<Match Review>
In the previous match, Albirex Niigata achieved a resounding victory in their away game, and this week, the blue and red players have returned home to Ajinomoto Stadium in search of their first victory of the season. Two changes have been made to the starting lineup since the Niigata match, with reliable center back Masato MORISHIGE returning to the starting lineup after 6 games. Diego OLIVEIRA, who scored his first goal of the season in the Niigata match, also started on the pitch for the first time in 8 games.
Fans and supporters filled the home Ajinomoto Stadium with blue and red, and the team pushed for victory from the beginning, bringing the joy of victory to their "home" and pressuring Kyoto Sanga F.C.'s goal with Tokyo colors.
1stHALF - Kashiwa Reysol leads with 2 goals from Kashiwa Ajinomoto's first goal and Diego's goal
It was a lightning-fast opening goal.
Diego TABA collected the loose ball in the midfield and simply dropped it to Teruhito NAKAGAWA. NAKAGAWA then spread the ball to right side to Soma ANZAI. ANZAI, who was on a high speed, chose a direct cross, but it didn't connect with Kota TAWARATSUMIDA who was running up. However, Kashif BANGNAGANDE, who had been running at full speed from behind, took a shot with his left foot. The shot hit the opponent's defender, but still found its way into the goal net.
The voltage of the stadium quickly rises with the opening goal in the 4th minute, and Kyoto continues to threaten with consecutive attacks. However, as they struggle to score another goal, Kyoto regains their composure and takes back control of the pace.
However, in the 15th minute of the first half, Mori Shige player did not let the ball go into the goal by concentrating on defense in the penalty area, such as dealing with the situation of the pinch of Toyokawa player's cross with his head and shooting it towards the frame.
Then, in the 21st minute of the first half, an additional goal was born. Tsubakumita player pushed in from the left side, and supplied a cross ball while cutting into the center with a dribble. Diego TABA, who was unmarked, headed the ball into the goal.
Tokyo, who efficiently piled up goals, does not let up their attack. In the 32nd minute of the first half, Nakagawa couldn't finish a big chance, and in the scene where Morishige player scored a free kick in the 39th minute of the first half, it was cancelled due to offside.
Although we were unable to secure a decisive third goal in the first half, we put on a fantastic performance and headed into halftime.
2ndHALF—Despite switching to a defensive stance, they managed to limit the opponent to only 1 goal, securing their second consecutive victory of the season.
Substituting Kanta DOI, who had injured his leg towards the end of the first half, with Tetsuhei OKA making his J1 debut before the start of the second half. Despite being a last-minute replacement, the rookie took control as Tokyo continued to dominate the game in the second half.
However, we were not able to create many chances to score the third goal that would decide the game, and in the 16th minute of the second half, Kei Koizumi and Teruhito Nakagawa were substituted for Riki Harakawa and Jája Silva. The fresh players were brought in to seal the game.
In the 30th minute of the second half, Diego TABA showed his skillful ball control and turn to turn the situation around and launch a counter attack. However, the cross from substitute player Leon NOZAWA was cleared by a defender, and the follow-up shot from Takahiro KO was blocked by another defender.
In such a development, the next point is born in Kyoto. In the 34th minute of the second half, from the right corner kick, Sora HIRAGA headed in a precise kick from player Taiki HIRATO on the near side, narrowing the gap to one point.
A big chance comes to Tokyo right after that. Nogawa player broke through the space behind the opponent, but the shot was blocked by the opponent goalkeeper who closed the gap at the perfect timing. In additional time, Mori Shige player's hand was caught in the penalty area and a penalty kick was awarded. The stadium fell silent for a moment due to the big pinch given at the end of the game, but the decision was overturned thanks to VAR support. In the very end, they avoided the biggest pinch and achieved their second consecutive victory of the season.
After a perfect first half, the end of the second half was a hectic time, but in the end we were able to defend our own space with everyone and secure a 2-1 victory. We grabbed our first win at Ajinomoto Stadium and achieved our second consecutive win.
This marks the 5th win of the season and brings the total points to 18. The top teams are now clearly in sight.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Go HATANO
DF Kosuke SHIRAI/Masato MORISHIGE/Kanta DOI (46': Tetsuhiro OKA)/Kashif BANGNAGANDE
MF Takahiro KO/Kei KOIZUMI (61': Riki HARAKAWA)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (61': Jája Silva)
FW Diego OLIVEIRA (80': Yuto NAGATOMO)/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (72': Leon NOZAWA)/Soma ANZAI
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF Shuhei TOKUMOTO
GOAL
4 minutes into the first half: Kashif BANGNAGANDE / 21 minutes into the first half: Diego OLIVEIRA
＜Kyoto Sanga F.C.＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Kuson Yun
DF Shinnosuke Fukuda (31st minute of the second half: Yuta Miyamoto)/Shogo Asada/Keita Matsuda (0th minute of the second half: Fuyu Suzuki)/Hisashi Appiah Tawiah
MF Shohei Takeda (0th minute of the second half: Taiki Hirato)/Temma Matsuda (14th minute of the second half: Sora Hiraga)/Daiki Kaneko/Kyo Sato
FW Taichi Hara/Yuta Toyokawa (14th minute of the second half: Kazunari Ichimi)
SUBS
GK Gakuji OTA
DF Yoshinori SUZUKI
GOAL
34' Second Half: Sora HIRAGA
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]
Q: please review the game.
A, I think there were a lot of things in today's match. Especially in the first half, we were able to play strong football, make exciting plays, and create situations where we could score several points. On the other hand, in the second half, there were parts where we struggled because we deviated from our way of playing. I think we made it difficult for ourselves. In the midst of that, the players had a great mentality and fought desperately. I also think they fought until the end to win 3 points for the club and the fans and supporters. I am very happy to see them work hard to win 3 points.
The players gave a performance worthy of victory. I am happy that the fans and supporters are pleased. Today's victory is because they supported the team strongly. Today, there were many positive points in our football and many good points for us to grow. In order to become a stronger team, I think there are areas where we can do better and improve, so I want to learn from that lesson. Today, the players are celebrating the victory, and they will work hard to recover and prepare for Monday's game.
Q, Masato MORISHIGE and Diego OLIVEIRA started the game as players were absent for various reasons.
A, I think their performance was great. I think they contributed a lot to the performance to get 3 points, and they showed strong leadership and character in the fight. It's a difficult situation with several players missing, but all the members who are able to practice are working hard with the mentality of wanting to grow every day. The results were shown by players like Morishige and Diego, but I think that can be said for all players.
Mori Shige player has been preparing to contribute to the team with hunger. He showed that in today's performance. There were some issues with his condition and there was a time when Diego Taba player couldn't practice, but it's great that he came back. I think today's performance is the result of their daily efforts.
To fight through the season, all players are necessary. This is a crucial moment where everyone's strength is needed. I believe both the football aspect and the mentality aspect have been growing, and this is an important part. Today, I think we were able to fight as a strong team, but there is still a lot of potential. We must continue to work hard and grow as a team in order to become the team we dream of. We want to continue humbly and improve while working hard.
[Player Interview]
Kashif BANGNAGANDE
Q: please review the first goal.
A, this season, as a team, we have been working on having the opposite fullback enter for crosses from the opposite side, and there have been several close scenes so far. We were able to score the first goal of the season in the way we had been aiming for as a team, and it was great to see our hard work pay off.
Q, I felt that the positioning of the side back was also organized as a team.
A, I am working with the team on various patterns such as where to go when breaking the opponent, patterns where crosses come up from the opposite side as well as my own side, and other patterns in our regular practice. Not only the positioning of the side back, but also what to do including the wing and other positions are organized and understood, so I feel like I can make bold plays.
Q, On the other hand, I think there is also a demand for risk management in defense, how are you dealing with it?
A, as we are aggressively pushing forward, we need to focus more on managing the defensive risks. There were some dangerous situations where we were caught off guard, so as a team and individually, we want to focus on improving in that area.
Q, The defense time became longer around the 15-minute mark of the second half, resulting in conceding a goal towards the end. What are the challenges?
A, although the start of the second half was good, we were unable to score additional points at a good time and gradually fell into the opponent's pace, and were gradually pushed back. As a team, I think there are challenges in how we finish the game, so I want to make immediate adjustments for the upcoming consecutive matches.
<Diego OLIVEIRA player>
Q, please review the game.
A tough game. The opponent had a lot of power and put pressure on us, but we were able to fight until the end and win. The support from the fans and supporters was a great help for us players. I was able to play in the early part of the season, but my condition wasn't good and I couldn't play in the last game against Albirex Niigata. During that time, my teammates, team staff, and fans and supporters supported me and I want to express my gratitude to them.
Q, please take a look back at the goal scene that led to the first victory at Ajinomoto Stadium this season.
A, Today's game started off well from the first half. We created many chances and Kashif BANGNAGANDE scored the opening goal in the early stages, which allowed us to gain a good momentum. At the timing when we started to play more in the opponent's area, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA sent a wonderful cross with his right foot. It was a perfect header shot and I want to thank TAWARATSUMIDA for his assist. Today, I want all the players, fans, and supporters to share the joy of our first victory at Ajinomoto Stadium this season.
Q, we have entered an 8-game streak in May, including today's match. How will you approach it?
A, We need to overcome the tight schedule together in a short period of time. The next match against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo is only 2 days away. The away game against Sapporo is always a difficult and tough match, so we want to prepare for the game with everyone and grab a victory like today's match. Our players have the quality to perform well no matter who is on the field. We want to rest well today and then continue to improve from tomorrow so that we can play our own style of soccer.
<Tetsuhiro OKA>
Q, I made my professional debut in the Levain Cup, but suddenly I got a chance to play in the J1 League, and at home in Ajinomoto Stadium.
A, I was always ready to play, and I'm glad we were able to end with a win at home, but unfortunately we conceded a goal after I was subbed in at 2-0. There were many things that needed to be fixed, such as creating an atmosphere where we don't allow goals, being aware of our surroundings as individuals, and not relying on others for defensive positioning. I feel like there are many things that need to be corrected.
Q, I didn't have the impression that you were in such a hurry.
I was conscious of creating an atmosphere and behavior that would make people think that we were not in a hurry and that we were doing things in a dignified manner.
Q, how was it to play in front of the home crowd at Ajinomoto Stadium, which is different from your debut match at NHK Spring Mitsuzawa Football Stadium away?
Since my academy days, I have always wanted to play here and my goal of winning at Ajinomoto Stadium has been achieved, so I think this is just the beginning. Standing on this pitch, I realized that I need to keep improving my skills.
Q: Please share your takeaways and challenges from today's game.
A, I think it was a good experience to be able to get into the atmosphere of the game and win even when I came on as a substitute. As for areas to improve, I still need to work on my positioning, especially as a center back, to avoid being pulled out wide and also to better control the defensive line. In terms of build-up play, I tend to focus on the nearby options and struggle to make use of my strength in long passes.
Q, Are there any areas you want to change during the game for the next match?
A, I want to try there first because it is my specialty to be able to give a feed with both feet that can become a chance by looking at players on a distant front line. I want to create an atmosphere where I am not allowed to defend, and I want to put up antennas to pick off the buds of the opponent's attack and become the starting point of the attack.
Q, please give a message to all the fans and supporters.
A, first of all, I want to say "I'm home". I want to continue from here without missing a day of building up, in order to show my growth when I come back.
