<Match Review>
In the previous match, the game against Cerezo Osaka was postponed due to the typhoon, and Tokyo played their first official match in 3 weeks. One week prior, they had a practice match against FC Machida Zelvia to adjust their tactics and confirm their game sense. They have been preparing for the restart of the J1 League from this match on.
This round's opponent in the away game is 5th place Kashiwa Reysol. They are only 1 point behind 3rd place Kashima Antlers and are in a position to aim for the AFC Champions League qualification.
In the previous match, Tokyo was unable to create a build-up play due to the tight man-to-man defense and intense pressure towards the ball side. After three months since that match, this will be a crucial game for the team to show their growth.
The midfield members have been fixed for a while, but in this match, new addition Koki TSUKAGAWA was selected as a starter for the first time as an inside half. Additionally, Hotaka NAKAMURA, who has recovered from injury, made it into the lineup.
1st HALF - Matsumaki's 2nd professional goal & Yoshifumi's first professional goal
Tokyo took the lead from the start. They calmly connected passes and moved the ball not only horizontally and backwards, but also utilized vertical passes to make use of Diego OLIVEIRA's post work and maintain possession against Kashiwa's pressing from the front line.
Kashiwa compactly blocks both people and space with their defense, while observing the situation while connecting in the back, they switch with a vertical pass and move the ball with few touches, invading the opponent's penalty area.
In the 17th minute of the first half, Yasuki KIMOTO attempted to connect with a precise pass from the back, aiming for the back of the opponent's defense. At the perfect timing, Tsukagawa made a run from the second row and attempted a looping shot in a one-on-one situation with the opponent's goalkeeper, but unfortunately it was ruled offside and the goal did not count.
Quickly switching between offense and defense, and not allowing the opponent to fill the space in their own half even when they have the ball, until the finish. In the 23rd minute of the first half, they created a numerical advantage on the left side and were able to take a shot in the penalty area, but Shiibashi's shot went over the goal.
Each player stands in a perfect position between the opponent players and between each position, allowing Tokyo to not only move the ball, but also have players work together to pass towards the goal. The results of maintaining a rhythm from the beginning of the game are realized in the 40th minute of the first half.
Kazuya KONNO, who received the ball on the right, passes it vertically to the space, and Diego TABA receives the ball and becomes the starting point at the right corner of the penalty area. If Diego dribbles vertically without entering the middle, Kuryu MATSUKI jumps in and pushes the ball into the far side of the goal, scoring Tokyo's first goal, the second professional goal.
Tokyo, who is increasing their offensive pressure, in the first half of 45 minutes, Tsukagawa, who is in their own half, becomes a decoy and avoids the opponent's press, and sends a through pass to Konno, who has broken through behind. Konno carries the ball with speed to the penalty area and connects with Watanabe Ryoma in the center. There were teammates in front of the goal, but Watanabe chooses to pass to the left side. Kashif BANGNAGANDE, who comes flying in from the far side where the opponent's defense cannot catch up, shoots with momentum and scores his first professional goal in the left corner of the goal.
2nd HALF - Deciding the seesaw game with 4 goals scored
At the start of the second half, which is the restart, we were pushed back by Kashiwa, who came out aggressively aiming for the goal. However, once we took the ball, we countered and threatened Kashiwa's goal. Even if we couldn't finish with the first attack, we pushed up the entire team's formation from the back, recovered the second ball, and launched a strong attack.
Despite showing a counterattack stance without backing down against the opponent's offensive, in the 9th minute of the second half, they were pushed into the goal area with a side attack and were unable to clear the ball, which then bounced just outside the penalty area and was spectacularly volleyed by player Dodge into the bottom right corner of the goal.
Immediately after, Adailton and Shuto ABE were brought in, and these two players quickly got to "work". In the 12th minute of the second half, Yuto NAGATOMO broke through the narrow area on the right side and put a cross ball in front of the goal. Adailton, who had come flying in with momentum on the far side, took a powerful header shot, but the ball unfortunately hit the crossbar. However, Shuto ABE, who was following up on the loose ball, headed it in and Tokyo quickly extended their lead to two points.
The game seemed to settle down, but in the 17th minute of the second half, they were once again scored from a side attack. A cross ball from the right side went into the goal, and Douglas, who had jumped into the gap between defenders, couldn't be caught and was pushed in with a diving header.
Tokyo has expanded their lead on the counterattack, as the game takes on a seesaw-like appearance. In the 23rd minute of the second half, while enduring Kashiwa's attack in their own penalty area, Tokyo aimed for a pass to striker Mutoh from the side of the penalty area, where Matsuki cut off the ball with a tough challenge. They then launched a counterattack, carrying the ball to the halfway line and passing it to Luiz Phellype. Seeing the opponent's defender being drawn to him, Phellype passed to Adailton, who had run out to the left side. Adailton then made a run towards the goal with his speed, evading the defender and calmly shooting the ball into the bottom right corner, once again expanding the lead to two points.
The score still won't settle down. In the 29th minute of the second half, once again a cross ball is put in from the right side, and the ball that flowed to the far side without being cleared is powerfully kicked in by player Dainan, bringing the score to within one point again.
As the home team gains momentum and increases the pressure towards the goal, Tokyo is struggling to maintain possession of the ball. In the 39th minute of the second half, a lack of coordination in the back leads to a loss of possession and another sharp cross ball is sent into the box. After clearing the ball near the side, a counter-attack opportunity arises. Adailton receives the clearance and turns forward, sending a looping pass behind the Kashiwa defenders. Luiz Phellype responds and runs into space, facing pressure from two opposing defenders, but manages to strike a powerful shot into the bottom right corner for his first J-League goal.
Tokyo's momentum is unstoppable. In the second half of the 45th minute, Adailton received a one-two return pass from Matsuki in the penalty area, skillfully blocking the defender and calmly aiming a shot into the bottom right corner of the goal, scoring the team's 6th goal and deciding the match.
Despite showing some defensive vulnerabilities with 3 goals conceded, it was a game that proved the width of our attacking capabilities, being able to score even while pushing forward and also being able to score on the counter. We continued our momentum from the previous game where we didn't back down against Kashiwa, who are competing for the top spot. Next match, on September 3rd (Sat), we will return to our home ground, Ajinomoto Stadium, to face the league leaders Yokohama F.Marinos.
MATCH DETAILS
＜F.C.Tokyo＞
STARTING XI
GK Jakub SLOWIK
DF Yuto NAGATOMO/Yasuki KIMOTO/Masato MORISHIGE/Kashif BANGNAGANDE (33rd minute: Hantaka NAKAMURA)
MF Kuryu MATSUKI/Keigo HIGASHI/Koki TSUKAGAWA (10th minute: Shuto ABE)
FW Ryo WATANABE (33rd minute: Seiji KIMURA)/Diego OLIVEIRA (13th minute: Luiz PHELLYPE)/Kazuya KONNO (10th minute: Adailton)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
FW/Keita YAMASHITA
GOAL
First half 40 minutes: Matsuki/First half 45 minutes: Yoshifu/Second half 12 minutes: Abe/Second half 23 minutes: Adailton/Second half 39 minutes: Luiz Phellype/Second half 45 minutes: Adailton
＜Kashiwa Reysol＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Masato SASAKI
DF Takuma OMINAMI/Yuji TAKAHASHI (32nd minute of the second half: Takumi KAMIJIMA)/Hayato TANAKA/Taiyo KOGA
MF Sachiro TOSHIMA (0th minute of the second half: Naoki KAWAGUCHI)/Douglas/Keiya SHIIHASHI/Matheus SAVIO (24th minute of the second half: Angelotti)
FW Tomoya KOYAMATSU (0th minute of the second half: Yuki MUTO)/Mao HOSOYA (0th minute of the second half: DOUGLAS)
SUBS
GK Tatsuya MORITA
MF Takuto KATO
GOAL
First half 9 minutes: Dodge/Second half 17 minutes: DOUGLAS/Second half 29 minutes: Dainan
[Albert PUIG ORTONEDA Interview]
Q: please review the game.
A: The first half unfolded as we expected. The second half, however, did not go as we hoped. I am very satisfied with the content of the first half because we controlled the match and the ball, and there were many deliberate plays aimed firmly at the goal. I also told the players that during the periods when we were able to maintain possession of the ball well, as we did today, we were clearly playing better than the opponent, and the first half reflected that.
Regarding the second half, there were several mistakes from the beginning, which led to losing control of the game. I think the first 10 minutes of the second half were a challenge. Because we couldn't make good plays during that time, it didn't turn out as we expected.
I am pleased that each individual's quality clearly led to goals. There were times in the second half when we were in control, but at the same time, there were alternating periods where we couldn't control the game. I believe that in football, if we lose the ball easily, the opponent will create decisive chances. I want the players to understand that well.
I think it takes time, one or two years, for the team to understand it and grow so that they can play. However, today's game left evidence of the team's growth as expected in the first half, so I want to focus on that and leave the stadium with a good feeling.
"I think FC Tokyo was able to express their intention of wanting to hold onto the ball firmly in the first half. And today, I want to praise Luiz (Phellype) for scoring his first goal in the J-League. And not just today, but I want to praise all the players who have been making great efforts since the beginning of this season."
Fortunately, I am relieved that we won the match today. Since I was absent last week, if we had lost, I believe I would have received a lot of criticism for my absence. Honestly, I am just relieved that we won (laughs).
Q: Please tell us about the current growth of player Matsuki, who has been continuously used as a starter.
A: The reason we continue to use him is that he has a bright future and the potential to develop into a player who will carry Japanese football in the future. From my humble perspective, I believe that players with characteristics like his will contribute to the further advancement of Japanese football.
On the other hand, Nagatomo is a wonderful and great player who represents Japanese soccer. His mentality is truly outstanding. Kuse also has a similarly strong mentality that can compete even in Europe. That is why I want to convey more to the young him. Today, there were moments when he lost the ball three or four times when he absolutely should not have, so I want to encourage growth in that area.
The addition of Koki TSUKAGAWA this summer has been a great plus for the team, as it has allowed us to smoothly rotate the inside half positions.
Q: At the point when we conceded one goal in the second half, we brought in Adailton and Abe. Please tell us the reason for taking a strong countermeasure against the strong opponent.
A: What I instructed was to defend together with the ball. I want to convey this concept to everyone in Japan. The greatest defense is to maintain possession of the ball. Soccer is a sport played with a single ball. Therefore, controlling that ball means simultaneously performing the best defense. That was what I demanded along with that substitution.
[Player Interview]
<Kashif BANGNAGANDE>
Congratulations on your first goal in the J-League. Please reflect on today's goal, including your performance up to this point.
A: After returning from injury, I hadn’t been able to produce results until today, so being able to finally deliver results, including in terms of numbers, was great, and it truly became a very happy goal.
Q, there was a period of more than two weeks from the previous game to this game, what part of the collaboration were you working on to improve?
A, I believe that participating in the attack is one of my characteristics, but I hadn’t been able to show it much until now. So I kept challenging that aspect, and since I was able to score in last week’s practice match, I was able to approach today’s game in a good condition and with the right feeling.
<Kuryu MATSUKI>
Q: Matsuki's opening goal set the tone for the game. He stretched his legs well, didn't he?
A, in the match against Sapporo, I missed touching Adailton's cut-back in a similar situation, so I went to connect with the determination to touch it no matter what. I expected the cross to come, so I was able to cleverly move to the far post and shake off my marker.
Q: How did you feel playing until you scored your second goal, after a period of time since your first professional goal?
A: It's the same for every match, but I have a strong desire to contribute to the team by scoring goals or providing assists, and that led to today's goal. The team was also able to win, so I think that was good.
Q, it seemed like he was savoring the joy a lot after the goal, maybe because it had been a long time since his last one.
A: I was able to score a goal for the first time in a while, and I did the Rainmaker pose of Kazuchika Okada (New Japan Pro-Wrestling).
Q: We scored 6 goals as a team, but what will the result of winning bring us?
A, I think the team performed well in today’s match, but if we don’t maintain this, we won’t be able to aim for the top positions in the remaining 9 games. So, we want to keep these results going and continue to grow as a team.
Q: There was a period without official matches. What did you work on during that time?
A, we have talked about establishing our style of soccer, and we have been practicing not just possession but also counterattacks, moving the ball while making the opponent move as well. We have also studied the tactical aspects against the opponent, and I think we were able to exploit their weaknesses both offensively and defensively.
Q, Albert PUIG ORTONEDA was evaluated as having changed the content in the second half, but how do the players perceive it?
A: We conceded 3 goals in the second half, so that is something we need to improve. It’s not just today; we have also been conceding goals from crosses in previous matches, so we need to work on that more thoroughly in practice. Until one of the opposing players was sent off, we couldn’t really settle down, but after they were reduced to ten men, we were able to play our style of ball possession football.
Q: What do you think is necessary for the top competition?
A: First of all, rather than focusing on tactics, I think it is important to have the motivation to absolutely not lose to the opponent mentally.
Q: How do you feel about your performance at this point, compared to what you envisioned before the season started?
A, since I am being given the opportunity to play in matches, I need to do more. And it’s not just about working hard on defense; if I can also aim for goals and assists, I believe the team will perform even better.
Q, the next match is against Yokohama F.Marinos. What kind of impression do you have?
A, they are an opponent that plays very tactically established soccer, and I think it will be a very tough match, but since we have built a base by winning against Kashiwa, I want to ride this momentum and win.
Q, please tell us your enthusiasm again.
A, since it is another top-ranked opponent, I want to win firmly and make sure we can break into the top-tier competition.
<Koki TSUKAGAWA>
Q, how was it playing as an inside half?
A, the spacing between everyone was really good, and since the opponents weren’t pressing much, I think we were able to create time to maintain possession of the ball. However, in the second half, because the opponents were behind and pressing from the front, the distance between our players widened. If we had been able to continue playing like we did in the first half, I think we could have reduced the number of goals conceded.
Q: During the suspension period, what kind of discussions did you have within the team and how did they affect today's performance?
A, we had steadily built up until now, so I’m not sure if it was thanks to the suspension period, but the team was united overall, and I think we are getting closer to the style of football we aim for. We want to keep refining it even more from now on. I believe that by watching today, you understood that this team’s strength lies in individual breakthroughs on the flanks, and I think we are a team that can also make the most of that, so we can become an even more amazing team.
Q: What did you focus on in terms of the coordination between the two players on the right side?
A, we were able to play fluidly by making eye contact with each other and changing positions with the surrounding players. Since we had talked about it before the match, I’m glad we were able to execute it well during the game.
Q, what did you focus on and what was required of you in your first starting lineup?
A: What I focused on was hard work, and what was required of me was to connect the ball properly and to calm the team down.
Q: How do you feel about being able to skillfully draw out the ball?
A: Since everyone was watching, I was able to receive the ball just as I started moving, and the surrounding players were covering for me, so it was very easy to play. Rather than me doing it on my own, the other players brought out the best in me.
Q, you were involved in the build-up to both goals in the first half. Can you reflect on the play where you turned and played a vertical pass to player Konno for the second goal?
A, there were parts where I played instinctively, but since it led firmly to a goal, I want to increase those kinds of plays. I believe that an inside half cannot be a threat unless they can deliver vertical passes from that position, so I want to focus more on that aspect as well.
<Luiz PHELLYPE>
Q: Where was the key to today's victory?
A, winning an away game is very difficult, but we were able to go into halftime with a 2-0 lead. In the second half, we conceded a goal due to our own mistake, which made the situation difficult for us, but I believe that being able to score an additional goal from there led to today's victory.
Q: It was your first goal after joining. Please look back on that scene.
A, I am a forward player, so my job is to score goals. I am happy to have been able to score today. Considering that not much time has passed since I joined, I take scoring a goal as a positive sign.
Q, I connected my first chance to a goal.
A, I have been working from practice to be able to score in official matches. I feel that being able to enter the game with concentration today led to the goal.
Q, I entered the game as a substitute today, what was your intention when entering the match?
A: I came on when the score was 2-1, so the most important thing was not to concede a goal because that would have given the opponents momentum. Then, the aim was to score an additional goal to secure the victory. In that context, I was able to score today, and we won by a large margin.
Q: Please share your enthusiasm for the next game.
A, I believe it is important to continue working on what we must do. I trust that this will lead to results like today's.
<Shuto ABE>
Q, I think it was your first time coming on as a substitute. What was your intention?
A, This time I was on the bench, but I prepared for the match as usual. I was able to come into the game midway and express my usual style of play, so I believe that showed in the result.
Q: It feels like the team was able to play the soccer they were aiming for.
A, I think the first half looked very good from the outside. In the second half, there were moments when we became passive because the opponent pushed forward. I was told to help calm the team down more in those situations. Although it turned into a back-and-forth battle, we were able to maintain possession of the ball, and from that, we managed to score, so I think it was good.
Q, I think I was able to work hard.
A, that is my strength, and if I don't do that, there is no point in me being here. I don't want to lose to anyone in that aspect, so I want to continue doing it not just today but going forward as well.
Q, how are you preparing for the next game?
A, whether I am in the starting lineup or on the bench, I want to prepare steadily and consistently. This weekend, we will face a very strong opponent, so if I get to play, I want to contribute to the team with my performance.
<Yuto NAGATOMO>
Q, the next match is against the top team, Yokohama F.Marinos. What should we be aware of when facing an opponent with a strong side attack?
A, first of all, it is important not to lose in one-on-one situations, but we want to defend with strong team coordination and a compact formation.
Q, the team has moved up to 7th place. As we aim for a higher position, this will be a crucial match that we cannot afford to lose.
A, although we played well in the first half of the season, we ended up losing, but in recent matches, we have established the foundation of our attack, and I believe we can definitely have an exciting game. Next, we want to secure a solid win at home.
