＜Match Review＞
The J1 League resumed after a two-week break, and Tokyo faced Sanfrecce Hiroshima in an away game. Both teams have welcomed new coaches this season, and they are only separated by a 3-point difference in the standings. The match was a showdown between Tokyo's ability to navigate Hiroshima's aggressive press and their ability to maintain possession and build attacks.
In Tokyo, player Go Hatano made his first appearance in the league match, and player Hirotaka Mita, who had been mainly used as an inside half, was used as a winger in the starting lineup. New signings Luiz Phellype, Koki Tsukagawa, and Seiji Kimura were included in the match squad.
1st HALF - Tokyo creates many chances but concedes the first goal
The first chance goes to Tokyo. In the 5th minute of the first half, Mita receives the ball in a vital area, turns towards the goal, but is fouled and earns a free kick. Mita takes the free kick directly, aiming for a shot, but the ball narrowly deflects to the top right corner of the goal. In the early stages, Hiroshima applies pressure from the front line, but Tokyo moves the ball with precise positioning and distance, breaking through Hiroshima's press and entering their territory. The wing players also participate in the build-up and neutralize the opponent's press in the midfield area.
They were unable to create a scene that would lead to a finish, but in the 21st minute of the first half, they completely broke through the opponent. Matsuki Kuryu player broke through into the space in front of the penalty area and became the starting point, and Mita player entered the penalty area's left area with a one-touch one-two with Bangnagande Kashif player, who took a high position. Mita player, who attracted the opponent's goalkeeper, chose a cross and sent a pass across the goal, and Abe Shuto player, who had jumped into the far side, tried to connect but missed the shot above the goal.
In the 34th minute of the first half, they faced a pinch due to a build-up mistake. After stealing the ball, they lost it in a short counterattack, and the opponent closed in on the goal. However, player Hatano saved a close-range shot from player Ben Khalifa. The opponent's player tried to follow up with the loose ball, but Hatano also touched the ball with his body and protected the goal.
In the 39th minute of the first half, Morishige Masato player crossed Mita's corner kick, and Diego Oliveira player did a post-work in front of the goalkeeper. He aimed for the dropped ball, but it was blocked by the goalkeeper.
Tokyo has been controlling the rhythm of the game, but they were caught off guard for a moment. In the 40th minute of the first half, they lost the ball while trying to build up play by connecting passes in their own half, and Mori Island player was left free in the midfield space with the ball. We tried to close in on Mori Island player who was facing the goal, but he unleashed a powerful shot from mid-range and placed it into the bottom right corner of the goal.
Tokyo created many chances while maintaining possession of the ball, but Hiroshima capitalized on one opportunity.
2nd HALF - Tokyo grabs a come-from-behind victory with 2 goals in the second half
Tokyo wants to counterattack, but in the 3rd minute of the second half, they failed to clear Hiroshima's corner kick and allowed Kawamura to head the loose ball in front of the goal, but it narrowly missed the top of the goal. In the 7th minute of the second half, there was another defensive situation from a corner kick on the same side, and a heading shot flew to the left corner of the goal, but this time Hatano made a fine save by stretching his arm.
Tokyo, who wants to change the flow, made a move in the 15th minute of the second half. They substituted Mita with player Felipe, who made his J-League debut, and Konno with player Adailton.
Tokyo struggled to create shooting opportunities, but a good chance came. In the 22nd minute of the second half, they stole the opponent's pass in their own half, and Diego sent Adailton running into the forward space. Adailton gained momentum and penetrated into Hiroshima's penalty area. His shot was blocked by a defender, but Matsuki picked up the loose ball and played it back in the negative direction. Diego, who received the ball outside the penalty area, controlled it with his left foot and struck a controlled shot into the left corner of the goal, equalizing for Tokyo with a spectacular goal.
Adailton's dynamic performance continues to bring opportunities to Tokyo. In the 28th minute of the second half, he dribbled the ball on the left side and carried it into the penalty area, evading the defender and taking a shot. It narrowly missed the right side of the goal, but the substitute player's performance revitalized Tokyo's attack.
Afterwards, Tokyo aimed to break the deadlock in the game by introducing new signings Tsukagawa and Kimura. Tsukagawa made ball recoveries and moved the ball simply to create rhythm. Then, the game went into additional time. In the 45+2 minute of the second half, Tsukagawa stopped Santos' breakthrough with a brave challenge and passed the ball to Adailton, who was waiting on the left side. Adailton, who made a vertical run, crossed the ball towards the goal area, but it turned into a looping shot and directly flowed into the bottom right corner of the goal, leading to Tokyo's successful comeback in the late stages.
Tokyo, who seized the flow with the good plays of the substitute players, achieved consecutive victories following the Júbilo Iwata match in the previous round. From the next round, they will have two consecutive home games. They will continue to evolve their style of fighting while maintaining possession of the ball and seize joy at home with this momentum.
MATCH DETAILS
＜F.C.Tokyo＞
STARTING XI
GK Go HATANO
DF Yuto NAGATOMO/Yasuki KIMOTO/Masato MORISHIGE/Kashif BANGNAGANDE
MF Kuryu MATSUKI/Keigo HIGASHI (42nd minute: Seiji KIMURA)/Shuto ABE (27th minute: Takaki TSUKAGAWA)
FW Keiki MITA (15th minute: Luiz PHELLYPE)/Diego OLIVEIRA (27th minute: Keita YAMASHITA)/Kazuya KONNO (15th minute: Adailton)
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF Junya SUZUKI
GOAL
22nd minute of the second half: Diego OLIVEIRA/45+2nd minute of the second half: Adailton
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
STARTING XI
GK Keisuke Osako
DF Tsukasa Shiotani/Hayato Araki/Sho Sasaki
MF Tomoya Fujii/Taishi Matsumoto/Takumu Kawamura (Yuta Imazu at 40')/Shunki Higashi (Yusuke Chajima at 40')/Moriyoshi (Kosei Shibasaki at 32')/Makoto Mitsuta (Ezequiel at 32')
FW Nassim Ben Khalifa (Junior Santos at 23')
SUBS
Goro KAWANAMI
Yuya ASANO
GOAL
First half 40 minutes: Morishima
[Interview with Coach Albert]
Q: please review the game.
First of all, regarding the first half, it has been proven that we, as a team, are growing and moving in a positive direction. I think our desire to possess the ball was clearly conveyed. Hiroshima, in particular, is a good team that applies intense pressure. It is never easy to maintain possession against them.
And in the first half, there were two clear-cut chances. However, we struggled in defense when we didn't have the ball. It was a difficult first half in terms of our defensive shape, and we conceded the opening goal from a fantastic long-range shot by the opponent.
And the start of the second half was a difficult period. I think we were struggling when we lost the ball. However, there were several players on the bench who could change the flow of the game. I think the flow of the game changed significantly when we brought them in as substitutes. From there, the comeback started.
Not only did the team express the ability to hold the ball, but also the ability to score goals. This became a factor that intimidated the opposing players. When Tsukagawa and Keita YAMASHITA were brought in, they also brought a good flow to the team. They were able to create multiple decisive chances. On the other hand, it remains a challenge that we allowed the opponents to create several decisive chances as well.
Football is not a sport that competes in the number of decisive chances. It is a sport that competes in goals, and today, we were fortunate enough to score more goals than our opponents. Above the result of today's match, what remains in my heart is that the players always had the intention to connect from the back and move forward throughout the 90 minutes. It is not like Guardiola's (Manchester City manager) team, where they can immediately produce amazing plays. We still have a process of growth ahead of us. However, I am proud that the players always played with the intention of keeping possession of the ball and moving forward with the ball.
I would like to commend the three new players who made their debut today. It was only 5 days since they joined the team, but they adapted well to the team. Despite the absence of important players due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, they provided something wonderful. I would also like to commend Go Hatano. The team must continue to grow, but it is easier to progress in the process of growth with the tailwind of victory. Finally, I would like to commend Hiroshima, our opponent today. They are playing well with a good style under the new coach. It was an honor to compete against them.
Q, please tell me specifically about the parts of Hatano's positive evaluation that you can make.
A, if you are media who have been following Tokyo for the past few years, you should be able to understand it well. I think there were some unstable parts in the previous goalkeeper. There were times when he made great plays in a single game, and there were times when he made unstable plays. I think it is important for a goalkeeper to give the team stability. I have been emphasizing this to him since the beginning of the season. And today, he continued to make great plays with concentration, and his play at his feet was also great. What I expect from a goalkeeper is contribution in attacking with his feet and stopping what should be stopped. I am happy when he makes great saves, but what I value is stopping what should be stopped. I think the goalkeeper is moving on to the next phase of growth.
[Player Interview]
＜Adailton
Q: please review the game.
A. It was a very difficult match, but I think it was good that we were able to come from behind and win in the end.
Q: How did you feel about the team's play before participating?
I thought it wasn't bad to watch from the outside, and we had a good rhythm with the ball. However, we conceded a goal, so honestly it looked bad. I was conscious of continuing to play while holding the ball and scoring.
Q, was the scene of the goal as you imagined it?
When I looked inside, there were three players, so I kicked the ball with the intention of crossing, but honestly, it happened to go towards the goal.
Q, I think I was able to make a lot of plays that changed the flow of the team after coming on as a substitute.
A, not only myself, but each player who participated in the game played with the desire to contribute to victory by showcasing their own strengths. In that regard, it was more about the team as a whole being aware of it, rather than just me joining.
Q, it was my first appearance in the league match.
A few days ago, I felt that this opportunity would come and I prepared myself thoroughly. I had strong feelings for this match, so even though we conceded a goal, I'm glad we won.
Q: What kind of thoughts did you have as you prepared for this?
A, since I am still young, I have always practiced while waiting for a chance to play, without getting lazy, and I have been working on it while referring to the play of Jakub SLOWIK. Recently, Lin has also returned from injury, and I have been working with him since my first year as a professional, so I have learned various aspects from him. I think I was able to play such a game.
Q: I think we were able to show stable play today. What aspects have you improved?
In the 2021 season, I was focused on my own play and had the mindset that I had to do something, as I was allowed to play in the matches. However, this year, I was determined to take on the role of brightening the atmosphere in a positive way. As a result, I was able to approach today's match in a relaxed manner without becoming too rigid, and I want to continue working towards being able to make good plays if there are opportunities, regardless of the position I am in next.
＜Koki TSUKAGAWA player＞
Q, please reflect on your first appearance in Tokyo.
A, I am grateful to my teammates. They made it the best first game, so I want to work harder from here to repay the team.
Q, I think there was a high awareness of actively receiving the ball.
A, as expected, the play that the coach is looking for is to have the player who came in from the middle of the tough time show their face and receive the ball to help the team. I played with that awareness. I think there are other things to do, such as getting more involved in the attack, so I want to pursue it further.
Q: What are the parts that went well in terms of team coordination?
A, personally, there are still many parts that need to be adjusted, and there were also scenes where I wanted more at this timing. I think there are parts where I need to demand it myself, and I also think that everyone wants to demand more, so I hope we can coordinate with each other.
Q, the next game will be at home at Ajinomoto Stadium.
A, I don't think I have gained your trust yet, so I want to produce more results and contribute to the team. I am looking forward to fighting together at Ajinomoto Stadium.
Masato MORISHIGE
Q: How do you value the victory in a tough game?
A, in the end, it's about individual abilities, but I think you can catch a glimpse of the desired form as a team. If we can continue that and connect it to goals, I think it will be even better.
Q, I think we were struggling at the start of the second half, what was the intention to defend?
A, the ideal is to always have the ball, but when you can't do that, if you can endure without conceding a goal, your time will come again. Fighting patiently in difficult times led to today's result.
Q: How was the growth of player Go HATANO when you played with him today after a long time?
A, he was good at handling the ball and was able to create time without rushing at the Australian side, and he was able to make the opponent bite. I think that brought out his strengths.
Q, I think it is ideal for the team to continue growing while winning. Please tell us about your determination to win and carry it over to the next home game.
We want to continue winning games that could go either way. I still don't fully understand what the difference is, but I think we have no choice but to continue focusing on what we should do, accepting what we can't change.
＜Player Kuryu MATSUKI＞
Q, how do you feel looking back on the victory in a difficult match?
A, we were able to have a very good game by winning 3 points in such a difficult match, and in a difficult away game environment.
Q, I think we were able to execute our planned plays well from the start of the first half, but it was difficult to handle the situation of conceding a goal.
There were parts where we were dominated by the opponent from the start, so that's a point that needs to be fixed. Also, regarding the goal conceded, it was difficult for the center back to come out at that moment, so I think if I had been able to slide, I could have prevented the goal.
Q, when the second half started, it felt like a different team had emerged and we were pushed back in the beginning.
A, it is important that substitute players perform well and we were able to win in that situation.
Q, isn't it a big deal to win the first game after the league resumes?
It is significant to win the first match after the break, and we want to continue in this way as we have the home advantage next and further build momentum.
Q: Have you had a good impression of Taku SHIMIZU, who won in the first half?
A, it doesn't matter which team we play against. First and foremost, I want to contribute to the team's victory by not letting our pace waver.
