<Last Match・Sagan Tosu Review>
A perfect chance has just fallen in front of me. The blue and red center back was only thinking about shooting.
The ball, shot powerfully with the right foot, hit the near side and slammed into the bar, bouncing once before piercing the goal net. In the 11th minute of the match, it seemed like a good time to score the opening goal.
However, the assistant referee's decision was offside. It seemed that the opening goal was scored from the corner kick, but Yasuki KIMOTO, who was supposed to have scored the crucial goal, quickly returned to his usual position as a center back.
"In situations like that, it often becomes offside. The assistant referee raised the flag, so I thought it must be offside and went back."
Ryotaro ARAKI's right corner kick was deflected, and Takahiro KO headed it forward, but the position of Kimoto, who remained in the front line, was ruled offside. However, with the support of VAR, the goal was confirmed. This was the first opening goal for Tokyo in six league matches.
"A circle of joy was formed around the hero who blushed and laughed, saying, "I was embarrassed because there was a time difference," as the players returned to their own territory."
In the end, this goal became the winning point and Tokyo won 1-0. They achieved a shutout victory for the first time since the Sec. 7 match against Kashima Antlers in the final round.
As symbolized by KIMOTO's return to his position after seeing the offside flag, the defense was focused on keeping a clean sheet at the away game against Tosu.
"The only match where we kept a clean sheet in the league was against Kashima, and as a defender, I felt really frustrated. Even when the forwards scored, we often ended up drawing or losing matches due to conceding multiple goals, which made me feel responsible. Today, there were times when we struggled to finish, but I believe we all held on and defended well to secure the three points. The forwards did a great job of limiting the opponent, which made it easier for us to defend, and the backline managed risks well, allowing for good challenge and cover. As an individual, I am happier with a clean sheet than with scoring, and I want to continue having matches like this. If we can keep a clean sheet, victories will follow, so I want to keep focusing on not conceding goals moving forward."
The team, which had been struggling with four winless matches in the league, marked their first victory in five matches at the "Kin J" in Tosu. This victory in away Tosu was their first win in about nine seasons since the Meiji Yasuda J1 League 1st Stage Sec. 16 on June 20, 2015, achieving a breakthrough after Fukuoka and Sapporo.
After the match, from the Tokyo side of the goal, a chant of "My lover is Kiyomoto" could be heard to the tune of "My lover is Santa Claus". Although he said he didn't understand the lyrics, it was clear that the song was filled with love from the fans and supporters, and it was a testament to the outstanding presence of number 4 on both offense and defense in the away match against Tosu.
Match Preview
Tokyo has played 3 official matches since the last league match, and in the J League YBC Levain Cup, they were defeated by Sanfrecce Hiroshima with a total score of 2-5 over two matches, resulting in their elimination in the playoff round. In the following Emperor's Cup All Japan Soccer Championship, they defeated Veertien Mie and advanced to the 3rd Round. Although the YBC Levain Cup ended in disappointment, the emergence of new strength in these 3 matches is a significant gain.
Players Divine OTANI and Shuto NAGANO, who are registered with FC Tokyo U-18, showed great performances, while Leon NOZAWA recorded assists in two consecutive matches. Meanwhile, veterans Masato MORISHIGE and Keigo HIGASHI also demonstrated their presence, accumulating positive factors as the league resumes. Player HIGASHI, who scored his first official goal of the season in the Mie match, stated, "I understand that my ranking within the team has dropped due to injury. I want to be involved in matches in the league from here on and reclaim my position."
This match will welcome Júbilo Iwata to Ajinomoto Stadium. The league season is approaching the halfway point, but this is a crucial match that cannot be lost if we want to climb into the top ranks in the second half. Masato MORISHIGE is eager, stating, "I want to deliver results whenever opportunities arise in any match." Young players and veterans are competing, and Tokyo aims to seize the upward momentum from here.
This week's matchday program is here
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI]
Q, The players have returned from the activities of the Japan national team. How is their condition?
A, I think he came back in good condition. After a long distance trip, he just came back, so I want to take care of that as well. The team has been playing in a hard schedule with more than 10 games in 6 weeks. There have been national team activities and injuries, and it is a fact that the players have been leaving and the depth has been thin. In the midst of that, the players have always worked hard and have been fully committed to the upcoming games. We want to overcome it together and prepare well for the next game and face it with all our might.
Q, it will be the first league match in a while. If there is anything important that needs to be changed or taken care of, please let me know.
A. First, it is important to grab a victory in the Júbilo Iwata match. Under this theme, it is necessary to develop our football and express a strong mentality on the pitch. Iwata is a very good team, but we are able to share the spaces and awareness that we should aim for. We want to organize which areas to attack and increase the number of plays that go towards the goal with force. Additionally, it is important to end the game with a clean sheet victory. We also want to strive for a high level of intensity on the defensive side.
Q, this match will be the last home game of the first half of the league.
We are only thinking about giving a victory as a present in response to the passionate support and encouragement from our fans and supporters.
[Player Interview]
＜Masato MORISHIGE＞
Q, in the Veertien Mie match, I think it was a very rewarding game both as a team and as an individual to score a goal.
A, The difficulty of playing against teams from different categories was felt even when looking at past results, and I think the players who took to the pitch were also aware of that. However, more than that, the players who had been unable to play in the league for a long time, including myself, were strongly determined to produce results as starters. It was a game where each person's feelings were able to be expressed, and as an individual, I think it was a good game because my goal led to a victory.
Q, Please tell us your feelings and challenges towards the current team.
As a team, we have been struggling with unstable performances in recent games, and I believe that the high number of goals conceded per game is a major factor. We definitely need to build a stronger defense, and if we can stabilize our defense while maintaining a consistent scoring rate, I think we can accumulate more wins. This is a challenge for our team from the start of the season, and we want to work on improving it.
Reducing the number of goals conceded is of course important, but individual efforts, growth, and improvement are also necessary. However, I believe the most important thing is how the team as a whole faces the challenges.
How to defend, what kind of response is necessary depending on the time zone and situation, I feel that there are many parts that can be corrected as much as we work on the defensive side.
Q, What do we need to do to catch up in the second half of the league when we can aim for the top?
A, defense stability is still the most important. In terms of attack, I think it's important to increase the number of goals scored from set plays. If we can achieve these two things, I believe we can break into the top ranks and it's a crucial point. I think it's difficult to win the championship without the team's balance and overall cohesion, so I want to make adjustments throughout the games, including the Júbilo Iwata match.
Q, please tell us your enthusiasm for the game.
This will be our first game back after the break, and it's at our home stadium, so we want to show a strong winning performance. As we head into the summer, we will have a lot of consecutive and challenging games, so we will work hard to accumulate points and deliver many victories at home.
＜Hotaka NAKAMURA＞
Q, the suspended league match will resume. How is your personal condition?
A, as a team, we have been playing in consecutive Levain Cup and Emperor's Cup matches, and within that, I have been given playing time, gradually improving my condition and game sense. Although it is little by little, I feel like I am getting closer to a good feeling.
Q, you have returned from injury and your playing time has gradually increased, right?
A, I think there is still a lot of information and feeling that I don't understand until I play on the official pitch, such as the quality of play and "being myself". In the Levain Cup match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, I played for 60 minutes, but until then, I think I spent a lot of time confirming my feelings and play in 20-30 minutes of playing time. In the past few games, I have felt that I have been thinking too much about my own play. What I felt first when I came back to the pitch was that "soccer is not about logic". I want to firmly organize what it means to be myself and bring it to the game.
Q, the league season is about to reach the halfway point.
After returning from a long-term injury and receiving a chance to play, I unfortunately got injured again. Personally, I see my short playing time in the league as a point of reflection and a challenge to improve. My main goal now is to play in games and then leave behind numbers such as goals and assists as a side back.
What I felt while watching the game from outside the pitch for a long time was that we couldn't maintain a stable game. It's not about individuals, but I want to work as a team and as other players have also mentioned, reducing the number of goals conceded is the main point of improvement. If we concede 2 goals, we have to score 3 goals, so we need to reduce the number of goals conceded per game to zero in order to accumulate points. As a team and as a defensive player, I want to push ourselves to the limit.
