The second half of the 2024 season welcomed Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo to Ajinomoto Stadium. Tokyo, who finished the first half of the season with a record of 8 wins, 6 draws, and 5 losses, ranking 6th with 30 points, has been struggling with their poor performance at home at Ajinomoto Stadium, with only 1 win, 4 draws, and 3 losses in 8 home games this season. They hope to start the second half of the season with a strong performance and gain momentum for the future.
In the previous match, Tokyo secured a hard-fought victory away against Shonan Bellmare, and for this midweek match, they made four changes to the starting lineup. Taishi Brandon NOZAWA was in goal, with Kosuke SHIRAI, who returned from injury in the Shonan match, playing as right back. Yasuki KIMOTO, who also returned from injury, played as center back, forming a partnership with Teppei OKA, who started for the second consecutive match.
In addition, on the left side back, Shuhei TOKUMOTO, who scored a brilliant winning goal in the Shonan game, was listed. In the defensive midfield, Takahiro KO and Riki HARAKAWA, and in the attacking midfield, Kuryu MATSUKI. On the wings, Soma ANZAI on the right and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA on the left, with Ryota ARAKI leading the front line. Also, on the bench, players such as Keita ENDO, who have recovered from injuries, and other players who have supported the team so far, are ready to kick off with a strong lineup and vow to win at home.
1stHALF - Gradually creating opportunities and approaching the goal
Sapporo, which has adopted an unconventional system of forming a 4-back while dropping midfielder Baba to the final line based on 3-6-1. They have been responding to Tokyo's 3-top with a man-to-man marking while creating a numerical advantage. Tokyo has been connecting passes, pressing from the front line, and looking for attacking options.
In the early stages, both teams set their lines high, but Sapporo quickly dropped back to a 4-back or even a 6-back with both wide players returning, making it difficult to create chances. On the other hand, the defense, which adopted a high-risk high-line defense, responded firmly to the opponent's quick attacks. In scenes where they were in danger of being countered, player Okada made sharp tackles to prevent any potential danger.
In the 27th minute of the first half, the team's goalkeeper once again saves the team, just like in the previous match. Despite allowing a powerful left-footed shot from player Suga after a long ball was dropped in the front line, player Nozawa makes a super save by diving to the right corner. This play reminds the team of their previous match where they endured defensively and secured a victory, giving them momentum going forward.
Tokyo has been struggling to create scoring opportunities as they would like, but as time passes, they are gradually creating chances.
35 minutes into the first half, Whitey player broke through on the right side with a feed from Kimoto player who had moved up from the final line. Araki player in the center aimed precisely with his left foot for a ground cross, but unfortunately it was cleared by the opposing defender.
After this play, Tokyo's fierce attack will start. In the 40th minute of the first half, player Yasuzaki supplies a through pass that cuts through the opponent's defense, and player Matsuki breaks through and approaches the goal, but is unable to shoot due to being closed down by the opponent at the last moment.
In the 43rd minute of the first half, NAWAZA player quickly jumped out against the opponent's counter and made a beautiful long pass to the right side with one touch. MATSUKI player broke through and ARAGAKI player took a volley shot from a chest trap in the area, but it was also blocked by the opponent.
Just before the end of the first half, there was a chance for a direct free kick from the left 45 degree position. Hirokawa aimed for the top left corner of the goal with his strong right foot, but his shot was blocked by Sugano's sharp reaction and could not shake the goal net.
Tokyo gradually became able to create opportunities, but struggled against the solid Sapporo defense that stuck to their opponents. The goal that led to victory at home was carried over to the second half.
2nd HALF - Yasuzaki scores the final goal! Long-awaited victory at Ajinomoto Stadium!
Second half attacking towards the fans and supporters who passionately support from behind the goal. The blue and red army has been increasing the pressure towards the goal from the beginning.
In the second half, at the 2-minute mark, player Tawarazumida dribbled in from the left side and took a shot from a cut-in. Furthermore, they attacked with corner kicks, long throws, and crosses, but the opponent's counter was firmly blocked by player Nozawa's sharp reaction. They raised their awareness towards the goal and supported the team in defense, working together towards the 3 points for a home win.
In the 15th minute of the second half, a big chance was created from the left side. Tokumoto made a through pass, cutting through the enemy's territory with his left foot. Araki reacted sharply and broke through, but his sliding attempt to push it in just barely missed.
Tokyo, who wants to score the first goal at home, makes a move in the 18th minute of the second half. Diego OLIVEIRA is substituted in as the lone striker, and Teruhito NAKAGAWA is brought in on the right wing, replacing players Araki and Tawara. Yasuzaki is moved to the left wing as they go on the offensive.
Here, Morimoto was injured and Morishige was substituted in the 27th minute of the second half. Immediately after, Morishige returned the opponent's feed with a powerful header, which went to Matsuki in front. Captain's through pass to Anzai who made a sliding shot. Diego followed up on the rebound from the opponent's goalkeeper, but couldn't react in time due to his top speed and the ball unfortunately missed the right goal.
In the 33rd minute of the second half, once again, a shot was taken by Sugai from the left side on a counter attack, but standing in the way of the ball aimed at the near post was once again Nozawa. With precise positioning and quick reactions, he defended the goal and the entire team supported the attackers as they went for a goal.
Victory at Ajinomoto Stadium. The team's strong determination and the stadium's overall energy finally culminate in a goal in the 39th minute of the second half.
From the right side, Dawhan player made a one-touch pass to the far side. Robert player then slipped behind the opponent defender and stretched out his left foot. He hit the ball directly on the drop and the shot hit the bar before being sucked into the goal.
Player Yasuzaki, who ran straight to the goal-side fans and supporters. In the 18th round match against Jubilo Iwata, he scored his first professional goal, saying "I want to keep seeking goals that lead to victory. If I am used in the front line, I want to meet expectations with results," number 38, who had said, did a great job of scoring consecutive goals at Ajinomoto Stadium.
After 6 minutes of additional time in the second half, with the chant "Let's go Tobitakyu! We won't lose!" pushing them on, they finally marked their second league victory of the season at Ajinomoto Stadium. They achieved the much-desired victory at Ajinomoto Stadium, with everyone, including fans and supporters, coming together as one in the fight, and started the second half of the season with the best result.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Kosuke SHIRAI (45+3' Hotaka NAKAMURA)/ Yasuki KIMOTO (27' Masato MORISHIGE)/ Teppei OKA/ Shuhei TOKUMOTO
MF Kuryu MATSUKI/ Takahiro KO/ Riki HARAKAWA (45+3' Kei KOIZUMI)
FW Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (18' Teruhito NAKAGAWA)/ Soma ANZAI/ Ryotaro ARAKI (18' Diego OLIVEIRA)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
FW Keita ENDO
GOAL
39' Second Half: Soma ANZAI
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Takanori SUGENO
DF Ryu TAKAO (44th minute of the second half: Rei IEIZUMI)/Daihachi OKAMURA/Toya NAKAMURA
MF Hiromu TANAKA (44th minute of the second half: Kosuke HARA)/Katsuyuki TANAKA (27th minute of the second half: Shota NISHINO)/Seiya BABA/Daiki SUGA/Yoshiaki KOMAI/Tatsuya HASEGAWA
FW Musashi SUZUKI (38th minute of the second half: Shingo OMORI)
SUBS
GK Jun KODAMA
DF Yamato OKADA
FW Shido IZUMA
GOAL
―
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]
Q, please review the game.
A, it was a good football battle. I think Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo had a very good fight, but overall, I think our performance was very good. Until about 30 minutes into the first half, it was an even battle. At that point, we were able to grab the flow without getting flustered, and we were able to endure and grab a good flow towards the end of the first half, and we were able to end the first half in a good shape. I think the players felt the same way, and we were able to continue that into the second half.
What was important was for us to concentrate firmly, play at a good tempo, and fight patiently. If we could do that, I thought we could score. We were able to control the game well on the pitch and respond well to the opponent's counterattacks. I thought we could score and if we had scored a little earlier, we might have been able to score a few more points. With these 3 points, we want to recover well and prepare for the next game.
Q, There have been many late goals in recent matches, what do you think is the reason for this?
First of all, there are various challenges in football, and we must grasp the flow ourselves and play our own way without rushing. We were able to do that in some games, and at that time, I think we were able to control the game ourselves. However, in the battles we have had so far, we have sometimes conceded easily and ended up with a 0-1 score in situations where the score was 0-0. Today, we were able to fight patiently and without losing our concentration, and I think that led to a wonderful goal by Soma ANZAI from a great ball by Riki HARAKAWA. I'm sure the players are happy to bring victory to the fans and supporters.
Q, Please tell us the intention of substituting Teruhito NAKAGAWA and Diego OLIVEIRA.
A, I was thinking about a lot of things in my head. I was thinking about putting Diego Taba on the field at the right time, and I think the substituted players fought very well. What we want to create is a team that is difficult for the opponent to play against for the full 90 minutes. The substitute players came on in the end and continued to play their game, and it is necessary to increase the intensity of the game and fight until the end. I think the players did a good job of that today.
I was thinking of refreshing the team by replacing Kuryu MATSUKI and Ryotaro ARAKI, but MATSUKI was able to show good mobility even during that time, and ARAKI seemed a little physically tired, so I decided to bring in Diego TABA. I used Nakagawa as he was able to be a starting point and make good runs, and Tawaratsumida Kota has played a lot so I was also considering how much time to use him. That was the reason for the substitutions today. The players who came on as substitutes also made a great contribution. I believe their performance was worth 3 points.
[Player Interview]
Soma ANZAI
Q: Please review the scene of the goal that led the team to victory.
As soon as player Riki HARAKAWA entered the kicking motion, I thought the ball would come there. Rather than me adjusting to it, the ball came to my foot, so all I had to do was hit it. I think we were able to score thanks to player HARAKAWA.
Q, this was the second consecutive goal in a home game.
After being able to score one point, my feelings became a little easier and my way of thinking changed. I was always thinking that I had to "get results", but now I think I can play more freely compared to that time. However, the numbers are still not satisfactory. First and foremost, the team's victory is the most important, but I also want to focus on my own results within that.
Q, the game has been intense with frequent changes in offense and defense since the first half.
A, Today, we talked about coming together as a team and deciding the game in the first half. In terms of attack, players such as Kuryu MATSUKI and Ryotaro ARAKI were pressing, while on defense, players like Yasuki KIMOTO and Teppei OKA were able to prevent the opposing forward players from making plays. There weren't many dangerous situations, so that was good. The current Tokyo team has the ability to score 1-2 points in one game. We believe that if we don't concede, we can play our own game, so even if the score was 0-0 for a long time, I think we were able to play without getting anxious.
Q, we worked hard until the end of the game. We can also see the good condition.
A, my greatest weapon is hard work, and I believe that without it, there is nothing left. Whether I score or not, whether we win or lose, I believe it is important to keep fighting until the very last second for Tokyo. I know that there will be even tougher battles ahead, but I want to use my strengths to help the team.
Q, we will welcome Avispa Fukuoka to Ajinomoto Stadium in 3 days.
If we can start the second half of the season with consecutive wins at Ajinomoto Stadium, I think we can build momentum as a team. We have back-to-back games, so we will prepare well while recovering and aim to correct the issues we faced in the Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo match before facing Avispa Fukuoka. We want to continue winning streak.
Riki HARAKAWA player
Q: It was my first start in a while. Please review the game.
A, as always, I prepared for the game by doing what I needed to do. I think I can do better if I can play while watching the opponent more in the attacking scenes. Also, if I can recognize my role in the attack while watching the movements of my teammates and fulfill that role in a unified manner, I think we can create attacking opportunities in the next game.
Q, I think risk management was also necessary for Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo's counter.
A, Since the opponent was able to play man-to-man, there were scenes where the ball was taken away from mistakes when trying to put the ball vertically. In those situations, I made sure to speed up and not lose the ball in a hurry. Even if the ball was taken away, there were scenes where the defensive midfielder and center back were able to take care of it well, so I want to improve the quality even more.
Q, What kind of communication did you have with Takahiro KO during the game?
Both Takahiro KO and I are players who actively go forward, so we took positions to function as a relay player. If one of us goes forward, they will make the necessary plays, and if one stays back, they will do what needs to be done in that position. I think we were able to work together well in that regard.
Q, How will you approach the Avispa Fukuoka match in 3 days?
A, I think it will be a completely different game from today because the opponent's approach is completely different. Since Fukuoka is close in rank, it will be a very important game even when considering the rank. I want to prepare well and face the game.
＜Yasuki KIMOTO player＞
Q, returned from a facial fracture and made a significant contribution to the clean sheet victory.
A, There was difficulty in playing with a face guard. There were times when I couldn't secure my field of vision, but I think I was able to play at least minimally. The opponent was on a losing streak and I was only focused on winning against Sapporo without worrying about that. In the recent games, I felt that we were not able to defend well as a team, so I was conscious of being aggressive and going forward, although it was not a risky move. It was a man-to-man defense, but in the first half, there were no major flaws and I felt that we were able to defend well.
Q, It was the first game I played with Teppei OKA as a center back.
A, it was my first time, but I think I was able to have a stable defense. I was helped by Okas player's aggressive play and energetic play that took advantage of his youth. In the combination, Okas player's confidence was a push for me. There is a good competition in any position, and I think it has a positive impact on the team. I think it was a good game for both Okas player and myself, and it was a good opportunity.
Q, it was a long-awaited victory at Ajinomoto Stadium.
A, the players all wanted to deliver a victory to the fans and supporters at home, and I am happy that we were able to win today's match. We have a match against Avispa Fukuoka at home this weekend, so if we can continue our winning streak here, I believe we can aim for the top. While using our ability to break into the top ranks as motivation, I want to once again focus and approach the match with determination.
