Match Review
The league matches have resumed, and the blue-red army has returned to Ajinomoto Stadium. The opponent in the home match of Sec. 26 is Kawasaki Frontale. It is a rivalry match across the Tamagawa River.
Tokyo made three changes to the starting lineup from the previous match. Taishi Brandon NOZAWA positioned himself at the back, with the final line consisting of four players from right to left: Kosuke SHIRAI, Kanta DOI, Teppei OKA, and Shuhei TOKUMOTO. The midfield duo was formed by Takahiro KO and Kei KOIZUMI, with Teruhito NAKAGAWA playing just behind the forwards. On the wings, Soma ANZAI was on the right and Keita ENDO on the left, while Diego Oliveira took the lone striker position.
Up until now, they are in 7th place with 10 wins, 7 draws, and 8 losses. In the previous match, they were pushed back by Gamba Osaka away, but managed to secure a valuable 1 point draw. Therefore, they want to grab a victory in this Tama River Clasico as a chance to rise up again.
The game kicked off at 19:03, surrounded by the best tension with player introductions using lighting effects from moving lights and player entrances featuring the Tama River Clasico theme and fireworks.
1st HALF - Goal conceded after creating a chance but being caught off guard for a moment
First big chance was created by Tokyo. From the beginning, Diego TABA's post play created points on the right side and showed off precise passing work. In the 5th minute of the first half, Takahashi crossed from the right. Endo, on the far side, dove and headed it, but unfortunately it missed to the left of the goal.
The fierce attack from Tokyo continues. Just 6 minutes into the first half, Diego Taba, who reacted to a through pass, skillfully switched the ball after trapping it, and Endo, who was making a run vertically, sent a cross, but it didn't connect with anyone. In the 9th minute, Nakagawa made a near post run from Koizumi's right cross, and Endo aimed for the far post, but it was blocked by the opponent.
In the 12th minute of the first half, Diego TABA quickly reacted to a change in course caused by the player's through pass hitting the opponent. He faced a one-on-one scene with Sung Ryong JUNG, but was unable to score due to the opponent's goalkeeper.
Tokyo, unable to score despite repeated chances. After a period of overwhelming pressure, they allowed the opening goal from a single chance. In the 15th minute of the first half, Kawasaki's MARCINHO made a cutback cross from inside the penalty area. Shin YAMADA headed the ball while retreating, and although Nozawa desperately stretched out his left hand, he couldn't deflect the shot, and the ball hit the post and went in. While they held the initiative, they were caught off guard for a moment and lost the lead.
Did this interrupt the flow, with a goal conceded in the 20th minute from a near post header by player Yamada from a right cross? They now face a 2-goal deficit early in the game.
Tokyo, who cannot afford to lose at home. They will counterattack without being discouraged by conceding a goal. In the 25th minute of the first half, Koizumi steals the ball with a high press and Diego takes a shot from Nakagawa's through pass. In the following 27th minute, Endo, who broke through with Tokumoto's long throw, aims with his right foot, increasing the pressure in the opponent's territory.
The game became slightly more open after 30 minutes, but neither team was able to create clear scoring opportunities and the score remained unchanged. After four minutes of additional time, the first half ended with a score of 0-2.
2ndHALF - A disappointing loss at home despite making changes with substitutions
Tokyo, looking to make a comeback, makes a move during halftime. Ryotaro ARAKI is substituted in for Yasushi ANZAI as an attacking midfielder. Koki NAKAGAWA is moved to the right side, making changes to the attack.
In the second half, starting with Araki's keep, Endo from the left and Shirai from the right supply crosses and threaten the Kawasaki goal.
Player Araki contributed defensively by aggressively pressing back from the front line and stealing the ball. In front of the goal, he also showed his presence by creating opportunities with through passes from the center to the outside.
In the second half, Tokyo sent Riki HARAKAWA onto the pitch in place of Koizumi in the 15th minute. In the 19th minute, the opponent's corner kick was perfectly met in the center, but it was saved by the crossbar and they narrowly escaped danger.
Tokyo, who wants to focus on attacking, made a change in the 24th minute of the second half by substituting Nakagawa and Diego for Tsuyoshi Ogashiwa and Kota Tawaratsumida. Ogashiwa was placed as the lone striker, with Araki playing behind him and Endo on the right wing and Tawaratsumida on the left wing.
However, just after this substitution, a painful third goal was conceded. From a set piece, Takai scored a header to make it 0-3. Just as they were trying to move forward, they were forced into an even more difficult situation.
Tokyo, who wants to shake the goal net for the fans and supporters who continue to cheer on the pitch with all their might, without losing to the disadvantage. In the 38th minute of the second half, Tawara Tsumetai player dribbled from the left side and Koki Araki player flew out on a through pass, but Sung Ryong JUNG player caught it just before. In the 39th minute of the second half, Endo player flew out on a through pass from Araki player and took a shot, but once again, it was blocked by Sung Ryong JUNG player's save and did not reach the goal.
Tokyo, who wants to show their determination, showed some spirit in the second half at the 42nd minute. Endo player's sharp right cross was met by Kobayashi player with a header near the goal, but it narrowly missed the left post. Tokyo continued to launch fierce attacks, with Shirai player running up the right side and taking a powerful middle shot, but it also narrowly missed the goal frame.
In the 5th minute of additional time, despite defending with all their might and aiming for a counterattack, they were unable to make it happen. They missed several opportunities in the early stages and ended up conceding the first goal with just one chance, leading to a defeat with three headed goals. They suffered a disappointing loss at home and ended up losing both games of this season's Tama River Clasico with a score of 0-3.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Kosuke SHIRAI/Kanta DOI (39th minute: Masato MORISHIGE)/Teppei OKA/Shuhei TOKUMOTO
MF Hiroshi TAKAU/Kyosuke KOIZUMI (15th minute: Riki HARAKAWA)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (24th minute: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)
FW Diego OLIVEIRA (24th minute: Go OBAKASHI)/Keita ENDO/Soma ANZAI (0th minute: Ryotaro ARAKI)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Yuto NAGATOMO
GOAL
ー
<Kawasaki Frontale>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Jong Sung-ryeong
DF Van Welmeskerken (substituted by Yusuke Segawa at 28 minutes of the second half)/Kota Takai/Akira Sasaki/Sota Miura
MF Kento Tachibanada/Yasuto Wakizaka/Ryota Oshima (substituted by Itsuki Seko at 28 minutes of the second half)
FW Akihiro Ienaga (substituted by Yu Kobayashi at 39 minutes of the second half)/MARCINHO (substituted by Daiya Tono at 12 minutes of the second half)/Shin Yamada (substituted by Hinata Yamauchi at 39 minutes of the second half)
SUBS
GK Yuki HAYASAKA
DF Shintaro KURUMAYA
GOAL
15th minute of the first half: Shin YAMADA / 20th minute of the first half: Shin YAMADA / 27th minute of the second half: Kota TAKAI
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]
Q: please review the game.
A: The score today is very disappointing, and it is very painful that we couldn't earn any points. In the world of football, sometimes such trials and challenges are given. I believe today's match was one of those. Regarding the game content, we created more chances than the opponent. I also think there were elements that showed signs of becoming the strong team we aim to be, but we must learn from this as a tough lesson. The difference in today's match was inside the penalty area. Now, as a team and as a club, I believe it is necessary to close that gap. I believe we can become stronger from here.
Q, Speaking of the difference inside the penalty area, was there any impact today due to the combination of two young center backs?
A, such things can happen to football players. For example, when children grow, their teeth come in, and it can hurt so much that they cry. I think that is a good analogy. However, our center backs also showed their excellent quality. Kanta DOI is 19 years old and today’s match was his 9th game. Teppei OKA is also a young player, and today was also his 9th game. Goalkeeper Taishi Brandon NOZAWA is 21 years old. They should be the youngest players in the league playing together. Experiences like today are necessary for them. I believe they will become better players through this experience. And over time, I hope we can grow into a good team, the team we have dreamed of.
However, I do not think that the conceded goal was their mistake. It is not the responsibility of one person. I think there were also moments where we could have put more pressure on the ball, especially at the first conceded goal where it was scored at the far post. The second conceded goal also came from nothing. In those 5 minutes, we were down 0-2 to the opponent. I am very disappointed about that and we cannot let those things happen. In order to become the team we aspire to be, we must eliminate these mistakes. And the third conceded goal came from a set piece. We cannot afford to give the opponent such opportunities.
As a positive aspect, we were able to play really good football. We were creating good chances that could have resulted in more goals than our opponents. Of course, we couldn't finish them off, but with that frustration, we want to become an even better team, a better club, and get closer to the club we have dreamed of.
Q, it will be a consecutive home game. Please share your enthusiasm for the next match.
A, It is important to connect the lessons and frustrations from today's match to the next one, and I want to prepare well for the upcoming game. I feel that this is a very important match for the club and for the fans and supporters. First, we need to recover well and prepare well. Then, we will do our utmost to deliver results for the fans and supporters. We will approach the match with a strong fighting spirit and determination to earn 3 points. That is absolute.
I believe it is important to show that "Tokyo is blue and red." I recognize that this is important for me and for everyone here. Therefore, it is crucial to prepare well and to be ready to give our best effort on the weekend. It is a battle filled with various emotions within the match and in the stadium. We will transform that into our strength and energy. Fans and supporters, please come to the stadium to cheer for the players. Everyone will give their all to fight for 3 points.
[Player Interview]
＜Kosuke SHIRAI＞
Q: please review the game.
A, we lost 0-3 as a result, but honestly, I don't think it was something to be too pessimistic about. In the previous match against Gamba Osaka, the content was poor and the result was 0-0. This time, the content wasn’t that bad, but the result ended up being 0-3. Such things often happen in soccer, but honestly, I still wanted to win.
Q, How was your condition after sprinting at full power multiple times during the 90 minutes?
A, including my own sense of response, I believe I have been able to maintain a good condition consistently, so I think today I was at least able to do my job of running through to the end.
Q, the opponent took the momentum by scoring consecutively, but there was a certain sense of accomplishment in the good start to the game, wasn't there?
A, I and the forward players provided an outlet, and from there we were able to build up well and deliver several balls into the opponent's penalty box that created chances. There were many opportunities to score, so I think the start was especially good.
Q, please tell us what we need to continue as a team and as individual player Kosuke SHIRAI and what we need to improve.
A, Personally, in this style of soccer, build-up play is extremely important. I believe the side backs serve as an outlet, and today we did well in releasing the ball to them. This season, there have been matches where we succeeded in this and others where we did not, so personally, there is still some inconsistency. If we can consistently improve this aspect, I think the team will start to rise. As a team, we must score when we have the chance and defend firmly when needed; otherwise, even winnable matches will slip away. It’s obvious, but we must do this properly.
<Takahiro KO>
Q, it looked like a good start until the first 15 minutes of the first half. How did it feel?
A, we talked about pressing strongly from the front as a team, and I think we were able to express that well and create chances. Whether we finish those chances or not really changes the flow of the game, and I felt that it’s precisely at times like those that we need to stay focused.
Q, how did you feel about the balance of offense and defense in the first half, despite conceding consecutive goals?
A, there were also times when we were relatively successful in winning the ball, and I truly think the start was good. Whether we could finish those chances or not was crucial, and the opponent also scored from a single chance off a cross, so the defense as well as the whole team needed to stay focused and tighten up. We absolutely had to defend properly there. Conceding an easy goal at that moment is really painful, and I believe it would have played into Kawasaki's hands. We need to keep that at zero, or at least extend the time we remain at zero, otherwise it will definitely become difficult.
Q, how was the overall recovery of second balls?
A, there have been many scenes where we haven't been able to recover the ball since the last match, and the number of times the ball rolls to the opponent in one-on-one situations is high. I feel this personally, and I think it is an area where the entire team needs to fight harder. There are various ways to attack and defend in football tactics, but the crucial point is definitely those one-on-one battles. At those decisive moments, both I personally and the team must show more strength. To bring out that strength, we have no choice but to work on it starting from training, so we must be even more particular about it.
Q, the next match is against Tokyo Verdy. The expectations of the fans and supporters will be even higher.
A, I think this is a game where results are demanded, so we must fight hard. We absolutely cannot win if we keep conceding easy goals, so everyone has to have a strong determination to win against the opponent in front of us no matter what. We must prepare thoroughly and win.
