For Tokyo, there is a somewhat indescribable, so to speak, unsatisfactory match. That was the Sec. 17 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League held on May 17 at Saitama Stadium 2002 against the Urawa Reds.
Against Urawa, who aimed for their first official match victory in three games, it was Tokyo, aiming for their first league three-game winning streak this season, who created chances right from the start. Marcelo RYAN calmly converted the penalty kick earned from Keita ENDO's play to take the lead. Although they conceded an equalizer in the 32nd minute of the first half, they succeeded in taking the lead again in the second half with Endo's first goal of the season.
The match took a major turn in the 35th minute of the second half. A cross was delivered from the left side of their own half, and Matsumoto, who rushed into the goal area, connected with it. The goal decision was a rare case where VAR support was called in twice due to the close possibility of offside and handball, but both times the goal was confirmed with 'no infringement.'
With the equalizer, the flow of the game and the atmosphere in the stadium quickly shifted in favor of the home team, Urawa. Tokyo also seized opportunities, with both wing-backs taking high positions to attempt attacks down the flanks and making speedy advances without many touches to approach the goal, but these efforts did not lead to scoring.
Then, at 45+3 minutes into the second half, Sekine recovered the second ball from a corner kick and crossed from the right side, where Matsumoto pushed it in front of the goal, allowing the opponent to take the lead. After that, despite increasing the pressure, they were unable to create any decisive chances, and the match ended with a 2-3 score.
Vowing revenge with that passion
About two months since that defeat. The stage shifts to the home Ajinomoto Stadium, where the Red and Blue face Urawa once again.
In the Sec. 17 match, they struggled against attacks originating from the opponent’s flanks and the long counters launched after drawing Tokyo back into their own half.
In particular, all three conceded goals originated from the opponent's crosses, which were met inside the penalty area. From the perspective of long counters, when Tokyo's two wing-backs joined the attack, the space behind them was exploited, with balls sent to both sides of the three-back defense, resulting in many scenes where arrows pointed toward the goal not only during the conceded goals but also in other situations.
In defense, the formation shifts to a 4-4-2, creating a solid defensive organization. In particular, the strong one-on-one ability of Marius HOIBRATEN and the precise judgment of the experienced Nishikawa left the impression that every chance was thoroughly snuffed out.
However, as the league enters the second half, the style of soccer that Tokyo aims for this season is becoming clearer.
After that, Tokyo began to change their system. By switching from a three-back to a four-back system, their stability in both offense and defense improved. Especially in defense, it gave the impression that each player's defensive area became clearer. Additionally, although they lost 0-1 in the previous match against Kashiwa Reysol, they set a high defensive line against an opponent who excels at ball possession. The defensive midfielders and both fullbacks took care of the marking and spaces caused by system mismatches. They showed both aspects of defense: allowing the opponent to hold the ball in certain situations and aggressively pushing up the defensive line to win the ball back in advanced positions.
In attack, the speed and quality of build-up have improved, reducing knocking and ball losses deep in their own half. If the style of play that Rikizo MATSUHASHI aims for—maintaining possession and advancing toward the opponent's goal—further fuses with Tokyo's originally strong vertical, fast short counterattacks, it will be very possible to break the fortress of Urawa's solid defense, which has the second-best goal difference in the league.
This is the 5th match of the second half of the league. So far, having missed many decisive chances and dropped many points, we want to look forward to a 'match to win.'
This match against Urawa is a perfect opportunity to prove the progress made since the last encounter.
With calm yet passionate play. The key player is “Scholz.”
The player attracting attention in this match is Alexander SCHOLZ.
The defensive leader who played for Urawa for three seasons starting from the 2021 season and experienced winning the AFC Champions League, joined Tokyo on a permanent transfer in June this season. July 19 will be his first match against his former club.
Scholz excels not only in wide-ranging coverage and physical duels but also in build-up play that controls the tempo of the attack. His deep knowledge of Urawa is sure to add depth to Tokyo's strategy against Urawa.
Having joined in June, he has appeared in two league matches so far. He is not only regaining his match sharpness but also gradually adapting his body to the J.League's play speed and Japan's unique humid heat.
And Scholz, who understands Urawa's characteristics better than anyone else, is eagerly looking forward to this match while calmly preparing for the game.
"As the match approaches, I'm not particularly focusing on anything big. (I'm looking forward to facing my former team,) but on the pitch, I will stay calm and concentrate solely on the match in front of me. I'll have a relaxed chat with the Urawa players after the game (laughs)," he said, determined to win this one.
In the first half of the league, Tokyo fell just short in the battles in front of the goal. Stable defense promotes high-quality attacks, and there is no doubt that his leadership will tighten the team.
What kind of play will he show against his former team? We definitely want to keep an eye on Scholz's performance.
Outperform with passion in both offense and defense
The opponent Urawa, boasting a solid defense tied for second in the league with only 20 goals conceded, builds their game mainly through long counters from a well-organized defensive setup deep in their own half. In particular, Matheus SAVIO and Kaneko, positioned wide, receive the ball near the sidelines and excel in attack variations and individual skills such as crosses, cut-ins, and mid-range shots.
In fact, their offensive stats such as shots, crosses, key passes, and dribbles rank first and second within the team, making it crucial to always get ahead in dealing with Urawa’s side attacks and crosses, which troubled us in the previous match, as well as in individual situations.
On the other hand, the key to breaking down the opponent's solid defense seems to lie in set plays. Of Urawa's 20 goals conceded, 8 have come from set plays. This is undoubtedly an important point for Tokyo as well, who have struggled to accumulate goals from set plays this season. We look forward to the moment when Masato MORISHIGE, Scholz, and others utilize their height and strength, and Kashif BANGNAGANDE, who returned in the second half of the league, delivers precise kicks that create scoring opportunities.
Additionally, against Urawa, who concede many goals between the 30th and 45th minutes of the second half, Tokyo has recently increased the number of times they score or threaten the opponent's goal toward the end of matches.
Since a closely contested match is expected until the final whistle, we cannot take our eyes off this heated battle until the very end.
Regain that passion――.
Turn the frustration and impatience felt in the first half of the league into energy.
A match to reclaim the moment of victory.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
