<Match Review>
Aiming for their first three consecutive wins of the season, the Blue-Red Army took on Avispa Fukuoka at Ajinomoto Stadium.
In the previous away match, they played with a 3-4-2-1 system but failed to reproduce their attacking patterns and could not break through the opponent's defensive line. They suffered a frustrating defeat due to a goal conceded at 45+5 minutes in the second half. Although both the system and members have changed significantly since then, they want to show more aggressiveness than the expected aggressive Fukuoka and demonstrate flexible play while carefully observing the opponent's approach.
Considering the tight schedule with only two days between matches since the last game, head coach Rikizo Matsuhashi made eight changes to the starting eleven. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, right-back Soma ANZAI, and center-back Alexander Scholz all started consecutively. The back line included Sei MUROYA and Masato MORISHIGE alongside ANZAI and Scholz, while the midfield featured Keigo HIGASHI and Kei KOIZUMI. The attackers were Rei NOZAWA on the right and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA on the left, with Keisuke SATO and the returning-from-suspension Marcelo forming the front line. Additionally, players who started in the previous match—Yuto NAGATOMO, Kanta DOI, Kento HASHIMOTO, Keita ENDO, Marcos GUILHERME, Motoki NAGAKURA, and Teruhito NAKAGAWA—were on the bench. Sending out a fresh lineup onto the pitch, the team aimed for a third consecutive win through an all-out effort including the substitutes.
This season, the team has been built so that the quality does not drop no matter who plays. With a major lineup change, attention is focused on whether the momentum from consecutive 1-0 wins against Tokyo Verdy and Kawasaki Frontale, as well as the adaptability shown in both offense and defense, can be maintained, and whether the players hungry for playing time can demonstrate passionate performances.
1st HALF—Patiently circulating the ball, turning limited chances into goals
The match started with both teams feeling each other out. Tokyo continued to probe for openings while maintaining possession, and Lucas RIAN broke free on a counterattack after drawing a foul, but they were unable to create clear-cut chances as they wished.
Tokyo increasingly held possession of the ball, using the goalkeeper from the back line to evade the opponent's pressure, but they were unable to add depth to their attack against Fukuoka's five-back formation that eliminated space, and thus could not create any big chances.
Anzai, who played as right side back for Tokyo, tried to add variation to the attack with forward runs, cut-ins, and vertical bursts. However, when the back line or the defensive midfielders had the ball, they were unable to play it forward, resulting in prolonged periods of circulating the ball around the outside using the flanks.
Still, in the 35th minute of the first half, from a sideways pass by Anzai, who had been the starting point of the attack on the right side, Sato received the ball at speed and took a powerful shot at the near post. Then, in the 37th minute, Nozawa’s long-range shot hit the left post, and Anzai’s fierce right-footed shot unfortunately went straight to the goalkeeper. Tokyo continuously created several close chances.
This momentum brought Tokyo their long-awaited opening goal.
In the 41st minute of the first half, Anzai, who received the ball high on the right side, adjusted his position and sent a soft cross into the area with his left foot. Julian, waiting in the center, powerfully twisted the ball into the goal with a header. Number 19’s fine goal, meeting the softly arcing ball firmly with his head and targeting the right corner, allowed Tokyo to take the lead for the third consecutive match.
During the 3 minutes of added time displayed, Fukuoka's Wellington received a second yellow card and was sent off. Tokyo went into the halftime break with a one-goal lead and a numerical advantage.
2nd HALF—3 Consecutive Clean Sheets and 3 Straight Wins
No substitutions at halftime. In contrast, Fukuoka made two changes and approached the second half with a 5-3-1 system.
Taking advantage of the numerical superiority without taking unnecessary risks, Tokyo skillfully managed the time while maintaining possession of the ball. In the 13th minute of the second half, they suddenly sped up and attacked down the left side, where Tawaratsumida made a vertical breakthrough and crossed the ball back, which RIAN connected with a one-touch shot. Although it narrowly missed to the right of the goal, it was an effective attack that targeted the opponent’s weakness.
In the 21st minute of the second half, both wingers were substituted off for Endo and Marcos. Additionally, Hashimoto was brought onto the pitch in place of Higashi, executing a triple substitution aimed at intensifying pressure on the flanks while adding variation to ball movement.
Tokyo advanced the match while pressing almost into the opponent's half. In the 27th minute of the second half, they broke through the right side with a direct pass, and when Julian crossed the ball, Julian contested it in the center, and Sato picked up the rebound and took a left-footed shot inside the penalty area with skillful ball control. However, the shot hit an opposing player and failed to hit the target.
At the 30th minute of the second half, a switch was made from RIAN to Nakagawa to create a place for the ball to settle up front.
However, Fukuoka also showed a moment of danger when substitute Zahedi unleashed a powerful left-footed long-range shot while turning around. Although Tokyo had a numerical advantage, they were leading by only one goal. They aimed to maintain possession well, seek an additional goal, and firmly close out the match.
The additional time in the second half was 5 minutes. Although Fukuoka pressed hard with a power play, using their last reserves of strength, FC Tokyo endured a long period under pressure. However, with Sei MUROYA’s powerful defense and Marcos’s dribbling, they repelled the opponent’s momentum until time was up. The players who were brought on fought valiantly, and by capitalizing on decisive moments and the numerical advantage, they achieved their first three consecutive wins of the season. The clean sheet for three consecutive matches was also a first this season.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC TOKYO>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Kim Seung-gyu
DF Sei MUROYA/Masato MORISHIGE/Soma ANZAI/Alexander Scholz
MF Keigo AZUMA (21st minute 2nd half: Kento HASHIMOTO)/Leon NOZAWA (21st minute 2nd half: Keita ENDO)/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (21st minute 2nd half: Marcos GUILHERME)/Kei KOIZUMI
FW Megumu SATO/Marcelo Hian (30th minute 2nd half: Teruhito NAKAGAWA)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Kanta DOI/Henrique Trevisan/Yuto NAGATOMO
FW Motoki NAGAKURA
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
41st minute of the first half: Marcelo RYAN
<Avispa Fukuoka>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Masaaki MURAKAMI
DF Masaya TASHIRO/Ryuki NARA/Tomoya ANDO
MF Itsuki ODA (38th minute of the second half: Masato YUZAWA)/Daiki MATSUOKA/Tomoya MIKI/Takaaki SHICHI (0 minute of the second half: Kazuki FUJIMOTO)
FW Yuto IWASAKI (0 minute of the second half: Nassim Ben Khalifa) (10th minute of the second half: Shahab Zahedi)/Wellington/Shintaro NAGO (30th minute of the second half: Kazuya KONNO)
SUBS
GK Takumi NAGAISHI
DF Yuu HASHIMOTO
MF Hiroki AKINO
FW Hanan SANDBROWN
MANAGER
Myung Hwi KIM
GOAL
―
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q, please give us an overview of today's match.
A, While there are various aspects to the content, I am very pleased that we were able to secure 3 points. We scored the opening goal in the first half, but in the second half, despite having a numerical advantage, we couldn't score. I feel that my halftime talk may have made the team play a bit too safely. Balancing that was quite a difficult part. Although the substitutions allowed us to raise the gear somewhat, I still think there are challenges in how we play with one extra player in the second half. Nevertheless, I am very happy to have met everyone's expectations.
Q, this is your third consecutive win; how do you feel about this, Coach?
A, of course, it’s a wonderful achievement, but it’s not about my personal joy; I believe it’s thanks to the support of everyone behind us, and we must keep moving forward. However, I also think that there will inevitably be various difficulties, challenges, and obstacles to overcome, so we must continue to overcome them one by one.
Q, regarding the goal scene, I believe it was one of the forms the coach aims for—carefully connecting passes and looking for gaps. What are your thoughts on this?
A, in rehearsal, the opponent's pressing shape—assuming it goes as rehearsed—was very close to what we saw, and I think each player did very well in moving while watching who to pay attention to. However, there were a few moments where the timing to switch on the challenge could have been better.
Q: It was mentioned that the players calmed down a bit due to the coach's halftime words, but is the failure to score the second goal a major point of reflection?
A: Yes, that's right. Being able to attack and defend with one extra player, especially in attack, was a situation where our style could be expressed even more strongly. However, by expressing it strongly, risks inevitably arise, and the opponent will definitely target that. I think I was a bit too cautious in drawing the line on how much risk we could take.
Q, Soma ANZAI showed a good performance again following the previous match. How would you evaluate him?
A, I truly think he is wonderful, and not only Soma ANZAI but also Yuto NAGATOMO and Sei MUROYA, who are currently playing as fullbacks, these three have been delivering really good performances and have been effectively neutralizing the opponent's strengths.
Q, It feels like the efforts made so far are finally bearing fruit, but what aspects do you think have led to this three-game winning streak?
A, I think there are various factors, and if you look closely, there are many details, but one thing I can say is that the players approach each match with an absolutely never-give-up attitude, and I believe that mindset is what has led to these results.
[Player Interview]
<Marcelo RYAN>
Q: please review the game.
A: We played well in the first half. Of course, we were able to score. After that, the opponent had a player sent off, and the pace of the game slowed down a bit, but we were able to control the match in the second half as well, so overall I think it was a good game.
Q. The scoring scene looked like you connected with a very difficult ball with a header. How was it?
A. I was able to take a good position, which I think led to the shot and the goal.
Q. The opponent was down a player, and I think it became more difficult for Tokyo to play from the second half onward. What were you focusing on while playing?
A. There were things to reflect on in the second half. We didn’t push too hard while leading by one goal. If we had been able to score one, two, or three more goals in the second half, we could have sealed the match.
Q. Please tell us what you focused on in terms of positioning against an opponent who set up a defensive block with five players.
A. The opponent had quite a few players behind, but we were able to have good practice this week and, under the guidance of the manager and coaches, anticipated where the spaces would be, so that worked out well.
Q. By the way, the blonde hair suited you well, but why did you change your hair color back to black?
A. My wife didn’t really like the blonde, so I changed it because she told me to (laughs).
<Masato MORISHIGE>
Q. You secured a third consecutive win without conceding a goal.
A. I am satisfied with the result. Steadily accumulating 3 points is a sign that we have been able to play a more disciplined match, especially considering the rather sloppy games we've had up until now.
Q, Please reflect on your own performance.
A, I think I was able to play proactively. In the second half, due to the opponent having one player sent off, there was the difficulty that the plays I could make were actually limited. Fukuoka did not come forward as much as expected, so I was conscious of how to move the ball, where to increase the speed, and how to make the opponent's defensive midfielders bite. I think it would have been better if I could have played in a way that moved my teammates more effectively, and I also reflect that when the attack got stuck, I could have had a bit more speed in canceling and moving on to the next action.
Q. I think there were also long periods when we couldn't break through the center against an opponent that was defending solidly.
A. The number of balls played around the outside increased, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. What’s important is how we can get more balls into the center and inside from there. If we don’t move the ball at a good tempo, such as passing the ball received on the side to the midfielders, we won’t pose a threat to the opponent. I think we may have been a bit too cautious, and I feel we could have played a bit more dynamically.
<Kei KOIZUMI>
Q. This was our first three-game winning streak of the season. How do you look back on the match?
A. The team had already achieved two consecutive wins, and personally, it was my first start in a league match in a while. Both as a team and individually, connecting those wins to a three-game winning streak was meaningful. Although it was a challenging match in many ways, I think it was good that we secured the three points.
Q, it was your first start in four matches; what were you thinking as you entered the game?
A, Today I played as a defensive midfielder, so I aimed to touch the ball frequently and constantly make myself available everywhere on the pitch. However, I wish I had been able to show more of what I had practiced and worked on. There were a few side changes, but personally, I wanted to try more of those. When the opponent was down to ten men, the second half actually became a more difficult game. Even in such circumstances, I think it was a valuable experience as a player to think smartly about what kind of play I should make to secure the three points.
Q. Was the part where you couldn’t do what you intended well influenced by the significant changes in the lineup?
A. No, that doesn’t change regardless of who plays, and I actually think the play shouldn’t change because of that. It is necessary to win no matter who plays and to play good football no matter who is on the field. In that sense, even though there were various situations today, I think we could have done more and we must do so.
Q: There is another match against Yokohama F.Marinos in four days. How will you prepare for the next game?
A: Whether Tokyo is currently on a winning streak or not doesn’t matter. What’s important as a team is to focus on the match right in front of us. This applies not only to the players but also to the coach, staff, and the fans and supporters at home. We need to tighten our focus once again, reset the feeling of having won three consecutive games, and approach the next match with care and determination.
