TOKYOism

<Match Review>

Finally, this day has come. It is the last match of Diego OLIVEIRA, who has led the team wearing the number 9 for a long 7 seasons since the 2018 season. In the goal area, dyed completely in blue and red, messages were displayed, and during the player entrance, a vibrant choreography of "9" and the letters "DIEGO" were presented, along with the familiar chant to welcome him.

Furthermore, this match will be the last time that head coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI and goalkeeper Tsuyoshi KODAMA, who have been in charge since last summer, will fight together due to the expiration of their contracts. All we want is victory. We welcomed the last kickoff of the season at Ajinomoto Stadium.

1st HALF - Two goals that convey the determination for victory

The spirit from Tokyo was palpable on this day. In battles for the ball, they did not back down an inch, quickly transitioning between offense and defense, and when they gained possession, they charged towards the goal with intensity. In the 6th minute of the first half, during a set piece, Kanta DOI's shot unfortunately missed, preventing them from taking the lead, but they succeeded in scoring first with a brilliant attack in the 12th minute of the first half.

Diego picked up the second ball in the opponent's territory and passed it to Ryotaro ARAKI, who did not miss the exquisite course and made a through pass. Teruhito NAKAGAWA received this, executed a perfect trap, and scored with his right foot, sharing the joy with Diego.

Tokyo, aiming for additional goals, gathers the ball to number 9 in the last match. In the 26th minute of the first half, they brought the ball to a shot from a counterattack, and in the 37th minute of the first half, they headed a cross from Kosuke SHIRAI, unleashing a powerful header. However, both attempts were saved by the opposing goalkeeper, resulting in no goals.

Even so, the team's momentum did not drop, and in the 42nd minute of the first half, the second goal emerged. They connected the ball well from their own half, and when it reached Keita ENDO waiting on the left side, he made a move. Although the cross was deflected, Takahiro KO reacted to the loose ball in the penalty area and struck it directly, causing the ball to hit the opposing defender and go straight into the goal.

With no complaints about the content and result, Tokyo successfully turned the tide at halftime.

2nd HALF - Maintain concentration for additional points, conclude the season with a victory

The momentum and concentration of Tokyo remained unchanged in the second half. In the 6th minute of the second half, they faced a crisis, but Taishi Brandon NOZAWA made a calm save as usual, not relinquishing control.

Then, in the 18th minute of the second half, when the substitution of Diego TABA was announced, the players from both teams formed an aisle at the center line to send him off in his final appearance, and the stadium was filled with loud applause.

After that, the match resumed with lingering excitement, but players who entered the pitch midway, such as Kota TAWARATSUMIDA, Keita YAMASHITA, and Kei KOIZUMI, brought further dynamism to the team. In the 28th minute of the second half, YAMASHITA picked up a cleared ball in his own half and directly passed it to Endo on the left side, who delivered a sharp cross in front of the goal with one touch. This was pushed in by Kota TAWARATSUMIDA, who had made a run in from the right side with his right foot. However, with the support of VAR, Endo's position was ruled offside. The goal was disallowed, but Tokyo's momentum did not stop.

Tokyo, maintaining an aggressive posture, repeatedly threatened the opponent's goal and scored their third goal from a corner kick in the 43rd minute of the second half. Henrique TREVISAN connected with a precise ball from Araki with a high point. Although the header struck the post, he quickly reacted to the rebound and pushed it in with his left foot, sealing the victory.

The game that we absolutely had to win ended 3-0. On this day, Diego TABA, leaving the pitch, was smiling and savoring the victory.

After the match, a final ceremony was held, where Coach Klamovski and Captain Kei Koizumi gave their greetings, followed by Diego TABA expressing gratitude to the fans, supporters, and everyone involved in Tokyo. Surrounded by the unending Diego chant, the 2024 season came to a close at Ajinomoto Stadium.

MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Kosuke SHIRAI/Kanta DOI/Enrique Trevisan/Soma ANZAI
MF Takahiro UHIRO/Keigo HIGASHI (26th minute: Keisuke KOIZUMI)/Ryotaro ARAKI (45+2 minute: Leon NOZAWA)
FW Diego Oliveira (18th minute: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)/Keita ENDO (45+2 minute: Yuto NAGATOMO)/Teruto NAKAGAWA (26th minute: Keita YAMASHITA)

SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Teppei OKA

GOAL
12th minute of the first half: Teruhito NAKAGAWA/42nd minute of the first half: Takahiro KO/43rd minute of the second half: Henrique TREVISAN

<Cerezo Osaka>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Kim Jin-hyeon
DF Ryohei SHINDO/Hayato OKUDA/Daiaki TAIDA (substituted at 44 minutes: Ryo go YAMAZAKI)/Ryuya NISHIO
MF Shunta TANAKA/Hiroaki OKUNO (substituted at 44 minutes: Satoki UEJO)/CAPIXABA (substituted at 18 minutes: Kyohei NOBORIZATO)/Lucas FERNANDEZ (substituted at 18 minutes: Hiroto YAMADA)
FW Leo Ceara/Sota KITANO (substituted at 0 minutes: Masaya SHIBAYAMA)

SUBS
GK Yan Han-bin
DF Koji TORIUMI

GOAL
-

[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI, Manager]

Q: please review the game.
A, as expected, it was a tough match. I believe Cerezo Osaka has good players and is a very good team. It was important for us to execute our game properly and deliver a performance as a team. We followed the game plan well and I think we delivered a performance worthy of victory. I am proud that the players gave their all to make it a special day. It was also a special day for Diego OLIVEIRA, a club legend. And Tsuyoshi KODAMA is also a club legend. I believe all the players and staff fought for them and for everyone who loves Tokyo to achieve victory.

Q: The counterattack was effective against C Osaka, was it the development you aimed for?
A, we were able to effectively utilize that advantage. I believe we connected our build-up play to the goal up until the second goal. I think we connected well from the goalkeeper to shaking the net. The players effectively used the spaces we analyzed as available. I think it was a really good goal.

Q, I think it was ideal that Diego OLIVEIRA was two goals down before being substituted.
A, we could have scored a bit more, but we were very motivated and fought hard. The plan was to use Diego for about 80 minutes. However, he gave it his all until he ran out of gas at 60 minutes. He is a legend of our club, and we are grateful to C Osaka for sending him off in that manner. It must have been a match that he will remember for a lifetime.

Q: What has the past 7 seasons been like since coming to Japan?
A, I think there were many chapters. There were various things that happened. For me and my family, Japan feels like home. I want to thank everyone I have been involved with over the past seven years. I have met truly wonderful people. This applies to football as well as outside of football. I believe those people will remain in my heart for a lifetime. I am truly grateful to all the clubs I have been involved with. Family and friends are things that last a lifetime. Now, a special chapter is about to close, but I believe it will continue in another place. I will come back here someday.

[Player Interview]
Diego OLIVEIRA

Q, thank you for your hard work during your active career.
A, today has truly become an unforgettable day. Once again, the fans and supporters cheered for us, and it ended wonderfully. I am so happy to be able to retire in front of all of you whom I love. I felt that you all respect and love me. It is because of all of you that I have come this far. I want to express my gratitude to all of you.

Q: Before the match, a choreography was displayed, and during substitutions, the Cerezo Osaka players also helped create a flower path.
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the players of C Osaka, the staff, and all the fans and supporters for respecting me. I could feel the Tokyo fans and supporters calling my name and cheering for me since the warm-up. It truly makes me very happy.

Q: What kind of club has Tokyo been for Diego TABA?
It has been a long football career, but during that time, Tokyo has become the club where I have spent the longest period. It is a club to which I have devoted so much of my life that I could say it is everything to me. I am truly grateful to all the fans and supporters who have fought alongside us. You are an unforgettable presence, and I believe you will always be in my heart. 

Q: How would you like Tokyo to develop in the future?
A, from now on I want to support Tokyo as a fan and supporter, and I want to support the team. I will be leaving the club, but I hope everyone can achieve the league title that you are all aiming for. Although I will be far away, I will always be cheering for you.

<Teruhito NAKAGAWA>

Q, please look back on today's game.
A, it was the final home game of the season, and many fans and supporters came to Ajinomoto Stadium. I believe the strong desire to deliver a victory, especially for the retiring Diego OLIVEIRA, and the sense of unity contributed to our win.

Q: There were moments in the first half where the team showed a strong commitment in their play.
A, I was able to enter this match with a higher level of awareness and performance than usual, and I want to use this as a foundation. I believe that by doing so, we can attract more good matches and victories. It was also an emotionally charged match, especially for Diego TABA.

Q, didn't you feel the strength of the fans and supporters once again?
A, of course. I was surrounded by calls for Diego, and many people came to support us. I am most happy that we were able to win in front of so many fans and supporters, in the best atmosphere. This season, I felt very sorry that we couldn't deliver victories at our home, Ajinomoto Stadium, and I believe the players were determined to bring smiles at least by the end of this season. I am glad that we were able to send Diego off with a smile.

<Takahiro KO>

Q, please look back on the goal scene.
I was conscious of moving forward, and when I collided with the opponent, the ball spilled out, so I focused on swinging my foot and was glad to successfully hit the opponent and score.

Q: In Diego OLIVEIRA's last match, there were various situations such as the final match of the season. What was your mindset going into the game?
It was a match that we had to win at all costs, so everyone was fully engaged, and it was a very good game.

Q: The defense worked smoothly together and ended with a clean sheet. As a midfielder, how do you feel about the factors contributing to this in terms of defense?
A, there was compactness, and even after scoring, we maintained our focus. Including myself, we were encouraging each other to "end with zero." I think there was a sense of unity in that.

Q: Wasn't it a difficult season since you took over as captain midway through the season?
A, I myself came to Tokyo this season, and at first, there were some difficult times, but I kept going with the desire to win. I was able to see various things, including growth. I want to continue to work so that both I and the team can grow.

Henrique TREVISAN

Q: The additional goal that secured the victory was a wonderful goal.
I have been working hard for a year, wanting to score goals, but I was disappointed that I couldn't score until the final match. However, I was happy to be able to score in the last game. Today was Diego OLIVEIRA's retirement match, and it was also the last match in Tokyo for Tsuyoshi KODAMA and Peter CKLAMOVSKI, making it a very important game. It is very sad that they will be leaving, but I am glad that I was able to score and help the team win.

Q, I reacted to the rebound of my own header shot faster than anyone else.
A, I have always practiced set plays, so I was able to head the ball well from a good position. It didn't go in right away, but the ball hit the goalpost and bounced back in front of me, so I was able to quickly put my foot out and score.

Q: Wasn't it a significant achievement to finish today without conceding any goals?
A, winning is very嬉しい, and for us defenders, I think it is very good to win and finish without conceding any goals. I am really glad that we were able to win in a good way in the final match.

<Taishi Brandon NOZAWA>

Q: It was a victory with a clean sheet. Please review the game.
A, I can't say that I performed perfectly, but I am confident in my ability to defend the goal, so I am very happy to have achieved that in the form of a clean sheet. I think we all put in a solid defensive effort today, so I am grateful to everyone on the team.

Q: What were you conscious of in terms of defense?
If I had to say, it would be game control. The timing of the opening goal was good, and we were able to score an additional goal in a good way. The second half became a bit more open, but even within that, we were able to exploit the opponent's gaps and create opportunities in the front line. I believe we were able to create a good flow by effectively using long balls and short passes.

Q: I believe this match has become a culmination of our efforts in both offense and defense this season.
A, I am still not satisfied and I do not feel convinced. I wanted to compete, but I also realized my own inadequacy in not being able to do so. However, at the same time, I learned a lot, and I think I was able to express that in today's match. I want to carry this over into next season.