Match Review & Preview

Review of the Previous Match Against Kashiwa Reysol

The Blue-Red Army returned to Ajinomoto Stadium after a convincing away victory against Kawasaki Frontale, marking their third consecutive win, and faced Kashiwa Reysol. Riding the momentum from the previous match, they aimed to extend their winning streak at home by launching an intense press and a solid, layered attack right from the start, aggressively pushing into the opponent's territory.

A sudden big chance came in the 4th minute. From Marcelo RYAN's powerful advance, Ryunosuke SATO, making his first start since returning to the team, took a free shot. However, it went straight to the opposing goalkeeper, and they were unable to score the opening goal early on.

Tokyo maintained control of the game both offensively and defensively through coordinated pressing high up the pitch for immediate ball recovery and skillful positioning to evade pressure. In the 14th minute of the first half, after Ryunosuke Sato's second attempt, Lucas RIAN made a vertical breakthrough leading to a shot by Motoki NAGAKURA. Then, in the 17th minute, multiple players launched an attack following a sharp interception by Kento HASHIMOTO, culminating in Ryunosuke Sato taking a mid-range shot. However, all attempts narrowly missed to the left of the goal, and once again, they were unable to find the back of the net.

While Tokyo created numerous clear chances early on, Kashiwa gradually adapted and adjusted their positioning. A fierce battle for the ball, showcasing the strengths of both teams, unfolded.

With the score still goalless at halftime, in the 9th minute of the second half, a cross from player Omi on the right side found Kakita near the near post, conceding the opening goal. Then, in the 37th minute, after the left side was broken down, a loose ball was kicked in by player Segawa, resulting in an additional goal conceded.

In the second half, Tokyo had the momentum taken by Kashiwa, but launched a fierce attack in the final stages. Kento Hashimoto, Mikiki Nagakura, and Teruhito Nakagawa, who came on as a substitute, each had consecutive scoring opportunities, but were denied by the opposing goalkeeper's excellent saves and could not score.

The match ended 0-2 as it was. While demonstrating Tokyo's characteristic play in both offense and defense, they were unable to score, resulting in their first scoreless game and first defeat in the special tournament, stopping their winning streak at three since the season opener.

This Week's Preview

This is a match where true value will be tested.

The upcoming match against Yokohama F.Marinos, held at our 'National', is a game that Rikizo MATSUHASHI and the team absolutely must overcome in order to become the 'team worthy of winning the championship' they continue to aim for, and to move forward toward the title.

Even in the previous match where they suffered their first defeat, they were able to take control of both offense and defense from the start. They pressed the opponent high, won battles for the ball, and created many scenes leading to scoring chances through aggressive defense. However, they were unable to capitalize on those chances, lost the flow of the game, and ultimately had to accept a disappointing result.

There are things the team is steadily building up. The number of shots in the first four matches is the highest in the league. The expected goals value has also ranked 4th. The impression that many chances are being created is clearly reflected in the data.

However, the coach sounds a warning about that.

“You must not look at the expected goals and think, ‘We’ve got this.’ Most of the top teams record more goals than their expected goals. Of course, if you work backward from having the highest number of finishes, it means you are creating chances, and one reason for that is that your high pressing defense is effective. That is the result of our planning and thorough preparation, and winning duels against opponents who come at us tightly is something we can leverage. Not only the forwards but also the defensive line and the goalkeeper play with the same perspective, intensity, and timing, so I believe the sum of that is reflected in those numbers. However, at the final stage, we must take on tries and challenges that exceed our expected goals. We have to keep shooting until the ball goes in, and we need to keep challenging until it happens.”

The difference between expected goals and actual goals scored—that is what defines a team's competitive edge. If the team can score more goals than the increasing expected goals, it will truly grow into a team that can secure that "+1 GOAL." Without being satisfied with the content, and with a clear goal of winning the championship, the team strengthens its commitment to achieving that.

In this week's training following the defeat to Kashiwa, Coach Matsuhashi spoke to the players, saying, "Let's all win the championship together." They once again reaffirmed their goals and aligned their focus on where they are headed.

A championship-winning team does not suffer consecutive losses. This match is one they absolutely must win to reach their intended destination. It is a game that will test whether they can become a "team worthy of the championship."

Having the advantage of playing 4 out of the first 5 matches at home is significant. Because we have achieved a record of 3 wins and 1 loss so far, we want to firmly secure a victory here to make our season start even clearer as we head into three consecutive away games.

The first league match of the season at our very own "National". The blue and red army will unite as one to prove their evolution and true value.

Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI

Q. Following the first defeat of the season in the previous match, what did you communicate to the players this week?
A, In the initial meeting, I once again conveyed our goal: "Let's all win the championship together." Starting from there, we reviewed together where we have been heading through the matches so far and reaffirmed our direction before moving forward.

Q. A team that keeps winning needs to avoid consecutive losses. How did you perceive and address the issues that arose in the previous match against Kashiwa Reysol?
A, In terms of feedback to the team, there are "things we must do," but those always arise within the context of our relationship with the opponent. However, when we applied a high press from the front and went man-to-man, we had anticipated that the game would likely take that form. Although we prepared to respond during the four days prior, we were unable to fully demonstrate it on the pitch.

However, while working backward from a loss is one approach, when considering the first half or the entire match, I believe it was a game in which we could have overturned that score, even if not perfectly. We talked about the need to always strive for that. Even though we struggled to mount good attacks, especially in the first half, our defense shone brightly, so naturally, there were moments when chances could have fallen to us. But there’s no point in dwelling on "what ifs," so we must keep shooting until the ball goes in, and we must keep challenging ourselves until it happens.

In terms of the number of shots, we are currently the team taking the most shots in the league, and if those chances go in, the possibilities will increase. We must pay close attention to the fact that we are creating those opportunities. Also, regarding winning duels against tightly marking opponents, I have been discussing this with the players, and I believe we can leverage this in the upcoming match.

Q. I think Yokohama F.Marinos was one of the teams that struggled a bit from the start of the season, but they secured a victory in the last match and seem to be moving forward from here. How do you see their current state?
A, I believe it was a game where their true character really showed. Their decision-making upfront is very quick, and the final player coming in on crosses does so with complete confidence and no hesitation, so we definitely need to be very cautious about that.

Q, Including the previous match, regarding taking advantage of the space behind opponents when applying a high press, especially in the first half, there were parts that went well. How do you assess the balance around that?
A,It's not that we weren't able to execute properly on the pitch; we have been building up well from the back, effectively using our goalkeeper. We do have strategies for when the opponent adjusts to that, so the fact that we weren't able to coordinate quickly is certainly an issue to address.

It's not about having the courage to kick the ball only when things are really bad, but I feel we could have more of that. However, it’s no good if those kicks are all without any chance of success. For passes that have even a slight possibility or a high probability of becoming our ball, we want to kick them not 'far and fast' but 'close and high.' By using that time effectively, there might be more chances to intercept the ball if the opponent mishandles a high bouncing ball. On the other hand, a ball kicked far and fast immediately puts us on the defensive. Simply put, we also need balls that can increase the likelihood of definitely regaining possession, even if just a little. Conversely, this also relates to the quality of our play after winning the ball from the opponent, so we must firmly demand that as well.

Player Interview

Yuto NAGATOMO

Q. This match will be against Yokohama F.Marinos at MUFG Stadium (Japan National Stadium).
A, The Japan National Stadium is a dream stage and a place I have long admired. Standing on that pitch naturally raises my motivation and ignites my passion. Because of that, I am able to perform at a high level. I believe I personally have a good affinity with the stadium, and the team does as well, so I think we can show a wonderful match. We started the season with three consecutive wins but lost to Kashiwa Reysol. However, there aren’t many teams that keep winning continuously, so I want to firmly apply the lessons learned to the next game. I am also very fired up mentally, so I want to deliver my best performance.

Q. With it being important not to have consecutive losses, what kind of preparations have you made this week?
A, We were able to have very focused and good training. I think everyone feels the frustration of losing, but I believe that feeling has tightened the team even more. Seeing that attitude, I feel we were able to have excellent training this week.

Q. There have been many talks from the coach and players about not dwelling on the loss and moving forward toward the championship.
A, I truly believe that. I think even championship-winning teams rarely win every single match, so how we connect this loss to the next game is crucial. The club has clearly communicated the goal of "winning the championship" to both the coach and players. That’s why the engine is revving even more to not dwell on the loss but to "face forward and fight again" and "move forward once more."

Q. What aspects do you think will decide the outcome of the match?
A I believe the key will be the battle on the flanks. Yokohama FM also has powerful wide attackers who will use that area as a starting point for their offense. We want to firmly stop players like Crooks, whom they want to use as a base, and on the contrary, push forward and get involved in the attack. We aim to overwhelmingly dominate the flanks and move so much that it makes people think, "Nagatomо is everywhere," contributing to the team's victory.

Ryunosuke SATO

Q. The match against Kashiwa Reysol was our first loss of the season, but I heard the coach also mentioned that we should be a team aiming for the championship.
A, it was the first time I saw the coach actually say something like that out loud. I think it’s also a good thing that the entire team shares the same understanding. I don’t think there’s any need to lower or change that goal just because of one loss. Since our focus is aligned, I feel the team’s morale is also rising.

Q. I think the outcome changed in the final quality of finishing during the Kashiwa match.
A. I had chances as well, and the team had several close opportunities in the first half. Because we couldn’t finish those chances, the momentum shifted, and in the second half, the opponent dominated the match like that, leading to a draining situation for Tokyo. Looking back over the entire match, there are many issues to address, but overall, I don’t think it was something to be pessimistic about. So, for the next match, I want the whole team to align our focus and approach the game together.

Q, I think matches against teams with momentum will become difficult.
A, It will undoubtedly be a tough match, but we have been playing well since the start of the season, and just because we lost one game doesn't mean our form has declined. I want to approach the match with confidence.

Q. What do you think you personally need to do in order to break down the opponent’s defense?
AI believe the most important thing is for me to be involved with the ball up front. It’s necessary for me to move more to receive the ball, and I want to increase the number of situations where I can connect with the forward players. FC Tokyo has many speedy players and many who can serve as focal points up front, so I want to leverage the individual strengths of those players while outplaying the opponent.

Q. MUFG Stadium (Japan National Stadium) is also the stage where Ryunosuke SATO held the press conference when he signed his professional contract.
A. I was on the bench for SAMURAI BLUE (Japan national team), and I have not yet played on the pitch at Japan National Stadium, so the possibility of playing there excites me. When I get on the pitch, I want to enjoy it first and foremost. As an FC Tokyo player, standing on the pitch at Japan National Stadium is a dream and not something easy to achieve. If I get to play, I want to fully savor the moment and enjoy it.