Match Review
After three matches of the 2026/27 Meiji Yasuda J1 League, Tokyo sit 11th with four points. However, since the previous league match against JEF United Chiba, Tokyo have recorded two consecutive official-match wins without conceding, while also winning their U-21 J.League match with a clean sheet. Having delivered results while rotating in fresh players, manager Rikizo MATSUHASHI spoke of the importance of this match: “We are accumulating points while firmly sticking to our style. Everyone must keep this momentum going.” To accelerate their momentum as they aim to move up the table, this away match against V-Varen Nagasaki is one they absolutely have to win.
Delivering results with the same quality no matter who plays. Just as the manager had said, all 11 starters were changed from the Chiba match for Wednesday's 2nd Round of the 106th Emperor's Cup JFA Japan Football Championship, and with only two days' rest, the starting eleven was completely changed again for this match.
Kim Seung Gyu started in goal, while the back four, from right to left, consisted of Sei MUROYA, Alexander SCHOLZ, Hayato INAMURA and Kashif BANGNAGANDE. Takahiro KO and Kento HASHIMOTO formed the double pivot, with Keisuke SATO on the right and Shion HOMMA on the left in attack. HOMMA scored his first goal for the club in Wednesday's Emperor's Cup 2nd Round, and expectations were high for his first league goal since joining the club in this match.
Marcelo HIAN and Motoki NAGAKURA formed the front two. Kento HASHIMOTO, back from suspension, was named on the bench for a league match for the first time since the opening fixture. Soma ANZAI, who starred with two goals and two assists in the Emperor's Cup 2nd Round, and Fuki YAMADA, who fired home a powerful long-range strike in the same match, were also among the substitutes as “game changers.”
In their first visit to PEACE STADIUM Connected by SoftBank (PEACE STADIUM)—which has drawn attention for its adjacent hotel and commercial facilities—the Blue and Red took the field. The match kicked off at 6:33 p.m., while there was still daylight.
1st―Motoki's header and Shion's first league goal for Tokyo give them a two-goal lead
Tokyo made the more positive start. Homma combined with Ko in a passing exchange before breaking into the near-side channel and creating a moment that nearly resulted in a chance. Tokyo continued to dominate possession thereafter. Nagasaki showed their intent to press aggressively from the front, but Tokyo calmly played through it with composed passing, including both holding midfielders cleverly receiving between the lines, probing for openings while reassessing their attacking options.
By keeping the opposition pinned back and controlling the game, Tokyo were able to recover their clearances effectively. With both holding midfielders providing precise support in attacking situations, they repeatedly launched second and third waves of attack. Meanwhile, even when they came close to losing possession in their own half, Scholz showed excellent awareness of danger to snuff out threats before they developed, maintaining a high level of concentration.
In the 20th minute of the first half, Nagasaki's Arai was substituted after sustaining a concussion. As concussion substitutions are handled separately from the usual limits on the number of substitutions and substitute players, Tokyo were also granted one additional substitute and one additional substitution opportunity.
Tokyo continued to attack. In the 27th minute of the first half, Homma took aim with his right foot after Tokyo had pinned Nagasaki back in the penalty area, but his effort was narrowly saved by the goalkeeper.
Tokyo have been able to blunt the direction of Nagasaki's favoured pressing through their passing play and strength in the duels, while also dealing with Nagasaki's rapid counters by creating a numerical advantage. With Tokyo continuing to show their strengths both in attack and defence, they will want to break down Nagasaki's compact back line and somehow find the opening goal.
Tokyo's relentless attack continued. In the 35th minute of the first half, following a flowing combination with Sato and Nagakura, Hian fired a right-footed shot. A minute later, Hian again drove forward with the ball and unleashed a right-footed effort, but it was stopped by the goalkeeper.
Then, in the 38th minute of the first half, Tokyo finally broke the deadlock after patiently continuing to attack. Nagakura met Kashif BANGNAGANDE's left-footed corner at the perfect moment and powered home a header! The set-piece routine that had produced two goals in Wednesday's Emperor's Cup struck again in spectacular fashion, putting the away side Tokyo a step ahead.
Tokyo then showed their game management as well, allowing Nagasaki to have possession while sitting in a mid-block. With treatment for an opposition player and a spectator taken ill in the stands, nine minutes of added time were displayed. As they expertly managed the game while assessing the situation, the blue and red struck a blow that demonstrated their strength.
As Tokyo moved forward with a passing move, an opponent's misplaced pass was immediately picked up by Hian, who played a through ball forward. Homma ran onto it, calmly took the ball to his right to evade the pressure from the defender, and unleashed a sharp right-footed strike to double the lead! For Homma, who had also scored in the Emperor's Cup, it was his long-awaited first league goal for the Blue and Red.
Tokyo showed their ability to capitalize on the opposition's mistakes at a crucial moment just before halftime, going into the break with a two-goal lead.
2nd―Hian seals it as Tokyo make it two straight league wins
While Nagasaki changed their defensive midfielders at halftime, Tokyo made no substitutions. They began the second half with the same lineup that had created numerous chances, taken control of the game and built a two-goal lead.
Tokyo's left flank continued to shine in the second half. Kashifu broke free from Homma's lofted pass and delivered a cross, with Hashimoto K. meeting the loose ball with a well-struck right-footed shot from distance. It narrowly missed the target, but Tokyo continued to create big chances from the very start of the second half.
Tokyo continued to make repeated incursions into the opposition penalty area. But in the 10th minute of the second half, they showed conclusively that the Blue and Red had more than one way of scoring than simply pinning the opposition back and breaking them down.
Hian cleverly got in behind from Sung-yu's long ball and, after Nagakura nodded it down, burst into the penalty area. He drove forward between the opposition players, wrong-footed the goalkeeper and poked home with the toe of his left foot for Tokyo's third. The number 9, who had been involved in many clear-cut chances since the first half, finally found the net, sparking wild celebrations in front of the Blue and Red Family who had packed the away end.
In the 60th minute, Tokyo made a triple substitution at once. Yamada came on up front for Hian, Anzai replaced Homma on the left wing, and Hashimoto Ken was brought on at left back in place of Kashifu. In the 67th minute, Teruhito NAKAGAWA replaced Nagakura in one of the two forward positions, and in the 79th minute, Kota TOKIWA came on for Ko to play in defensive midfield, refreshing the lineup as Tokyo went in search of the win.
With their extended lead giving them greater control of the match, Tokyo moved the clock forward by keeping possession and connecting passes rather than forcing the attack. In the 38th minute of the second half, Hirokazu ISHIHARA, a natural side back, replaced Sato and was deployed as a right attacker, as Tokyo looked to close out the game by stepping up their defensive pressure from higher up the pitch.
Nagasaki, eager to show their pride at home, launched one final counterattack, but Tokyo remained focused: Muroya snuffed out danger with a sharp interception, while Scholz made a powerful sliding clearance inside the penalty area.
FC Tokyo saw out the five minutes of second-half stoppage time displayed without alarm, bringing the match to an end. With outstanding game management—keeping possession, allowing the opposition to have the ball, and attacking sharply—they secured a 3-0 victory, their third straight win and third consecutive clean sheet in official matches. As the triumphant anthem “The City That Never Sleeps” rang out around PEACE STADIUM, they earned three points that will turn their steady progress so far into even greater confidence.
Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI
Q: Please give us your overall assessment of the match.
A: I think it was a very good game in terms of both the performance and the result, and the players fought very hard. We were also delighted that so many fans and supporters came all the way from Tokyo to support us, and with their backing, we were able to secure the win.
Q: Shion Honma, whom you have watched since your time at Albirex Niigata, scored today. How do you assess his performance?
A: I have not coached him for that long, but he really does often get himself into scoring opportunities. However, there were moments when his choice of target seemed a little too straightforward, or when he appeared to hesitate. That may not be how he sees it, and it could simply be a technical issue. Still, I told him that when he gets into those areas, he needs to make a firm decision, because hesitation can lead to all sorts of things. If his willingness to strike it without hesitation at the end led to the goal, then I am very pleased. Hesitation in that situation could also result in us being put on the back foot. When he is in good form, I think he should focus even more on being the one to score first.
Q: Players who had not been featuring regularly, as well as those who played in the U-21 J.League and the Emperor's Cup, have performed well and seem to be having a positive impact on the first team. The entire team appears to be highly focused and in very good form. How does it look from your perspective as coach? Also, what are you thinking about in order to maintain this form?
A: It is truly difficult to keep winning. However, including the U-21 J.League, we have now won three consecutive matches recently. Moreover, all of them have been clean sheets. I think the competition among each individual player is one reason why we were able to carry that into today as well. Also, there are no players who, when they get the chance to play, try to assess what is at stake in that particular moment. In every competition category, they show that they are determined to fully demonstrate the abilities they currently possess, and I think it is wonderful that this is producing results.
I believe what properly supports that foundation is our daily training. Their attitude toward training has been truly outstanding. As you all know, even in these extraordinary weather conditions, with high heat and humidity making it difficult to determine how far we should push ourselves, they never utter a single complaint. When they step onto the pitch, everyone shares the same mindset and works diligently. I want to believe that this is what has led to these results.
Q: Please assess Motoki NAGAKURA, who scored again today, and tell us what role you expect him to play going forward.
A: I do not think either I or he is satisfied with his current performance. He needs to improve the precision of his play in dangerous areas against the opposition even more. He gets into promising situations, but there are also mistakes at those moments. Of course, those are situations where you have to take risks, so it is genuinely difficult to execute perfectly, and there is not that much space. However, through his individual ability and the relationships within the team, we want to turn more of those situations into goals.He truly has outstanding ability with his feet, in the air, and physically. The question is how he can take those strengths to an even higher level. I hope his ambition will help him take another step forward.
Player Interview
Player Shion Honma
Q: You scored a goal yourself, and the team earned a fine victory. How do you feel right now?
A: It was my first goal for Tokyo in the J1 League, so I am very happy to have scored. More than anything, I am happy that the team won.
Q: Please review the goal-scoring play.
A: Marcelo RYAN linked up well and gave me a good ball. I had an opportunity to shoot first time, but I calmly got past the defender, changed the timing, and was able to hit a powerful shot. It went into a good area, so I am glad it went in. We have been creating good chances, but I had not been able to finish them, so from here I want to add more goals and assists.
Q: What did Head Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI say to you before sending you on?
A: He always tells me to make the most of my strengths and contribute to the team, so I think it was good that I was able to produce the result of a goal today and contribute to the team's victory.
Q: With three consecutive wins in the league and the Emperor's Cup, what kind of performances do you want to show from here?
A: I joined FC Tokyo to win titles, and I believe I need to do more to make that happen. From here, I want to keep adding goals and assists, fight for Tokyo, and contribute more to the team's victories. Please continue to give us your passionate support.
Motoki NAGAKURA
Q: Please review the goal-scoring play.
A: Someone on the team blocked an opponent well, which allowed me to head the ball freely without having to jump, so I was able to score.
Q. The ball came in at an excellent moment. How did you feel about the way you connected with it?
A. Kashif delivered a great ball, and I think it was all down to the quality of the corner kick.
Q: The team had been struggling to score from set pieces, but recently, including in the Emperor's Cup, goals from set pieces have increased. What significance does this goal have?
A: I think that when we can score from set pieces, we can control the game more effectively. Becoming a team that can score in those ways will help us become even stronger.
Q: In the previous match against JEF United Chiba, despite a similarly dominant performance, you were unable to score until midway through the second half. Today, however, you scored in the first half. That must have been significant in terms of how the match unfolded, wasn't it?
A: Scoring first helped us relax mentally, and I think the biggest thing was getting the second goal and then adding a third in the second half.
Q. I think today we kept the opposition at bay while controlling possession and attacking. With so much time on the ball, how did you feel about breaking them down?
A. I think we were able to break them down by coming up with a variety of ideas.
Q: That makes three straight wins with clean sheets. How do you see things going forward?
A: We'll work hard to make it five straight wins. We want to aim higher, and I think winning the title requires a winning streak.
Q: Did you get a touch on it with your head in the build-up to Ryan's goal?
A: I did. I’d be happy if it’s credited as an assist. I definitely got a touch on it and headed it forward properly.
Hayato Inamura
Q: please review the game.
A: The team had kept clean sheets in the games I had not played in, so I wanted to make sure we saw this one out over the full 90 minutes when I was on the pitch. I did not want our run to end with me playing, so I am glad we were able to win with a clean sheet.
Q: To revisit the question, what were you focusing on as you played?
A: We focused on not conceding, and because this is a great stadium with such a strong away atmosphere, I spoke with Sei MUROYA before the match about how we carry ourselves on the pitch and not letting the opponents seize the momentum. We also intended to put the pressure back on them.
Q: Your range of options, your connection with the defensive midfielders, your passing combinations and positioning all looked very good. What were you thinking about?
A: Our intention from the outset was to make their front three—or rather, their shadow strikers and forwards—run as much as possible and draw out their wing-backs. It worked well. At times, we were able to build up patiently through the full-backs, and when they came forward, we clearly differentiated by targeting the space behind them. As a result, they gradually became unable to press forward, and I feel we were able to take control of the game.
Q. I think the match unfolded as planned. The team also seems to be playing with good balance in attack.
A. No matter how much possession we have, we cannot win if we do not score, so I have been talking with Takahiro KO all along about the importance of not getting impatient. When KO has made a few easy mistakes, I have spoken firmly to him and said, “Let’s cut those out.” Our holding midfielders are also working extremely hard on risk management, which really helps. I think those things are part of why we are winning now.
Q: While you were on the attack, you were able to score during a good spell in the first half. How do you, personally and as a team, approach the idea of staying patient?
A: Personally, I trust the players up front and keep supplying them with good balls. I believe they will score as long as we do not concede, so that is the mindset I play with. As a team, I think we are also developing the confidence that we will score eventually, so I think that is creating a positive cycle.
Q: That makes it three consecutive wins in official matches. There will be a series of games in which we need to turn this momentum into something real from here.
A: Rather than worrying about the congested schedule, we need to keep training if we want to win the title. I want to change our mindset and approach and fight one game at a time.
Takahiro KO
Q. I thought you controlled the game superbly today. What were you focusing on as you played?
A. In today’s game, the opposition took up positions just as the staff had outlined before the match and as we had anticipated in conversations among the players. Within that, we also felt that we had the upper hand. I think we were able to progress effectively by creating two-versus-one situations in key areas and bypassing the opposition’s front-line pressure.
Q. In terms of drawing the opponents' defensive pressure away, what specifically worked well?
A. Their two attacking midfielders pressed our center backs, while Thiago SANTANA dropped slightly deeper to cover the midfield. At that point, Nishio positioned himself to sandwich SANTANA and played a spare pass, which drew the opponents' pressure inside. That then allowed us to progress easily through the fullbacks as well. Kento HASHIMOTO and I have been talking a lot recently about those passing exchanges, and I think we were able to create patterns that allowed us to move forward effectively from there. We could also sense that the opponents were becoming quite fatigued and were no longer able to keep up, so there were many opportunities for us to get forward. However, there were also times when I tried to force things too much, so from a game-management perspective, I feel we could have switched play and moved them around more.
Q: It seems you have improved even further in the way you create periods where you let the opposition have the ball, compared with the match against JEF United Chiba.
A: Near the end of the first half, there were periods when the opposition had the ball, but that was not something we intended. The heat was a factor, and after scoring our second goal, our work rate dropped off a little. In those moments, we need to communicate with each other again and stay compact. If the opposition had been of a higher quality, there were situations where we could have been punished, so we want to make sure we improve that.
Q: You kept a clean sheet defensively. It feels like the team is clicking well in both attack and defense, allowing you to play seamlessly. How do you feel about the team’s current progress?
A: Everyone is really committed to keeping the number of goals conceded at zero. Even when we are leading, including the players who come on during the match, we are always conscious of playing while maintaining the initiative. Right now, we feel positive not only about the results but also about the quality of our performances. However, the quality of our opponents also matters, so when we face top teams, we will definitely be tested on whether we can do the same things and whether we can outperform them even more. After both today’s match and the previous one, we have all discussed what we can do better. I think the entire team has a desire to improve amid healthy competition.
Q. Looking back on the lessons from the previous match, wasn’t it also significant that you were able to score from a set piece in the first half?
A. We also scored directly from a set piece in the Emperor's Cup, and everyone has been working on them with focus in training. Getting one from a set piece was significant, and I believe scoring from set pieces will definitely be key if we are to move up the table. It was also good that we were able to add another goal. When results keep coming like this, I think it builds momentum for the team. Tokyo, in particular, is a team that gains confidence and momentum by winning, so we want to keep this run going and focus solely on winning the next match as well.
Kento HASHIMOTO
Q: please review the game.
A: We controlled the game, and although there were some difficult periods, I think it was a good match because we were able to keep a clean sheet.
Q: Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI spoke about “breaking the opponent’s momentum.” It appeared that the positioning of the center-backs, defensive midfielders, and full-backs helped contain the opposition’s energy.
A: They are a team that presses with a lot of intensity, so we focused on making them run as much as possible, playing the other way and wearing them down. I think we were able to attack well overall while taking up good positions. At one point, it even felt like they stopped tracking back. We had a lead, and it would have been good if we could have maintained that phase throughout, but especially in the second half there were times when they had possession. There was a somewhat unclear spell when we were not sure whether to push up from the back or stay compact in a solid block, absorb the pressure, and look to counterattack. That is something we want to work on and correct going forward.
Q: Not only have you been able to attack down the right side, which has traditionally been one of your strengths, but you are also attacking from the left and through the middle, and the balance of the attack seems to be improving. How does it feel on the pitch?
A: I think we are able to attack in a variety of ways, including down the flanks and by breaking through the middle. We are also looking to get in behind, and I feel we are gradually becoming able to play while reading the opposition.
Q: There seem to be more situations where you abandon a play or decision and build again, and the whole team appears to be increasingly on the same page.
A: I think defensive midfielders in particular are expected to judge when to go for it and when to reset. However, there are also times when we have to take risks. That is why, as a defensive midfielder, I also have to focus on winning the second ball after we take a risk. We want to become a team that can launch second and third waves of attack.
Q: By winning second balls while keeping the opposition pinned back, it seems the team is becoming more capable of creating second-wave attacks, isn't it?
A: That is something we are conscious of. As a defensive midfielder, I need to make sure I win the second balls. If I can do that, I think I will be able to attempt more ambitious passes. I think it is also something the team considers very important right now.
Q: Could this winning streak be the catalyst to build even more momentum from here?
A: With matches coming in quick succession, I think it will truly be a team effort. We want to stay focused and work so that we can play good football no matter who is on the pitch.
Q: please review the game. You also had a well-aimed long-range shot.
A: I want to score. If I can add long-range shots to my game, I think I will be more of a threat to the opposition, so I will practice. I will stay relaxed when I shoot.
