Match Review
In the previous match, Tokyo won against Albirex Niigata at the Japan National Stadium. Before the summer break, they faced Kashima Antlers in an away game, aiming for a consecutive victory.
This season, Kuryu MATSUKI, who has been leading the team as captain, has left the team for preparations for a potential overseas transfer, and U-23 Japan national team players Taishi Brandon NOZAWA and Ryotaro ARAKI have also joined the national team. The team is facing a crucial summer match that will test their overall strength.
Go HATANO was appointed as the goalkeeper in place of Daishi NOZAWA, marking his return to the league since the match against Kashiwa Reysol in Sec. 13. The 10 field players are the same as in the previous match against Niigata. Keita ENDO, who is expected to score in two consecutive matches, started as the left winger, while Leon NOZAWA, who scored the winning goal in the Niigata match, began on the bench. Additionally, Keigo HIGASHI made his return to the league squad for the first time in about four months since the match against Avispa Fukuoka in Sec. 4.
1stHALF—Keita scores two consecutive goals to catch up
As Kashima does not put pressure on the front line, Tokyo's possession time increases from the beginning. In the 5th minute of the first half, they break through the right side and create their first chance. Yasuki KIMOTO passes the ball to the right side, and Soma ANZAI and Kosuke SHIRAI open up the side. Teruhito NAKAGAWA's shot did not meet its target, but it was a moment where their intended attack took shape.
In the 18th minute of the first half, they advanced towards the goal from the build-up of the final line. Shuhei TOKUMOTO carried the ball forward and passed it to Takahiro KO in the center, who then directly passed it to Diego OLIVEIRA. However, instead of shooting, Diego chose to pass to Nakagawa on the right side, and they were unable to take a shot.
After that, the time when Kashima had the ball gradually increased. In that time, the fortunes of both teams were decided in about one minute between the 29th and 30th minutes of the first half.
When Toku Moto, on the left side, responded to Diego Taba's long throw and escaped behind the opponent, he calmly assessed the situation near the goal line and turned back. Diego Taba, who had jumped in, made a direct shot, but it was blocked by a defender who threw his body out.
Kashima, who picked up the loose ball, was countered and suddenly faced a pinch. When the ball was shot by Shigehira player with momentum in front of the goal, Teppei Oka blocked it once, but Nagoya player picked up the loose ball in a strong position and scored a powerful shot from the left diagonal position, taking the lead.
The players' mental state was a concern after the decisive opportunity turned into a goal against, but Tokyo regained their composure towards the end of the first half.
In the 41st minute of the first half, the double volante moved the ball on the left side while being involved in the build-up, and Tokumoto player fed the ball to the front line. Endo player, who took the opponent's back, entered the penalty area and switched the angle of the shot from near the goal line, swinging his right foot and piercing the ball into the right corner of the goal. With two consecutive starts and two consecutive goals, Tokyo returned to the game and ended the first half.
2ndHALF - Unable to overturn the early goal
Tokyo, who wants to continue the game with the momentum of catching up, is suddenly frustrated at the start. In the second half, after 2 minutes, Anzai player kicks a diagonal feed to Shioka player on the left side, and although the cross ball from Nono player who came to support is cut off, the loose ball is kicked back by Nono player again, resulting in a goal for the opposing team.
In a hot and humid environment, being down by one point has a heavy impact on both mind and body, allowing Kashima to control the game. However, in the 14th minute of the second half, player Anzai runs up the right side and connects with Endo's shot, showing a determined attitude to continue fighting and aiming for Kashima's goal.
In the 17th minute of the second half, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA was substituted for Yasuaki ANZAI, aiming to break through Kashima's solid defense by placing a dribbler on both the left and right wings.
In the final stages of the match, Yuto Nagatomo, Masato Morishige, and Leon Nozawa were all simultaneously brought on as fresh reinforcements in an attempt to break through Kashima's compact defensive block, but they were unable to find a way through their own half.
The team tried various attacking strategies such as moving player Morishige to the front line and utilizing player Tokumoto's long throw to threaten the goal, but they were unable to catch up to the one-point difference and lost 1-2.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Go HATANO
DF Kosuke SHIRAI (41st min: Yuto NAGATOMO) / Yasuki KIMOTO / Tetsuhei OKA (41st min: Masato MORISHIGE) / Shuhei TOKUMOTO
MF Takuto UHIRO (33rd min: Chikara HARAKAWA) / Keisuke KOIZUMI / Teruhito NAKAGAWA
FW Diego Oliveira / Keita ENDO (41st min: Leon NOZAWA) / Soma ANZAI (17th min: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
MF Keigo HIGASHI
GOAL
First Half 41st Minute: Keita ENDO
<Kashima Antlers>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Tomoki HAYAKAWA
DF Kaito NOBUNO/Naomichi UEDA/Ikuma SEKIGAWA/Koki ANZAI
MF Gaku SHIBASAKI (29th minute of the second half: Kento MISAO)/Kei CHINEN/Shintaro NAGO (37th minute of the second half: Takashi TOKUDA)/Shu MOROOKA (29th minute of the second half: Yuta HIGUCHI)
FW Chavlitch (11th minute of the first half: Hayato NAKAMA) (37th minute of the second half: Tomoya FUJII)/Yuma SUZUKI
SUBS
GK Taiki YAMADA
DF Hidehiro SUGAI
GOAL
First Half 30th Minute: Shintaro NAGO / Second Half 2nd Minute: Kimito NONO
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]
Q: please review the game.
A: It was a good football match. We were able to show good plays within our team, but a small difference led to the result. Of course, we feel frustrated, but we were also able to bring out many good things. We want to firmly continue building on that and, while carrying the pain of this defeat, grow as a team.
The first half was evenly matched and we felt that we could secure 3 points at halftime. However, in the beginning of the second half, the ball slipped away from us in the box and they were able to score. We talked before the game about how a small difference could determine the outcome, and they were able to score in those two situations. We were able to do a lot of what we wanted to do in the game and use the areas we wanted to attack. On another day, we may have been able to score more than one goal.
We are grateful to the fans and supporters who have come this far to support us. They have truly pushed the players until the end of the game. We are sorry that we couldn't get 3 points for them.
Q, after this, the J1 League will enter a break period. What are the things you want to build and progress during this time?
A: First, we need to ensure proper recovery for the players who participated today, and have the players who did not play in the match take part in tomorrow's practice game. Then, we will continue to build on what we have been doing. I believe we are a team that is growing, and we will make sure to develop all the elements we are currently working on. We think we are moving in the right direction. Today, a small difference decided the outcome of the match. However, to achieve that, we must stay focused and grow with a hungry mindset. By continuing to grow, we want to finish the latter part of the season in a better form than when it started. That is our goal moving forward.
[Player Interview]
＜Keita ENDO Player＞
Q, please look back on the goal scene.
A, Shuhei TOKUMOTO had the ball, so I ran believing that if I moved, he would pass it to me there. My touch on the ball felt really good today, and I thought the space behind the opponent was a chance, so I’m glad I was able to somehow finish from there.
Q, I feel like my condition is getting better as I scored goals in two consecutive games.
A, I do feel that my condition is improving. However, I think the overall atmosphere lacked the sense that today’s match was extremely important for advancing to the top ranks. Looking back, it feels like a wasted match when considering how regrettable it will be not to have won this game later on.
Q, How do you plan to connect today's defeat to the next game?
A, if we play like we did today, we will become a team that cannot win in important moments. I myself was unable to return to where I should have been in the scene of the second goal, but I want to talk and push the team to show that kind of dedication and determination towards winning.
<Teruhito NAKAGAWA>
Q, please review the game.
A, it was truly an important match to close the gap with the top teams, but the current situation is that we lost, and a small lapse led to conceding a goal, causing us to miss out on points. I feel a sense of crisis that if we do not thoroughly refine our content, we will end up in the middle of the standings. The current situation is that checking marks, fine details, and small things are leading to the match results. This match revealed our weaknesses.
Q, the early second half goal completely changed the flow of the game.
A, it was the same in the match against Albirex Niigata, but this season especially, there have been many scenes where we start the second half by succumbing too much to the opponent's pressure and becoming too passive. When we start the game poorly and concede goals in such situations, the game plan falls apart, and in away games like today, we get overwhelmed by the atmosphere and momentum of the venue. We have talked many times about how we start the first 10 minutes of each half and about concentration, but there is still much room for improvement. We want to improve our lack of concentration that allows weakness and brief lapses.
Q, when focusing on player Nakagawa individually, it seemed like he was conscious of playing in the midfield position and being involved in both offense and defense in today's match.
A, I am still far from enough and have not been helpful. I want to demand more hard work from myself. For forward players, everything is about showing results and numbers. It is my responsibility that I have not been able to deliver results. The reason we couldn’t secure points in today’s match was because we lacked the ability to finish decisively. I want to firmly direct my focus inward and play with more responsibility.
<Tetsuhiro OKA>
Q, how do you look back on today's game despite the disappointing result?
A, we confirmed what the team needed to do and had a meeting yesterday, focusing on defensive methods and alignment, but perhaps we lacked enough practice tailored to the opponent. We need to focus more on that and as a team, do more to counter the opponent. The things we dislike being done to us, the opponent kept doing continuously. I think our failure to stop that is a point for reflection. Personally, there were moments when I needed to shut down the opponent’s key players more effectively. We need to be more hungry for victory. I believe I am trying to be hungry, but I need to spread that more to those around me, and the fact that I lack influence in that regard shows my own shortcomings. To gain influence, I think I need to show more leadership and communicate more starting from practice. I want to be able to spread what I communicate to everyone.
Q: How was Okas player's feed aspect, which is also a feature?
A, I think there are still too few effective passes. The distance between me and my teammates is too far, and when I am free while other players are in close positions to the opponents, I want to attract the opponents and then develop the play with one-touch or two-touch passes. I also think Tokyo makes too few side changes, so I want to increase those kinds of situations more from my position and from the defensive midfield.
Q, we will now enter the break period.
A, I will carefully review the footage, clearly recognize our strengths and challenges, and focus on addressing them thoroughly once the break is over.
