<Last Match・Gamba Osaka Review>
A reliable guardian has returned.
The first match after the break was the 25th round of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League. The away match against Gamba Osaka saw the opponent holding onto the ball from the beginning, and the game continued with our team being pushed back into our own half. It was a difficult situation, as player Takahiro KO described it as "being like a punching bag" in the first half. However, it was Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, who had just returned from his activities with the U-23 Japan national team, who saved the team in that situation.
In the 16th minute of the first half, Issam JEBALI's shot was deflected by a diving save, followed by a superb save with one hand to block JEBALI's header in the 23rd minute. In the 32nd minute, the defense blocked the opponent's fierce attack with their bodies, and goalkeeper Dawhan made an incredible save with his right hand to stop the shot. In a short period of time, he made three fine saves and prevented the opposing team from scoring.
In the second half, we sent in attacking players such as Kota TAWARATSUMIDA, who was aiming for a counterattack while enduring, Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA, who returned from injury, and Ryotaro ARAKI, who had just returned from the activities of the Japan national team U-23. However, we were unable to break through the defense of Gamba Osaka, who boasts the fewest goals conceded in the league. Thanks to the efforts of our defense, we managed to hold on and secure 1 point with a scoreless draw.
Player Nozawa stood strong with the persistent defense, showing an overwhelming presence. He truly demonstrated the reliability of "having big ambitions in front of Tokyo's goal". Player Araki also praised his teammate who fought together during representative activities, saying "Today is the day of big ambitions".
The player said, "I had a good feeling about my shot stopping. I am the last line of defense. Even if I get shot, I have to be able to stop it, so I'm glad I was able to do that. I just joined the team and I was jet-lagged, but I'm grateful to be able to play in the game. Playing soccer is fun, so I want to continue playing with joy and gratitude." He had a satisfied expression. He also said, "There are still many things I can do. I want to cherish this moment now so that the special experiences and stimulation I had during national team activities don't fade away." He was preparing for the Kawasaki Frontale game with a different mindset.
Match Preview
The match against Gamba Osaka, which was the first game of the J1 League restart, ended in a 0-0 draw. In this match, goalkeeper Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, who had just returned from the U-23 Japan national team, made a series of great saves. He contributed to bringing back a valuable 1 point from the away game. Reflecting on the match, Taishi NOZAWA said, "Even though we were pushed back, if we could keep the score at 0-0 until around the 70th minute, we could see a chance to win. That was our goal, so I'm glad we achieved it." On the other hand, he also emphasized, "There are still many areas for improvement. We want to discuss as a team about where to take the ball and how to move forward."
This round, we will face our rivals across the Tama River. Kawasaki Frontale, who has struggled since the beginning of the season, has regained their form with a recent streak of 7 games without a loss. Kawasaki's academy graduate, Takahiro KO, is determined to seek revenge in his second Tama River Clasico, saying "Last time, it was my second game after joining Tokyo and it was the first time I lost. I was really frustrated and we were taken advantage of after one of our players was sent off. This time, we just want to get 3 points." For Tokyo, this is an important match in their pursuit of the top spot. All that is required is a victory.
This week's matchday program is here
[Masato MORISHIGE x Yu KOBAYASHI Tamagawa Classico Special Interview]
The two classmates have joined rival teams across the Tama River since the 2010 season and have been competing against each other. Tokyo's Masato MORISHIGE, who will turn 37 this year, and Yu KOBAYASHI of Kawasaki Frontale will talk about the history of the Tama River Clasico they have witnessed. (Interview: August 4th)
- Both of us joined in the 2010 season, so I think we have seen the same scenery in the Tamagawa Classico. What kind of match is the Tamagawa Classico?
Masato MORISHIGE We have more bitter memories, I think.
Yu KOBAYASHI Which one is winning in total?
---The total is 11 wins, 9 draws, and 23 losses in Tokyo.
Kobayashi How about from the 2010 season?
─From the 2010 season, Tokyo has 6 wins, 4 draws, and 17 losses.
Kobayashi So that's it.
Morishige I don't have many memories of winning. In the past few seasons, I think we only won at the National Stadium last season.
Kobayashi That's right.
Morishige Kawasaki is strong after all.
Kobayashi The fans and supporters really make this match exciting, so I have a special feeling about it. But, I didn't have the impression that our performance was as good as I just heard. I didn't feel like we were losing that much, but I was surprised to hear that we were winning so much.
- Please tell us the most memorable match.
Kobayashi The Tama River Clasico was the match where I scored my 100th goal in the J1 League away in the 2019 season. The match was also a good one, and we won 3-0. That impression remains strong.
Morishige 100 goals? Amazing. I...don't have any lasting impressions.
Kobayashi Hahaha. But, wasn't there a game where we were beaten by Morige and (Kosuke) Ota? At Todoroki. Morige scored and Ota scored a free kick. I wonder if there was a game like that.
Mori Shige Hirosuke's free kick. There it is.
Kobayashi At that time, didn't Morige score a header?
Morishige Am I the one who decides? But, certainly, the image of scoring in the Tama River Clasico remains.
---Unfortunately, there was no collaboration with player Ota, but player Kobayashi scored 4 goals and player Morishige scored 3 goals.
Morishige Oh, too bad (lol).
Kobayashi amazing, amazing. 3 goals as a defender is amazing (lol).
Morishige Indeed, I have a clear image of what I want to achieve.
- Todoroki has scored the winning goal in the 2012 season.
Morishige That was an impressive game, wasn't it?
Kobayashi Is it true? I don't remember (bitter smile).
Morishige No, because I decided it myself, that match is particularly memorable.
Kobayashi That's appropriate (laughs).
Lins scored the opening goal in the 19th round of the 2019 Meiji Yasuda J1 League, which was chosen by Kobayashi. They defeated Tokyo, who was in first place at the time, with a score of 3-0. In the 20th minute of the first half, Lins achieved the 100th goal in J1 League history by heading in a corner kick from the left side. He also assisted in the second goal scored by Saito Manabu, showing both the team and himself at their best performance.
One of Morishige's memorable matches was the away game in the 2012 season of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League, in the 5th round. Early in the second half, Ariajasuru HASEGAWA was sent off, and the team was pushed back into their own half for a long period of time. Despite the difficult situation, they endured and in the 42nd minute of the second half, they scored the winning goal from a corner kick on the right side.
--Why couldn't Tokyo beat Kawasaki so much?
Mori Shige Kawasaki is strong. I felt especially strong during that golden age. Anyway, all we could do was defend and counter. Looking back at the past J-League, I think it was probably one of the strongest teams that can't be matched by any other team.
Kobayashi Morige said that from the 2017 season, he was definitely playing, not because the opponent was Tokyo, but because he didn't feel like losing anywhere. The players who came in from the middle were also of high quality, and it was a team where anyone could come out. I didn't think we would lose before the game.
- Even when Kawasaki was in a slump, they often gained momentum by beating Tokyo in the Tama River Clasico.
Kobayashi was there. I think it was such an important game. If we win, we can get momentum and it was a game that could change the team's atmosphere. I remember there was a season when we beat Tokyo several times and raised our spirits. However, there was no special talk before the game.
Morishige We, as players, don't really have anything special to talk about just because it's the Tama River Clasico before the game.
Yu KOBAYASHI But I heard that only the practice week when Mr. Tokunaga (Yuhei) fights with Renato is different from the other weeks (laughs).
Morishige Hahaha. Certainly, Tokunaga-san, who always maintains a calm mind, is the only one who can turn on the motivation switch within a year. That was the week of the Tama River Clasico (bitter smile).
Kobayashi There are no such episodes, but everyone is naturally motivated because the people around them are excited. They make videos and prepare various things for us.
Morishige It was there, right?
Kobayashi He was also doing interesting things, right?
Morishige has also dressed up as a comedian.
Kobayashi He also did Sunshine Ikezaki's jokes. That's how he gets us pumped up, and that's when the switch of determination naturally turns on.
- - At first, we were able to liven up this match by including everyone, but as Yoshito OKUBO player went back and forth across the Tama River, the rivalry gradually increased.
Kobayashi That's right.
Mori Shigeru Mr. Yoshito is also the same, but while Kawasaki has built an era, we have been left behind. I still want to catch up there, and I have become aware of Kawasaki in the sense of catching up. Because there are people of the same generation like Yu and Akihiro Ienaga, I think I have gradually become aware of the Tama River Clasico personally.
Kobayashi Morige said that there were many players of the same generation in Tokyo. Now, Yuto NAGATOMO is also here, and there were many players who were close friends in Tokyo. I think it will be an exciting match with a lot of motivation.
- - Now, regarding this Tama River Clasico, both teams are currently in an unsatisfactory position. Do you have any intentions to use this match as a turning point?
Mori Shigeru There is also a frustration that we have not been able to win against Kawasaki in an exciting game. With new young players coming in, I think we can create a new era together in the Tama River Clasico. This time, I think it will be a clash between the new generations.
Kobayashi Right now, we are not in a good position, but personally, I think we were able to end the league on a positive note before the suspension, despite facing difficulties. With injured players returning and competition becoming more intense, I believe we are in a good position to make a comeback from here. That's why I think this will be a very important match.
- Please tell us the points you want us to see in this match.
Mori Shige This season in Tokyo, everyone is aiming for a hard-working soccer that can score goals, so it may become a competition for points. We are aiming to surpass ourselves there, so I hope you will have high expectations.
Kobayashi We have been conceding a lot of goals this season and when we improved our defense, we couldn't score goals. We have been repeating this cycle, but finally the team is starting to take shape. The results have also been coming and we have many players who can score goals, so we want to focus on scoring and keep going.
- Finally, let's end with a bang of comments.
Mori Shige I have had a lot of painful experiences with Kawasaki. We are losing in the first half, so we absolutely cannot have two consecutive losses this season. Now, the team is also in good shape and the condition is good. Injuries have also returned and we can face this match with a full lineup. I want to show our revenge and Tokyo's strength in this Tama River Clasico.
Kobayashi I think Frontale has become stronger by overcoming the difficult times in the first half, so I think we can face Tokyo in a good condition. I believe we can win the Tama River Clasico here and climb up to the top in the second half. We will do our best to win with determination.
The two who have faced each other across the Tama River are rivals, but they have been bound by a strong friendship. Their conversation seemed to be looking at the relationship between Tokyo and Kawasaki. However, the Tama River Clasico, which is now in its 44th edition, has added more and more memorable moments and grudges with each game. They cannot give in to the competition. That is the path that they have shown to make the Tama River Clasico a true tradition.
Text by Tadashi BABA (Freelance Writer)
At SportsNavi, we are currently featuring "37-year-old Tama River Clasico: Masato MORISHIGE x Yu KOBAYASHI - A Summer of Stimulating Veterans". Please take a look.
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI]
Q, Gamba Osaka will face Tama River Clasico in 3 days after the match.
A, first of all, we are analyzing the game mainly with the coaching staff. On Thursday, we had a meeting to review the game and the players were divided into two groups for training and recovery, taking into consideration their fatigue. We are preparing for the game while improving our condition.
Q, The Gamba Osaka match resulted in a clean sheet due to concentrated defense, but isn't the exhaustion and fatigue of each player who continued to play with high concentration and intensity also significant?
A, the content we talked about is a major element required in football. Maintaining concentration is always required in both defense and when building an attack by holding onto the ball. In addition, there are many things that are expected of us. We want to promote growth and be able to play good games.
Q, is it about wanting to keep the ball for a longer period of time?
A, of course it is. It is ideal to take the lead and dominate. However, it does not mean to reduce the amount of movement. We continue to move the ball and aim for zones that the opponent dislikes, and we demand sprints that jump forward. If the center of gravity moves forward, the players behind must also raise the line in unison. Physical demands are not only for defense, but also for attack. In other words, we must concentrate and judge the situation. We want to focus on our play and approach all elements.
