<Emperor's Cup 2nd Round - Zweigen Kanazawa Match Review>
In the 2nd Round of the Emperor's Cup, which serves as the first match leading to the AFC Champions League 2, we faced Zweigen Kanazawa and secured a 3-1 victory. We changed all 11 starting players from the recent match against Cerezo Osaka in Sec. 20 of the 2025 Meiji Yasuda J1 League held on June 14, including Kashif BANGNAGANDE, who returned to the official match pitch for the first time in 383 days since the match against Sagan Tosu on May 31 last season.
While upsets occurred at other venues, the team calmly controlled the match while holding the initiative. In the 32nd minute of the first half, Teruhito NAKAGAWA stole the ball in midfield and advanced straight toward the goal. Finally, Keito Sato, who ran alongside him, tapped it in to successfully score the opening goal.
Furthermore, in the 44th minute of the first half, Leon NOZAWA broke through the right side and delivered a cross ball in front of the goal. Sato then headed it in to score an additional goal, and the team went into halftime with a 2-goal lead.
In the second half, careless mistakes gave Kanazawa an opening, but centered around Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, the team managed to keep a clean sheet and progress the game.
And the finishing touch came at the 40th minute. Kota TAWARATSUMIDA's shot was followed up quickly by Motoki NAGAKURA, who reacted swiftly to the rebound. He scored his first goal since joining the team with a diving header, making a strong impression in his debut match. Later, Kanazawa scored a goal near the end of the match, but the team secured their first victory in six official games.
Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI also sighed with relief, saying, "I am relieved that we were able to safely advance to the next stage," while adding, "We can reflect after winning, but I believe there are still many challenges to address," tightening his helmet strap once again.
＜Emperor's Cup 3rd Round Preview＞
In the recent Meiji Yasuda J1 League Sec. 23 match against Kashiwa Reysol, we narrowly lost 0-1, but it was a game that could have gone either way against the top-ranked team. The new players who joined during the special transfer period in June have blended with the existing squad, and the team's strength has definitely improved.
Oita Trinita, led by Coach Katanosaka, currently ranks 12th in the J2 League. Although they have struggled without a win in their last six league matches, they advanced to the 3rd Round by winning a closely contested penalty shootout against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in the 2nd Round, relying on their solid defense and quick counterattacks. Coach Matsuhashi warned, "They have a wonderful coach with a strong track record, and the players are truly well-aligned in their mindset." Furthermore, the coach added, "The transition between offense and defense will be a key point that greatly influences the game."
How can we break through the thick wall and get closer to the goal? Expectations are high for the new players' performance. Motoki NAGAKURA, who joined on loan from Urawa Reds in June, has quickly adapted to the team with 3 goals in 4 official matches. He has shown outstanding performance as a new scoring source for the red and blue. Due to the contract, he cannot play in Sec. 24 of the J1 League against Urawa Reds, which comes two days after the 3rd Round of the Emperor's Cup, so he should be able to focus all his energy on this Oita match.
Before this match, the versatile striker said, "Oita will set up a block, so I want to challenge how to break it down. It's also important to get past opponents individually, so I want to show my individual quality in the attacking third." There is great attention on the skillful goals filled with individual techniques once again.
"Anyway, we can't win without scoring goals. I want to aim for any kind of goal."
To "seize the cup." First, aiming for the best 16 for the first time in two seasons, we head to Crassus Dome Oita.
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q. There was a bit of a gap between the match against Kashiwa Reysol, so I think you had more time to focus on training. What have you been working on during these two weeks?
A, I think there were many approaches related to the team's offense and defense, positional aspects, and overall strategy. The players worked with a very positive attitude, so I believe we were able to build up good practice sessions.
Q: In terms of the overall approach, I think maintaining proper spacing is especially important on defense. How did you organize or manage that aspect?
A, we concede many goals from crosses, so we worked on responding to crosses and improving the preliminary stages before that. The sense of distance is not only a defensive matter but also closely related to the attack, so in that sense, we have been aligning our awareness of distance in both defense and offense.
Q: Tomorrow, there is a match against Oita Trinita, and after that, in just two days, there is also a match against Urawa Reds.
A, since the Emperor's Cup is a knockout tournament, we are considering which members to field in order to win. As the match will be played with only two days' rest, we are planning the lineup taking into account both the Oita match and the Urawa match. Not all players, but I hope to decide the members while having some discussions with individual players.
Q, Please tell us your impression of Oita's season this year.
A, I haven't watched all their matches, but they are a club with a solid track record and led by a very excellent coach. They play with a distinct style, and it gives the impression that the players are well aligned in their perspective on the field. While they attack aggressively, I believe they also form a solid defensive block. The transition between offense and defense will be a key factor that greatly influences the game.
[Player Interview]
<Kei KOIZUMI>
Q. The league matches were suspended, and there was a period without official games. What kind of preparations has the team been able to make?
A, there are various points for improvement, but I believe the players were giving 100% effort to each practice menu. Within that, they were required to maintain the intensity of their play. Since there were many game formats, after all, the real battle is the match, and through the games, we aligned our perspectives both offensively and defensively.
Q. Although the match against Kashiwa Reysol ended in a loss, it left the impression that there were many moments where we took the initiative. Were you able to continue that momentum in training?
A, both in offense and defense, not everything was bad just because we lost; there were also good points. The rest comes down to the quality in the end. I don't think we need to view everything negatively, but the result is the most important. Considering that we are losing, I believe there are still many areas lacking. Even during this period, we have no choice but to fill those gaps ourselves through practice. We want to face this seriously.
Q, There was a term "aligning perspectives," but regarding communication between players to bridge gaps in understanding and face the same direction, have you felt any progress during this period?
ACompared to the beginning, I feel that there are fewer players standing on the pitch hesitating. The intensity and quality are also important, and although not everything, these aspects are crucial to winning. Regarding technique, quality, and intensity, these two matches are different competitions—the Emperor's Cup and the league—but I want to thoroughly pursue these areas. In the league, it's important not to lose consecutive matches, and since we haven't been able to win much at home, I want to win in the Emperor's Cup, return home and win again, and then reset during the next break.
Q, It was the same with the Levain Cup, but in the Emperor's Cup as well, matches are played against teams from different categories. Considering the league match that comes just two days later, it might become an even more challenging battle.
A, there are difficult parts, but in knockout tournaments, you have to win within those challenges. For example, even in the Levain Cup 1st Round, it was a match where we managed to win by earning a penalty kick at the very end. Regardless of the category, we expect tough matches, but we aim to win and advance. To be honest, in the Emperor's Cup, winning is everything. We want to fight with a strong focus on the results.
Q: Including the matches so far, how do you feel about your performance and your role?
A, (In the league standings) this is our position, and I don't think I have contributed anything. First and foremost, showing it through my play is the most important. I want to focus on myself and approach the match with that mindset.
<Kosuke SHIRAI>
Q. If you participate, it will be your first official match in a while. What kind of motivation do you have, and what kind of play do you want to show?
A, I have been able to practice with very high motivation. Sei MUROYA has returned to Tokyo, and Kashif BANGNAGANDE has also come back from a long-term injury. I feel that the depth of the full-back position has increased, and having fallen behind due to a drop in condition, I want to express my play on the pitch, firmly join the competition for the starting lineup, and aim to establish myself as a regular starter from there.
Q. As you mentioned earlier, players Yoshifu and Muroya have both returned, and Yuto NAGATOMO is also active with the national team. With such outstanding individual talents gathered, how do you want to bring out their strengths and advantages?
A, compared to the players mentioned earlier, I am confident that my strength lies in my attacking ability. Using my speed for dribbling breakthroughs, plays to shake off opponents, and overlaps, I believe how much difference I can make in the attack will be the key point in evaluating myself going forward.
Q. The opponent, Oita Trinita, uses a system centered on a three-back formation. It is expected that there will be some misalignments on the pitch in both offense and defense.
A, of course I don't think it will be an easy game, but I want to focus on both the content and the result enough to clearly show the difference in strength. In terms of the style of soccer, I think mismatches will occur on both sides, so it will be important to see who can make better use of those gaps and who can better eliminate them.
Q, This will be a single-elimination tournament format.
A, in a knockout tournament different from the league matches, there is a unique tension, but advancing leads to the AFC Champions League 2. We definitely want the Emperor's Cup title, but first, we just focus on the upcoming match and aim for victory.
