<Match Review>
J1 League, Levain Cup Prime Stage Quarterfinals followed by a 3-game series against Avispa Fukuoka. In the J1 League Sec. 26 match held 3 days ago, we were forced to chase after being scored 2 points early in the first half, and although we managed to score 1 point towards the end, we lost 1-2.
The remaining two matches will determine the winner in a home and away game as the tournament changes. The first match will be held at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo, the home of the team. With only two days in between, it will be a crucial match to redeem themselves from the disappointment of the league game.
1stHALF - Don't miss a moment's opportunity and take the lead with Adagol
The beginning of the game saw Fukuoka dominating and playing in their own half, but they were able to build up from the center back and use the space to launch quick counterattacks against the opponent's formation.
Tokyo moves the game before the flow of the game leans to either side. In the 16th minute of the first half, Adailton reacted to the ball that was played behind Fukuoka and matched up with Douglas. Douglas reached the ball first and headed it back, but the goalkeeper missed the ball. Adailton, who was following the ball with momentum, tucked in the loose ball in front of the goal and scored.
Tokyo, who firmly holds onto their ball and neutralizes the opponent's momentum. In the 23rd minute of the first half, player Erik Harakawa received the ball from the left side of the penalty area and took a look. As soon as he saw that the opponent was not closing in, he swung his right foot and scored a sharp middle shot in the upper left corner of the goal. Although the opponent's goalkeeper made a great save, Tokyo created a chance by not missing the opponent's gap in the flow of the game.
As the first half comes to an end, Fukuoka is pushed back and their defense is tested. However, they continue to challenge and deflect the ball without lowering their defensive formation too much. In the 45+1 minute, there was a scene where a powerful shot was taken, but SLOWIK reacted sharply to the ball flying towards the left corner of the goal and deflected it out of the frame.
2nd HALF - Advance to the 2nd match with a win
Fukuoka, who made three substitution cards from the start of the second half, comes forward with momentum, but Tokyo maintains a compact formation and does not allow them to create space for a finish.
After taking the ball, we use the front line simply and launch a counterattack, utilizing the space inside the Fukuoka team's center of gravity that is leaning forward. In the 15th minute of the second half, Adailton, who received the ball from Yuto NAGATOMO, ran up the left side and entered the penalty area with momentum, but his shot was blocked by the opponent's goalkeeper who closed the distance.
In the second half, after passing the midfield, they try to take control by making substitution cards. In the 30th minute of the second half, they send in Teruhito NAKAGAWA for Adailton, Ryoma WATANABE for Higashi, and Tsubasa TERAYAMA for Tsukagawa. In the 35th minute of the second half, they substituted Kashif BANGNAGANDE for Shirai.
As the game enters the final stage, there are more and more situations where we are pushed back. Instead of defending, we will continue to fight by firmly connecting our ball to the front line, carrying it, and attacking for an additional goal. Even in additional time, Tokyo continued to maintain an aggressive attitude. They kept their one-point lead, won the first game, and kept their hopes alive for advancing to the semifinal round in the second game.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING XI
GK Jakub SLOWIK
DF Kei KOIZUMI/Masato MORISHIGE/Henrique TREVISAN/Yuto NAGATOMO
MF Koki TSUKAGAWA (substituted by Tsubasa TERAYAMA at 30 minutes of the second half)/Keigo HIGASHI (substituted by Ryoma WATANABE at 30 minutes of the second half)/Riki HARAKAWA
FW Kosuke SHIRAI (substituted by Kashif BANGNAGANDE at 35 minutes of the second half)/Naoki KUMATA (substituted by Kanta DOI at 45+2 minutes of the second half)/Adailton (substituted by Teruhito NAKAGAWA at 30 minutes of the second half)
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
FW PEROTTI
GOAL
16' Adailton
＜Avispa Fukuoka＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Takumi NAGAISHI
DF Masato YUZAWA/Douglas GROLLI (46': Tatsuki NARA)/Masaya TASHIRO/Daiki MIYA/Masashi KAMEKAWA (80': Yota MAEJIMA)
MF Tatsuya TANAKA (46': Ryoga SATO)/Yuto HIRATSUKA/Kimiya MORIYAMA (46': Yosuke IDEGUCHI)
FW Reiju TSURUNO (65': Wellington)/Takeshi KANAMORI
SUBS
GK Masaaki MURAKAMI
MF Kazuya KONNO
GOAL
―
[Peter CKLAMOVSKI Manager Press Conference Comments]
Q: please review the game.
A, overall I think the performance was good. Among that, I think the players gave us something great and grabbed the victory firmly. I think we were able to show a very good part in the first half, and I think we were able to play solidly in the second half as well. The players showed dedication and their own characteristics, and I think it was a performance worthy of victory.
Q: Today, we adopted a 3-back formation. What was the intention behind that decision?
A, I think we were able to play according to our current situation, and play according to the current situation. The players played each and every one of them firmly and gave everything they had. As I mentioned earlier, we were able to produce something wonderful in the first half. However, there are still areas that need to be polished. The important thing is to recover properly from here. And it's still halftime, so I want to go for the victory away.
Q, this was the second game of the three-game series against Avispa Fukuoka. Did you find it difficult to play against them?
A unique situation, but it is important to prepare correctly for the next game without looking too far ahead. There are certainly difficult parts, but the performance that the players showed today was of very high quality. And they firmly demonstrated their feelings and character towards this club. The players deserve praise, and I think they deserve victory.
Q, as the third consecutive match, please tell us your enthusiasm for the second leg of the Levain Cup quarterfinals.
A, no matter who the opponent is, it is important for us to play solidly. As it is a series of three games, we understand each other's ways of playing, so we will focus only on ourselves and prepare to deliver a good performance. It is still halftime. I think it will be a tough away game, but we will go there to seize the victory.
[Player Interview]
Henrique TREVISAN
Q, it was a victory without conceding a goal.
A, I thought it would be a tough match today. I am very happy that we were able to finish the game without conceding a goal, prepared for the opponent's playing style.
Q, the defense line was in a different formation with three players. Please tell us the points you were conscious of in terms of defense.
A, I think it was good that the attitude towards the game was significantly different compared to the previous match. By changing the system, we were able to defend well. We still have an away game at Avispa Fukuoka, so I want to win properly and advance to the next stage.
Q, in the league match on Sunday, we lost in a tough situation, but we faced today's game with a short preparation period. What were the major improvements compared to the previous match?
I think the fact that we were able to concentrate on the game right from the start and get into it led to today's victory.
Q, Wellington and Ryoga SATO were brought on in the second half, and I think the defensive time increased. What kind of communication did the defensive players have with each other?
A, I can communicate with Yuto NAGATOMO in Spanish, and I have played many games with Masato MORISHIGE. We were able to maintain a high intensity with a good sense of distance while communicating well.
<Riki HARAKAWA>
Q, please reflect on the 90 minutes in which you made a significant contribution to the victory as a starter after your transfer.
A, because it was a cup match, we first discussed playing it safe as a team. In the league match on the 3rd, we conceded a goal early on, so we were able to organize that aspect and approach the game. We had a shared understanding and intention to play long balls to Adailton and Naoki KUMATA in the early stages, and that led to Adailton's goal. I think we also gained a great sense of accomplishment as a team.
Q, we saw defensive care and a play that balanced offense and defense at a low midfield position. If there was anything you were conscious of, please let us know.
A, the opponent did not actively come to take the ball when I had it, so there were many scenes where I received the ball freely. I think I was able to play in the first half while watching the opponent's formation and pressing. Throughout the game, rather than actively participating in the attack, I played as a player who balances the overall team, reads the flow of the game, and connects the forward line and the defensive line. I especially focused on positioning myself to send the ball to the forward players from a low position.
Q: After scoring, I think there was a long time spent on defense. What challenges does the team have in order to score additional points?
After scoring a goal, defensive play became more prominent. Of course, defensive play is important to prevent conceding goals, but I think it is crucial for the team to increase the emphasis on scoring a second goal.
Q: Previously, you mentioned that you wanted to increase the amount of time you spend touching the ball. How is that going?
A, the number of times I receive the ball and the number of times I touch it gradually increase, and as time goes by, I feel that they understand my playing style. I think that if we can balance playing with more courage during the leading time and playing with a focus on defense, we will become a better team.
Q, the second match of the quarterfinals is coming up in 3 days. Please share your enthusiasm for the away match of Avispa Fukuoka, who has a poor winning rate.
I have heard that Tokyo has a poor winning percentage in away games in Fukuoka, but I don't know that in a good way. Rather, personally, I have many good impressions of BEST DENKI STADIUM. With today's victory of 1-0, Fukuoka will come with even more momentum, and I want to approach the game considering the position of the second match and the cup competition.
<Kosuke SHIRAI>
Q, it was your first start in a while. Please reflect on the game.
In the Yokohama F.Marinos match of the 24th Sec. of the J1 League, I conceded a goal due to my own mistake and ended up losing. I think I was in a situation where I had to regain trust from scratch, and I believe I was able to demonstrate through my play that I can defend and run with all my might. From here on, step by step, I want to regain trust.
Q, the starting position was on the left side. Please tell me what you were conscious of, considering that you have played on the right side more often until now.
In the match against Avispa Fukuoka on the 3rd, there were few plays where we took advantage of the opponent's back and there were many scenes where we were caught and attacked by the opponent. I tried to actively take advantage of my speed and especially focused on taking advantage of the back today. It seemed like the opponent's defense was also uncomfortable.
Q, there were scenes where you were able to position yourself well on the left side and suppress the opponent's play both in attack and defense.
A, I was able to play while communicating well with Keigo HIGASHI and Yuto NAGATOMO. Higashi was able to show his face in the space between Nagatomo and me, and I was able to play with his support.
Q: Please tell us the major factor that was able to be corrected from the Fukuoka match on the 3rd.
I think it is the fact that we were able to express plays that the opponent dislikes from the beginning. In the previous game, there were many scenes where we lost in the ball contest. I think that being able to win in each situation was the factor that brought the momentum to us.
<Kashif BANGNAGANDE>
Q, this was my first appearance since the Cerezo Osaka match on May 24th.
A, it was my first official game appearance in about 4 months, so I felt very refreshed. It was just like usual until I arrived at Ajinomoto Stadium, but when I stepped onto the pitch for warm-up, I realized that I had come back.
Q: It was a long rehabilitation period, but what kind of preparations did you make?
A, starting with a knee injury in the Japan national team, I also injured my ankle, so I worked on training to review the way my body moves to prevent injuries. With the support of many people, I was able to overcome the four months and stand on the pitch. I had been looking forward to this day for four months, so today I poured out those feelings. I think this is a fresh start from here.
Q: After getting injured, the coach changed, and there were often many differences in tactics between before and after the injury and when I returned. What kind of things did you focus on during practice matches?
A, while I was injured, there was a change in coach, so I was watching from the outside to see what kind of soccer they were playing. Today, I played in a different position than before, but I was conscious of not losing in the attacking and defending on the side and not being able to cross. I was conscious of fulfilling the coach's instructions.
Q: You came on as a substitute, what were you conscious of when you entered the game?
A, because we were able to play the game in a good flow, I wanted to maintain that flow and bring even more momentum. Since I entered the game in the last 10 minutes while we were winning, I was particularly conscious of tightening the defense first.
Q, depending on the results of the next match, it may lead to advancing to the semifinals. Please share your enthusiasm for the second match.
I think the Prime Stage of the Levain Cup is a 180-minute game. Since only the first half has ended, if we don't get results in the second game, today's victory will be meaningless. We lost in the away game of the league this season, so even though it's a short time, I want to prepare well for the next game and definitely win.
