Match Review
Tokyo headed to the northern land in hopes of a 3rd consecutive victory after 2 seasons. They made 2 changes to the starting lineup from the previous match, with Yuto NAGATOMO at right back and both Henrique TREVISAN at center back. In order to avenge the frustration of losing with 5 goals in the same match at the same venue last season, they faced off against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo.
1stHALF—Equalized with a Tawara goal despite an unexpected goal
Tokyo, who has been looking for opportunities since the beginning, launched a long counterattack from the 3rd minute of the first half, drawing in their opponents. Teruhito NAKAGAWA made a high-speed dribble from their own half and quickly brought the ball to the opponent's penalty area, supplying a final pass to the right side. However, Soma ANZAI's shot was unfortunately blocked by the goalkeeper.
Tokyo, who created a big chance with sharp attacks, but Sapporo made a big side change from the left side by player Arano just 5 minutes into the first half. Player Baba broke through the opposite side and crossed it directly, which ended up in the near side of the goal, taking the lead unexpectedly.
As the aggressive press from Sapporo continued, we were pushed back and had to defend for a while. However, we continued to aim for speedy attacks. This paid off in the 27th minute of the first half.
Connecting on the right side of their own field, Diego OLIVEIRA, who had dropped back for a post-play, made a one-touch through pass forward. Takahiro KO, who quickly reacted to this, broke through on the right side and crossed the ball, and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA, who had made a run into the goal area, scored a spectacular volley with his left foot. Taking advantage of his strength in attacking from the opposite side of the cross, they equalized the game.
"For player Tawara Tsumeta, who had been saying 'I want visible results', it was a long-awaited first goal of the season."
In the 31st minute of the first half, there was a big chance from Kashif BANGNAGANDE's left corner kick. Nakagawa attempted to score from close range multiple times, but each time was blocked by the opponent's fine save and they were unable to take the lead.
Afterwards, Tokyo creates blocks and balances while advancing the game. They take control of the game by not allowing Sapporo to have the ball and attempt to break the situation by launching counters. The game ended with a 1-1 tie.
2ndHALF - Press Rush with a View of the Machine & 3 Consecutive Diego Goals
Even in the second half, we keep our center of gravity low and look for opportunities for quick attacks while drawing in the opponent. In the 15th minute of the second half, we set up a favorite play for player Yoshifumi Kashiwagi with an early cross, but unfortunately it did not reach him.
As the game progressed past the 15-minute mark in the second half, we gradually began to press and show our aggressiveness, pushing the opponent back and causing the game to follow this flow.
In the 20th minute of the second half, Sapporo attempted a build-up with a goal kick, but Diego TABA pressed hard and caused a mistake from the opponent. As a result, Anzai received the ball on the right side and passed it to Diego TABA, who then made a run towards the center. NAKAGAWA received the ball and passed it vertically, leading to a comeback goal. In just a short amount of time, Sapporo changed the flow of the game and successfully turned the tables by attacking the goal.
A complete comeback. This marks Diego TABA's third consecutive goal since his return to the league.
Thoroughly manage the risk while aiming for a counterattack by taking the lead. Tighten the center and advance the time with concentrated defense.
In the 36th minute of the second half, the left side was penetrated, but player Nagatomo made a sliding block to stop the shot. In the 41st minute of the second half, substitute player Leon NOZAWA returned deep into his own territory and sealed the cross with persistent defense.
Showed a calm game play despite conceding the first goal in an unexpected way, and demonstrated their skill in effectively countering at crucial moments, ultimately securing the win with a high press.
While conceding possession to the opponent, we were able to maintain our lead by closing the center firmly in the second half additional time and defending with concentration. We were able to secure 3 points in Sapporo, which has been considered a "difficult place" since the 2012 season, and achieved our third consecutive league victory since March 2022.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Go HATANO
DF Yuto NAGATOMO/Masato MORISHIGE/Henrique TREVISAN/Kashif BANGNAGANDE (26th minute: Kosuke SHIRAI)
MF Takahiro KO/Kei KOIZUMI/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (26th minute: Riki HARAKAWA)
FW Diego OLIVEIRA (38th minute: Jája Silva)/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (38th minute: Leon NOZAWA)/Soma ANZAI (45+4th minute: Shuhei TOKUMOTO)
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF Yasuki KIMOTO
GOAL
First half 27 minutes: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA/Second half 20 minutes: Diego OLIVEIRA
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
STARTING XI
GK Takanori SUGENO
DF Seiya BABA (42nd minute of the second half: Yuki KOBAYASHI)/ Rei IEIZUMI/ Daiki SUGA (42nd minute of the second half: Tatsuya HASEGAWA)
MF Tomoki KONDO (26th minute of the second half: Kim GONHI)/ Takuma ARANO (26th minute of the second half: Ryu TAKAO)/ Yoshiaki KOMAI/ Ryota AOKI/ Yuya ASANO/ Supachok (26th minute of the second half: Toya NAKAMURA)
FW Musashi SUZUKI
SUBS
GK Jun KODAMA
DF Daihachi OKAMURA
GOAL
5th minute of the first half: Seiya BABA
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]
Q: please review the game.
A: It was a tough away game as expected. It was a match where we had to show our strengths and mentality to fight through firmly. I believe the players definitely demonstrated that. What we learn from every game is the awareness to see the match through to a win. Today was a match where we had to fight with that mindset. I am proud of the players who showed their hard work, commitment, and the desire to seize victory. There are still many areas in our football that need improvement. We must analyze our performance while reviewing the game and continue to grow consistently.
The game was still in need of improvement, but we were able to turn the score around and win in a tough away game, starting with a difficult situation of 0-1. I am proud of the players who were able to achieve victory in a battle against the great opponent Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, led by the best coach in Japan, Mr. Zoran Petrovic (Petrovic coach).
The players gave their all and used up all their energy. After the game, they were exhausted. And I am happy to have brought 3 points to the fans and supporters who cheered us on with all their might. I would like to express my gratitude for their support.
Q: Please share your evaluation of Diego OLIVEIRA, who has scored in 3 consecutive games.
A: He is truly a special player for us and delivered a great performance. He made an impact and contributed through his performance. As I always say, it’s because everyone is diligently working every day, and I am proud that he has returned and started scoring goals again.
Q, I think we can reproduce the attack.
A: Reproducibility is one of the things we are working on, and I believe it is proof that our attacks have become dangerous. The first goal was also a very good shape, and we were able to show what we have been working on. The players who worked hard were rewarded. There are many things we need to learn during the game, and we must continue to grow within our style of football. Also, in that process, we must approach it with the right mentality and character. I am glad that the players showed those necessary qualities today. A few days ago, there was talk that we did not have a three-game winning streak last season, but I believe we are a special club. The players played with their character and mentality and proved that we are a special club, and I am proud that we achieved three consecutive wins. Looking ahead to the next match, I think the players will be able to take a good rest and recover. We will forget this three-game winning streak for now and focus on the next match.
[Player Interview]
＜Kota TAWARATSUMIDAPlayer＞
Q: I scored my first goal of the season. Please review that scene.
A, Takahiro KO broke away, and it became like a race between me and the opponent's right side back. I felt that my speed was faster, and since KO really delivered a good ball, I just had to match it. I thought a fast ground ball would come, but a floating ball came, so I went to meet it.
Q, wasn't it very difficult to defend against the opponent's 3-back and right wing players?
A, to be honest, the up-and-down movement was extremely tough, but I was able to communicate with everyone around me and manage it. It was good that we didn’t concede any goals from that area.
Q, I feel that the defensive strength has increased.
A, I still have a long way to go. I want to learn various things from my seniors and continue to grow more.
Q, In the midst of back-to-back games played in two days, I was able to make an assist in the previous match and score a goal in this match.
A, I wasn't able to play exceptionally well today either, and it wasn't a super goal created by individual skill. However, being able to create such a situation as a whole team and score a goal despite the fatigue from consecutive matches is a positive factor both for myself and the team.
＜Diego OLIVEIRAPlayer＞
Q, today's victory resulted in a 3-game winning streak in the league.
A, matches at the Sapporo Dome are difficult games for us every season. It was a victory that secured a mentally tough game. Of course, I am happy to have scored goals in three consecutive matches, but above all, I am most pleased that we were able to turn the game around from conceding a goal early in the first half to a comeback victory. Being able to convert limited chances into goals and having the ability to finish strongly is proof that the team, including myself, is in good form.
Q: please review the scene of the comeback.
A, Soma ANZAI did not miss the opponent's restart mistake and recovered the ball in an advanced position. I received a pass from ANZAI, quickly faced forward, and handed it over to Teruhito NAKAGAWA in a central position. Since he drew multiple opposing defenders and passed the ball, all I had to do was slot it into the goal with my left foot. As I mentioned earlier, more than my own goal, I am most pleased that we were able to achieve a comeback victory in such a difficult away game.
Q, I think the team's hard work as a whole led to victory.
A, today's match was one where we were marked very tightly by the opponent for a long time. I think as a team we were able to surpass them in terms of work rate. Today, everyone celebrated the victory together, and although I expect the next match to be another tough one, we want to unite as one and continue our winning streak. No matter the circumstances, we want to show our gratitude through our play to the fans and supporters who always cheer for us.
Masato MORISHIGEPlayer
Q, please review the game.
A, I think it was a difficult match compared to the previous games.
Q, we conceded an unexpected goal early on, but we were able to hold our ground and finish strong. How did the defense feel?
A, we conceded early in the first half, but that goal was more of an accident. After that, we made solid adjustments and were able to defend well, preventing the opponent from creating chances or getting close to our goal. I think being able to make those corrections effectively was a key point. On the other hand, when we had possession, we were able to get shots on goal, so I believed there were opportunities in our attack.
Q, the opponent had many attacks that used side changes frequently.
A, the fullbacks gradually got used to it, and the defensive midfielders' and defensive line's responses after being shifted there also improved over time, so being able to make adjustments during the match and not getting flustered was a good thing, I think.
Q, this was the first victory in Sapporo since the 2012 season. This season, we have been able to break jinxes in away games such as Fukuoka, where we have not been able to win before. Do you feel any differences on the pitch compared to last season?
A, I don’t remember the 2012 season (laughs). The biggest difference is definitely the team atmosphere — the spirit where everyone is committed to winning from daily practice is reflected in the matches, and even in tough times, the current team has the strength to overcome that. I believe that a team that can maintain this throughout the entire season will rise to the top, so the next match will also be very important.
