<Match Review>
A match where we faced the Urawa Reds, who have experienced the world stage, at Ajinomoto Stadium. For Tokyo, it was a game to avenge the frustration felt two months ago in the away match and to show a strengthened team with new players added.
This week, Motoki NAGAKURA, who is on loan from Urawa, was unable to play due to contractual reasons. Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI formed a starting lineup that changed 10 players except the goalkeeper from the Emperor's Cup 3rd round match against Oita Trinita held two days earlier. Kim Seung-gyu was positioned at the back, and the final line featured J.League Best Eleven veterans from right to left: Yuto NAGATOMO, Alexander Scholz, Masato Morishige, and Naruki Muroya. The double pivot was formed by Hiroshi Taka and Kento Hashimoto, while the attacking midfield included attackers Keita ENDO and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA. Up front, Keito Sato and Marcelo were deployed as the two forwards. Keita YAMASHITA, who had recovered from injury, was named on the bench for the first time since the Meiji Yasuda J1 League 6th round match against Fagiano Okayama on April 6.
On the other hand, Urawa, having experienced the frustration of three consecutive losses at the FIFA Club World Cup, is expected to show a fierce battle as they aim to demonstrate their experience against the world on the J-League stage. Both teams absolutely want to win this important game, which kicked off at 7:03 p.m.
1st HALF—An early goal as planned, but consecutive goals conceded
The blue and red eleven showed a focused start, instantly bringing excitement to Ajinomoto Stadium. In the 6th minute of the first half, Nagatomo regained control high on the right side and delivered a left-footed cross, which Endo skillfully headed across to the opposite side, giving Tokyo the lead. Just like in the previous away match, they succeeded in taking the lead early on.
Tokyo continued to play aggressively even after taking the lead. In the 13th minute of the first half, they executed coordinated pressing high up the pitch to win the ball, and finally, from Sato, the last pass was made to Nagatomo who was overlapping. Although the ball went over the crossbar, they created a clear scoring opportunity with their bold approach.
However, in the 15th minute of the first half, after the right side was broken through and a cross was allowed, the loose ball contested in the center was picked up, and Yasui scored a grounded mid-range shot to equalize.
Then, in the 20th minute, Watanabe broke away on a counterattack and scored a one-on-one against the goalkeeper, resulting in a goal conceded. The space left by Scholz, who had fallen, was exploited for a breakthrough, allowing the opponent to take the lead.
Tokyo launched a counterattack without losing heart. In the 24th minute of the first half, after Endo's free kick was deflected, Tawara Tsukida took a one-touch volley without letting the ball drop. Although this was stopped by the opposing goalkeeper's excellent save, Tokyo immediately pressed forward into Urawa's territory.
Tokyo does not ease up on the attack. When Tawara Tsukida shows dribbling trying to cut through a narrow area, Endo creates a decisive chance for RIAN with a sharp through pass while turning around. In the 39th minute of the first half, RIAN breaks free again after exchanging passes with Takao and aims with his left foot. While spending more time pressing into the opponent’s territory, they continue to create big chances but fail to score. They want to change the game by converting these good opportunities properly.
In the 4 minutes of first-half additional time, Hashimoto pressed back near the right-side touchline and won the ball, delivering a pinpoint cross to RIAN, whose header seemed to score. However, with VAR support, Hashimoto's play was judged a foul, and the goal was disallowed. Despite creating many chances, the team went into halftime trailing by one goal.
2nd HALF—Pushing through with a solid attack, a brilliant come-from-behind victory
Both teams started the second half without substitutions, and the number 33, returning from the Japan national team, impressed on the left side. At the 7th minute, Tawaratsumida, having won the ball just before the halfway line, advanced with the ball himself, facing a vast open space ahead. He then rapidly increased his speed and dribbled at high pace into Urawa’s territory. Entering the pocket, he crossed centrally with the outside of his right foot, where Endo rushed in. It was a decisive moment, but the shot went wide to the left of the goal and did not score. Tawaratsumida continued to make daring forward runs, creating highlights in a short time with shots from cut-ins and more.
At this point, an accident occurred for Tokyo. Endo, who had scored the opening goal and was involved in many chances, was forced to be substituted due to injury. In the 13th minute of the second half, Soma ANZAI came on as a substitute and took the right attacker position.
The blue-reds, who had been holding the initiative and creating close chances, finally shook the net. Pushing forward from the right side, Tokyo in the 22nd minute of the second half saw Nagatomo deliver a right-footed cross that Lukian controlled and held in the center. He then turned and struck with his left foot, and the ball deflected off an opposing player, going over the goalkeeper's head and into the goal. Following the opening goal, this equalizer came from an assist by Nagatomo. Lukian, who had been involved in many decisive chances since the first half, finally brought joy as Tokyo leveled the match.
Tokyo, eager to gain momentum all at once, made substitutions in the 30th minute of the second half, bringing on Teruhito NAKAGAWA, who could act as the team’s “lubricant,” in place of Sato, who had been working hard up front, and Leon NOZAWA, capable of battling both offensively and defensively, in place of Tawara Tsukida, who had repeatedly attempted breakthroughs on the left side. They aimed to activate the pitch and go for the winning goal.
While Tokyo pressed forward with a solid attack, Urawa aimed for a decisive strike on the counter. Supported by the incredible atmosphere created by the 35,687-strong crowd, the intense and tense battle continued. Tokyo created a scoring chance with Nozawa’s volley while turning around, and Urawa’s Thiago SANTANA also broke through sharply to shoot. Both narrowly missed the goal, but each came very close.
In the 39th minute of the second half, from Nagatomo's right cross, Anzai executed a bicycle-like direct volley in the center. However, this also went wide to the left of the goal, and the go-ahead goal was not scored.
Coach Matsuhashi's final substitution choices were Yamashita, making his return match, and team captain Kei KOIZUMI. Both were brought onto the pitch replacing Hian and Takao.
Then, in the 43rd minute of the second half, the go-ahead goal that turned Ajinomoto Stadium into a frenzy was born. Nozawa took a half-volley shot at a loose ball that was deflected away from Anzai's left corner kick. The ball hit an opponent, became a floating ball, and headed toward the goal, where Nakagawa rushed in. He used his body to push in the opponent's clearance and scored the comeback goal, with the three substitutes at the center, FC Tokyo finally turned the match around.
The 8 minutes of added time in the second half saw a back-and-forth battle, but Tokyo maintained their concentration and held on until the final whistle. They played with passionate intensity both offensively and defensively, delivering a brilliant late comeback victory that avenged the frustration they experienced away from home, winning a thrilling match.
At the moment the match ended, the players on the pitch all showed passionate guts poses, and the victory anthem of "The City That Never Sleeps" echoed throughout Ajinomoto Stadium. The fans and supporters who continuously backed the team with the best atmosphere, and the players who showed a spirited come-from-behind victory—together in blue and red, they achieved a great victory.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC TOKYO>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Kim Seung-gyu
DF Naruki Muroya/Masato MORISHIGE/Yuto NAGATOMO/Alexander Scholz
MF Takahiro Uehara (41st minute 2nd half: Keisuke Koizumi)/Kento HASHIMOTO/Keita ENDO (13th minute 2nd half: Soma ANZAI)/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (30th minute 2nd half: Leon NOZAWA)
FW Megumu Sato (30th minute 2nd half: Teruhito NAKAGAWA)/Marcelo Hian (41st minute 2nd half: Keita YAMASHITA)
SUBS
GK Masataka KOBAYASHI
DF Teppei OKA/Kanta DOI/Kosuke SHIRAI
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
6th minute of the first half: Keita ENDO / 22nd minute of the second half: Marcelo RYAN / 43rd minute of the second half: Teruhito NAKAGAWA
<Urawa Reds>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Shusaku NISHIKAWA
DF Hirokazu ISHIHARA/Danilo BOZA/Marius HOIBRAATEN/Yoichi NAGANUMA (28th minute of the second half: Takuya OGIWARA)
MF Samuel GUSTAFSSON/Kaito YASUI (39th minute of the second half: Taishi MATSUMOTO)/Takuro KANEKO (28th minute of the second half: Takahiro SEKINE)/Ryoma WATANABE/Matheus SAVIO (17th minute of the second half: Thiago SANTANA)
FW Hiiro KOMORI (17th minute of the second half: Yusuke MATSUO)
SUBS
GK Ayumi NIEKAWA
DF Rikito INOUE
MF Tomoaki OKUBO/Genki HARAGUCHI
MANAGER
Maciej SKORZA
GOAL
15th minute of the first half: Kaito YASUI / 20th minute of the first half: Ryoma WATANABE
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q, please give us an overview of today's match.
A, I am very happy that we were able to win today thanks to the players who fought without giving up until the very end, and to all the fans and supporters who back us.
Q, in the second half, you maintained possession and played the soccer you aimed for. Was that according to your expectations as the coach?
A, it may have been as rehearsed, but the next stage beyond what we convey to the players in rehearsals is hard to realize. Attacking firmly, mainly from the sides, is a key point in building up the groundwork in the center. Although it felt like we stayed there throughout, there were several moments when we could have passed through the center, but the challenges to do so were very few. Because we didn’t get into those spaces, the distance between the attacking players up front didn’t close much. I think there were few moments when players entered between the opponent’s lines, slipped through, or stretched into those gaps. However, the actions carried out with clear intent were done very well.
Q, especially considering there were clear chances in the first half, how do you view the fact that the match ended up like this because those chances were not converted?
A, the more I talk about it, the more it might sound like an excuse, but while I take pride in having created many scoring opportunities in numerous games this season, we have struggled to finish them off. To move up, we have no choice but to convert those chances. Today, we had several opportunities in the first half but failed to capitalize. I watched today’s game thinking about the forwards’ finishing ability, the predictions on how to build collective relationships with this content, the continuity of properly taking positions, and ultimately, if there are no players in those key areas, it leads to not being able to break through and score goals.
Because we absolutely had to finish those chances, at halftime I strongly told the players, "Get the result," and sent them out. Then, that goal by Marcelo RYAN was born, and we gained a bit of rhythm. Additionally, at halftime I said, "Now the stage is set." Regarding how we were defeated last time, I usually don’t use words like revenge or getting even, but I said, "Let me say it here. We will definitely get even. Play firmly with the thought that in the end, we will be the ones smiling." With that mindset, they fought in the second half, and I think they are truly cool players.
Q. I think placing Sei MUROYA at left back and Yuto NAGATOMO at right back was effective again today. What was the intention behind this?
A. The intention, of course, was that Urawa has strong players on both flanks and also in the center, so considering the current situation, I thought this was a balanced choice. Both players delivered very good performances. Especially NAGATOMO, with his assist for the first goal and the kind of crosses he can deliver. He has been doing an excellent job on the right side this season.
However, both Mr. Muroya and Kosuke SHIRAI primarily play on the right side, and since there are many players who specialize there, honestly, it is difficult to deploy them in that position. On the left side, we have Kashif BANGNAGANDE, so the deployment was balanced to both neutralize the opponent's strengths there and also to consider what kind of performance we can deliver offensively.
Q, in the previous away game against Urawa, when you suffered a come-from-behind loss, you mentioned mental challenges. What was the most important factor in changing the team's mentality for today's match?
A, rather than focusing on how I personally would change the mentality heading into the match, it was more about managing the consecutive games. Right after the Oita Trinita match, there was a long-distance trip, and we were quite occupied with some tactical adjustments. However, in the pre-game meeting today, I said, "I want everyone to recall once again how we played against Urawa last time. It was by no means a bad game. We took the lead, extended it, but in the end, we ran out of energy. That won't happen this time. We have to work to pull the result toward ourselves in today's game." That was about the extent of the talk. Still, at halftime, the game took a turn again, so I tried to convey to the players what I meant by saying 'The stage is set' in my own way.
[Player Interview]
<Yuto NAGATOMO>
Q, please review the game.
A, Matheus SAVIO, who faced me on the same side, was a very big threat. To firmly contain him, I focused not just on defending but also on participating in the attack myself to push his playing position back and use my stamina to press him into deeper areas. In our previous encounter, we suffered a frustrating come-from-behind loss to them, so the team entered the match with the mindset of "repaying the debt." Although there was a period when we were trailing 1-2 as a team, we were able to maintain a generally good performance throughout.
Q, I think you made a great contribution to the victory with your two assists.
A, There were players gathered in front of the goal, and I thought that as long as I delivered a good ball properly, someone would connect with it. I'm glad it led to a goal in a good way. Regarding the assist to Marcelo RYAN's goal, he skillfully turned and took the shot. I never thought that goal would also have an assist, and I found out after the match (laughs).
Q, how do you feel about joining the team from the East Asian E-1 Football Championship 2025 Final Round in South Korea (E-1 Championship) and being able to show results?
A, personally, I gained confidence by representing Japan in the E-1 Championship. Above all, I want to achieve the experience of lifting the cup at the E-1 Championship here in Tokyo as well. I’ve become addicted. I’m also addicted to the World Cup, and I’m gradually becoming addicted to lifting cups. I have set goals to win the league with Tokyo and to win the World Cup with the Japan national team, and I want to fuel my energy toward achieving both cups.
<Keita ENDO player>
Q. This match came after a very frustrating loss in the previous away game. Looking back on it now, how do you feel?
A. I would say it was thrilling and an interesting match. We had a frustrating loss in the previous encounter, so I’m glad we were able to get our revenge this time.
Q. Was this something the entire team was thinking about going into the match?
A. Yes, we were. In the previous match, we were leading 1-0 at halftime but then got overturned and lost, so it made us realize that we were being tested. From there, we thought we would also come back and overturn the result like the Urawa Reds did last time, so I’m glad we were able to do just that.
Q, In the previous match against Urawa, after scoring a goal, you said, "I want to score goals that help the team win," and today’s goal led to victory. Looking back at the goal scene again, how do you feel?
A, I think I was able to build a good relationship on the right side with Yuto NAGATOMO and Alexander SCHOLZ, and from that development, I was able to head the ball with a good touch that slightly deflected Yuto’s cross. Honestly, it was a goal that didn’t really feel like my usual style.
Q: Was it just a matter of making contact with your head?
A: Yes. The cross was quite fast, so rather than hitting it powerfully, I imagined making a lighter touch.
Q: Besides the goal, you also made passes behind to RIAN on the right side and built a good relationship with Nagatomo. Have you gotten more comfortable and found it easier to play?
A: I have played on the right side so far, and honestly, I felt that I hadn’t been able to deliver a good performance myself. Even so, I wanted to live up to the expectations of Rikizo MATSUHASHI, the coach, who kept using me. Today, I was able to leave a mark with one statistic, and creating chances beyond just scoring gave me personal confidence.
<Marcelo RYAN>
Q: How was the game review?
A、良いところと悪いところがありました。全体的に良い試合だったと思っています。チャンスは多かったですが、決め切れない場面もあり、失点して嫌な流れの時間帯もありました。ですが、最終的に逆転して勝てたことは良かったです。
Q: There were many chances from the first half, but we were finally able to score in the second half.
A: We had two chances in the first half, but I regret not being able to finish them. Missing those opportunities allowed me to switch my mindset to not get discouraged and to score, which led to the goal in the second half.
Q: I think being able to equalize at that time gave the team a good momentum.
A: I think my play was not bad, and I was able to move well. However, I also reflect on missing a clear chance. Now that the off-season is coming, I want to rest well and then approach training for the league matches that will resume.
