Previous Match: Cerezo OsakaReview of the Match
That one swing was an acrobatic, powerful, and beautiful moment that stunned the entire stadium, creating a moment of silence followed by explosive joy.
The pitch at Ajinomoto Stadium, which was hit by heavy rain, was slippery and made it very difficult to control the ball.
Still, Tokyo players demonstrated their technical prowess and achieved a "traveling with the ball" style of soccer by thoroughly connecting short passes. While there were moments where they were caught on the counter due to their aggressive play, they continued to fight with high intensity on defense through their high defensive line and quick pressing back.
However, Tokyo conceded the first goal. When a free kick was given near the penalty area, the ball was placed between the defender and the goalkeeper. The player who broke through couldn't be caught and was pushed into the goal.
It would not have been strange to be disappointed by the goal conceded while controlling the game, but the Tokyo players switched their mindset and took an attacking stance towards the Cerezo Osaka goal.
In the 23rd minute of the second half, Shuhei TOKUMOTO, who was in a deep position in his own half, managed to evade the opponent's pressure and pass the ball to the right side. Hotaka NAKAMURA's early cross found Ryoma WATANABE, who had made a run into the penalty area. WATANABE controlled the ball with his chest and then spectacularly volleyed it while twisting his body in mid-air.
The shot that the opposing goalkeeper couldn't move a step for had a slight drive and shook the goal net.
Continuing to dominate the game with the momentum of catching up, we allowed a winning goal in the end and suffered our first loss of the season at Ajinomoto Stadium. It was a tough result, but we will continue to never give up and use this as a lesson for future games.
Player WATANABE commented that even though the team is not in the desired shape, a spectacular goal will be born from a team that continues to win. Next, he will score a goal in Tokyo's style of "attacking with the ball" and secure 3 points.
Last season, the match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima was highly anticipated as a battle between two new coaches with distinctive tactics.
Style of controlling the game by holding the ball and pushing the opponent to score, and style of pressing with high intensity from the front line to steal the ball and immediately transition to attack with short counters. It was also sometimes contrasted with the phrases "possession" and "storming".
The result was 2 wins for Tokyo. In the match at Ajinomoto Stadium, which was the home opener, despite not being able to connect the ball as desired, each player seized their chances and brought home the victory. In the away match, they were faced with a tough situation where they allowed the opponent to take the lead and were overwhelmed by their physicality, but in the final moments, they were able to score a goal with Adailton's individual skill and achieved a dramatic comeback victory.
This season as well, it seems that the outcome of the match will be determined by the battle at the ball.
Considering the team's situation, it is no exaggeration to say that Hiroshima, who has won 5 consecutive official matches since April, is currently the most powerful team in the J-League. On the other hand, Tokyo struggled in both performance and results in early April matches. However, in the league match against Cerezo Osaka and the Levain Cup match against Gamba Osaka, they were able to regain their style of pushing the opponent while maintaining possession of the ball, and were able to score goals despite the challenges.
Connect the ball without hesitation against a strong opponent, pass the opponent who quickly approaches the ball side with a strong pass work, and take control of the game. It is a challenge this season to come up with ideas to open up the goal after pushing in, but now is the time to show the results of the training we have been working on since the camp, as we are starting to regain our form.
[Albert PUIG ORTONEDA Interview]
Q, the Levain Cup the other day was also played with the 4-2-3-1 system. Will you continue with this system in future league matches?
A, this season we plan to use different systems depending on the situation, but we believe that the team's style is more important than the system.
Q, in the recent Levain Cup, the side back's good play improved the quality of ball possession.
A, as the team's style continues to grow, the full-back players are expected to play more aggressively and technically. If they can dominate the ball more than they do now, I think the defensive time and number of times will naturally decrease. Therefore, we expect attacking play from the full-back players. Looking back on the Levain Cup so far, I think we were able to express good plays, and when viewed fragmentarily, there were scenes where we surpassed the opponent with good plays. There is still a long way to go to establish our style. We want to continue working on it.
Q, how will you make use of the gains from the Gamba Osaka match in the Sanfrecce Hiroshima match?
A, Sanfrecce Hiroshima tends to not make significant changes to their lineup in the league and Levain Cup. Hiroshima's strength lies in their high-intensity pressing and combination play, led by a great coach. They are a dangerous club in the race for the top, but we are also starting to regain the good feeling we had at the beginning of the season. After the start of the season, players have been continuously sidelined, making it difficult to maintain a good feeling, but we are now in the process of regaining it. Along with this good feeling, the players are also sharpening their skills with a good sense of connection. It is because a good flow has been revived that we want to continue to play good matches tomorrow and regain a good flow in the league as well.
Q: What kind of momentum has been created for the team by winning the Gamba Osaka match?
A, like life, soccer is greatly influenced by mentality. Naturally, if we lose a game, we will suffer a significant mental damage. On the other hand, winning can help us regain our mental strength and become a tailwind. The victory against Gamba Osaka had a positive impact on us.
Q, How is the condition of Kashif BANGNAGANDE?
A, in this situation, physical condition alone is not everything. Players like Ryoma WATANABE and Shuto ABE, even if their condition has returned, must first regain their game sense. The same can be said for player Koshi FU, who is currently in the same situation. By gaining playing time in official matches, he can regain his game sense.
Q, we played against Hiroshima in a training match before the opening. I think the team has a good image of that time.
A, of course, there was a good feeling. It wasn't just the training match with Hiroshima that had a good feeling, but also the opening match against Urawa Reds. However, after that, there were continuous casualties, and I lost that feeling. It seems that there were multiple casualties as the games went on. We shouldn't place too much importance on the results of training matches, but we were able to progress through the preseason in a good way.
Q, it is a match against Hiroshima, who specializes in high press.
A, of course, I think it will be a difficult match. However, I don't think it will be easy for them to break through our press. We will stick to our style and fight for victory.
Q: In the recent Levain Cup, Soma ANZAI player made a full-time appearance. Please evaluate him once again.
A, the point that will be a plus in our style is that when technical players join, the ball becomes the lubricant of communication. It is also said that the passing of the ball becomes one of the communications, so it shouldn't take him long to adapt to it. Players like him are the ones we expect. He will have a bright future ahead of him.
Q, it seems that the depth of the player layer of the side back has increased with the addition of player Yasuzaki.
A, there are no players in the team who are guaranteed positions or playing time. I believe that everyone has a chance to play.
[Player Interview]
＜Kashif BANGNAGANDE＞
Q: How is your condition now that you have returned this week?
A, I think the condition is improving. I was absent for about 3 weeks due to injury, but I was able to return to practice in good shape.
Q, do you feel confident playing from here without any worries?
A, yes. I can play without any concerns or symptoms of injury.
Q, please tell us about tomorrow's Sanfrecce Hiroshima match.
It is an important match for us as a team to change the momentum. We were able to win against Gamba Osaka in the Levain Cup and we want to continue that momentum and create an even better flow.
Q, do you also feel an increasing desire to participate in the game?
A, I was full of desire to play as soon as possible even during the period of absence. If I can get a chance to play, it's a feeling of "I'll do it!"
Q: During the period of absence, did you review your own play?
A, of course, I reviewed my own play, but I also paid attention to the play of Shuhei TOKUMOTO. The plays where I need to get inside myself were very educational.
Q, how do you plan to utilize your experience as a member of the Japanese national team in the future?
Through national team activities, I keenly felt the need to improve at all levels in terms of playing and technical aspects, but it also became a period that worked positively for me. Since there was a period when I couldn't play soccer, I would like to spend fulfilling time from now on.
Q: Did you feel any sense of accomplishment while playing and working with players from around the world?
A, it still feels like something is missing.
Q, the impression was that the participation in the friendly match was highly regarded by the public.
A, the evaluation around me was certainly high, but personally, there were also plays I wanted to express, and I still have the impression that there is still a long way to go.
Q, if you were to participate in tomorrow's Hiroshima match, it would also be an opportunity to express what you have gained through representative activities.
A, if there is a chance to participate, I would like to actively try what I have gained. Before that, I am prioritizing the team's victory.
Q, what specific plays do you want to try?
I want to increase the number of plays in the attacking third, which is also a characteristic of mine, by going inside. In the friendly match against Colombia, I couldn't play in that area at all. I want to demonstrate my strengths in attacking plays and play at a higher position.
Q, please tell us your impression of Hiroshima again.
A, intensity, and individual ability leave a strong impression. I think if we can surpass our opponents individually, it will lead to victory. If we increase our attacking play on the sides, it will also lead to taking control. When I participate, I want to actively make moves.
