It was a perfect start—.
In the season opener against FC Machida Zelvia at home, Ajinomoto Stadium, FC Tokyo suffered a painful 1-5 defeat. Yet from kickoff, there was no doubt that the blue and red held the initiative and controlled the match.
Though he spoke through clenched teeth, Keisuke Sato reflected on the team's start to the game.
“It was not just me—the whole team was moving in an organized way. We were able to play with the goal in mind, and that was reflected in our opening goal, which came from exploiting the space in behind. Everyone was seeing the same picture. It did not result in a goal, but we were able to do what we wanted to do, including the move that started with build-up play from deep in the 22nd minute of the first half and ended with Marcelo RYAN being denied by the goalkeeper.”
The most symbolic moment was the lightning-fast first goal of the season, scored just five minutes into the match.
When Kim Seung-gyu launched a long ball deep into the opposition half, Marcelo RYAN and Keisuke Sato reacted quickly, threading through the gap. After leaving the No. 10 to deal with the high-bouncing ball, the No. 9 charged straight toward the opposition goal. RYAN met with his right foot the ball that Sato had headed through behind the defense, slipping it between the goalkeeper’s legs and into the net.
Hian spoke confidently: “Making runs in behind is one of my strengths. My teammates understand that, so when I make a run, the pass comes. I’m sure we’ll see more situations like this going forward.”
True to his words, the combination play and trust built throughout preseason bore fruit in the opening goal early in the season opener.
“We were able to exploit an opening in the opponent’s defense. The ball came from Sung-gyu, and I combined well with Keiin to create the finish. During camp, we focused especially on building our understanding. Of course, the best thing is for me to score and for us to win, but because we had such a good camp, I think we were able to create moments like that in the opening match.”
With the ace’s first strike since preseason, it seemed they had completely seized control of the game’s momentum.
However, they let that sense of momentum slip away themselves. They were pegged back in the 27th minute of the first half, and when a player was sent off in the 38th, the tide in the stadium turned. Reduced to a numerical disadvantage, the team could not regain its footing and went on to concede five goals—the club’s worst total in an opening match since being promoted to the J1 League in 2000. But not everything from those 90 minutes should be dismissed. Marcello Hian swallowed a sigh and continued quietly.
“For about the first 25 minutes, we were able to score and create plenty of chances, so it was a very good start. But our inability to regroup after conceding and going down to 10 men led to this result... We cannot change what has already happened. The result is disappointing, but it is important to move on to the next match. The season has only just begun. I want us to get a good result again in the next match, and I want to keep scoring goals as well.”
Amid the defeat, there was the vivid picture of the opening five minutes and a real sense of progress. They will prove it in the next match against Vissel Kobe. Having overcome the nightmare of conceding five goals, the blue-and-red ace was already looking ahead.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
Text by Tadashi BABA (Freelance Writer)
