match Match Schedule & Results

[Reserve]
GK:30, Kazuki Takase
DF:27, Sota Hasukawa
MF:
FW:

○Match Report
[Continuing the Build-Up and Inheriting the History]

The 2015 J Youth Cup, the 23rd J League Youth Championship, begins today.
Tokyo is seeded in the 1st Round and will start from the 2nd Round.
Last year, they were eliminated in the semifinal round and finished in 3rd place.

From this year, the tournament regulations have changed, and it will be contested in a single-elimination format.

The first opponent is Fagiano Okayama U-18, whom they also faced in the first round of the summer Japan Club Youth Soccer Championship (U-18) tournament.
They secured a 2-0 victory in the summer tournament, but even then, they were a strong team capable of creating chances through sharp counterattacks and tricky set pieces.

Tokyo is playing their first official match in about a month.
Coach Sato, who said, "Since there was a bit of a gap between official matches, we were able to try various things," started first-year side back Okaniwa in this match.
They are also challenging with a 4-5-1 system instead of 3-4-3.

In response, Okayama adopted a 4-4-2 formation.
A formation that is very compact from the DF line to the front line.

Before the match, Coach Sato encouraged the team in the meeting, saying, "Let's play to win the tournament. Whether it's 5-0 or 1-0, it's the same. Let's play gritty football without conceding the first goal."

Many supporters gathered at the home ground, 'Tokyo Gas Musashino-En Multipurpose Ground,' and in a comfortable environment for soccer with a temperature of 25.3°C, the match started with Okayama's kickoff.

《First Half》
The match saw Tokyo controlling the ball while looking for chances, and Okayama maintaining a compact shape overall with a high defensive line. The setup became one where they aimed for opportunities through intense pressing and sharp counterattacks.
Tokyo’s Okaniwa, who commented after the match, "I was nervous in the first half and couldn’t see around me," created chances right from the start.
At 1 minute, Okaniwa passed the throw-in deep on the right side to Sato, then received a return pass. Okaniwa delivered a sharp cross to the near post, but the opposing goalkeeper caught it.
Then at 4 minutes, Okaniwa crossed from the right side to the center in front of the goal, where Sato contested the ball, and Koyama quickly reacted to the loose ball.
The shot didn’t connect perfectly, but it was the first shot of the match.
At the 8th minute, Sato made a run behind following Okaniwa’s early cross, and after a contest with the opponent, the ball spilled loose. He took a shot, but the opposing DF blocked it.
At the 10th minute, Tokyo connected quick, short passes on the left side of midfield, and Ito timed his run diagonally behind the opponent’s DF line.
This was passed to Okuma, who took a shot but failed to score.
Although controlling the ball, they were unable to score, and the momentum shifted to Okayama.
At 15 and 17 minutes, they lost the ball in the opponent's territory and faced counters from the right side.
Furthermore, at 18 minutes, they were countered again and threatened by a shot from the left side.
Tokyo targets the space behind the opponent's high DF line and finds a way through with long passes.
At the 25th and 26th minutes, starting from a long pass by Okazaki, Lins and Sato approach the goal.
Okayama also creates chances with sharp counters, but Captain Watanabe, who said "We were prepared for the opponent's counterattack," calmly covers and nips the danger in the bud.
The patient attack bore fruit at the 42nd minute.
Several players combined on the left side, connecting passes to create an opportunity, and Sato delivered an early cross from the left side.
Ito ran diagonally behind the opponent's DF line and scored with his right foot to take the lead.
Then, just before the end of the first half, Ito sent a left corner kick to the near post, Watanabe contested the ball, and Suzuki quickly reacted to the rebound and pushed it into the goal, ending the first half 2-0.

《Halftime》
Players confirm both offense and defense aspects and align their understanding with each other.
Coach Sato also encourages the players' autonomy by saying, "Let's discuss among ourselves how to proceed in the second half."
Then, he refocuses the team with, "Let's start the second half with concentration," and sends the players back onto the pitch.
Tokyo made a substitution from Kiji to Uchida, changing the rhythm of their attack.

《Second Half》
Maintaining the momentum from the end of the first half, Tokyo pressed toward Okayama’s goal from the start of the second half.
At 47 seconds into the half, Tokyo’s Abe applied continuous pressure in midfield to win the ball and passed it to Sato positioned on the right side.
Sato's cross was initially blocked, but Abe picked up the loose ball and took a shot, which went well wide of the goal.
The additional goal came in the 48th minute when Okaniwa, having advanced deep down the right side, delivered a sharp cross to the near post, where Okuma connected with a header to make it 3-0.
Okayama pushes forward to score. More space opens up in midfield compared to the first half, and they begin to show quick, precise passing.
At the 51st minute, they connect quick passes just outside the opponent's penalty area, pressing toward the goal. Although the ball is intercepted by the opposing DF, they continue to recover loose balls and mount a well-rounded attack from both the left and right sides.
Furthermore, at the 56th minute, after winning the ball on the left side, Abe, Okuma, and Sato launched a counterattack. In the end, Abe passed the ball to Okuma and entered the area in front of the goal, and Okuma delivered a grounded cross to the near post, but just missed connecting.
Tokyo sent Hasegawa, making his official match debut, onto the pitch from Okuma.
Then, that Hasegawa became a focal point up front.
At the 66th minute, HASEGAWA received the ball in the center of the opponent's half and passed it to ABE, who had come up in support. ABE played a through pass to SATO with an outside kick, who took a shot, but the goalkeeper made the save.
Furthermore, Tokyo made substitutions, bringing fresh players onto the pitch to invigorate the attack.
Matsuoka, who came on from the 86th minute, received the ball on the right side and boldly took on dribbling to create a chance.
In the final moments of the match, Uchida picked up the ball from an opponent's build-up mistake and approached the goal but was unable to score.
The match ended with a 3-0 victory, advancing to the 3rd Round.

【Players & Staff Post-Match Comments】
Coach Sato
“It was our first official match in a while and the first game of the tournament, so it was a difficult match, but I’m glad we advanced to the next stage. We got the result, but many issues also came up, so we want to correct those and continue to grow. When we control the ball, gaps can appear, and even with few chances, we can concede goals. We need to become more tactically savvy to avoid that. Also, the new players performed very well, which will help energize the team heading into the final part of the season. Throughout the year, we have used players who are in good form, and today was no exception. Since there was a bit of a gap between official matches, we were able to try various things. (Thoughts on the 3rd Round?) Since it’s a knockout tournament starting this year, losing means the end. Omiya is a very good team. I’m looking forward to competing against such a team in an official match at this time of year. We want to prepare well to bring out the best in our players.”

Player Watanabe
"I thought it would be difficult since it was the first match, but I was strongly focused on winning. I was a bit tense, but scoring first made me feel mentally relieved. The 3-0 result is good, but as a DF player, keeping a clean sheet was very important. The opponent kept a compact formation, but since our defensive line was high, we aimed to exploit the space behind. I simply cleared the ball, and player Okazaki delivered good balls behind the defense. In the scoring scenes, we were able to do things that troubled the opponent, and personally, I was prepared for their counterattacks. (What are your thoughts on the 3rd Round?) We will face the team that was the runner-up in summer. Since the league match ended in a 1-1 draw, I want to take on the challenge spirit, work hard with enjoyment, and win."

Player Ito
"We wanted to score the first goal and play our style of soccer, but we couldn't score easily. Even so, we stayed calm and scored just before the end of the first half, and adding another goal early in the second half was significant. Keeping a clean sheet was also very important. Although the system changed, we practiced focusing on committing more players to crosses and entering the penalty area, so the practice paid off. When I play, I consciously try to increase the number of passes and create rhythm. Today, not only that, but I also focused on being involved in goals, so I’m glad I was able to do that. (Thoughts on the 3rd Round?) We won today, and although the first match was difficult, the next opponent Omiya is one of the top teams nationwide. We want to prepare thoroughly, play our soccer, and win."

Player Okaniwa
"It was the first match of the tournament, but in the first half, we had long possession of the ball and focused on risk management. In the second half, the opponent pushed forward, so we were able to play our style of soccer. Scoring in the first half was significant. My strength is my stamina. I want to run more than the opponent and focus on crosses and goals. (You had one assist today?) The result came, but since it was my first appearance in the first half, I was nervous and couldn’t see around well, and my decisions were slow, so I need to improve. (What are your thoughts on the 3rd Round?) I want to focus on the result, not the content, and win as a whole team."

Thank you very much for your warm support to the players today.
Continuing, we kindly ask for your passionate support for FC Tokyo U-18.