Match Review
This is the second consecutive victory of the season.
The match against Avispa Fukuoka in Sec. 21 of the 2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 League will be a home game at Ajinomoto Stadium following a midweek match. The team is currently on a streak of two consecutive matches without conceding a goal for the first time this season. They have been accumulating victories by creating rhythm in defense and scoring the crucial single goal to win.
In the previous match against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, we marked a magnificent victory at Ajinomoto Stadium, where we had only one win in the first half of the season. We kicked off the second half of the season at home. This match, which will also take place at Ajinomoto Stadium, aims to bring joy along with the large crowd filling the stadium and to build momentum for the future.
Tokyo has appointed Taishi Brandon NOZAWA as the goalkeeper. The final line consists of four players: Hotaka NAKAMURA, Masato MORISHIGE, Tetsuhei OKA, and Yuto NAGATOMO. The defensive midfielders are Kei KOIZUMI and Riki HARAKAWA. Kuryu MATSUKI is positioned as the attacking midfielder. In the forward line, Soma ANZAI is on the left, having scored a dramatic winning goal in the previous match, and Teruhito NAKAGAWA is on the right, while Diego Oliveira has made a starting lineup return after three matches.
1st HALF—Ajinomoto Stadium consecutive wins, kick-off for the third consecutive league victory
Fukuoka created a chance from a left cross in the early stages, but Wellington's header, which was on target, was firmly saved by Nozawa. After that, the beginning of the game became a back-and-forth exchange.
Fukuoka adopted a modified system similar to 4-4-2 when defending and 3-4-3 when attacking. Tokyo often faced man-to-man marking and numerical disadvantages in each position, requiring ingenuity in creating and breaking through gaps, including positioning.
The first chance came in the 18th minute of the first half. Koizumi made a sharp turn in the midfield and passed forward, where Matsuki made a through pass. With the plays of both players, the team quickly became more aggressive. Nakagawa and Diego connected the ball, and finally Matsuki took a left-footed shot. Unfortunately, it missed just to the right of the goal, but the team gradually increased their attack while switching gears.
In the 33rd minute of the first half, a quick attack created a chance. Mori-shige cleared the opponent's feed with a header and connected it forward, while Matsuki attempted to break through with a clever one-two with Diego TABA, but was brought down by the opponent, failing to reach a decisive opportunity. Near the penalty arc from this play, the kicker for the free kick, taken directly in front of the goal, was Harakawa. A brilliant kick similar to the one scored in the Emperor's Cup 2nd Round was expected, but the ball hit the head of a defender in the wall and went over the bar.
Tokyo, who saw the effectiveness of drawing in the opponent and launching sharp counters, also created gaps by having their fullbacks move into the center and launched quick attacks with consecutive one-touch passes to avoid the press from the build-up. Additionally, they defended well by controlling the passing lanes and showed toughness in challenges to prevent dangerous situations from arising.
How will Tokyo break down Fukuoka, who uses their strong defense as a weapon, while showing a stable defense in recent games? The first half ended scoreless and halftime was reached.
2ndHALF— One chance decided and a frustrating defeat
Tokyo was the one who showed an aggressive attack from the start of the second half. Multiple players demonstrated a powerful attack, overtaking one after another from the back in coordination. They showed a variety of attacks, such as building up using the goalkeeper, switching to a teammate after dribbling, and changing positions after moving up to the space.
In the 14th minute of the second half, there was an accident where players Morishige and Yasuzaki collided heads during a set play in front of the opponent's goal. After about 5 minutes of treatment, both players returned to the pitch, but it was a worrying scene.
In the 61st minute of the second half, Tawara Sekita was substituted for Nakagawa and put into the left wing. The formation was changed to move Yasuzaki to the right side.
However, in the 21st minute of the second half, when we allowed a low cross from the right side to the opponent, player Shigemi was able to change the course with one touch after entering the near side, and player Nozawa was unable to react in time. As a result, we conceded a goal for the first time in three games, allowing Fukuoka to take the lead.
Tokyo, wanting to change the flow of the game, sent on Ryotaro ARAKI as the lone striker and Takahiro KO as a defensive midfielder in the 27th minute of the second half. Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI entrusted the two players, who could add variation to the attack, with the task of countering. Furthermore, in the 31st minute of the second half, Keita ENDO, returning from injury, was brought on to replace the injured player Anzai, and Shuhei TOKUMOTO was introduced as the left back. Changes were made on the pitch to find a winning path.
In the 40th minute of the second half, a direct free kick was awarded just outside the penalty area, at a 45 degree angle to the right. Julian's sharp right footed kick aimed for the top right corner of the goal, but was blocked by the opponent's fine save, resulting in no goal. Although they created a close opportunity, they were unable to shake the net. In the 44th minute of the second half, Erik TERRY broke through the left side and crossed the ball. Lori jumped in, but the opponent quickly returned and desperately stretched out their leg to clear it.
The second half additional time is displayed for 6 minutes. Both players, Takashi and Koizumi, exchanged passes in small increments while moving forward, and Tawarazumiya Takada player, who received the ball on the left side, accelerated with a dribble. He cut in and brought the ball to the center of the pitch, swinging his right foot, but it hit the opponent's goalkeeper directly in front.
Tokyo, who strengthened their attack, had player Tokumoto make a sharp cross from an inner lap. Endo ran into the far side, but was unable to catch the ball with a header. Furthermore, with a sharp wedge pass from Takahashi and a one-touch play from Araki, they tried to change the game, but in the end, they were unable to break through the Fukuoka defense and the game ended. Their winning streak stopped at 2, resulting in a disappointing loss at home.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Hotaka NAKAMURA/Masato MORISHIGE/Teppei OKA/ Yuto NAGATOMO (30th minute: Shuhei TOKUMOTO)
MF Kuryu MATSUKI/Kei KOIZUMI/Riki HARAKAWA (27th minute: Hiroshi TAKU)
FW Diego OLIVEIRA (27th minute: Ryotaro ARAKI)/Soma ANZAI (30th minute: Keita ENDO)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (16th minute: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Yasuki KIMOTO
GOAL
―
<Avispa Fukuoka>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Masaaki MURAKAMI
DF Masashi KAMEKAWA (substituted in 17th minute: Itsuki ODA)/DOUGLAS GLORY/Masaya TASHIRO/Miyaki Daiki/Yuto IWASAKI
MF Daiki MATSUOKA/Hiroyuki MAE
FW Kazuya KONO (substituted in 41st minute: Takeshi KANAMORI)/Wellington (substituted in 30th minute: Shahab Zahedi)/Ryouga SATOU (substituted in 17th minute: Masato SHIGEMI)
SUBS
GK Daiki SAKATA
DF Seiya INOUE
MF Yuji KITAJIMA
GOAL
21 minutes into the second half: Masato SHIGEMI
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]
Q: please review the game.
A: It was a very tight match. We delivered a performance where it wouldn’t have been surprising if we had secured the victory. I believe the 3 points were within our reach. However, we were unable to claim those points, which is very disappointing. The first half went as expected. In the second half, there was a period when the opponent took control of the second balls and gained the rhythm. During that time, we conceded a goal. That made the match very difficult. If we had been able to hold on to a 0-0 scoreline, I believe we could have scored at least one goal in the final stages when the players made adjustments. Today, we fell short, and it’s very frustrating, but we were able to deliver the performance the team intended. Within that, we need to improve more in the attacking third and in the sharpness in front of goal.
[Player Interview]
＜Kei KOIZUMI＞
Q: please review the game.
A: Not everything was bad; I think it was just a slight difference. Everyone feels the pain of losing points due to giving a small opening. We all understood that this was an important match that would determine whether we could break into the top ranks or not. At times like this, I believe we need to work on our mental toughness and not giving any openings, including myself, once again.
Q, Compared to the first half, the second half saw a more stagnant development. How did you see the difference in development between the first and second half?
A, the way we set up our defense and moved the ball, the opponent also made adjustments based on the first half. Even though they made those adjustments, we had to play at a level that surpassed them, and we needed to shift up one or two gears. We ended up giving a small gap, which led to this result. I think it is important for each player to raise the quality of the final moments and the quality of each individual play.
Q, the combination of the defensive midfielders changes and we are able to rotate in a good way.
A, in the defensive midfield positions, we have Takahiro KO and Riki HARAKAWA, and I believe there are few opportunities to play alongside such excellent players on the same team, so I must absorb everything I can with the mindset of a young player. All three of us are different types of players, but I want to learn from Ko’s ability to read interceptions and his constant presence on the field, as well as from Harakawa’s kicking accuracy and attacking skills while playing together on the same team, and continue to improve through friendly rivalry. We are entering a series of consecutive matches, but I hope we can all do our best together.
<Keita ENDO player>
Q, this was my first game appearance in 5 matches.
A, I had been included in the bench members since the previous match against Shonan Bellmare, and today I wanted to play as much as possible. I believe the only way to gain more opportunities to play in future matches is to make up for it with my own results.
Q, please reflect on the entire game even though you came on as a substitute.
A, it was a goal conceded by being caught off guard, and I was personally frustrated to lose because of that goal. However, I also regret that we were not able to create any threatening scenes in attack. I believe soccer is a game where the outcome is decided by converting a single chance. In the match against Shonan, we actually won in that way. This time, it ended up being the opposite.
Q, Did you try to break through the right side, which seemed to be clogged?
A, When receiving the ball, I was pressured every time by about two opposing defenders. So, I was playing while thinking about how to break through. There were few scenes where I could get involved with the ball, and I want to thoroughly reflect on what caused that.
Q, How do you want to make use of your strengths?
A, It depends on the situation, but I believe I can deliver the right play depending on the members on the field at that time. If it’s a scene where I should take on a one-on-one challenge, I can do that, and if it’s more effective to use my teammates, I think I can coordinate with them to break down the opponent. I believe my strength lies in being able to adapt to such environments. To make the most of that strength, I want to focus on preparing myself so that I can receive the ball freely first.
Q, What kind of preparations do you think will be necessary for the next match against Kashiwa Reysol?
A, Rebound mentality is important. Among the members who will participate in next week's match, there will likely be players who started on the bench today, as well as some who were not even on the bench. We will need the strength of those players, and we want to make sure that those players can bring energy to the team. I hope we can make good preparations starting from training for the match.
