The team that suffered a 0-3 defeat on Kyoto's soil was not met with boos. What echoed from the stands was a powerful cheer saying, "No matter what anyone says, don’t worry about others; if you believe in yourself, victory will follow."
After the match, the players finished their greetings and were about to leave, but Teruhito NAKAGAWA called out to captain Kei KOIZUMI, saying, "Kei, let's listen," and the players received the passionate cheers from fans and supporters at the pitch side.
Masato MORISHIGE said, "In a situation where it wouldn’t have been surprising to be booed, that support gave us courage. We have to stand up and fight for them," renewing his determination.
Behind this lies the reality of 90 minutes in which we were outperformed in terms of content.
In the first half, Tokyo actively utilized long balls against Kyoto Sanga F.C.'s high line. They chose a strategy that placed Keito SATO as the lone striker, with Kota TAWARATSUMIDA and Soma ANZAI in the shadow positions, targeting the space behind the defense.
The first 15 minutes of the match saw a back-and-forth battle, with both teams building attacks starting from long balls. However, after the 20th minute of the first half, Kyoto began to gain the upper hand in second-ball situations and launched attacks focused on the flanks towards Tokyo's goal.
In the 32nd minute of the first half, the deadlock was broken. From a throw-in on the right side, Fukuda delivered a cross into the penalty area, and from the ensuing scramble, Kawasaki pushed the ball in with his right foot to give Kyoto the lead. Kyoto took the initiative by pressing with their favored side attacks.
As a result, Tokyo had zero shots on target in the first half. Their intent was clear, but it lacked effectiveness.
In the second half, Tokyo also tried to reorganize. At the 3rd minute of the second half, Koizumi took a mid-range shot from outside the right side of the penalty area, but it went straight to the opposing goalkeeper. Then, at the 13th minute of the second half, there was a moment when Keita ENDO pushed in the rebound from Koizumi’s shot amid a scramble in front of the goal, but with VAR support, it was ruled offside. The goal was just out of reach.
Then, in the 25th minute of the second half, after their left side in their own half was broken down and a cross ball was delivered, Nagasawa laid it off, and finally Takeda, who was brought on as a substitute, calmly volleyed with his left foot to make it 0-2. Then, in the 30th minute, starting from a long ball, Okugawa broke behind the line and drove a sharp right-footed shot into the lower left corner of the goal for the third goal. The match was decided by Kyoto, who maintained the advantage through their substitution strategy and intensity of play.
The match ended 0-3. The expressions on the players' faces from both teams reflected the contrast between the content and the result.
The cheers from the stands were not mere consolation. They were the resolve of the fans and supporters. How the players who embraced those voices and that passion will show change in this round is a match that will test their true worth.
Answer That Passion
The time has come to clear the frustration felt in the last match of the first half of the league. The "passion" felt in Kyoto――.
This match holds special meaning, not only to respond to the cheers sent by the fans and supporters on that day of complete defeat.
In the previous match, Kyoto defeated Tokyo Verdy 1-0 at home and temporarily rose to first place with 48 points. The core of their attack is Rafael Elias, ranked third in scoring with 10 goals. In addition to his sharp finishing, he stands out with his runs behind the defense and hold-up play, possessing a variety of scoring patterns.
Further attention should be paid to both full-backs. On the right, Fukuda, and on the left, Sugai, boast strength in both offense and defense, pressing opponents with tough duels and sprints. Fukuda has scored a career-high 4 goals and has delivered results in crucial moments late in matches. His long throw, a key weapon, is a major source of goals for Kyoto, with the number of goals scored from throw-ins also topping the league, reflecting the statistics. Sugai, who joined from Kashima Antlers last summer, has contributed to chance creation by repeatedly carrying the ball from deep positions and overlapping into advanced areas with his characteristic high work rate.
Data also supports Kyoto's offensive power. They boast the highest shot success rate in the league and a very high success rate for crosses. In particular, the accuracy of crosses from inside the penalty area is among the best in the league, making it the biggest point of caution for Tokyo, who conceded many goals from side attacks in the first half of the league.
Meanwhile, Tokyo has been unable to gain momentum after the break, with one draw and one loss. In the match against Kashima, they created many chances but failed to score and conceded a goal late in the game. Against Shonan Bellmare, they took the lead and added another goal as planned, but suffered a painful draw after being caught in the final stages.
However, the 4-4-2 formation adopted from the second half of the league has brought stability to the team in both offense and defense. The number of multiple-goal games has increased in attack, and the integration with new players who joined during the break is progressing. In the first half of the league, although long balls were frequently used, the team could not find a way to the goal, but now that the style of play has been organized, they should be able to show a different perspective.
The challenges lie in defensive intensity in the final stages and how to close out the match. There is no room to drop points against opponents competing for the top spot; rather, the team must be determined to use this match as a breakthrough to regain momentum.
With vengeance and pride in their hearts, Tokyo takes on the challenge. To defeat Kyoto and seize the victory that answers 'that passion'――.
The Man Who Leads Tokyo to Enthusiasm
The key man for Tokyo is, without a doubt, Yuto NAGATOMO.
Despite being the oldest on the team, his overflowing energy and intensity in play show no signs of decline; rather, he continues to demonstrate the driving force that leads the team to 'enthusiasm.'
Although he had limited playing opportunities early in the season, he secured a starting position after the break in June. In addition to his strength in one-on-one play, his accurate crosses from both feet have become a major weapon, creating numerous scoring chances, including two assists in the match against the Urawa Reds.
After the Urawa match, he said, "Winning the E-1 Championship gave me confidence. I definitely want to lift the cup with Tokyo as well," and that strong determination underlies his play.
If Tokyo can break down Kyoto’s high line with relentless up-and-down movement, the path to victory will open. Since Kyoto’s fullbacks are also very strong, the battles on the flanks will be a key factor that greatly influences the match.
The man who will make the tropical nights of August even hotter, Yuto NAGATOMO.
When his passion spreads to the team, the fans and supporters, and the entire stadium, the moment of "ecstasy" will come to Ajinomoto Stadium.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
