From the disappointing defeat in the 2024 J.League YBC Levain Cup playoff round, it's been two days. The battle for the second time since the 2011 season towards the top has begun.
J1 clubs will participate in the 104th Emperor's Cup All Japan Soccer Championship from the 2nd round. In this tournament where the "best in Japan" including prefectural representatives compete, FC Tokyo will face Veertien Mie, the representative of Mie Prefecture, at Ajinomoto Stadium.
The Emperor's Cup first match comes at a time when we vow to make a comeback from our frustration. In the Levain Cup, we were defeated by Sanfrecce Hiroshima with a total score of two games, both of which we allowed goals in quick succession, losing the flow of the game and ultimately being eliminated from the tournament without being able to mount a counterattack.
Kei KOIZUMI, who wore the captain's armband in the Hiroshima match, said, "We have to firmly accept the reality of losing one of the three titles easily. We have the Emperor's Cup in two days, so we have to go there and fight with all our might, or we may stumble again. We want to stay grounded and keep going."
In past Emperor's Cups, many clubs in the categories below have been forced to drink hot water. In the 2021 season, they were defeated in the 2nd round by Juntendo University. Looking at the overall trend of the tournament, it is also the fear of the Emperor's Cup that amateur teams and J3, J2 clubs who approach with high motivation struggle and "giant killing" is likely to occur.
The game that we must face with a strong determination after losing one title as Tokyo. Mental and physical recovery is required in quick succession, but focusing on the upcoming game can also be seen as a positive aspect.
Manager Peter CKLAMOVSKI said at the post-Hiroshima match press conference, "Right now, I feel regret and frustration, but football never sleeps. I think it will be a tough Wednesday, but we will recover and work to improve, and we want to go back to Tokyo and do our job."
The opponent Mie is currently in 4th place in the JFL (Japan Football League), which is the top amateur national league. In the 1st round of the Emperor's Cup, they defeated J3 club FC Imabari with a goal from player Shota Tamura. Under the guidance of coach Shuichi Mase, who has experience coaching at clubs such as Ehime FC and Blaublitz Akita, they aim for promotion to the J League with captain Kojiro Shinohara, who has played in over 200 matches in the J2 League for clubs like Avispa Fukuoka and Fagiano Okayama. They also have many other players with J League experience, so they cannot be underestimated.
As Tokyo, we want to approach the Levain Cup with an aggressive attitude, without ever being passive and pushing the frustration of defeat to the forefront.
Keigo HIGASHI, who has shown his presence as a substitute, emphasized the importance of mental preparation for the Emperor's Cup. "In this situation, playing every other day, it will be a really difficult match. We have little time to prepare after returning from an away game, so we have to approach it with a fresh mentality. It will be a game where our emotions will be tested. I want to show more and more passion and fight," he showed his determination.
On the other hand, the big gain in the Hiroshima match was FC Tokyo U-18 player Divine OTANI, who made his debut for the top team and scored his first goal with a powerful header. When he stepped onto the top team's pitch as a registered player, he used his prideful speed to enter the penalty area. He then shook the net with a header from Leon NOZAWA's pinpoint cross.
"I was determined to leave something behind when I stepped onto the pitch. Today, I scored an away goal, so next time I want to score in front of the fans and supporters at Ajinomoto Stadium," said the second year high school student with enthusiasm. There are high expectations for his home debut.
In addition, Ryunosuke Sato has joined the team from the U-19 Japan national team's trip to France, taking into account the team's situation. This adds depth to the team's roster.
Emperor's Cup, which uses a complete knockout format. Use the frustration hidden in your chest as nourishment and firmly advance, carving out your own future with your own hands.
[Interview with Peter Cklamovski]
Q, Sanfrecce Hiroshima will face the 2nd round of the Emperor's Cup just 2 days after the match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
We regret not being able to advance in the Levain Cup. We will turn our disappointment into energy and switch our focus to tomorrow's work, so that we can all do it together.
Q, When the category changes, the eye color of the lower category teams also changes.
A, that's the beautiful aspect of football. Such challenges are packed in cup competitions and it's very beautiful. I think they will also come to fight with full energy and ambition. We must respect our opponents and play against them. It will be a tough match, but all we have to do is play our football firmly on the pitch. Now, we will show what we have built as a team and turn it into results.
Q, you will also be required to surpass the opponent's toughness and hard work in your play.
A, that's football. It's just about focusing on our way of fighting and showing our performance. It's about concentrating from the start of the game, running more than the opponent, having more physical strength than the opponent, and winning the battle. It's just about fighting our own battle. We never think that tomorrow's game will be easy. We just prepare for a tough game with our motivation and ambition. And we will approach the game with our switch turned on so that we can do our job. We will prepare for various things that may happen.
Q, will you be using fresh players mainly in terms of physicality for the match against Júbilo Iwata when the J1 League resumes this weekend?
A, I will choose players to play based on their physical and individual status, considering who is fresh and who is ready. I only think about winning. In order to express our style of football and our way of fighting on the pitch, the players are also preparing. That is something we keep in mind as a team every game. It doesn't matter who we are facing. Even if we were to face Real Madrid, we will go for the win. I believe that mindset will help us grow even further.
[Player Interview]
＜Ryunosuke SATO＞
Q, I returned to the team suddenly from representative activities. How do you want to utilize the parts that are being demanded and the experience of representative activities?
In the U-19 Japan national team's expedition, we have also achieved good results and I believe we can approach the Emperor's Cup with a positive mindset. As other players may be fatigued from consecutive matches, I want to be conscious of pushing the team forward with aggressive and fresh plays.
Q, How did you feel when you were asked to return to the team?
When I received the request from the club to return to the team from my activities with the Japan national team U-19, I felt very positive and thought it would be beneficial for me personally. I want to make the most of this opportunity and turn it into something that will lead to the next step. While results are necessary to continue playing in games, I believe that focusing too much on results can narrow one's perspective and ultimately prevent them from performing at their best. I want to organize my strengths and use them to move my teammates and add an attacking accent. I believe this is my specialty, so I will work hard to find a balance.
Q, What kind of play do you want to express in the game?
A, everyone, including the fans and supporters, is seeking victory as the top priority, and within that, we are aiming for an attacking style of football. Of course, scoring goals is important, but we also want to keep a clean sheet and show a tight game. Regardless of the opponent, we want to strive for a clean sheet victory.
Q, Divine OTANI said, "Ryunosuke SATO's presence is motivating." How did you feel about OTANI's performance?
I was surprised to score my first goal in my debut match. I knew he was a highly potential player, but seeing him perform so well early on was inspiring for me. I can't afford to lose.
＜Player Leon NOZAWA＞
Q, As a team, we have been eliminated from the Levain Cup, but personally, I have achieved an assist.
A, After the match, we received various words and messages. We received words of joy and encouragement, and we also received words of encouragement, expecting growth from here. I realized that I must not be satisfied with the current situation and must work harder from here. I feel blessed to have fans, supporters, friends, staff, and teammates. There are still many things that are lacking, so I want to push myself further.
Q, didn't the pinpoint cross lead to a goal and give you confidence in your growth?
A, From practice, I was conscious of sending crosses to that position and had no hesitation in my play selection. I was able to confidently put up crosses in a good way and that assist gave me confidence in other plays as well. I think that if I can become a player who can supply crosses, not just forcefully take deep positions with dribbling, my range of play will also expand.
Q, Aren't the demands on yourself also changing?
In any game, we must consistently demonstrate plays involving crosses and goals, such as in the Sanfrecce Hiroshima match. There are many things that are lacking, and although I was able to assist, I was not able to score in the first game. I want to further polish my shooting, technique, and decision-making from here. I don't have a sense of whether I am growing or not, but I am able to approach things positively. I want to improve in all aspects while communicating with my teammates and ensuring understanding in our plays.
Kota TAWARATSUMIDA player
Q, I received the Young Player Award for the May 2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 League. How do you feel about being recognized for your performance so far?
A, I am happy to be evaluated, but I only have the feeling of wanting to work hard and aim for myself because I have many challenges. First of all, I think that I cannot go any further without leaving visible results such as numbers, so I would like to work on it while receiving advice from many people on the challenges.
Q, we have not scored multiple goals in our recent matches.
First of all, in order to score, you have to take a shot, so I want to increase the scenes where I actively take shots. Personally, I can see the course to take a shot even when dribbling. With advice from Naohiro ISHIKAWA CG, I am practicing daily to be able to take the best shot by trying different steps and ways to hit the ball when dribbling at top speed. I hope to see results from my efforts.
Q, How will you approach the Emperor's Cup in such a difficult situation with many injured players?
I want to play with all my strength to achieve the result of victory. The Emperor's Cup is a tournament that ends if you lose, so victory is absolutely necessary no matter what the content is. Of course, it would be great to overwhelm the opponent and win, but it's not a situation where we can just say nice things, so I really want to win by any means necessary.
