Match Review
An away match against Cerezo Osaka at YODOKO SAKURA STADIUM. Tokyo defeated Omiya Ardija 3-1 after extra time in the 2nd Round of the 2025 J League YBC Levain Cup held midweek, with Marcelo scoring a hat trick, including his first goal since transferring to the team. Riding that momentum, they aim to secure their first league win in 8 matches. After recovering from the intense 120 minutes against Omiya, they want to complete the mission of scoring goals and securing the victory, leading to a positive spiral.
The team made 9 changes to the starting eleven from the match against Omiya Ardija. Goalkeeper Taishi Brandon NOZAWA returns, with the final line consisting of Kanta DOI on the right, Tetsuhira OKA in the center, and Soma ANZAI as the left stopper. The midfield duo features Kento HASHIMOTO and Takahiro KO, while the wings see Kosuke SHIRAI on the right and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA on the left for the first time. The inside half has Maki KITAHARA making his first league start alongside Eimi SATO. And at the top, Teruhito NAKAGAWA leads the formation. Attention is focused on how players assigned new positions and roles, as well as those taking on challenges for the first time, will perform.
The match kicked off at 15:03 in a warm climate reminiscent of early summer.
1st HALF - Although we conceded a goal early on, we head into the second half with a Kane goal.
Tokyo is advancing the match with a variable system where Shirai drops to right back depending on the situation, forming a back four. In the 6th minute of the first half, while trying to connect passes and look for attacking options, they lost the ball due to a misalignment in the build-up at the final line, resulting in a strong attack from the opponent. They were shifted from side to side and ultimately conceded a goal to Hutton. They fell behind early in the match, losing a point.
Tokyo continues to show noticeable disruptions in their passing work from the final line. There are repeated scenes where they create critical chances from losing the ball in their own territory.
In a situation where they wanted to equalize, it was player Kitahara, making his first start in the league, who initiated the play. He dribbled down the left side and cut back to the center, where player Sato received the ball, evaded one defender, and was fouled, earning a penalty kick. The player wearing number 16 took the penalty, took a deep breath to focus at the spot, and calmly kicked the ball to the lower left corner, catching the opposing goalkeeper off guard. He successfully converted the chance to equalize, bringing the match to a 1-1 tie.
The first half continues with periods of pressure. Defending desperately against the opponent's crosses on the sides and in the center. The timing for winning the ball is unclear, making it difficult to transition from good defense to good attack as desired.
In the 34th minute of the first half, player Kitahara boldly advanced from near the halfway line along the left side to change the flow of the game, dribbling a long distance into the penalty area, but he was surrounded by opponents and could not create a chance. Although it unfortunately did not lead to a decisive opportunity, it was an initiative that shone with aggressiveness.
In the 39th minute, starting from a vertical pass by player Hashimoto, who had dropped back to join the build-up, player Tawara cut in from the left side and delivered a cross with his right foot. Player Takai, who jumped in at the far side, timed it well but narrowly missed to the right, failing to score the go-ahead goal.
Tokyo gradually finds its rhythm, mixing short and long passes. In response to the opponent's three forwards attacking from the flanks, they adjust to a four-back formation by dropping Shirai to right back and sliding Anzai to left back. The match ends the first half after three minutes of added time, following a back-and-forth development. They managed to recover from a difficult start, but did not gain control of the game. They head into halftime with issues remaining on both offense and defense.
2nd HALF - Substitutions made to aim for a go-ahead goal, but no victory after 8 matches.
No substitutions for either team at halftime.
In the second half, where they wanted to take the initiative, it was Tokyo that aggressively attacked. Right after the start, player Tawara Sekita broke through on the left side and dribbled forward. He carried the ball all the way to the goal and aimed for a shot, but unfortunately, it went just to the right of the goal.
In the 7th minute of the second half, player Dohi attempted to advance from his own half but lost the ball near the penalty area. This led to a critical situation, but player Nozawa made a big save in a one-on-one against player Hatton. Thanks to the goalkeeper's super play, the team managed to escape from danger.
The first to move was Tokyo, aiming to break the deadlock. Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI switched from Shirai to Yuto NAGATOMO and from Kitahara to Marcelo RYAN. They placed RYAN at the forefront, with Nakagawa and Sato lined up in the second row.
In the 21st minute of the second half, Hashimoto passed the ball to the space ahead on the right side. Here, RIAN broke free and, with speed and skillful movement, took possession of the ball and approached the goal, leading to a surge in Tokyo's offensive play. In the following 24th minute, from the right side, Nagatomo spread the play forward, and after Sato dropped the ball, RIAN took a right-footed shot. This went just wide of the right side of the goal, but the striker, who achieved a hat-trick in the midweek match against Omiya, continued to create chances.
In the 29th minute of the second half, Taiwa Tsukita and Hashimoto were substituted for Kei KOIZUMI and Keigo HIGASHI, who took the same positions. Furthermore, in the 37th minute, Leon NOZAWA was brought in to replace Nakagawa. They used all five substitution slots and entrusted the outcome of the match to the players on the pitch.
After 4 minutes were displayed for the second half's additional time. The blue-red team aggressively pressed from the front aiming for the goal in pursuit of 3 points, but the whistle for time-up sounded mercilessly. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, and they were unable to secure a victory for the first time in 8 league matches.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING XI
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Tetsuhei OKA/Kanta DOI/Kosuke SHIRAI (Substituted in 16 minutes into the second half: Yuto NAGATOMO)
MF Soma ANZAI/Takahiro TAKAHIRO/Kento HASHIMOTO (Substituted in 29 minutes into the second half: Keigo HIGASHI)/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (Substituted in 29 minutes into the second half: Kei KOIZUMI)/Maki KITAHARA (Substituted in 16 minutes into the second half: Marcelo HIAN)
FW Megumi SATO/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (Substituted in 37 minutes into the second half: Leon NOZAWA)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Yasuki KIMOTO
MF Kenta TOKIWAN
FW Ewerton GAUDINO
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
19th minute of the first half: Kei Sato
<Cerezo Osaka>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Koki FUKUI
DF Ryosuke SHINDO/Kyohei NOBORIZATO/Hayato OKUDA/Ryuya NISHIO
MF Shunta TANAKA/Motohiko NAKAJIMA (26th minute of the second half: Shinji KAGAWA)/Sota KITANO (41st minute of the second half: Vitor Bueno)
FW Rafael HATTON/Tiago ANDRADE (33rd minute of the second half: Reiya SAKATA)/Lucas FERNANDEZ
SUBS
GK Kim Jin-hyung
DF Kakeru Funaki/Takahashi Yoshiko
MF Masaya SHIBAYAMA/Hinata KIDA/Satoki UEJO
MANAGER
Arthur PAPAS
GOAL
6th minute of the first half: Rafael Hatton
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q, please give us an overview of the match.
A, despite the consecutive matches, I truly believe the players ran through to the end without giving up. Although the result was just 1 point, we want to prepare thoroughly so that we can earn 3 points next time. Regarding the game, the first conceded goal was really unfortunate. If we create such gaps, I don't think the 3 points will come easily. After that, we were able to equalize early on, which helped stabilize the game somewhat, but there were many technical errors in attack, errors in coordination, and errors in decision-making in today’s game. The second half became a bit rough, but even so, we created several chances, so if we had been able to capitalize on those despite the poor content of the game, I think it would have been possible to take all 3 points. In the end, we were pressed by the opponent and they created some chances, but we defended until the very end and I want to take the 1 point positively and work hard so that we can definitely earn 3 points next time.
Q: I think the defense didn't work well due to the sudden formation of a three-back system caused by poor condition. What are your thoughts on that?
A: I think it was the attack rather than the defense that didn’t click. Since the defense is the flip side of that, I believe there were parts where we fell behind. Also, in a somewhat different situation, there were parts where the players’ condition didn’t mesh well. There were areas we aimed for, but the left-right imbalance created space for the opponent. There are always times when we can go forward and times when we can’t, and especially since it was a series of consecutive matches, it was difficult to do everything perfectly. We talked about this at halftime, but we couldn’t really find a good shape. Even so, we were able to push the ball up to the opponent’s goal area, so I was hoping we could capitalize on that.
Q, following the Levain Cup, Maki KITAHARA was used in the starting lineup.
A, I believe he definitely left a solid mark. He is still very young, and of course, I want to keep demanding more from him, but first of all, he gave his all during this series of consecutive matches. Those watching, including myself, believe he is a player who can do much more, so if he can get his condition right and prepare well again, I think he will be able to demonstrate even greater ability. I think he performed well enough in these two games.
Q: I think there were scenes where the team made up for individual mistakes and showed a fighting spirit as a team. How does the coach perceive the players' sense of responsibility?
A: I believe they truly gave everything they currently have. Cerezo Osaka also fought until extra time on Wednesday and came into today’s match under similar circumstances. Considering that, including the difficulty of making substitutions due to players’ conditions and deciding who to field, the quality of the game was certainly not good. It may be lenient to say so, but there are parts I want to praise. However, since we did not earn the full three points, I am not simply praising them outright. I am proud that they fought tough under the current situation, and I think everyone saw that as well. The areas where they fell short represent their potential for growth. This game showed that without turning away from that, they can improve their abilities and quality as players and become tougher competitors. With the intention of aiming even higher, I want to praise the players.
Q: What was the intention behind using Soma ANZAI as the left stopper, and how did it go in practice?
A: I think he was able to fully demonstrate his strengths. The opponent’s right winger is a player with strong individual ability, so our pressing approach was based on the expectation that he would face him frequently. In that sense, I believe we were ahead. There were parts in the attack where we couldn’t execute well, and he himself showed a very frustrated expression after the match. Rather than a sense of fulfillment, I sensed a look of determination and hunger, as if he felt he could do more, so I believe he is still a player who can aim higher. It’s not just about power and speed; I think it’s even more important to demonstrate skills accompanied by precise technique and judgment, so I hope he can continue to work on that while pursuing those qualities.
[Player Interview]
<Sato Eiin Player>
Q: I think it was a very difficult match. Could you please reflect on it?
A: It was a match where we wanted to hold onto the ball more. As a team, our aim was to build up from the back, draw the opponent in, and then advance forward, but there were many moments where we got caught by the opponent’s high press. Even so, the team maintained the mindset to keep going, and we managed to break through a few times to create chances. Conversely, if we could increase the number of moments and periods where we apply a high press, win the ball, and launch short counterattacks, I truly believe we can win. The scene where we earned the penalty kick was one such moment. However, towards the end of the match, it felt like the opponent had more time to play the football they wanted. Honestly, I think we need to run more and fight harder throughout the full 90 minutes to win.
Q: What is needed to increase the time spent holding the ball?
A: I think it is about increasing the time the team is involved with the ball a little more. I also believe it is important to increase the options available when the holding midfielder or defenders have the ball. If the opponent commits to that, it then leads to bypassing one line and connecting the ball to the shadow players or forwards. Tokyo has many players who can demonstrate their ability in one-on-one situations, so plays that effectively bring out their strengths are necessary.
Today, we couldn't show the scenes where we usually develop the play by targeting the midfield or the holding midfielder. There were times when the marking on the holding midfielder was tight, but within that, there were also moments where we, as the shadow players in front, received the ball and dropped it to the holding midfielder to encourage forward play. I want to increase those kinds of scenes as well.
Q: There was also a penalty kick earned from a short counterattack.
A, Teruhito NAKAGAWA collapsed near the near post, and I also made eye contact with Maki KITAHARA. KITAHARA is a player who can deliver a pass to the targeted spot in such situations. A very good ball came, and knowing that the opposing player Nishio, who faced me, is the type to aggressively challenge for the ball, I used a one-fake move to get past him and was fouled at that moment. Regarding the penalty kick, I kicked it with confidence.
Q: You played alongside Kitahara in the inside half position. Is there anything you were conscious of?
A, Kitahara is a player who is good at receiving the ball between the lines. He can hold onto the ball well and has good positioning. I simply entrusted the ball to Kitahara and focused on disturbing the opponents with my movements from there, ensuring Kitahara’s playing space. This was also the case in the scene where we earned the penalty kick, and he delivers good final passes. I was particularly conscious of how to receive the ball in front of the goal as well.
<Kota TAWARATSUMIDA>
Q: You were in the starting lineup as a left wide player this match. What aspects were you focusing on?
A: I focused on not losing one-on-one duels in defense and, in attack, I played with an awareness of positioning myself as much as possible like a winger and receiving the ball in a high position.
Q: The team is facing a tough situation, but as a player, didn't you want to make a change in today's position?
A, on the sideIf I can receive the ball in a high position, I think I can express my original play better. I feel like I have grasped that sense a little. My position was a bit lower, but I was taking a position like a side back, hitting with passes, and being conscious of making plays in a high position. There are still unfamiliar parts, but I want to do my best.
Q: When Maki KITAHARA had the ball, it felt like there were various creative aspects in the relationship between the two. How were you conscious of that?
A: When the shadow player had the ball, I thought that if I ran, the ball would come to me, allowing me to bring the situation closer to my ideal state. I was hoping to make use of my experience playing as a shadow even just a little. There were also moments when crosses led to assists, and there were chances to score as well. I just want to firmly seize those opportunities and contribute to the team’s victory.
