Match Review

Welcomed by the loud cheers of "We must not lose to Verdy," the blue and red eleven begin their warm-up. From behind the goal, heartfelt chants continue, saying, "Pour out your passion, seize the championship!" As a capital club, and to become a team worthy of winning the title, this is a match they absolutely cannot lose—no, they absolutely must win.

The away match against Tokyo Verdy, held at “our Ajinomoto.” For Tokyo, chasing the top-ranked Kashima Antlers by 4 points, this is a match they absolutely want to win within the 90 minutes. It is the third match in a congested schedule, with all three away games in a row on the line. The team, steadily evolving step by step, will show what kind of soccer they can deliver in this crucial showdown. Facing a game that demands both passionate spirit and calm adaptability, head coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI sent out a starting eleven with six changes from the previous match.

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu was selected. The back line consisted of four players from right to left: Sei Muroya, Alexander Scholz, Rio Omori, and Kento HASHIMOTO. In midfield, Takahiro KO returned for the first time since the second round match against the Urawa Reds, partnering with Kento HASHIMOTO. The attackers were Keisuke Sato on the right and Ryunosuke SATO, who was selected for the SAMURAI BLUE (Japan national team) European expedition, on the left. Up front, alongside Motoki NAGAKURA, Leon NOZAWA, who recorded an assist after coming on as a substitute in the previous match against JEF United Ichihara Chiba, was named in the starting lineup for the first time this season.

It was truly an all-out battle. No matter who took the field, the team aimed to play high-quality soccer consistently, with the players on the pitch making flexible decisions to seize control in both offense and defense. Approaching the game with a determination to win at all costs to carve out the future, the kickoff took place at 2:03 p.m.

1st HALF—Creating Chances Early but Struggling Against Tight Defense

In the early stages, Tokyo spent time observing the opponent’s approach as the match progressed. Against Tokyo V’s 3-4-2-1 formation, Tokyo, playing 4-4-2, carefully assessed which positioning would be effective, with Takahashi dropping back to the defensive line for build-up play, using wide passing combinations, and probing with timely long balls from the back line to seek attacking opportunities.

Tokyo V, who appeared to have thoroughly studied Tokyo, tightly shut down passes aimed at breaking through their two forwards. Tokyo, unable to establish a foothold up front, sought to break through by simply exploiting the space behind the defense.

At the 19th minute of the first half, a promising scene was created by Keisuke Sato’s breakaway, followed by a sequence at the 21st minute where Scholz sent a vertical pass from the right side, and Muroya powerfully broke through and crossed, seemingly causing an own goal by the opponent; however, the goal was disallowed as the ball had crossed the goal line beforehand. At the 27th minute, coordinated pressing from the front forced a mistake by the opponent, and Nozawa, who recovered the ball in an advanced position, made a sharp turn and took a right-footed shot facing forward. Although this shot went wide to the right of the goal, Tokyo continued to add variation by seamlessly connecting offense and defense without sticking to a single pattern.

TOKYO tries to weave in sharp attacks, but the opponent is also highly aware of negative transitions and responds firmly to TOKYO's counters. In this back-and-forth battle, there are long periods where TOKYO is not allowed to play facing forward as they wish.

Defensively, they showed concentration that did not allow clear chances, so they want to find an attack that can break through the opponent’s tight defense. The first half ended scoreless, with both sides showing fierce determination in their challenges for the ball. The outcome of the match was left to the second half.

2ndHALF—Showing Fierce Attacks and Creating Scoring Chances but Failing to Convert, Losing in a Penalty Shootout

In the second half, we want to make changes that surpass the opponent’s countermeasures. Attacking with the loud cheers of the Blue-Red Family shouting “Today is a day we cannot lose,” we want to push forward with even greater fighting spirit and storm the opponent’s territory.

Right at the start of the second half, a big chance suddenly arises. The ball passed from Muroya, who broke through on the right side, to Sato Kei spills inside the penalty area, and Nozawa, positioned at the far side, takes a free shot. However, this right-footed kick goes wide to the left of the goal, missing an excellent opportunity.

Tokyo, aiming to turn good defense into good offense, in the 5th minute of the second half, Kei Sato won the ball high up the pitch and played a vertical pass. Nozawa, who broke through here, was fouled and earned a direct free kick opportunity. However, the ball targeted by Ryu Sato with his right foot did not hit the goal, and they were unable to convert this into the opening goal.

Then, in the 13th minute of the second half, Scholz made a sharp interception to cut off the opponent's build-up play, and Ryū Satō and Nagakura connected passes to Kei Satō inside the penalty area. However, an opposing player threw his body to block the ball, preventing the finish despite coming close to creating a scoring opportunity.

The defense also lifted the team with their desperate play. In the 17th minute of the second half, when a loose ball in their own half was targeted with a long-range shot, the ball deflected off a defender and changed course on a difficult trajectory, but Sungyu made a super save with just one hand! With the determination to absolutely not concede the opening goal, he protected the goal to the very end.

At the 18th minute of the second half, both teams made two substitutions simultaneously. Tokyo sent Fuki YAMADA and Keita ENDO onto the pitch as left and right attackers, replacing Nozawa and Ryu Sato. Along with this, the two forwards were changed to the combination of Nagakura and Megumi Sato. They aimed for the goal with a new organization.

At the 26th minute of the second half, Tokiwa Kyota was brought on as a defensive midfielder, replacing Taka. For Tokiwa, who had been a regular starter from the opening match through the previous game, this was his first appearance as a substitute this season. This is a chance for him to make an impact as a “game changer.”

Tokyo, increasing their pressure from the front, created chances through coordinated pressing. In the 30th minute of the second half, after a cut by Hashimoto, the ball was sharply switched to the left, where Endo carried it forward with a dribble and delivered a quick cross. However, it did not connect with Yamada, who was running in from the far side. Then, in the 32nd minute, Endo broke through on the left side and sent a grounded cross, which Nagakura skillfully flicked to confuse the defense, allowing Yamada, who was free, to strike the ball into the goal with his left foot. However, with VAR support, Endo’s run was judged offside, and the goal was disallowed. Despite creating consecutive close chances, they were unable to score here as well.

At the 41st minute of the second half, Tokyo made their final substitution. Kashif BANGNAGANDE was brought on at left side back in place of Kento HASHIMOTO, and Teruhito NAKAGAWA was sent in as one of the two forwards, replacing Keito SATO, entrusting the outcome to the players on the pitch.

Tokyo pushed forward fiercely in duels aiming for all three points. Scholz boldly made overlapping runs, while Kento HASHIMOTO balanced the team with smart positioning, driving the entire team forward.

During the 5 minutes of added time displayed in the second half, the blue-red family behind the goal continued to cheer on the team launching a fierce attack with loud shouts of "Pour out your passion, seize the championship!" In the 90+4 minute, Muroya made a run into the penalty area from a long feed and was brought down, but the referee ruled no foul. The match could not be changed. In the end, the game ended goalless and the decision went to a penalty shootout.

In the penalty shootout, which was held behind the opponent's goal for the first time in the fourth attempt, Tokyo, who went first, had their first shooter Scholz and third shooter Yamada stopped. Meanwhile, Tokyo V scored with all their shooters and won 4-2. The crucial away match, where victory was a must, ended in a frustrating result with only 1 point earned.

Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI

Q: Please give us your overall review of today's match.
A, it is a very disappointing result, but the players really gave their all during this series of matches, and I am grateful that everyone who played fought until the end aiming for victory. Although the lack of a favorable result may highlight many negative aspects, the players consciously played according to what we had thoroughly prepared. I feel that if the players’ condition had been a little better, we could have shown something even better. However, it is extremely frustrating to have lost this match. We want to prepare again so that we can turn this frustration into motivation for the next game.

Q: The first half was a tough battle, but you pushed back in the second half. What instructions did you give at halftime?
A: In the first half, while the players were conscious of what we had properly prepared, on the flip side, we allowed the opponent to build a good rhythm in their attacks. Also, regarding how we were supposed to advance as we had prepared, all the passing options became isolated, and although there were some movements behind the defense toward the goal and attempts to deliver the ball there, the ball never reached those spots. This accumulation of technical errors led to a difficult situation. At halftime, I told the team that even in such circumstances, they needed to completely change their mindset and play as if they were a different team. We managed to achieve that to some extent, including through game changers, but it was very unfortunate that we couldn’t break through with a goal in the end.

Q: How do you perceive the defeat in the penalty shootout?
A, of course, we must prepare as best as we can, but since we have always won in penalty shootouts until now, I accept that things like this can happen.

Q: You mentioned that the negative aspects stood out, but on the other hand, what positive points did you feel in today’s match?
A, the players’ awareness in earnestly trying to do what we had prepared and the fact that the team was aligned in their focus were very good points, and I think those are positive. Also, being able to play while creating our own momentum in the second half. Despite not being in perfect condition, the players on the field played without giving up for the full 90 minutes. The substitutes who came on also showed their individual strengths. I think those were positive aspects.

Q: What are your thoughts on not being able to finish decisively within the 90 minutes?
A: The issue of how to decisively finish is something we have always had to face, whether we win or lose. This is the reality we must fully accept, even though the game ended up like this. Of course, we wanted to show the strength to win during this series of matches, but we have not yet reached that point. We will analyze what we are lacking and prepare for the next challenge. However, after watching the players today, I view their attitude in this game positively, and I believe it is important to consider how we move forward from here.

Player Interview

Sei MUROYA

Q: please review the game.
A, it was a match we had to win. In terms of content, we created many chances. Especially in the second half, the opponent hardly had any chances, so it was a game where we just needed to score one goal, but unfortunately, we couldn’t do that.

Q: In the first half, it seemed that the passing options were limited and you couldn’t establish a foothold up front. What aspects were difficult?
A: The opponent was playing a three-back and pressing from the front, so I tried to create space by moving into higher positions or playing like a forward, allowing Motoki NAGAKURA to occupy the open spaces. After the ball reached NAGAKURA, there were many moments when we usually would have been able to develop the play better, but the ball didn’t connect well. In those short counterattack situations, I think we could have been a bit more precise. In the second half, we were able to control the ball and create chances ourselves, so I view that positively. However, since the result was everything today, losing means it all meant nothing, so it’s truly disappointing.

Q: What aspects improved in the second half?
A: From the first half, we were conscious of movements to create space, and we knew the opponent’s wing-backs were pushing forward, so we tried to move them around while connecting passes at a low position. The opponent can’t maintain that for the full 90 minutes, so we worked on breaking through that in the first half as well. Because of that, the opponent shifted to a more five-back formation, and in the second half, spaces opened up and they were no longer able to apply pressure effectively. In that sense, I believe our game management was without issues.

Q. What is necessary to secure a win in matches like this?
A. I believe it is crucial to convert the few chances we get. We had opportunities today as well, and the overall performance is not something to be pessimistic about, so I want to take a positive approach and build on this for the next match.

Q. The fans and supporters were cheering passionately even before the match started. Did you feel that energy?
A, Of course, they created an amazing atmosphere, and that’s why I feel really sorry that we couldn’t win. However, since our next match will be at our home stadium, we want to make sure to take our revenge then.

Q. There is a bit of a gap until the next match, but how will you prepare for the upcoming game?
A. I think some players are tired from the consecutive matches, so first we will properly refresh ourselves. Then, by sharing this frustrating feeling throughout the entire team once again, we will organize what we were able to do and what we were not, so that we can approach the next match against FC Machida Zelvia in a much better condition.

Rio OMORI

 Q: please review the game.
A: Overall, I think the performance was not bad, but there are parts I feel frustrated about. In particular, I regret allowing the opponent to create several chances. 

Q. Was there any difficulty in the build-up phase?
A. When Takahiro KO had the ball, I could see that the defensive midfielders and the back line were being marked tightly, and there was space behind them. However, we couldn’t create space effectively through rotation and positioning, so overall we were caught by the opponent.Since it was a different formation than usual, I feel we should have been more decisive and moved the ball with better tempo. 

Q. What were your thoughts on how the team should maintain possession of the ball?
A. I was cautious because I felt there was a risk of being trapped by the opponent when making sideways passes, but on the other hand, moving the ball quickly and repositioning might have been more effective since the opponent would have to react. 

Q. Were there any improvements made in the second half?
A. Since the opponent was pressing from the front, we focused on turning the game around once. There were actually moments when we managed to carry the ball up to the front line with long balls, and as time went on, the opponent got tired and spaces opened up, so we alsoincreased our plays breaking through the center. I think that was an area where we improved. 

Q. How do you feel about the impact on the attacking players?
A. I feel that I put a bit of stress on the attacking players in the first half. I wasn’t able to let them get on the ball much, so that is something I need to reflect on. 

Q, how do you feel the team should have turned this match into a win?
A, I believe it is essential to have the ability to finish decisively at the end. If we cannot win matches like this,I feel we cannot become a team that reaches the top. 

Q. How do you evaluate the fact that you kept a clean sheet?
A. Finishing without conceding is important, butthis was a match we had to win.I strongly feel that we wanted to secure the win within 90 minutes. 

Q. How was your first experience playing against Tokyo V?
A. I’m frustrated because we ended up losing. Beyond the content and my own performance, this was a match we had to win as players of this club, and for that,I feel sorry towards the fans and supporters. 

Q. Please share your determination moving forward.
A. From here, we have to keep fighting to climb higher,and we also have consecutive matches against FC Machida Zelvia. Since important games continue for us, we want to thoroughly reflect, reset, and move forward as a whole team.