The game that welcomes the end of the approximately two and a half week break is the away game against Gamba Osaka at Panasonic Stadium Suita. The match against the opponent who is in second place with an 8 point difference holds an important meaning in order to survive in the top battle.
Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, who has just returned from the U-23 Japan national team, was named in the starting lineup, forming a young duo with Teppei OKA and Kanta DOI as center backs. Hotaka NAKAMURA was placed as the right back, while Yuto NAGATOMO was placed as the left back. In midfield, Kei KOIZUMI and Takahiro KO were lined up, with Riki HARAKAWA placed one row ahead. On the front line, Soma ANZAI was placed as the right wing, Keita ENDO as the left wing, and Teruhito NAKAGAWA in the center. Ryota ARAKI, who also just returned from the U-23 Japan national team, was named as a substitute and prepared for this important match.
1stHALF—Despite a difficult time, the guardian deity made three fine saves.
It was a tough 45 minutes. Both teams started off with a tense standoff, and in the 8th minute of the first half, Riki HARAKAWA, who had dropped back to the top, broke through the opponent's last line and approached the goal. However, as time went on, Gamba Osaka gradually pushed us back.
After passing the 15-minute mark in the first half, the game became dominated by our own team, and we were continuously put in dangerous situations. In the 16th minute, they created an opportunity in front of our goal, and Issam JEBALI took a powerful shot. In the 23rd minute, YAMASHITA broke through from the right side and once again, Issam JEBALI was able to score with a header.
Still, despite two shots being saved by player Taishi Nozawa, in the 32nd minute of the first half, Dawhan's middle shot was also deflected by player Taishi Nozawa, preventing the first goal.
Tokyo, who managed to withstand Gamba Osaka's fierce attacks, created opportunities to play in the enemy's territory towards the end of the game. In the 38th minute of the first half, Riki HARAKAWA skillfully turned the ball and moved it to the front line, then expanded it to the left side. This led to a shot by Nagatomo, and in the 40th minute of the first half, Nakamura moved the ball on the left side and took a middle shot as he entered the goal area. Although it missed the target, they finally created a scene where they were able to move the ball and threaten the goal, and turned the tide of the game before halftime.
2ndHALF - Araki & Kashiwa's comeback. 1 point victory after fierce battle
After the restart, the first chance was created by Tokyo. In the 2nd minute of the second half, they earned a free kick on the right side and Harakawa passed a sharp and low ball into the goal area. Anzai player jumped into the goal area from the far side. He skillfully headed the difficult bounce and caught the goalmouth, but it was deflected by the opposing goalkeeper.
The second half seemed to have a good start, but in the 4th minute of the second half, they were pushed back in front of the goal and Ewerton made a decisive header shot. However, Nakamura defended the goal with a desperate block, throwing his body in front of the ball.
After that, Gamba Osaka continued to push the pace, but as the game progressed, Tokyo also had more opportunities to counterattack as spaces opened up in the midfield compared to the first half. In the 64th minute, players Araki and Kota Tawaratsumida were subbed in. The two players, who could change the game with one play, were sent in to try and mount a comeback.
In the 35th minute of the second half, number 11, Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA, who is the trump card, was sent in and became the accent, pulling the flow back as he returned to the pitch after a long time. He showed his strength by carrying the ball and entering the penalty area, becoming a driving force towards the goal.
However, Gamba Osaka's defense, which has the fewest goals conceded in the league, remained solid and did not allow any goals. In the final stages of the game, both teams were caught up in a back-and-forth counterattack, but in the end, they shared one point without conceding any goals.
From the next match, we will return to Ajinomoto Stadium and fight a series of home games. In the next match, we will face Kawasaki Frontale in the "Tama River Clasico". Tokyo has secured 1 point in a fierce battle against the top team, and will carry it over to the next match in their midsummer comeback.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Hotaka NAKAMURA/Kanta DOI/Teppei OKA/Yuto NAGATOMO
MF Takahiro KO/Kei KOIZUMI/Riki HARAKAWA (19th minute of the second half: Ryotaro ARAKI)
FW Keita ENDO (19th minute of the second half: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)/Soma ANZAI (35th minute of the second half: Kosuke SHIRAI)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (35th minute of the second half: Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Masato MORISHIGE
MF Keigo HIGASHI
GOAL
ー
＜Gamba Osaka＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Jun ICHIMORI
DF Shota FUKUOKA/Keisuke KUROKAWA/Shinnosuke NAKATANI/Riku MATSUDA (35th minute of the second half: Takeru KISHIMOTO)
MF Tokuma SUZUKI/Ryoya YAMASHITA (35th minute of the second half: Ryotaro MESHINO)/Dawhan (35th minute of the second half: Neta LAVI)/Welton
FW Issam JEBALI/Isa SAKAMOTO (25th minute of the second half: Juan ALANO)
SUBS
GK Kei ISHIKAWA
DF Yusei EGAWA
MF Kota YAMADA
GOAL
ー
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]
Q: please review the game.
A, Gamba Osaka had a lot of good plays, so it was a tough game. As for the first half, there were parts where we made the game tough for ourselves. I think it would have been better if we could have created more time to keep the ball after taking it. Because we couldn't do that, the opponent was able to hold onto the ball for a long time. That also made the first half a difficult situation. I think it got better in the second half. I think our way of fighting is to progress the game while creating our own rhythm. We were able to get one point in a tough game, but there are still areas where we can improve, such as finishing in the attacking phase. The important thing is to recover from here and analyze our performance. And to confirm what we can do to make it better. A few days later, another important game will come. It is an important game for the club and for the fans and supporters. We want to fight with all our might so that they can be proud and happy.
Q, how do you evaluate the defensive aspect during the continued time of being attacked?
A, of course, I wish we could have played a better game today. There were some areas where we needed to improve our pressing and put more pressure on defense. We will analyze those areas and work on improving them. One positive thing today was that we were able to finish the game without conceding any goals, even though our defense was under pressure for a long time. However, we want to continue building on being more aggressive in our defense. In the first half, we were not able to play our style when we had the ball. It improved in the last 10 minutes of the first half. In the second half, it got even better and we were able to put pressure on the opponent. We want to be able to play like that from an earlier stage. It was good that we were able to take points today, but we know we can still improve.
Q, How will you improve for the Kawasaki Frontale match?
A, I want to improve all aspects. There were still areas that needed improvement in both attack and defense. It is important to build on those areas. There were also negative aspects that we did not do well, but there were also parts where we were able to show our football. We want to continue to do that. And from today's lesson, we want to become even better. We understand that the next two matches are very important for the fans, supporters, and the club. We want to recover and prepare well for the next match.
Q, we have selected Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, who has returned from his activities with the Japan national team U-23, as a starting member. Please give us your evaluation.
A, Today, player Nozawa had a very good performance. I think he showed his full potential.
[Player Interview]
Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
Q, How was the game today, looking back on it, after just returning from the activities of the U-23 Japan national team? It must have been difficult in some ways.
A, I may still be tired from returning from the national team, but I am still very happy to be able to play in the game. Playing soccer is fun, so I am grateful for that. It is positive that we were able to bring back a point with a 0-0 draw, but at the same time, there were areas where we could have played better and there are still challenges remaining. However, Gamba Osaka is a team with a very high quality and we were under pressure for a long time, but because we were able to end the first half with a 0-0 score, we were able to create some chances in the second half. I think the flow of the game was not bad.
Q, It was a game saved by Taishi Brandon NOZAWA's save. Were there any scenes or saves that were crucial in today's game?
A, there were about three pinches in the first half, but I think it was good that we were able to overcome them. Throughout the game, I was able to contribute to the team by defending the goal as a goalkeeper, so it was good.
Q, I think you have absorbed a lot in Paris, but what kind of accumulation will you make while continuing home games with Kawasaki Frontale and Tokyo Verdy?
We need to talk with our teammates and make improvements as a team in order to become even better. We have a few days until the Kawasaki game, so first we need to recover properly and then work on the things we need to fix as a team during practice. We want to play an enjoyable game for the fans who come to watch at our home stadium, Ajinomoto Stadium, and win so we can celebrate together with our fans, supporters, and teammates.
Kanta DOI Player
Q: It was my first full appearance in a while. Please review the game.
A, Compared to when we played against Kashiwa Reysol in a practice match, our build-up didn't go well and our defense didn't click as much, but I think it was a big achievement to hold on until the end without conceding any goals. As we prepare for our next match against Kawasaki Frontale, I believe we have identified major areas for improvement in our defense and build-up, and we will work on fixing them.
Q, I got the impression that we got stuck in connecting passes.
A,I think we lost in the physical aspect today, such as having a bad distance between people, losing the ball after taking it, or giving away the second ball to the opponent. I felt that the distance was far, so if we can bring each other closer, I believe we can connect the ball better.
Q, What kind of adjustments did you make during the game, including halftime?
A, our center back line was low, but in the second half we made sure to raise the line and focus on defending from the front.
Q, we have important matches coming up against Kawasaki Frontale and Tokyo Verdy. We cannot afford to lose. Please give us your best effort.
A, even if it turns out like today, I think we were able to prove that if everyone puts their body on the line, we can keep it at zero. From here on, we want to improve our game even more, keep the goals at zero, and score points.
<Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA>
Q, I entered the game from the end of the second half. What was your intention when entering the game and how did you feel on the pitch?
A, from the first half, it was a very difficult game for Gamba Osaka to maintain their pace. However, the players in the back were able to keep the goal difference at zero, so I entered the game with the goal of scoring one goal and winning.
Q, It may not be 100% in terms of condition, but we saw plays that peeled off the opponent in the situation and cut into the goal. How was the feeling of the play?
A, there were some places where I could do it, but because I was required to have a lot of movement and pressure from the front line in terms of position, there were scenes where I couldn't receive the ball because my breath was a little high due to continuous movement, so I thought I had to improve my condition from here. I couldn't shoot a single shot, so I think it's a challenge to take off and shoot at the end, and to take it to the finish.
Q, the first half was a game development where we were constantly pushed back. What kind of plays do you think will be necessary in the future as a player on the front line in order to improve this?
A, Today, Suzuki was holding the ball in his area, so we needed to communicate more about whether the forward should close the passing lane or push the ball out to the midfield. I think the players on the pitch also felt it, but we kept losing the ball after we won it back, and we were constantly under attack. So it's important to figure out how to keep possession and create our own rhythm.
