Match Review
The postponed Sec. 15 of the 2025 Meiji Yasuda J1 League was held on Wednesday, and they achieved a comfortable 3-0 victory over Yokohama F. Marinos. It was their first league win in six matches, and this week they aim for consecutive wins at home in Ajinomoto Stadium.
In a match they want to use as a stepping stone to advance to the top, Alexander Scholz, who was acquired during the special transfer period in June, was named in the starting lineup for the first time. Eight players were changed from the Yokohama FM match, and at the back, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, who will depart for Europe after this match, was named in the starting lineup for the second consecutive game. The defensive line from right to left consisted of Sei MUROYA, Scholz, Masato MORISHIGE, and Kashif BANGNAGANDE. In midfield, Kento HASHIMOTO and Takahiro KO formed a double pivot, with Keita ENDO on the right and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA on the left. The two forwards were Keigo HIGASHI and Marcelo Hyan, challenging Yokohama FC's solid defensive block.
1st HALF—Conceded an early goal but gradually found rhythm heading into the second half
Right after kickoff, the ball was unsettled for a while, leading to a back-and-forth kicking battle. Then, in the 4th minute of the first half, a cross was delivered from the left side, and at the central position in front of the goal, player Sakuragawa ran in from the far side and headed the ball in, conceding an early goal.
Tokyo looks for attacking opportunities against Yokohama FC, who set up a five-back defense. They spread the play to the sides targeting forward player Hian, but could not connect through to a shot.
In the early stages, the ball did not settle for either side in the midfield, and the game continued with a slow reaction to long balls supplied to Yokohama FC's Sakuragawa and the recovery of second balls.
Around the 20th minute of the first half, the recovery of second balls and ball circulation in the midfield began to proceed smoothly, and both fullbacks, Yoshifu and Muroya, targeted the deep positions on the sides. They participated in the attack from advanced positions, adding depth to the overall offense, but were blocked by the opponent's solid defense in the final phase, preventing the play from leading to a shot.
Although we created several promising chances, we lacked accuracy in the final passes and crosses, failing to create clear scoring opportunities. We went into halftime trailing by one goal. To encourage the players facing this adversity, the supporters behind the goal continued singing until the players returned to the locker room.
2nd HALF—Player Nagakura involved in 2 goals, dramatically overturning the match to conclude the consecutive games
A match that absolutely cannot be lost. Tokyo, actively moving the ball from the start of the second half, saw player Endo pick up a loose ball in the opponent's territory at the 8th minute of the second half and take a shot with his right foot, but the shot missed the target.
At the 14th minute of the second half, Tokyo's bench, eager to make a move, makes a substitution. Three players are replaced simultaneously. Teruhito NAKAGAWA, Motoki NAGAKURA, and Megumi SATO are brought in for Higashi, Hian, and Tawara Tsukida to invigorate the attack.
Then, gradually, Tokyo started to spend more time pressing forward. In the 18th minute of the second half, they created a scoring opportunity through smooth teamwork. When player Sato passed a diagonal ball, player Nagakura connected it, and player Nakagawa flicked it down with a heel, finally player Endo swung his right foot. However, this shot unfortunately went just over the goal.
After that, centered on Nagakura, who actively receives the ball between the lines, the team circulated the ball in the opponent's half and created good shooting opportunities.
In the 34th minute of the second half, while pressing forward and moving the ball, player Taka was fouled in a tight position on the right side of the penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick awarded after a VAR review. The kicker was Scholz, making his first start since joining the team. However, the kick aimed at the center of the goal was blocked by the opposing goalkeeper's remaining foot, resulting in a miss.
Player Nagakura saved Tokyo, who could not end like this.
In the 40th minute of the second half, Hashimoto delivered a cross from the right side, and at the far side, he headed the ball down to score his second consecutive game goal. He scored a priceless equalizer that revived the team.
Furthermore, in added time, player Nagakura delivered a cross from the left side, and player Sato jumped in, but the ball hit the crossbar directly and did not result in a go-ahead goal. However, Tokyo's momentum did not stop.
Despite continuing fierce attacks, they were unable to break through with a comeback goal, and as the 9 minutes of added time were drawing to a close, it seemed the long whistle would blow. In the last play, player Nagakura was once again fouled inside the penalty area, earning a second penalty kick.
The player who stepped up to take the kick was Morishige, who held a ceremony before today's match to celebrate reaching 500 appearances in J1 League matches. Dressed in blue and red, he powerfully kicked the ball into the center of the goal towards the supporters behind the goal who were cheering him on by calling his name. The stadium atmosphere reached its peak, and the blue and red drama came to a conclusion.
Celebrated the guardian's new beginning with a dramatic come-from-behind victory. After the match, player Taishi Nozawa greeted the excited fans and supporters, concluding the final game of the consecutive matches.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING XI
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Naruki Muroya/Masato MORISHIGE/Kashif BANGNAGANDE (43rd minute 2nd half: Yuto NAGATOMO)/Alexander Scholz
MF Ko Takahiro (38th minute 2nd half: Kei Koizumi)/Keigo Higashi (14th minute 2nd half: Teruhito NAKAGAWA)/Kento HASHIMOTO
FW Marcelo Hyan (14th minute 2nd half: Motoki NAGAKURA)/Keita ENDO/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (14th minute 2nd half: Megumu Sato)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Teppei OKA/Kanta DOI
FW Leon NOZAWA
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
40th minute of the second half: Motoki NAGAKURA / 45+13th minute of the second half: Masato MORISHIGE
<Yokohama FC>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Akinori ICHIKAWA
DF Makito ITO (38th minute 2nd half: Katsuya IWATAKE) / Ndoka Boniface / Kosuke YAMAZAKI
MF Toma MURATA (38th minute 2nd half: Towa YAMANE) / Yoshiaki KOMAI / Kota YAMADA (45+10th minute 2nd half: Hirotaka KUMAKURA) / Kaili SHIMBO
FW Keisuke MUROI (19th minute 2nd half: Keijiro OGAWA) / Lucian / Solomon SAKURAGAWA (19th minute 2nd half: Musashi SUZUKI)
SUBS
GK FELIPE Megiolaro
DF Akito FUKUMORI
MF Takanari Endo
FW Joao Paulo
MANAGER
Shuhei YOMODA
GOAL
4th minute of the first half: Solomon SAKURAGAWA
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q. Please give us a summary of today’s match.
A. The start of the match was not very good, but I think it was a difficult game where we couldn’t break through until the final stages. However, we were able to turn it around without giving up until the end, and I am truly grateful to the players and to the fans and supporters who came to the venue to support us.
Q: You managed to get through a very tough schedule of three consecutive matches successfully. How do you feel about that?
A. It was really simple; we overcame it as an all-out effort. We didn’t slack off in training or hold back on what needed to be done, so I believe the players were probably in a very tough situation with this series of consecutive matches plus training. However, we were not in a position to skip what we could do and just face the matches. Even if it was a bit tough or long, they kept their composure and did their best, and I am very happy to see such results. Even the players who were not in the match squad always properly took on the opponent’s role during training. Thanks to their cooperation, the players on the pitch were able to have a good rehearsal, and I am very pleased that this kind of result came out of that.
Q. What was the intention behind the substitutions in the second half, and what do you think was the main factor that allowed the comeback?
A. I believe the main factor was that everyone never gave up until the very end, and we were able to fight on the pitch with the support and encouragement from our side, which led to the victory. The substitutions were part of it, but regarding the flow from the first half, during rehearsals where we assumed a situation in which we had pushed the opponent back to some extent, we focused on the spacing and how to break through the flanks, and then penetrating inside when the opponent left the center open. I think this was especially important against a team playing with five at the back. In the first half, there were times when the ball was lost to the opponent due to attacks that tried to penetrate inside before fully breaking through the flanks, or through slightly longer through passes, before our spacing could be maintained. We corrected that in the second half and I think we were able to express that to some extent. Also, considering the fatigue and condition of the players during this series of matches, we brought in those three players as substitutes, and if that truly led to a positive outcome, then I am glad.
Q. Had you already decided on the change of the penalty kicker? Also, please give your evaluation of Motoki NAGAKURA, who scored in two consecutive matches.
A. The penalty kick order was decided during rehearsal. For the second penalty kick, I told Masato MORISHIGE "Nagakura." I didn’t say "Motoki," but he didn’t let go of the ball. They were joking in the locker room that "Motoki" sounded like "Morige"... but that was definitely not the case. I believe I received his strong feelings connected to his memorable milestone (achieving 500 J1 League appearances), and entrusted him with the responsibility, and he successfully converted it.
Regarding player Nagakura, since we have been working together in Niigata, I believe his characteristics and strengths will add something significantly different to our club. I think he has been able to properly demonstrate his abilities in the past few matches. However, I believe he can go even further and perform even more outstandingly. Of course, I think this will be achieved with the support of his teammates, so I hope we can continue to align our perspectives in that regard. I believe he has had a wonderful performance.
[Player Interview]
<Masato MORISHIGE>
Q, please review the game.
A, we conceded a goal early in the first half, but since it was still early in the game, we were able to switch our focus to making a comeback from there. We aimed to create chances calmly with our style of play, but in the first half, there were few players receiving the ball between the opponent’s lines, making it a difficult period to build up our attack.
In the second half, Motoki NAGAKURA and Teruhito NAKAGAWA entered the pitch, increasing the number of times they dropped back from the front line to receive the ball, and there were more scenes of building up play leading to goals. NAGAKURA's positioning became a good starting point. I believed that unless we actively passed the ball to such support, we wouldn't be able to change the course of the match. His strengths, including in the recent match against Yokohama F.Marinos, helped the team.
Q. Against opponents who set up a low block, Morishige's vertical passes and the diagonal passes to players positioned high on the left side appeared to be effective.
A. To put it simply, it’s not necessarily good to have many vertical passes from the center-back position to the front line. It’s preferable to have attacks like in the second half, where the forwards receive the ball between the lines, face forward, and then use that as a starting point to supply through passes to the front line. I believe that increasing such attacks makes us more threatening. These detailed plays also make the occasional long passes or runs behind the defense line more effective. By not allowing the opponent to focus their defense, and basing our play on the style seen in the second half today, I think our attack will gain more depth.
Q. Please tell us about the penalty kick scene that brought the victory, including the exchanges leading up to it.
A. Just assume that I was the only kicker, okay? (laughs) I thought I had no choice but to take the shot. When I set the ball, the fans and supporters behind the goal were more reliable and empowering than anything else. I didn’t aim for any particular spot; I just kicked boldly straight ahead. After winning the penalty kick, it was also reassuring to see Nakagawa quietly gathering the scattered plastic bottles near the goal, as if trying to accumulate good karma (laughs).
<Motoki NAGAKURA>
Q. You entered the game midway; what were you thinking about as you took the field?
A. We were in control of the pace, and since scoring a goal was absolutely necessary, I entered the pitch with the sole aim of scoring.
Q, It was a goal in that situation. Looking back, how do you feel about it?
A. I received a good ball from Kento HASHIMOTO, so it was great that I was able to direct it on target. I think it was thanks to HASHIMOTO, who gave me that good ball. At that time, the opponent had set up a block, making it difficult to break through. I wanted a cross, so I’m glad a good ball came at the right timing.
Q, You earned a penalty kick that became a dramatic comeback goal.
A, That was because Sei MUROYA saw my movement and gave me a good ball in sync with it, so I owe it to that. I can't win with power, so I have no choice but to fight using how I position my body, and I think that worked well.
Q. Among the substitute appearances, do you think you were able to show your strengths?
A, We had possession of the ball, so it was easier to play. Even so, there was a period when we couldn't finish, so I'm glad I was able to score a goal that changed that.
Q. I think it is significant to have achieved two consecutive wins amid matches with only two days in between. How will you prepare for the next match against Kashiwa Reysol?
A. We conceded the opening goal just 4 minutes into the match, so I think we need to improve how we start games. I want to work hard to win the next match as well and achieve three consecutive victories.
<Taishi Brandon NOZAWA>
Q, please review today's game.
A. Although we conceded a goal at the start, I didn't think conceding at that time was such a big problem. The opponents were focused on securing the win and played defensively, so on the contrary, we were able to maintain a pressing game until the end. Securing a come-from-behind victory really brought me a sense of relief.
Q. How have your days been so far in Tokyo?
A, the fact that this club has nurtured me is truly significant, and my gratitude towards it is immense. They found me when I was in Okinawa, and I have truly received so much from this club. I believe that the existence and environment of the club have shaped who I am today, so I am truly thankful.
Q. Behind the goal, there was a banner that said, "Ambition, embrace ambition." What kind of ambition do you have now?
A. Of course, I expect to achieve great results, but I want to enjoy soccer and compete in tough situations. Rather than success, I want to grow greatly and deeply as a person.
Q. Lastly, please give a message to all the fans and supporters.
A. I truly have nothing but gratitude for this club, and the club exists thanks to all the fans and supporters. I will continue to support Tokyo, and even in Europe, I will do my best as a player who was raised in Tokyo. Please keep supporting me.
<Alexander SCHOLZ>
Q: You started in the starting lineup right away. Please review the game.
A. Since it was my very first game, making a good first impression was very important. The staff and my teammates around me helped me a lot. Regarding the match, except for the early goal conceded right at the start, I think it went very well. In the second half, we set a high line and were able to stop the opponent’s counterattacks early. The first half was difficult due to the pressure and many long balls, but overall, I think it was good.
Q. There were moments when you struggled against tall forwards on the opposing team. What did you focus on in your defense?
A: Against an opponent strong in aerial duels, I was very focused on winning the second ball. He was a very strong center forward, but since Yokohama FC’s team style involved feeding the ball to him (Sakuragawa), I think we defended well in the second half when his stamina started to drop.
Q: If your condition improves from here, I think you will be able to play even better. How will you prepare for the next match?
A: It was very difficult to keep playing for 90 minutes, especially since I haven't had many opportunities to play in matches until now. It wasn't easy, but I think my body did its best. From now on, I will work hard to improve my condition step by step.
