<Match Review>
Two days after the Japan national team secured their spot in the World Cup held in Qatar, they played their third group stage match of the Levain Cup at their home stadium, Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo. They faced Shonan Bellmare, who were currently in first place in the group. As the third place team, Tokyo was determined to secure a victory in this crucial match in order to advance to the next stage of the tournament.
Due to a schedule with about a week gap before and after the league match, both players who have played in the league and players with short playing time were named in the starting lineup for this match. In the defense line, Junya SUZUKI was placed as the right back, and Ryoma WATANABE as the left back. Rei HIRAKAWA played as the anchor, with Shuto ABE and Keigo HIGASHI as the inside halves. In the front line, Keita YAMASHITA was placed in the center, Hirotaka MITA on the right side, and Kensuke NAGAI on the left side, forming a 3-top formation.
At the start, the match developed with Shonan slightly retreating in front of their sharp start, but as they gradually began to move the ball, they carefully pushed Shonan's players into the opponent's territory. In the 7th minute of the first half, there was a quick counterattack leading to a decisive chance. Player Mita broke free on the left side and took a shot in front of the goal, but the ball hit the opposing defender and was picked up by player Nagai, who sent a cross ball in a backward direction. Player Higashi, who entered the position in front of the goal, made a one-touch attempt, but the shot did not hit the target. In the 9th minute of the first half, player Nagai avoided a sliding tackle from the opposing defender and continued with speed towards the opponent's goal. He entered the penalty area and took a curling shot with his right foot from a position just left of the goal, but unfortunately, it veered to the right of the goal. After creating consecutive chances, Tokyo took control of the pace. Against Shonan, who had all players returning to solidify their defensive block, they first moved the ball wide to look for gaps in the opponent's formation.
In the 31st minute of the first half, Yamashita made a one-touch pass to the right side of the space with a wedge. Mita jumped out and sent a cross ball to the front of the goal, but Higashi's header shot was bounced off the crossbar. Tokyo, who continued to push, broke through the opponent's defense in the 39th minute of the first half. Morishige Masato made a vertical pass towards the front line near the half line. The opponent defender intercepted before Yamashita, but the ball that couldn't be cleared fell towards the Shonan goal, and Abe, who reacted quickly, picked it up and scored. Tokyo successfully took the lead by calmly deciding the 1-on-1 with the opponent goalkeeper. In the 41st minute of the first half, Mita also made a close loop shot, and controlled the pace of the game throughout the game.
Tokyo, who continues to hold the ball in the first half. The opponent also compactly forms their defense to eliminate space, but Tokyo creates chances by threading through the gaps. In the 15th minute of the second half, Mita player passes a vertical pass from the final line to Abe player with one touch. While losing balance, Abe player leaves the ball and Mita player picks it up and gains speed as he runs forward towards the goal. With the momentum, he swings his left foot and the ball deflects off the opponent defender who was blocking, changing its direction and catching the goalkeeper off guard, allowing Tokyo to score an additional point.
After taking the lead, they continuously make substitution cards and send fresh players onto the pitch. They try to maintain their pace with Diego OLIVEIRA as the main player in the front line, but they face a counterattack from Shonan towards the end. In the 32nd minute of the second half, they are broken through on the right side and a cross ball is sent into the goal area, resulting in a goal being scored with one touch. Tokyo, who wants to regain control, enters the opponent's territory in the 34th minute of the second half and Diego TABA passes to the left side after drawing the defender. Adailton, who receives the pass in a free position, takes a shot but it narrowly misses above the goal.
In the final stages of the match, the game opened up and there were scenes where Shonan were pushed back instead of attacking on the counter. However, the team as a whole maintained their intensity and speed in challenges and slides, limiting Shonan's comeback to just one goal. This secured their first victory of the season in the Levain Cup and ended their March official matches with 4 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss in 6 games.
[Albert PUIG ORTONEDA Interview]
Q: please review the game.
A: Looking back on today's match as a whole, I think it was a game lacking stability. We have been able to consistently carry out good training regularly, but applying that in actual official matches is not that easy. There were periods when we were able to play as we expected. However, the reality is that this did not continue consistently, and there were also times when we could not perform well.
The Levain Cup is, of course, seen as an opportunity to give young players a chance and promote their growth, but at the same time, I hope we can effectively utilize it for the team to grow further. Indeed, I believe the team was able to grow throughout today’s match. As a coach, I focus on the positive aspects as well as the points for improvement, and I want to firmly connect these to the next game.
Q, in the first half, the ball didn't seem to go to Hirakawa, was it because of the good positioning of the Shonan players, or was it because of Hirakawa's positioning that he couldn't get the ball out? What are your thoughts?
A: I think both of the factors you mentioned had an impact. Naturally, it is not easy for young players to perform well in official matches right from the start. There were probably parts where he was nervous since it was his first time starting in the lineup today. In that sense, young players like him need to grow through such experiences. I believe that as the match progressed, he was able to play better. It wasn’t just Rei HIRAKAWA alone who was the cause; the whole team was responsible for the slow pace of play in the first half. That remains a challenge for the entire team. The pace of play is one of the most important concepts in our playing style. To consistently express that over the full 90 minutes, I think we need to take a bit more time to develop and grow.
Q, please tell us the reason for using Hikaru MITA and Takahagi as right wingers.
A, as a coach, what I must do is to bring out the individuality of each player. For example, Kensuke NAGAI is a clear winger in our playing style. He contributes well to attacks by taking width and is a speedy player who exploits the space behind. On the other hand, Mita’s characteristics are different from Kensuke NAGAI’s. Mita initially takes width, but then cuts inside and plays well in the gaps, which I believe is his distinctive feature.
In that sense, I was aiming for Mita to come inside and contribute to creating a numerical advantage in the midfield. In the match against Kawasaki Frontale, I also asked Leandro, who was deployed as a right winger, to make the same play.
Even when deployed in the same position, what is important is to bring out the player's individuality. Therefore, even in the same position, different roles are required. The same applies to Yojiro TAKAHAGI. The reason he was placed on the wing was to aim for plays where he cuts inside.
Q: Abesu player is involved in many chances. How do you think about his strong points?
A, first of all, his contribution in defense and his quick pressing play have greatly contributed to the team. Also, in our playing style, we expect him to further improve in the attacking aspect, particularly in playing with the ball at his feet. We hope he will grow into a player who, like a hybrid car, can contribute significantly both defensively and equally in attack.
[Player Interview]
<Shuto ABE>
Q, please look back on the goal scene.
A, I was running to get the ball behind the defense, and although there was a mistake by the opponent, the ball fell to a good spot. I was able to control my first touch well, so I carefully watched the goalkeeper and calmly slotted the ball into the goal.
Q: Normally, you play a role as an inside half and your play style is known for its intense movement in a box-to-box manner. Is it a different style of play to go forward and score goals like today?
A, I also want to score goals, so I aim for it in every match. Today, a good ball came to me and I was able to score a goal.
Q, what is necessary to consistently score goals?
A, I believe that breaking through behind the defense like today creates opportunities, and making runs from the second line is difficult for the opponents to defend against, so I want to continue to actively make those runs going forward.
Q: How was the feeling of closeness with player Mita today, considering the team members?
A, in the first half, we couldn’t circulate the ball well and I made many mistakes, but in the second half, I dropped my position and player Mita opened up, making adjustments.
If we had been able to improve that during the first half, I think the game would have developed better and we would have been able to circulate the ball more easily.
Q: Regarding the breakthrough towards the back, Shonan had a 5-back defense, but I believe the opponent players were blocking your path. Did you come up with any strategies to get past them?
A: If player Mita drops back, the opponent's fullback will bite in, so I thought the space behind would open up. I believe that taking action while watching my teammates creates space, so I want to make sure to play while keeping an eye on my teammates.
Q, do you feel a sense of growth in terms of speed and timing to break through the defense?
A, last season it was difficult to push forward playing as a double defensive midfielder, but this year, playing more often as an inside half like two years ago, I think it's natural that scenes like today’s increase. Being able to reposition myself is one of my strengths, so I want to continue doing that without change.
Q: I think Coach Albert Pobor mentioned during halftime to be conscious of the pace of play. Were there any specific points you were conscious of in the second half?
A: In the first half, I often took multiple touches before passing the ball, which slowed down the pace of play, and I received advice from the coach. In the second half, I was conscious of quickly passing the ball to players facing forward.
Q, what were you conscious of in terms of combination with your surroundings?
A, Hirakawa is also skillful with the ball at his feet and has good playmaking ability, so I left the play in our own half to him and tried not to get involved as much as possible.
<Hirotaka MITA>
Q, including the goal scene, during the interview the day before yesterday, you mentioned that you wanted to be involved with the ball and aim for the goal. Please reflect on the results of that.
A, I played in the winger position, and although the coach told me I could play freely, I still made sure to keep in mind the plays that the entire team was focusing on.
Q: Did you feel any sense of accomplishment in playing as a winger?
A, there were mistakes made by the entire team, but I think there were both parts we were able to do well and parts we were not.
Q, there were many times when things didn't go well outside of scoring, and it felt like we were trying various things.
A, towards the end of the match today, we were pushed back a bit and the opponent took control of the pace, resulting in them scoring. Unlike the Kyoto match, we couldn't maintain possession to close out the game, so I see that as a point for reflection.
Q: I played as a winger, and the coach mentioned that he expected me to play in the midfield. Did you feel confident about that?
A, at first I was conscious of it, but during the flow of the match, since Abe often occupied the attacking midfielder position, I played by positioning myself on the side where I wouldn’t overlap with Abe and by finding intermediate positions on my own.
Q: Please let us know if there is any chemistry between Junya Suzuki, who played as a side back behind Mita, and Abe, who played in the midfield.
A, I am conscious of using forward-thinking players, and although there were several times when things didn’t quite fit, on the contrary, the moments that turned into chances were where those elements clicked together, so I think we need to communicate that among individuals as well.
Q, I think the goal scene was an intentional moment, please reflect on it.
A: By positioning my body ahead of the opponent to receive the dropped ball, I was able to accelerate as planned. The shot just happened to go in by chance. After the shot, I rolled over and didn’t actually see the ball go into the goal.
Q, I think we can gain even more momentum by scoring.
A: I believe I am starting from the very bottom, so I feel I must leave my mark in the matches I play. I like the current style of the team and want to survive, so I want to value each match and play in a way that contributes to Tokyo.
<Rei HIRAKAWA>
Q, how was the reflection of the 90 minutes?
A, there were long periods where we felt unsettled. However, there were also parts where we took control and were able to attack, so I want to continue building on those positive aspects.
Q, what did you focus on during the game?
A: Since I played as a defensive midfielder, I focused on participating in the attack while considering my positioning, and I thought it was important to distribute the ball myself to create the rhythm of the attack. I believe I was able to take a position that supports my teammates, so I want to continue doing this in future training sessions and matches.
Q, I think there were also situations where we were able to win the ball and aim for interceptions in defense.
A, I think I could have done more. I believe there were fewer occasions in today’s match where we won the ball in duels or made interceptions.
Q, I think there were fewer passes with fewer touches as the game progressed.
A, including the flow of the game, I was not able to play well offensively myself, so I consciously played simply by passing the ball to my teammates.
Q: What kind of preparations do you want to make for the next game?
A, there is competition within the team, so I want to make an impression starting from training.
<Keigo HIGASHI>
Q, looking back on the game, how do you feel about being able to connect your chances to goals?
A, we scored one goal from the opponent's mistake, and from there, the momentum turned in our favor. I think it was good that we were able to score with limited chances, but I believe what we did well and what we didn't was about half and half.
Q, I felt it was difficult to break through the opponent's defensive block.
A, there were hardly any opportunities to break through in the first half. At halftime, the coach told us to use one-touch and two-touch passes to increase the tempo. As a team, we were able to enter the second half with that awareness, but everyone needs to raise their playing speed even more, and I want to consciously work on that starting from practice.
Q: What are the factors that contribute to the development of the attacking rhythm?
A, the opponent's pressing intensity decreased somewhat, but I think it was good that we were able to move the ball at a good tempo. Increasing the tempo can lead to mistakes, but we want to continue challenging ourselves for the team’s growth.
Q, it is a big deal to be able to take 3 points against the team leading the group.
A, we lost the first match of the Levain Cup and drew the second, so we had hardly earned any points, but I’m glad we were finally able to win today. I think the group is becoming tightly contested, so we want to do our best to advance past the group stage.
Q, the next game will be a series of league matches. How will you prepare?
A, For next week's match against Yokohama, we aim for our fourth consecutive win and want to work hard with high intensity starting from practice.
