Match Review
The Emperor's Cup, which leads to the AFC Champions League 2, has kicked off again this season. Aiming for their second title in 14 seasons, head coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI sent a fresh lineup onto the pitch at Ajinomoto Stadium for the first match of the battle. The four-back system introduced from the Sec. 20 match against Cerezo Osaka in the 2025 Meiji Yasuda J1 League on the 14th was continued, but all 11 starters were changed for this game.
At the rear, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA took position, with the center backs being Teppei OKA and Kanta DOI. Yuto NAGATOMO was placed at right side back, and Kashif BANGNAGANDE returned to the official match pitch for the first time in 383 days since the Sagan Tosu match on May 31 last year, playing at left side back. Additionally, Maki KITAHARA and Kei KOIZUMI took the defensive midfield positions, with Leon NOZAWA on the right and Keisuke SATO on the left. Up front, Motoki NAGAKURA, who joined in June, and Teruhito NAKAGAWA formed the two-top attack.
1st HALF—Taking control, heading into the second half with two goals by player Sato
The lefty who overcame a tough rehabilitation life excited the venue. In the 22nd minute of the first half, player Kashiho carried the ball deep on the left side and crossed it in front of the goal. Leon NOZAWA connected with a header in front of the goal, but it hit the crossbar. Then, in the 24th minute of the first half, he broke behind the opponent's last line and delivered a pinpoint pass to player Nakagawa. Receiving this, number 39 was fouled by the opposing goalkeeper and earned a direct free kick. Kitahara took the direct shot, but unfortunately, the shot was blocked by the crossbar.
While upsets occurred at other venues, Tokyo calmly controlled the match while maintaining the initiative on this day. Then, at the 32nd minute, a moment of joy arrived.
The day before the match, the keyword highlighted by the coach, "transition," brought this about. Although the ball was lost in midfield, the team quickly switched gears and immediately regained possession. From there, player Nakagawa advanced with a dribble, and player Sato, running alongside, calmly shook the net to score the opening goal.
Furthermore, in the 44th minute of the first half, Leon NOZAWA received the ball high on the right side, broke through the sideline with individual skill, and crossed it to the center. Then, Sato scored an additional goal with a header, leading by 2 goals at halftime.
2nd HALF—With Nagakura's first goal after transfer, they pull closer to advancing to the 3rd Round
From the start of the second half, the coach substituted Seiji KIMURA for Yoshifu and Ewerton GAUDINO for Nakagawa. KIMURA took a position as one of the center backs, and Oka shifted to left side back.
Tokyo did not want to ease up on their attack, but careless mistakes gave Kanazawa an opening. Gradually, Tokyo found themselves on the defensive more often. Even so, centered around Taishi Nozawa, they prevented conceding goals. Then, from the 29th minute of the second half, Takahiro KO, who came on as a substitute for Kitahara, calmed the game and regained control of the flow.
At the 34th minute, Sato once again had a great chance, but unfortunately missed the target. Then, one minute later, Nagatomo broke through on a through pass from Taka and aimed for a shot, but it was blocked by the opposing defender. Immediately after, Sato was substituted off for Kota TAWARATSUMIDA. Although he missed out on a hat-trick, Sato contributed to the victory with two goals.
And the finishing touch came at the 40th minute. Nagakura quickly reacted to the deflection of a shot by Tawara Tsukida and scored with a diving header, securing the decisive additional goal. In his debut match, he made a strong impression with that one shot. Although Kanazawa scored a goal near the end of the match, the victory anthem echoed at Ajinomoto Stadium for the first time in six official games. Welcoming new teammates, this valuable win raised expectations for a comeback in June.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Yuto Nagatomo/Kashif BANGNAGANDE (Second half 0 min: Seiji KIMURA)/Teppei Oka/Kanta DOI
MF Leon NOZAWA/Kei Koizumi/Maki Kitahara (Second half 29 min: Yo Takahiro)
FW Yoshimasa Sato (Second half 35 min: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)/Motoki NAGAKURA (Second half 41 min: Soma ANZAI)/Teruhito Nakagawa (Second half 0 min: Ewerton GAUDINO)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Sei MUROYA/Kosuke SHIRAI
FW Marcelo Hian
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
32nd minute of the first half: Keimasa Sato / 44th minute of the first half: Keimasa Sato / 40th minute of the second half: Motoki NAGAKURA
<Zweigen Kanazawa>
STARTING XI
GK Hiroto SHIRAI
DF Hiroto HATAO (2nd half 0 min: Daisuke MATSUMOTO) / Jefferson Jari (2nd half 0 min: Hayate NAGAKURA) / Shunya MOURI (2nd half 13 min: Takayoshi ISHIHARA) / Kaito MIYAZAKI / Norimichi YAMAMOTO
MF Keisuke OYAMA (2nd half 33 min: Tomoya OSAWA) / Jin MURATA / Shintaro SHIMADA
FW Yusei TOSHIDA / Hayato OTANI (2nd half 13 min: Yusei SHINOMIYA)
SUBS
GK Itsuki UEDA
MF Taiki KATO/Andrew KUMAGAI
FW Kyohei SUGIURA
MANAGER
Masaki Tsujita
GOAL
44th minute of the second half: Jin Murata
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q, please look back on today's game.
A, I am relieved that we were able to safely advance to the next stage. I believe there are many points to reflect on despite the victory. I am reassured that we were able to deliver a win to all our fans and supporters.
Q. Kashif BANGNAGANDE made his first competitive return in about a year and was immediately selected as a starting member. Please share the intention behind this selection and your evaluation of his performance.
This is a decision made carefully together with the medical staff. I was also waiting for the right timing. When I saw Yoshifu's face during the meeting, it really moved me. Considering the period since his injury, I haven't been with him for that long, but since coming to this club, I haven't seen Yoshifu playing for a long time, so I want to believe he was able to make a good start, and I think he was able to perform at a level that matches that.
Q: Was his performance in the first half such that it did not cause any concern?
A, in terms of feeling, I would like to play the full match, but the team is also aligned on using players cautiously. However, I believe today's 45 minutes could very well be the start of something.
Q. There may have been differences in categories with the opponent, but individual skills were used to break free, and the ball moved well. Don't you feel that the team made progress?
A, in my view, when I think about how many players understood what we practiced in rehearsal and were able to add something extra to their play, I feel the number was small. I talked about this at halftime, and although it was gradual, it took time for the new members who started the second half to fit in. There were moments when we were caught by the opponent's counterattacks, peeled off during build-up, and allowed things that should never have happened to happen without resistance. The start of the match was also important in terms of mindset, like "Can you guys approach the start of the second half thinking it’s 0-0 instead of 2-0?" In that sense, the start of the second half became a difficult phase.
Q. Today was Motoki NAGAKURA's debut in Tokyo, and he also scored a goal. Please share your evaluation of him.
A, we were able to bring out his good qualities well, and there were several scenes where his strengths would shine even more if he just fit in better. I think the next step is to work on that fit. At halftime, I also talked to him, and we could see a little bit of the relationship with the passer. However, he performed well as a starting point of the attack, especially in controlling the ball properly and the accuracy of the next pass after receiving it.
Q. Maki KITAHARA, who was used as a starting member, also had some close chances.
A, in the first half, it felt like he often played in a somewhat safe area. While we couldn't fully execute our intended strategy, he had many opportunities to touch the ball and often helped set the tempo, but he wasn't always able to deliver passes to good positions, and there were many mistakes. In the second half, due to physical fatigue, he completely lost his footing. We selected him because we believe he can fully demonstrate his strengths, and we think he was well prepared to be on the pitch. However, I believe he himself was not satisfied with his performance today.
[Player Interview]
<Kashif BANGNAGANDE>
Q. How was the pitch at Ajinomoto Stadium after such a long time?
A, I was very nervous when I entered, but once the match started, my nerves eased and I was able to get into the game in a good state. It felt nostalgic, but I was able to get into the match without any discomfort. The fans and supporters called out my name and sang chants, creating a great atmosphere, so I was able to approach the match smoothly.
Q. It was the first official match in 383 days. How do you look back on the game?
A, there were many parts that needed correction in terms of content. First of all, as a team, it was good to secure a victory after a long time. More than the content, I thought this was a period when results were necessary, so it was good to achieve a result. I hope this match becomes a turning point for the team to get on a good track, including the league matches. I believe the next match will be really important.
Q. It took some time for your return, but it feels like you have come back much stronger.
A, during this period, I have faced myself day by day and kept going, so I am happy to have been able to express that on the pitch. Today was 45 minutes, but when my playing time increases from here, I want to continue playing with the same quality, and conversely, I want to make sure to deliver results during the tough times for the team. Today, I couldn't leave results in numbers like assists or goals, so I want to focus on that and power up. Once I can produce numbers, I believe I can contribute even more to the team. Therefore, I want to firmly pursue those numbers.
Q, There were many plays typical of Kashif BANGNAGANDE.
A, I entered the match intending to play in my own style, and my teammates and staff encouraged me to enjoy it. I focused solely on expressing what I have practiced so far and played with that mindset.
Q: From here, the league matches will be consecutive. How do you plan to approach these consecutive matches?
A, we were able to win today, but I believe it means nothing if we cannot secure victories in the upcoming consecutive matches. In the league, to achieve solid results, I personally don't know how much I can be involved in the games, but if given the chance to play, I want to perform in a way that brings the team the result of a "win."
Q. Please give a message to the fans and supporters who have been waiting for player Yoshifu's return.
A, thank you always for your support. Even during this period of absence, I received many voices of encouragement through social media and interaction opportunities. That truly became my source of energy, allowing me to keep making daily efforts even in difficult times. From here on, I hope to show you all an even more powered-up version of myself. I appreciate your continued support.
<Motoki NAGAKURA>
Q: This was your debut match after joining Tokyo. Please reflect on today's game, where you also scored your first goal.
A, I want to increase the number of times I touch the ball and improve the quality of my play from now on. It was lucky to score in my first appearance. As a forward player, scoring immediately after joining the team, in any form, is a big mental boost. Regarding the scoring scene, when Kota TAWARATSUMIDA was dribbling, I was aware of the timing, thinking "If the shot is blocked, it will come here." Reacting well to the rebound is also the job of a forward. There was some luck, but I think it was good that I was able to react well.
Q. The two forwards changed in each half. What kind of mindset did you have while playing?
A, I focused not only on my own movements but also on watching Teruhito NAKAGAWA in the first half and Ewerton GAUDINO in the second half, paying particular attention to the coordination and spacing between the two forwards. I was conscious of positioning from before the match started.
Q. There were many instances of off-the-ball movements and defensive contributions that stood out as key features.
A, this is a characteristic and a strength of my play, so I especially focused on playing for the team. However, I want to pay more attention to quality and continue to improve. Regarding defense, the way we applied pressure from the front line did not work well as a team in the second half, and we were unable to transition smoothly from defense to attack like we did in the first half. I see this as a challenge to address moving forward.
Q: The league matches are coming up this weekend. How do you want to contribute to the team from here on?
A. There are various types of forwards, but I consider myself a player who is "brought to life by teammates." To be utilized well, I want to keep focusing on maintaining good positioning. Ahead of this weekend's match against Gamba Osaka, I want to make good preparations from here and play in a way that leads to victory.
