Match Review & Preview

Review of the Previous Match Against Tokyo Verdy

A determined victory that connects dreams. Against Tokyo Verdy, who also call Ajinomoto Stadium their home, FC Tokyo secured 3 points with a decisive goal in the second half's additional time.

Entering the last three matches of the season, this is the final game at Ajinomoto in the special tournament. To chase down the top-ranked Kashima Antlers, who hold a 5-point lead, and keep the possibility of a comeback championship alive, FC Tokyo must push forward on a winning streak. From the early stages of the match, Tokyo Verdy applied aggressive pressing and strong challenges for the ball, but FC Tokyo gradually took control of the pace.

A powerful shot from Ryunosuke SATO, who broke free following a large side change from Keita ENDO, struck the crossbar. From a through pass by Ryunosuke SATO that sliced through a narrow area, Marcelo RYAN calmly tapped the ball in with his right foot, narrowly missing to the left of the goal. Meanwhile, the players in blue and red skillfully positioned themselves between the lines while watching their opponents, gradually taking control of the game.

In the 29th minute of the first half, after conceding the opening goal from a long ball played by the opposing goalkeeper, Tokyo did not ease their attack and continued to press towards the opponent’s goal.

Then, in the 41st minute of the first half, when Ryunosuke Sato timed a through pass from the center, the player who broke through was Sei MUROYA. Inside the penalty area, he made a sharp turn and burst forward with his right foot! The reliable captain’s elegant and powerful finish evened the score.

In the second half, as both teams continued to engage in fierce battles for the ball, during the seven minutes of added time displayed, Tokyo, pressing forward with power plays such as pushing Kento HASHIMOTO up front, experienced a moment of joy. The hero of that moment was Motoki NAGAKURA, who had come on as a substitute.

When Keito Sato skillfully controlled a shot-like kick and brought it forward, he calmly finished with a looping shot over the goalkeeper’s nose with his left foot, scoring the winning goal. With the composed finish of number 26, Ajinomoto Stadium erupted in a frenzy. Securing victory in the final home match at the regional league ground, the team firmly earned 3 points and kept the possibility of a comeback championship alive for the last two away games.

This Week's Preview

"All that's left is to win. The only thing we can do is win."

Kei Sato succinctly describes the situation the team is in. With two matches remaining, they are 4 points behind the top spot. To keep their dream alive for the direct showdown against the Kashima Antlers in the final round, they must secure a 90-minute victory over the Urawa Reds this week and earn 3 points.

The stance of "must-win every match" remains unchanged. First, it is crucial to close the gap to just one point behind Kashima, who have a match on Sunday, and to stand in a position to apply pressure. This is a decisive match that tests whether the team can become the "team worthy of the championship," as Rikizo MATSUHASHI has repeatedly said. The manager said, "Nothing has changed from before, but it will be a heated game," and he simply reminded the players of the goal by saying, "We will win the championship."

Receiving those words, Keita ENDO said, "For a team aiming for the championship, this will be a game we absolutely must win. I want to focus solely on winning the match in front of us without thinking too much about Kashima. The last few games of the season won’t be easy to win, but every player on the pitch wants to face it with confidence, courage, and responsibility."

Then on the 15th, it was announced that Yuto NAGATOMO was selected for the SAMURAI BLUE (Japan national team) participating in the FIFA World Cup 2026™. He secured his fifth appearance in the tournament, the most ever for a field player in Japan national team history. Since the national team training camp starts on the 25th, he will not be able to participate in the Meiji Yasuda J1 Hundred Year Plan League playoff round, so the only matches where he can wear the blue and red uniform and compete in the special tournament are this week’s match and the final match. NAGATOMO said, “This is my fifth selection, but I have never been this nervous before. I can only feel gratitude to everyone who has supported me. However, we still have a chance to win the special tournament, and tomorrow’s match against the Urawa Reds is an important game. Let’s do our best!” He first expressed his determination to lead the regional league round as the top team.

On the other hand, Urawa had a difficult period this season, including a seven-game losing streak that involved a defeat in a penalty shootout. However, after Tatsuya TANAKA was appointed as interim coach at the end of April, they quickly recovered with four consecutive wins. They reorganized the roles assigned to the players and sharpened their transitions between offense and defense, giving the impression of a team reborn as a competitive unit.

Coach Matsuhashi and Coach Tanaka share a history from their time at Albirex Niigata, having worked together as coach and player, and later as head coach and assistant coach. Ahead of the match against Tokyo, Coach Tanaka said, "I learned from Coach Matsuhashi the importance of trusting players. Being able to observe him up close has greatly influenced me," while Coach Matsuhashi fondly recalled, "He was a player who kept pursuing something until the very end. As a coach, he was also very dedicated to his studies, and he was one of the coaches who greatly inspired me."

While such reunions are one of the wonderful aspects of soccer, Tokyo must bring back all three points from this away match at any cost. If the opponent comes at us fiercely in one-on-one battles, we will simply dominate the game with even greater intensity. If they try to neutralize our counterattacks, we will break through with possession play; if they press high, we will draw them in and launch quick attacks; and for immediate ball recovery, we will respond with immediate ball recovery. This will be a match that shows who is hungrier for victory. First and foremost, we will put everything into this game. Kento HASHIMOTO, who knows the intensity of the 2019 title race, has steeled his resolve, saying, "I won’t think about what comes next; I want to give 200 percent in this match."

We want to surpass Urawa with all our passion and play, create a stadium atmosphere like home, and connect the dream with the entire Blue-Red family. In a match that proves our determination and strength, the Blue-Red army will electrify Saitama Stadium.

Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI

Q. There are only two matches left in the Regional League Round. The situation where we must win has not changed, but please tell us what you are thinking about for tomorrow's match.
A, Nothing has changed from before; we must firmly do what we can. However, I do think it will be a passionate match.

Q. What did you tell the players ahead of the match against the Urawa Reds?
A. I didn’t say anything special specifically for this match. What I told the players was simply to voice our goal; it wasn’t about continuing as we are or staying the same. Our goal is to win the championship, so I only talked about "Let's win the championship."

Q. To become a team worthy of the championship, overcoming this match will also be a key point, won't it?
AThe concept of being "worthy" has various meanings, so that might be one aspect. I believe the players have demonstrated the attitude, demeanor, words, and actions befitting a championship team up to this point.

Q. What is your impression of the Urawa Reds since Tatsuya TANAKA took over as interim manager? The challenges for the ball have become more intense, and they seem to have been reborn.
A. With their approach clearly defined and organized, I think the individual strengths of the players have really come to the forefront. They have always been a tough opponent, and since this will be an away game, combined with the passion of their supporters, I believe Urawa’s strength will rise to an even higher level. The last two matches are consecutive away games, so we just need to firmly overcome the first of those matches and prepare to move forward to the next.

Q. When you were at Albirex Niigata, you spent time together with interim manager Tatsuya TANAKA. You will reunite in tomorrow’s match; what kind of coach is he?
A. It was sudden, and I hadn’t imagined we would face each other in this match. I think he has done an excellent job so far. He is someone who truly loves football, and I was inspired by him. During his final season as an active player, while I was coaching him, even though he had limited playing opportunities, he never spared effort, stopped taking action, or ceased thinking. He was always in a position to ask questions to the coach. I got the impression that he really loves football and kept pursuing something until the very end. I was very happy to witness his final season as a player. After that, we started working together in the top team, and he was truly a coach who always had football on his mind. He is diligent in research, eager to learn, and possesses great personal integrity. He is one of the coaches who greatly inspired me.

Q, Interim Coach Tanaka has also commented that he learned important things as a coach from Rikizo MATSUHASHI.
A, I’m not exactly sure what I learned, but we always spoke on the same level. Through that, I was able to gain some hints myself, and above all, I really enjoyed talking about soccer with him. He is truly a wonderful coach.

Player Interview

Kento HASHIMOTO

Q. There are only two regular season matches left.
A. I want to give 200% in this match without thinking about what comes next. It’s been quite a while since our last match against the Urawa Reds, so my memory is a bit faint. With the change of manager, my impression is that the team has improved drastically.

Q. From a football perspective, do you feel there are parts where Urawa has changed?
A Their positions are well organized, and it seems they are attempting to maintain possession more than under the previous coach. I feel that the strengths of each individual player are being fully brought out.

Q, Players like Shoya NAKAJIMA, who have often started on the bench until now, seem to be lively when starting from the beginning.
A, He is a troublesome player if allowed to play freely, and I think the talents in the second line, such as Matheus SAVIO and Kaneko, are very abundant, so the key will be to not let them play freely.

Q. Since the coach changed, one of Urawa's current strengths is their solid defense, having not conceded any goals (three consecutive clean sheets up to two matches ago). How do you plan to break through that?
A. I believe former coach Maciej SKORZA focused heavily on defense, and they have successfully combined that with their attack to play good football. To break through that, we will rely on our strength in counterattacks, as well as our current ability to maintain possession while observing the opponent and exploit any gaps. I am sure there will be openings, and we want to take advantage of them.

Q, Isn't this also connected to showing the culmination of this season in these next two matches?
A, Yes, that's right. Although it depends on others, we have no next chance unless we win. We want to approach it with the full spirit as if it were a Final Round.

Q. I think you have been holding onto your desire to score goals for a long time. This has been mentioned every week recently.
A. I am happy that people have expectations of me. However, my job is not just to score goals. Of course, I will aim for chances when they come, and making runs from the second or third line is one of my strengths. That sense is improving with each match. Now, I am getting chances where all that’s left is to finish, so I have a strong desire to score in these important moments and contribute to the team.

Q. I believe the fans and supporters who have been fighting alongside us share the same feelings. What would you like to ask of them?
A. Although it’s an away game, I think many will come to support us. Saitama Stadium 2002 is a somewhat unique stadium, and there may be times when it feels overwhelming, but the cheers from the fans and supporters really push us forward, so I want to celebrate together with them.

Sei MUROYA

Q. In the previous match, we fell behind first and it became a difficult game, but we were able to come from behind and win.
A. It was very important that we managed to equalize in the first half, and since we controlled the game for much of the second half, I thought that if we could keep from conceding, we would be able to score at least one goal at some point. I’m glad that Motoki NAGAKURA was the one who scored. In the previous match, more than the content, we wanted to show our mentality and our genuine desire to win, so it was very significant for the team that this was clearly reflected in our performance. That win was not only important for beating Tokyo V but also crucial in keeping our hopes alive in the race for the championship, making those 3 points truly valuable.

Q: Including the goal just before the end of the first half, I think the fact that the fullback players are able to properly get into the area in front of the goal is a good sign for the team’s situation.
A: It’s precisely because the team is able to control the ball that I have more opportunities to move up to the front line, and I benefit from the team’s style of play. This has now become one of the team’s strengths, and since various forwards are scoring goals in a balanced way, I think we have become a team that can create chances from anywhere. On a personal level, not only in scoring situations but also by getting into dangerous areas for the opponent, I was able to take about three shots. In every match, I have been able to receive passes inside the box, and my own sense of “If I’m in this position, I feel like I can score” has been sharpened with each game, so I am able to participate in the attack with a good feeling, adding depth to our offense.

Q. This will be a match against the Urawa Reds, which we will face while the team is on a roll.
A. First of all, since we just had a dramatic win, we need to stay focused and not let our guard down. Since the Urawa Reds changed their coach, they seem to be playing with a lot of confidence. It will definitely be a tough away game, but even if we don’t change our approach, I believe that if we fully demonstrate the strengths of our team, we can definitely win.

Q. There are many powerful attackers among Urawa's forwards.
A. Urawa has many talented players, so we need to be careful defensively. However, rather than always being on the defensive, we want to carefully judge the balance between offense and defense during the match and clearly determine when to attack and when we must defend.

Q. From here on, what do you think will be important to ultimately seize the championship?
A. I don’t think we need to change our current mentality or attitude. I don’t particularly feel the need to say anything special to the team, so I believe we just need to continue trusting in our own strength. As a whole, the team feels like it has grown a lot, so we will prepare to fully demonstrate those results in the last four matches of this season.

Q. Lastly, please give a message to the fans and supporters who gave us such loud cheers in the previous match.
A. They really create a great atmosphere even before the match, so we will respond to their cheers with solid play. Please continue to give us your best support.