Match Review
Following the opening match against the Kashima Antlers, Sec. 2 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Vision League features another home game. Unlike the previous match, which saw snow flurries, this game against the Urawa Reds will be played in warm conditions and is a crucial match that will determine the success of the season’s start. That said, it is important not to look too far ahead but to focus on the match at hand and steadily accumulate victories one by one.
Tokyo's starting eleven and bench members were exactly the same as in the Kashima match. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu was selected, and the back line from the right consisted of Sei MUROYA, Alexander SCHOLZ, Hayato INAMURA, and Yuto NAGATOMO. In midfield, Takahiro KO and Kota TOKIWA formed the double pivot, while the attackers were Keisuke SATO on the right and Keita ENDO on the left. Up front, Marcelo RYAN and Motoki NAGAKURA formed the two-striker formation.
As Rikizo MATSUHASHI, the coach who said, "We want to take control of both offense and defense," intended, the team aimed to aggressively press, carefully maintain possession of the ball, and flexibly incorporate sharp attacks to assault the opponent’s goal. The match, aiming for a consecutive win following the previous round where they secured 2 points by winning the penalty shootout, kicked off at 3:03 p.m.
1stHALF—Taking control but heading into the break goalless
Tokyo, eager to play proactive soccer, quickly earned consecutive corner kicks right from the start, then pressed in coordination on the loose balls to push into the opponent’s territory, demonstrating ambitious play from the outset. In the 5th minute of the first half, they launched a swift counterattack from the opponent’s corner kick. Multiple players aggressively attacked vertically, but the trap by RIAN, who broke free from Takahiro’s final pass, was too long, preventing the creation of a decisive chance.
After that, players Muroya and Sato Kei continued to coordinate on the right side, executing attacks that targeted the edge of the penalty area. Their fluid combination repeatedly created good opportunities. In the 8th minute of the first half, Sato Kei, who had burst vertically from inside Muroya, delivered a softly floated cross to the opposite side. Endo, who ran in, connected with a header, but it flew straight to the opposing goalkeeper and failed to shake the net.
Tokyo, who had been controlling the match from the start, conceded a goal in front of the net to Shibato from the opponent's right free kick in the 10th minute of the first half. However, with VAR support, after a lengthy review lasting about eight minutes, the goal was ruled offside and disallowed. Regaining their composure, the match resumed with a free kick for Tokyo.
Tokyo, with the two forwards and both attackers pressing in coordination with the defensive midfielders, maintained a compact formation as a whole and took control of the game. While demonstrating passing play to evade the opponent's press, they aimed to speed up their attacks at the right moments. In the 29th minute of the first half, Lucas RIAN powerfully broke through the right side and made a cross pass. Keisuke Sato, running alongside, took a one-touch right-footed shot, but the ball narrowly missed to the left of the goal.
In the first half, which expressed the team's established style in both offense and defense, they showcased aggressive soccer based on a fighting spirit, but the match remained unchanged even during the 7 minutes of added time, and the first half ended. Having created many scenes that seemed likely to lead to big chances, they went into the second half with issues remaining in the combination and accuracy in the attacking third.
2nd HALF—Yamada's Dramatic Equalizer Sends the Match to a PK Shootout for Consecutive Wins
In the second half, eager to break through Urawa's solid defense, Tokyo pressed high to win the ball, but Urawa responded quickly with rapid negative transitions, leading to a fiercely contested exchange of attacks and defenses early on. As Urawa increased their attacks from the flanks and delivered crosses to the opposite side, Tokyo aimed to push forward and target the goal through set-piece opportunities.
In the 22nd minute of the second half, Nagakura advanced with a dribble and took a grounded mid-range shot. The rebound saved by the opposing goalkeeper was targeted by Endo, who lunged in, but was once again stopped by Nishikawa.
At the 22nd minute of the second half, with both sides continuing to look for openings in the opponent’s defense, it was “Rikizo Tokyo” who made the first move. They substituted Endo with Ryunosuke SATO, who had also come on as a substitute and been involved in chances in the previous match, placing him as the left attacker, and switched the defensive midfielder from Takahiro KO to Kento HASHIMOTO. They entrusted these two players, capable of bringing change to the pitch, with breaking the deadlock.
Tokyo did not give an inch in the battles for the ball. At the 30th minute of the second half, they nearly suffered a counterattack after pressing forward, but Ryunosuke Sato fiercely pressed back and made a sliding interception. Without committing a foul, he regained possession and Tokyo launched another offensive.
Tokyo was trying to connect good defense to good offense, but at the 33rd minute of the second half, they were caught off guard for a moment. They allowed a cross from the right side, and the ball, which was cleared in the center, ended up reaching Watanabe, who took a mid-range shot with his right foot, resulting in a goal. Unfortunately, the shot deflected off Kento HASHIMOTO, who was blocking, changing its course, and Tokyo conceded the opening goal in a frustrating manner.
The Tokyo bench immediately made a move. Kento HASHIMOTO and Fuki YAMADA came on, replacing Nagatomo and Sato Kei. Sending in both players with special left feet, then at the 39th minute of the second half, Hian was substituted for Teruhito NAKAGAWA. With these tactical changes to the attack, they aimed to mount a counterattack.
Tokyo advanced into Urawa's territory by connecting passes meticulously, but they were unable to break down Urawa's defense, which had solidly secured the center after taking the lead, and thus struggled to create decisive chances.
Then, during the six minutes of second-half stoppage time, the Blue-Red finally broke through the opponent's defensive line. The heroes were two left-footed players who came on as substitutes. At 90+3 minutes, Kento HASHIMOTO powerfully surged forward down the left side and delivered a cross with his left foot. Waiting on the opposite side, Yamada skillfully positioned his body behind the opponent to trap the ball, and at the moment the ball dropped, he unleashed a fierce left-footed volley! He drove the ball into the goal awaited by the Blue-Red family with determination, leveling the match. The game ended at this score. With no winner after 90 minutes, the match proceeded to a penalty shootout for the second consecutive game.
The penalty shootout was held using the home side's goal. While Urawa's second player, Nakajima, hit the bar and missed, all Tokyo players succeeded. Finally, Ryū Sato powerfully scored with his right foot, following the Kashima match, securing 2 points after the penalty shootout this round as well, brilliantly completing back-to-back home victories in the two consecutive home matches.
Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI
Q. Please give us your overall assessment of the match.
A. It was the opposite flow compared to the previous match, or rather, I think it is highly commendable that we managed to catch up and earn 2 points at the end.In the first half, the tempo was good in the early stages, but we were a bit too fixated on the shape in the final third, which made it difficult to connect to the first shot, and that was a regrettable part.In the second half, as the momentum gradually shifted toward the Urawa Reds, I think there was some hesitation in our approach to winning the ball. From there, we lost the second ball, and although we were properly blocking at the end, it is very disappointing that the goal was conceded. There were parts we were able to express from the preparations we made for this match, but I believe we still need to improve the quality and relationships within the team further.
Q. The starting lineup was the same as the previous match, but watching the game, I think the substitutes are players who can change the flow. Do you have any ideas about changing the starting lineup from now on?
A. Of course, how the lineup will be formed from here on willtake various shapes, but I really want them not to be just “bench players” but always “game changers.” When they enter the match, I want each of them to fully show their strengths, and I have told them that combining that with the qualities practiced in rehearsals is the shortcut to victory. They have performed very well in both matches so far. Moving forward, I want to carefully consider things while observing the opponents.
Q. You have won two consecutive penalty shootouts, but please share your thoughts on successfully converting all 10 shots with only slight changes in the order, and also your views on this season’s regulation where even with two consecutive wins, the points total is 4. Please tell us how you perceive the fact that all 10 shots were successful with only minor changes in the order, and your thoughts on this season’s regulation where the points total is 4 despite two consecutive wins.
A. First of all, regarding the penalty shootouts, I think we have been able to pull in good results. The order hasn’t changed significantly over these two matches, and the way substitutions are made is also similar, with the coach in charge of attacking set plays making the selections. If the order is the same, the opponents will likely study it, but even if they read it, the crucial part is to decisively convert the shots, and that is something we can be proud of.That ability to finish decisively is very important, and I think it’s a point we can be proud of.Regarding how to accumulate points under this regulation, this applies not only to the penalty shootouts but also to how we gather points regardless of how the match unfolds, in order to get closer to our goals.Rather than focusing on the regulation itself, it’s important to decide how to accumulate points within the flow of the game, which means we also need to consider how to approach the final stages of matches.For example, if the opponent is consistently in good form and pressing us, putting us at a disadvantage, we might need to adopt a more defense-conscious approach to secure 2 points. While I believe we should not compromise our beliefs, we must be flexible in our methods and consider how to accumulate points. There is a possibility that we will need to make such judgments.
Q. You effectively split the opponent’s play and especially in the first half hardly allowed them to attack. How do you evaluate the defensive aspect of the game?
A. Taking into account the opponent’scharacteristics, I think the team has clearly implemented the strategy centered around Coach Yu TOKISAKI. However, the part concerning the conceded goal was somewhat unclear. Of course, not everything can be perfect in a game, but even if the opponent gained an advantage, we couldn’t break the flow and they were able to pick up the second ball and take a shot. We need to thoroughly examine why that happened. That said, I believe we played very well defensively in both matches.
Q. The scene where we caught up came from two left-footed players who were substitutes and new signings. Especially regarding Fuki YAMADA, please tell us your evaluation again.い付いたシーンは途中交代の、しかも新加入の左利きの二人からでした。とくに山田楓喜選手について、あらためて評価を教えてください。
A. He is a player with a unique rhythm, and his kicking accuracy is also very high. By coming on at that time, our advantage in set plays can increase, and if there is a free kick in front of the goal, the chance of scoring also rises. Regarding that, although I’m not sure if the cross from the substitute fullback Kento HASHIMOTO was exactly as planned, Fuki YAMADA anticipated it before the opponent and positioned himself perfectly at the arrival point, and with that first touch, it was already decided. Being able to show that quality in front of the goal is proof that he has calm and precise play, and I think that goal clearly demonstrated it. His performance in both matches has been highly evaluated.2試合とも非常に評価しています。
Player Interview
Fuki YAMADA
Q: That was a nice goal. Please look back on the goal.
A: When the cross comes in,rather than rushing in, I always aim for the ball to drop just in front of the defensive line. The ball came there, and although I slightly mishandled the trap, I think I was able to turn that mistake into a positive, and I’m glad I was able to connect properly.
Q, You were behind the defender, slightly hidden, then stepped forward and trapped the ball. Was it as you imagined?
A, It was just instinct. I wasn’t thinking about anything.
Q, How did you feel at the moment you scored?
A, I think if we had scored a little earlier, we might have been able to turn the game around, and being able to equalize at that timing was a huge positive. Going from 0 points to 2 points was a great plus, but honestly, I really wanted to get 3 points. However, being able to change from 0 to 2 points with my goal like this is something I believe is necessary for the upcoming title race, so I think it was good.
Q, At the moment you scored, it seemed like your emotions were running quite high.
A, It's always like that.
Q, You were quite provocative, weren’t you?
A, Because I was trying to come back from behind,I wanted to hype things up even more.
Q,Kento HASHIMOTO, who assisted, mentioned that he usually aims slightly behind to match with his left foot. How was that sense and eye coordination?
A,I also knew that Kento HASHIMOTO would kick it there, so compared to when Yuto NAGATOMO was present, I positioned my center of gravity a bit further back. I think understanding that characteristic and moving in accordingly led to the goal.
Q、移籍後初ゴールです。ようやくチームの一員になれたという感覚でしょうか。今日のゴールをどうとらえていますか。
A、今シーズンはこのハーフシーズンで二桁以上とずっと言っているので、最初の1点に過ぎないですし、最終節が終わる頃にはもっとゴール数も増えて、“Fuki YAMADA, Fuki YAMADA”になっていると思うので、その1本目に過ぎません。まだまだ点をとって、アシストしていきたいと思います。
Q, Regarding the penalty shootout, you placed it in the right corner in the opening match, but what were you focusing on when you took the shot today?
A, I kicked it with the intention to score. There’s nothing special to say about penalties, but I was full of confidence.
Q, Is mental strength really an important factor when taking a penalty kick?
A, If you have confidence in yourself, I think you can kick firmly. It’s more about confidence than mental strength. I believe that with confidence, you can have an advantage in penalty kicks.
Q, After the goal, there was a loud cheer,so you must be quite well accepted by the fans and supporters, right?
A, I have only made some good plays in the first and second matches,so I want to show that this is not all there is yet. I believe the team can come together more and play even better soccer, so not just myself, but the whole team wants to become stronger.
Q, after the match,there was a shout of “Sha” when greeting the fans and supporters.
A, I wanted to do it after securing the victory in 90 minutesand earning the 3 points, and since there was also a voice saying we should do it after getting the 3 points, I thought, “That’s true,” so I refrained from doing it today.
Kento HASHIMOTO
Q, you came on as a substitute again following the previous match. What did you focus on when entering the game?
A, Since we were losing, under the special tournament regulations, if we could equalize, there was a chance to earn 2 points, so I focused on scoring goals going into the match. First, I played thinking only about scoring one goal.
Q: please review the scene where you assisted the goal.
A: When I advanced forward, I found myself in a position to deliver a cross ball.Reflecting on the previous experience, the opponent was stronger in aerial duels, and in fact, about five minutes before that scene, a cross I sent was repelled. So, although I usually aim between the defender and the goalkeeper, I thought some ingenuity and ideas were necessary, and I targeted a different spot than usual. Since Fuki YAMADA is left-footed and has been practicing entering that kind of position, I aimed for that space and delivered the cross ball. I was able to send the ball at quite a high speed, which led to the goal, so it was good.
Q, You posted stats in just your second match. Aren't you a bit relieved?
A, Not at all. Sometimes results come because they should, and sometimes by chance. Just having one stat doesn’t mean I can get carried away or discouraged, as that won’t help me build consistent performance. No matter what, I will keep doing what I need to do. Today, I was able to do the minimum work required to earn 2 points, but my goal is to start as a fullback and earn 3 points. Considering the team’s goal is to win the title, and so far we have only won via penalty shootouts since the season started, it’s crucial to secure wins within 90 minutes. So, I have absolutely no feelings of relief.
Q. You are competing for a position with Yuto NAGATOMO. How do you perceive this competition as Kento HASHIMOTO?
A. It was something I understood even before joining the team. However, after joining, I realized that Yuto NAGATOMO is seriously aiming for his fifth World Cup appearance, and at this timing, he is the number one player in Japan.There are only a limited number of players who can truly compete with him, so being on the same team and able to compete at this moment is truly a blessing. It only contributes to my growth, and every day I live with my antennae up, trying to learn whatever I can from NAGATOMO.
