<Match Review>
A rivalry match across the Tama River. Following the previous round, this is a game they absolutely cannot lose.
Tokyo is currently on a four-game losing streak in the league against Kawasaki Frontale. Furthermore, it is important not to forget the humiliating fact that they lost all of the last three matches by a score of 0-3. On the eve of this match, Yuto NAGATOMO sounded a warning, saying, "Honestly, the difference in level shown by the team is so great that I wonder if we can even call it a 'Clasico.'" He also expressed his determination, saying, "From here on, we want to work hard to show what we can do." Of course, past results do not determine the outcome of this match, but there have been instances where conceding goals due to momentary lapses or mistakes on their part led to difficult situations. They want to enter the match with even greater concentration than usual.
The starting eleven saw three changes from the previous match. Kim Seung-gyu was in goal, with Alexander SCHOLZ and Kanta DOI forming the center-back pairing in the back line. Soma ANZAI was positioned as right back, while Yuto NAGATOMO was moved to the left side in the chosen formation. The double pivot in midfield consisted of Takahiro KO and Kento HASHIMOTO, with attackers Keita ENDO on the right and Marcos GUILHERME on the left. Up front, Teruhito NAKAGAWA returned to the frontline after about a month, forming a two-striker setup with Motoki NAGAKURA in a 4-4-2 formation for the match.
1st HALF—Identifying the right moments to attack, taking a solid lead with Endo’s header
From the start, Tokyo showed aggressive soccer. In the 3rd minute of the first half, Nagakura headed a right cross from Anzai, and in the 4th minute, Nagakura took a turning middle-distance shot, clearly demonstrating an intent to finish with shots while also being careful not to allow the opponent’s counterattacks.
At the 10th minute of the first half, Tokyo faced a danger from a set piece, but goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a sharp reaction, stretching out his right hand to make a fine save on Elisson's header. After that, Kawasaki gradually held the ball for longer periods, but Tokyo responded with solid defense, tightening the center.
Kawasaki's lifeline is the distribution from the defensive midfielders. The players' comments on the day before the match showed a strong awareness of shutting down the opponent's strengths, and true to those words, they positioned themselves to firmly cut off passes from the back line to the midfielders and from the midfielders to the forwards, not allowing the opponent any freedom.
Then, in the 23rd minute of the first half, the long-awaited opening goal was born from the combination of Nagatomo and Marcos, who had shifted together to the left side since the previous match. Tokyo, having won the ball in midfield, spread it out to the left side, connecting from Nagatomo to Marcos and breaking through vertically. When the deep-positioned ground cross flowed to the opposite side, Nagakura, who overlapped, made a direct right-footed return pass, and it was Endo who met it in the center. He struck a perfectly timed header, and Tokyo succeeded in scoring the long-awaited opening goal.
Then, in the 29th minute, while under pressure from the opponent, the ball was carried forward through SCHOLZ and Takahashi, followed by a perfect floating pass from Takahashi to Anzai, who sprinted full speed up the right side. From there, Anzai delivered a grounded cross back, and Marcos, arriving from behind after Nakagawa let it through in the center, brilliantly finished the goal. However, VAR support was called in for this goal, and it was ruled no goal due to Anzai being in an offside position. It was a close call, but it was a wonderful attack that embodied the style of soccer Tokyo wanted to show in this match.
Tokyo's offensive pressure continued. In the 37th minute of the first half, Endo, positioned near the right sideline, received a vertical pass and played it forward. Anzai, making an underlapping run, used his speed to evade the opponent and entered the penalty area to take a shot. The goalkeeper saved it, and the rebound fell to the free Nakagawa, who aimed with his right foot but failed to make solid contact, so they could not add another goal.
By alternating between high pressing and blocking in the middle zone, they neutralized Kawasaki's strengths and executed the theme of turning good defense into good offense. They also showcased a flexible attack that combined sharp attacks with possession, allowing Tokyo to head into the second half with a one-goal lead.
2nd HALF—A second half of endurance. A focused defense secures the first away game victory since the 2018 season.
At halftime, Kawasaki brought in Wakisaka as an attacking midfielder. With an additional distributor added alongside the two defensive midfielders, Tokyo needed to be mindful not to allow the three midfielders to freely control the ball.
At the start of the second half, Kawasaki maintained possession for a prolonged period, but Tokyo, just like in the first half, focused on not giving the ball to the opponent’s central midfielders as much as possible, cutting off passing lanes, and further suppressing the sources of their passes. Including pressing back from the front line, they first concentrated on solid defense while looking for attacking opportunities.
Tokyo showed speedy attacks but failed to create clear scoring chances. In the 17th minute of the second half, Sato Yoshimasa came on to replace Nakagawa. Entrusting the number 16, who can grasp the rhythm based on hard defense from the front line, with revitalizing the pitch.
Immediately after, in the 18th minute, Nagakura executed a skillful turn near the goal line and struck with his right foot, attacking the near post. In the 20th minute, from Marcos’s dribble, Nagatomo made a fierce dash aiming to break behind, and by building up from the back line, Tokyo began to gradually regain control of the flow of the match.
The defensive line also showed remarkable concentration. In the 23rd minute of the second half, Yamamoto played a decisive through pass on the right side, allowing MARCINHO to break free, but Scholz sprinted back at full speed and blocked the shot with a powerful sliding tackle. Tokyo entered the final stages of the match maintaining their one-goal lead.
In response to Kawasaki bringing on three players at once—Ienaga, Tachibana, and Miyagi—Tokyo also made switches from Marcos and Takahiro to Kota TAWARATSUMIDA and Kei KOIZUMI. They carried out substitutions to tighten the midfield while aiming for a single counterattack. Furthermore, in the 39th minute of the second half, they brought on Muroya at right back in place of Endo, shifting Anzai one line forward.
There were 6 minutes of additional time in the second half. Tokyo held the ball high up the pitch and used up the time, but by becoming somewhat passive, they gave Kawasaki an opening. Kawasaki was allowed a left cross without pressure, Urumovic jumped in centrally, and the rebound was pushed in by Wakisaka, shaking the net. However, with VAR support, after an on-field review, the goal was ruled offside and disallowed. Just when it seemed Kawasaki had equalized at the last moment, Tokyo was saved by VAR and maintained their one-goal lead.
In the open final stages, at 90+10 minutes, player Sungyu made a super save by barely deflecting the opponent's header. Demonstrating concentration until the very end, the entire team withstood Kawasaki's fierce attack and the match ended. Following the previous round, they won another heated rivalry match and achieved consecutive league victories for the first time since June, with the away supporters' section echoing the call of "We Are Tokyo!"
MATCH DETAILS
<FC TOKYO>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Kim Sung-gyu
DF Yuto NAGATOMO/Soma ANZAI/Alexander Scholz/Kanta DOI
MF Takahiro KO (34th minute 2nd half: Kei KOIZUMI)/Kento HASHIMOTO/Keita ENDO (39th minute 2nd half: Sei MUROYA)/Marcos Guilherme (34th minute 2nd half: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)
FW Motoki NAGAKURA/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (18th minute 2nd half: Keito SATO)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Masato MORISHIGE
MF Keigo HIGASHI
FW Leon NOZAWA/Ewerton GAUDINO
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
23rd minute of the first half: Keita ENDO
<Kawasaki Frontale>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Louis YAMAGUCHI
DF Fan Welmeskelken Sai/Philip Uremovic/Asahi SASAKI/Sota MIURA
MF Hajime Kawahara (34th minute of second half: Kento TACHIBANADA)/Yuki YAMAMOTO/Lazar Romanic (0 minute of second half: Yasuto WAKIZAKA)
FW Tatsuya ITO (34th minute of second half: Akihiro IENAGA)/MARCINHO (34th minute of second half: Ten MIYAGI)/Elison (39th minute of second half: Yu KOBAYASHI)
SUBS
GK Sung Ryong JUNG
DF Shuto TANABE/Ryota KAMIHASHI/Kaito TSUCHIYA
MANAGER
Shigetoshi HASEBE
GOAL
―
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q, Please give us a review of today's match.
A, I am truly grateful to the players who gave their all without giving up until the very end aiming for victory, as well as to the fans and supporters who cheered us on. Regarding the game, there were several chances to score in the first half, and there was also an offside call. If we had thoroughly addressed those details and moved the game in a better direction, I don’t think the match would have unfolded this way. In the second half, the problems in attack also affected our defense. While we expected such dangerous moments to arise, in the end, we were saved by an offside call. Holding onto the ball firmly, especially during transitions and in contests for second balls or loose balls, would have allowed us to maintain our formation securely. The defensive balance behind that would not have been disrupted, but during periods when we were pressed, we couldn’t push forward on the sides, which led to situations like that from the pressured areas. Because the opponent had that level of quality, we must improve both our technical skills and decision-making in those areas even more.
Q, What was the intention behind deploying Kanta DOI as a center back today?
A, We had expectations for his ability to build play from the back, and although he is still young and somewhat slight, he possesses remarkable physical strength in contact situations. Recently, it has been difficult to include him in the starting lineup, so I believe he himself was eager to prove something, and I wanted him to channel that energy in this game. That was the intention behind deploying him.
Q, I think the first half attack went as planned, but how do you analyze the part where you couldn't score an additional goal?
A, I think the first offside was a matter of timing. I believe the intention was good, and the aim behind the defense was very good. In the first half, we were able to deliver the ball firmly in front of the goal, and rather than relying solely on that, having players enter in a balanced way, as well as mixing in somewhat rougher or middle-range shots, makes it harder for the opponent to focus their defense. I believe that such variety and changing tactics is one of the important factors to create more and more goals.
Q. Please tell us the intention behind deploying Yuto NAGATOMO as the left side back and your evaluation of his performance throughout the match. Also, was the fact that Ito was his direct opponent a factor in this decision?
A, Exactly. Looking at his current form, of course, we know that MARCINHO is also a very dangerous player, but (NAGATOMO) has the ability to play on both the left and right sides, and given that task, I think he defended almost perfectly.
Q. Please evaluate the defense in terms of not allowing passes to the opponent’s defensive midfielders and restricting their freedom, as well as your assessment of the transition to offense from there.
A. Before evaluating the defense, I think it was precisely because there was a plan for the attack behind it that we were able to somewhat reduce the opponent’s strength in the first half. By drawing the opponent out to certain areas and involving specific players, we prevented them from securing dangerous playing zones. However, looking at recent matches, there are quite a lot of players remaining upfront. It’s not that they are neglecting defense, but rather, it reflects their confidence in defense. Considering that the positioning taken there was effectively connected to the three players staying forward, I believe the way we built the game was actually having a positive impact on our defense in the first half. In the second half, we couldn’t maintain that, which resulted in the situation we saw.
Q. What are your thoughts on the consecutive wins against Tokyo Verdy and Kawasaki Frontale?
A. We hadn’t won for a long time, so we want to build on this momentum again. However, there is no time to relax here, so I think we just have to keep pushing forward.
[Player Interview]
<Keita ENDO player>
Q. You declared you would score, and you followed through on your words.
A. It was a tough match, but I felt a burning passion. We had been losing continuously in the Tamagawa Clasico, so I wanted to show some pride. With Ito being talked about so much, I thought, 'I'll steal the show here with a big moment.' In that sense, I’m happy to have helped the team win with my goal.
Q. It was a goal with a header rather than with your foot.
A. Regardless of the form, what matters is that I scored and the team won. Also, the opponent was a tough team with quality, and we didn’t know how it would end until the last moment, but it’s significant that the team stayed focused and kept a clean sheet to win.
Q. You play an attacking position, but I think you also had many tasks involving tracking back to defend. What were you conscious of while playing?
A. Since the opponent has quality, we anticipated this kind of development, so the team was able to respond without getting impatient. That said, I think we showed sharp attacks such as counterattacks after regaining possession. It was a wonderful game.
Q. Before tactics, we felt a fighting spirit from the entire team. What was the reason for that?
A. Before the match, we all talked about how we usually only realize things after being pressured or in danger, and that's when we start to get going. So, we decided to go full throttle from the start. I think everyone embodied that in our initial aggressive attitude.
Q. Isn't the consecutive wins in the Tamagawa Clasico against Tokyo Verdy significant for the team?
A. Personally, my performance in the match against Tokyo Verdy was not very good, and amidst the fuss around that game, I was rather quiet and ineffective. I had the determination to make a decisive impact here, and I’m glad I was able to deliver that in the end.
Q, It’s a match against Avispa Fukuoka at home with only two days in between.
A. I think it will be an all-out battle. They are under the same conditions, so what is required of us is how many consecutive wins we can continue from here. Since we can play at home, we want to extend our winning streak without showing any weaknesses.
<Soma ANZAI>
Q. You were able to take the initiative in the first half.
A. We understood the importance of scoring first, so from the locker room after the warm-up, everyone encouraged each other to focus on the start of the game. I believe we were actually able to enter the match with concentration, so I think that was one of the major factors in our victory.
Q. You were able to get involved in many attacks in good situations. What were you focusing on?
A. Keita ENDO skillfully moved inside and took up positions, so we were somewhat aware that the space behind the sides would open up, which allowed us to create good opportunities in the first half. I think the issue was that we lost control of the ball in the second half, so I want to further improve the quality of maintaining ups and downs throughout the full 90 minutes.
Q, You contributed defensively even in the second half when you were being pressed. What were you focusing on during the second half?
A. That goes for me as well, but all four defenders were constantly focused on not leaving any gaps. The forwards were also running hard, and the entire team concentrated solely on playing without creating any openings.
Q, Even after changing position and moving one line forward in the second half, maintaining the intensity of the press led to keeping a clean sheet.
A, there were also moments when we were helped by offsides. I wanted to ride the momentum created by the players who fought in the previous match, and since I was watching Sei MUROYA and Yuto NAGATOMO, I played with the determination not to lose to those two. I believe the real challenge starts from here, and since those two are showing amazing performances, I want to do my best without losing to them.
Q, weren’t you able to play today in a way that doesn’t lose to those two?
A, I still believe I haven't reached that level yet, so from here on, I want to work harder with more aggressive momentum.
Q, please tell us your enthusiasm for the upcoming match against Avispa Fukuoka, which comes after just two days of rest.
A, I think everyone is focused and creating a good flow right now. We haven't had a three-game winning streak this season yet, so we all want to prove that we can do even more together.
<Alexander SCHOLZ>
Q, please review the game.
A, Kawasaki Frontale is a truly outstanding team, and we knew there would be long periods of defending. Today, we were able to fight firmly without giving the opponent any freedom in defensive situations, and I think it was a very good match.
Q, Your play stood out in neutralizing the opponent's strengths. What mindset did you have going into the match?
A, in the first half, Elisson and Romanic played in a two-forward formation, marking Kanta DOI man-to-man. DOI also defended very tightly, and there was good communication between marking and covering, so I think it was a rewarding first half for him as well. From the start of the second half, Wakisaka came on, and there were some difficult periods dealing with space and distribution to those areas, but I’m glad we were able to secure a win without conceding.
Q, there was also a brilliant sliding tackle that blocked MARCINHO's breakthrough.
A, I was able to make the tackle at just the right timing in that scene. I held back to keep it within my range, and since there was a large open space behind me, I thought this was the only moment and carefully aimed to block it. Even when blocking in such situations, it can sometimes still lead to a goal, so I think there was also an element of luck involved.
Q, This marks consecutive wins in the league.
A, Both matches turned out well. The atmosphere in the stadium felt even more wonderful than usual. It became an important consecutive win for us. Especially this round, considering the results at other venues, it was a match we absolutely had to win. Looking ahead to the next game, we want to firmly face forward, treat today's victory as something in the past, and focus on what we need to do to win.
