA / Toya NAKAMURA
MF Hiromu TANAKA (substituted in 44th minute: Kosuke HARA) / Katsuyuki TANAKA (substituted in 27th minute: Shota NISHINO) / Seiya BABA / Daiki SUGA / Yoshiaki KOMAI / Tatsuya HASEGAWA
FW Musashi SUZUKI (substituted in 38th minute: Shingo OMORI)
SUBS
GK Jun KODAMA
DF Yamato OKADA
FW Shido IZUMA
GOAL
―
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]
Q, please review the game.
A, It was a good football match. I think Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo fought very well, but overall I believe our performance was very good. Until about the 30th minute of the first half, it was an evenly matched battle. At that point, we calmly took control of the flow, and by patiently holding on toward the end of the first half, we were able to secure a good momentum and finish the first half in a good shape. I believe the players felt the same way, and we were able to carry that momentum into the second half.
What was important was for us to concentrate firmly, play at a good tempo, and fight patiently. If we could do that, I thought we could score. We were able to control the game well on the pitch and respond well to the opponent's counterattacks. I thought we could score and if we had scored a little earlier, we might have been able to score a few more points. With these 3 points, we want to recover well and prepare for the next game.
Q, There have been many late goals in recent matches, what do you think is the reason for this?
A, first of all, football presents various challenges, and within that, we must seize the flow ourselves. I believe it is important to play our way without rushing. There were matches where we were able to do that, and at those times, I think we controlled the game ourselves. However, in past matches, during games where the score remained 0-0, we sometimes conceded easily and fell behind 0-1. Today, we fought patiently without losing concentration, and I believe that led from Riki HARAKAWA's excellent pass to Soma ANZAI's wonderful goal. The players must also be happy to have brought victory to the fans and supporters.
Q, Please tell us the intention of substituting Teruhito NAKAGAWA and Diego OLIVEIRA.
A, I was thinking about many things in my head. I intended to bring Diego TABA on at the right time, and I think the players who were substituted out fought very well. What we want to create is a team that is difficult for the opponent to play against throughout the full 90 minutes. The substitute players need to come on in the final stages, continue their own game, increase the intensity of the game, and be able to fight until the very end. I think the players did that well today.
I was considering substituting either Kuryu MATSUKI or Ryotaro ARAKI to bring some freshness, but Kuryu was showing good mobility during that time, while Ryotaro seemed a bit physically tired. So, I brought in Diego TABA. I used Nakagawa because Anzai was able to be a good starting point and made some good runs, and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA has had a lot of playing time up to this point, so I was also thinking about how long to use him. That was the reason for today's substitutions. The players who came on as substitutes also made a very good contribution. I believe their performance was worth three points.
[Player Interview]
Soma ANZAI
Q: Please review the scene of the goal that led the team to victory.
A, the moment Riki HARAKAWA entered his kicking motion, I thought the ball would come there. Rather than me adjusting to the ball, the ball came to match my foot, so all I had to do was make contact. I believe I was able to score thanks to HARAKAWA.
Q, this was the second consecutive goal in a home game.
A, after scoring one goal, I felt a bit more relaxed and my mindset changed. I had been overly focused on the idea that I had to produce results, but now I think I can play more freely compared to back then. However, the numbers are still not satisfactory. First and foremost, the team's victory is the most important, but within that, I want to continue to be particular about my own results as well.
Q, the game has been intense with frequent changes in offense and defense since the first half.
A, today we talked about coming together as a team to decide the match by the first half from the start of the game. In attack, Kuryu MATSUKI and Ryotaro ARAKI took the lead in applying pressure, while in defense, Yasuki KIMOTO and Teppei OKA focused on preventing the opposing forwards from playing. There were hardly any dangerous situations created, so that was good. Tokyo currently has the ability to score 1 or 2 goals per match. We believe that if we don’t concede, we can make it our game, so even though the 0-0 period was long, I think we were able to play without getting impatient.
Q, we worked hard until the end of the game. We can also see the good condition.
A, my greatest strength is hard work, and I believe that if I lose that, nothing will remain. Whether I score or not, whether we win or lose, I think it is my duty to run and fight until the very last second for Tokyo. Moving forward, I expect the battles to become even hotter and tougher, but I want to continue helping the team by leveraging my own strengths.
Q, we will welcome Avispa Fukuoka to Ajinomoto Stadium in three days.
A, if we can start the second half of the season at Ajinomoto Stadium with consecutive wins, I believe the team will gain momentum. Since it's a series of matches, we will make good preparations while recovering, and address the issues that arose in the match against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo as we approach the game against Avispa Fukuoka. We want to make sure we can achieve consecutive wins.
<Riki HARAKAWA>
Q: It was my first start in a while. Please review the game.
A, As usual, I prepared to do what I needed to do and approached the match. I think it would be even better if I could play while watching the opponent a little more during attacking scenes. Also, by observing the movements of my teammates and recognizing what role I should play in the attack and fulfilling that role in a unified manner across the team, I believe we can create attacks that allow us to envision the next move.
Q, I think risk management was also necessary for Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo's counter.
A, since the opponent was playing man-to-man, there were inevitably moments when we lost the ball due to mistakes when playing the ball vertically. In those situations, I made sure not to lose the ball hastily by speeding up. Even when the ball was lost, there were moments when the defensive midfielders and center backs managed to cover well, so I want to further improve the quality of that.
Q, What kind of communication did you have with Takahiro KO during the game?
A, Both Takahiro KO and I are players who actively move forward, so we positioned ourselves so that one of us could function as a relay. If one of us moves forward, that player performs the plays they should, and if one stays back, they do what is required in that position. I think we were able to coordinate that well.
Q, How will you approach the Avispa Fukuoka match in 3 days?
A, Since what the opponent will do is completely different, I think it will be a totally different match from today. Our rankings are close to Fukuoka's, so considering the standings, it will be a very important match. I want to prepare well and approach the game with focus.
<Yasuki KIMOTO>
Q, returned from a facial fracture and made a significant contribution to the clean sheet victory.
A, There was difficulty playing while wearing a face guard. There were moments when I couldn’t secure a clear field of vision, but I believe I was able to perform the minimum required plays. The opponent was coming into today’s match on a losing streak, but I didn’t worry about that at all and was able to focus solely on winning against Sapporo. In recent matches, I felt that as a team we hadn’t been able to press forward defensively, so while not taking unnecessary risks, I consciously aimed to be more proactive in pressing from the front. Although the defense was mostly man-to-man, especially in the first half, there were no major issues, and I felt we were able to defend well.
Q, It was the first game I played with Teppei OKA as a center back.
A, although it was our first time, I think we were able to maintain stable defense. I was helped by Oka’s aggressive play and energetic performance fueled by his youth. While partnering together, Oka’s confidence gave me encouragement. Good competition has arisen in every position, and I believe it has had a positive impact on the team. I think this match became a good opportunity both for Oka and for myself.
Q, it was a long-awaited victory at Ajinomoto Stadium.
A, all the players wanted to deliver a victory to the fans and supporters at home, and I am glad we were able to win today's match. We have a home game against Avispa Fukuoka this weekend, and if we can secure back-to-back wins here, I believe we can aim higher. While using the motivation of breaking into the top ranks, I want to refocus and approach the next match with renewed determination.
