A crucial match where we aim for the top spot in Group 1 and want to secure points as a united team even away from home.

　ACL Group Stage Match 6 was played away against Ulsan Hyundai. In the match held on 3/20 at home, we took the lead with Tokunaga's amazing middle shot. Although we were caught up with an equalizer towards the end, we took the lead again with Kajiyama's goal in the 83rd minute. It seemed like we had almost secured the victory in a fiercely tough battle. However, we conceded a goal in the closing moments by being caught off guard in defense. We displayed Tokyo-style football, dominated the game, always staying ahead, but unfortunately, it ended in a disappointing draw.

　About two months have passed since then, and Tokyo is leading the group with 3 wins and 2 draws, undefeated. Ulsan Hyundai, on the other hand, has also earned 11 points, just like Tokyo, and both have already secured a top 2 finish. They have secured their spot in the Round of 16. However, according to the ACL regulations, the final ranking will be determined by the results of the direct confrontation.

　The final standings of Group H, which will also compete in the round of 16 yesterday, have been determined. Guangzhou Evergrande finished first and Kashiwa Reysol finished second. In the pre-match press conference, Coach Popovic said, "I want to play the round of 16 advantageously, so I want to earn points." It is important to continue to pass as the group leader and be able to play the round of 16 at home, so it is crucial to show our determination and fight together, even in the away match in Korea.

　Tokyo, while continuing away games in the league, Ishikawa injured his leg in the Sapporo match, and Ota was also excluded from the traveling squad due to fever. Considering the fatigue up to this point, we will approach today's match with a fresh lineup. Murohara and Hyun Soo JANG as left and right defenders, Takahashi and Yonemoto as double defensive midfielders, Hasegawa as right midfielder, Kono, who will make his first start after transferring, as attacking midfielder, and Watanabe, who has scored 3 goals in the ACL, as the lone striker.

　The team situation can be described as difficult, but we want to show growth and progress in both results and game content over the past two months. Let's gather everyone's strength and give our all for victory! The match started at 19:30 with the kickoff in Ulsan at Ulsan Munsu Stadium.

Tokyo Aim To Retain Group Lead In Korea

For the 6th and final game of the ACL group stage, Tokyo traveled to South Korea to take on Ulsan Hyundai. In the reverse fixture on March 20th, Tokyo had taken the lead through a fine goal by Tokunaga in the first half, only to be equalized in the 80th minute. A superb team move, finished decisively by Kajiyama, restored the lead, but a late equalizer denied Tokyo the victory in a fiercely contested game that they had mostly controlled.

Nearly two months on from that game and Tokyo sat atop their group with a W3 D2 L0 record. Ulsan boasted the same points total, meaning that both sides had qualified for the Round of 16. Tokyo's opponents in the next round would be either Guangzhou Evergrande or Kashiwa Reysol, who had finished first and second in the already completed group H. A win in Korea would give Tokyo home advantage in the next round, a fact acknowledged by manager Popovic in his press conference on the eve of the game, "We want every possible advantage we can in the next round and so we've come here to win".

Missing from the Tokyo squad were Ishikawa with an injury picked up in the away win over Sapporo and Ota who had a fever. Manager Popovic juggled his remaining squad players and introduced some fresh legs with Jang and Mukuhara appearing at side back, Takahashi and Yonemoto as defensive midfielders, Hasegawa on the right of midfield and Kawano, making his first start since his transfer, in the withdrawn striker role. Watanabe, with three goals in the competition already, played as the lone front man.

While Tokyo were in straightened circumstances and facing a difficult opponent the game would serve to show how well the side had developed over the previous two months. A united team performance and a win were the objectives. Ulsan kicked off shortly after 7:30 pm in Ulsan Munsu Stadium.

The opponent scored a goal with one chance, and the first half ended with a one-point deficit.

　In this match, we expected the opponent to come forward quite aggressively, but Tokyo took control from the beginning and the game progressed in the opponent's half. In the 9th minute, Hasegawa on the right side dribbled the ball after stealing it in the midfield, and Watanabe in the center aimed for a shot from outside the box, but it went straight to the goalkeeper. In the 12th minute, Chang Hyun Soo on the right side passed to Hasegawa, and Takahashi took a shot from the middle while advancing, but it hit the left post. Watanabe reacted to the rebound in the right area and took a decisive shot, but it also went wide of the goal...

　Progressing at a Tokyo pace, we steal the ball from the opponent and launch an attack, but there are many missed passes and we do not reach a decisive moment. In the 23rd minute, Hasegawa on the left side drops the ball to Takahashi in front, and Kono, who receives it, takes advantage of his dribbling skills to go around and take a shot, but it goes over the bar. In the 26th minute, we connect from the right side, and Yonehara changes the side from the drop by Watanabe. Mokuhara and Yazu aim precisely from just outside the area and take a shot, but it is saved by the goalkeeper and goes out for a corner kick...

　27 minutes, this left CK of YAZAWA is connected short and crossed to the center. Chanhyeongseu in the far side headed freely, but it cut to the right. In the 35th minute, Chanhyeongseu took a high position on the right side and crossed. Kono jumped into the goal front and directly matched, but the shot floated. Then, in the 37th minute, they took advantage of a momentary gap from the right FK of Ulsan and were pushed in from the melee in front of the goal, allowing the first goal. Taking advantage of one chance, they ended the first half with a one-point deficit.

Ulsan Dispatch Sole Chance To Take Half Time Lead

Ulsan had been expected to make an aggressive opening to the match but it was Tokyo that seized the early initiative and the game was largely played in the hosts' half. In the 9th.minute Hasegawa won the ball on the right and played it infield to Watanabe who dribbled forward and shot from middle range. The effort was well-struck but flew straight to Kim Young-kwang in the Ulsan goal. Hasegawa was involved again in the 12th.minute, collecting the ball from Jang and finding Takahashi who smacked a fierce drive against the left post. The ball rebounded out to Watanabe on the right but the striker failed to hit the target from a promising position.

Tokyo continued to regain possession and push forward yet the final ball frequently went astray, limiting the creation of clear-cut openings. In the 23rd minute, Hasegawa hoisted the ball down the left, Takahashi knocked it down and Kawano dribbled inside then shot narrowly over the bar. Tokyo moved the ball down the right in the 26th minute, Watanabe knocked it down and Yonemoto switched the play out to Mukuhara on the left. Mukuhara cut the ball inside to Yazawa whose firm shot drew a save from Kim Young-kwang and earned a corner.

Yazawa played the corner short, then hoisted a cross to the back post where Jang headed narrowly wide. Jang was the provider in the 35th minute, driving deep down the right and crossing to Kawano who was unable to keep his shot down. In the 37th minute Ulsan won a free kick on the right, Tokyo failed to clear the ball and after a wild melee in the goalmouth it was forced over the line. The home side had taken the lead against the run of play with their only chance of the half, a lead they held until the first period ended.

Despite bringing in attacking players one after another and launching counterattacks, they were unable to score and suffered a defeat.

　They continue to attack aggressively in the second half. In addition, in the 49th minute, Kajiyama was substituted for Kono, adding depth to the attack. In the 60th minute, Yonemoto intercepted the opponent's ball on the right side. He passed it to Tanihara in the center just outside the penalty area, who attempted a one-touch shot at goal, but the shot was saved by the goalkeeper. In the 64th minute, Kajiyama was fouled and they were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area on the right side. Morishige took a direct shot, but it hit a defender and resulted in a right corner kick.

　In the 69th minute, Lucas was substituted for Tanizawa. He played in the left MF position. In the 77th minute, Hasegawa tried to break free and shoot after receiving a ground pass from Lucas on the left side, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper. With Kajiyama and Lucas coming on, the opponents started to defend with a man-marking approach, allowing for vertical passes to the forward line and completely taking control of the game.

　In the 84th minute, Lin, who made his first appearance in an official match, was substituted for Hyun Soo JANG, who had injured his leg. Tokunaga was placed as the right DF, and Takahashi as the center back, launching a full-scale attack to score. In the 87th minute, they earned a free kick from just outside the right area. Kajiyama's kick was cleared, but Yonemoto and Tokunaga persistently connected, and Kajiyama took a shot from just before the right area. However, it hit the left post... and Watanabe, who tried to seize the rebound, was offside.

　In the second half injury time, Takahashi's vertical pass was received by Lucas on the left side, and then he exchanged passes with Yonemoto behind him and this time with Kajiyama in the center. Lucas, who went around, took a shot! He created a big chance from a direct pass, but the shot was blocked by the goalkeeper's save... Time's up. As a result, they advanced to the group stage in second place. They will play against Guangzhou Evergrande away on 5/30 (Wednesday) in the round of 16.

Attacking Substitutes Fail To Make Breakthrough

Tokyo began the second half attacking positively. In the 49th minute, Kajiyama replaced Kawano, adding further weight to the Tokyo front line. In the 60th minute, Yonemoto intercepted a loose pass in midfield and moved forward before finding Yazawa on the edge of the Ulsan area. Yazawa took a touch and fired in a shot that drew a fine save from the Ulsan keeper. Kajiyama was bundled over just outside the Ulsan area on the right in the 64th minute, giving Tokyo a free kick in a promising position. Mukuhara hammered the ball into the wall, earning a corner kick in the process.

Lucas replaced Yazawa in the 69th minute, slotting directly into the left wing position. In the 77th minute, Lucas held the ball up down the left and then found Yonemoto inside the Ulsan area; Yonemoto set up Hasegawa but once again the Ulsan keeper denied Tokyo with another save. With Lucas and Kajiyama on the field and Ulsan dropping deeper from their man-marking system Tokyo were able to enjoy almost total domination.

Jang suffered a leg injury in the 84th minute and was unable to continue, meaning a first competitive game appearance for Hayashi. Tokunaga shifted to the right of the defense and Takahashi dropped back into a center back position. Tokyo won a free kick in the 87th minute outside the Ulsan area on the right. Kajiyama's initial ball was cleared but tenacious play by Yonemoto and Tokunaga regained possession for Tokyo. Kajiyama shot from the right side of the Ulsan area, beat the goalkeeper but hit the post yet again. Watanabe flung himself at the rebound and was given offside.

Tokyo fashioned a further good chance in second half added time. Lucas received the ball from Takahashi on the left, exchanged passes with Yonemoto then played a one two with Kajiyama. The sharp passing move opened up the Ulsan defence and Lucas shot on the turn but Kim Young-kwang was equal to the challenge, saving his side yet again. The final whistle blew shortly after, condemning Tokyo to a 1-0 defeat and second place in the group. The result meant that Tokyo would face an away trip to Guangzhou Evergrande in the Round of 16.

　[Player Comment]《Mukuhara》"It was a tough and physical game, and it's frustrating to be beaten by a set piece, especially since we had more possession. The coach told us to press forward when Hyun Soo JANG moved up, and we were aware of that. However, Hyun Soo JANG is a defender and he also maintained a good balance in the backline, so we didn't specifically focus on him. We only conceded from set pieces throughout the game, but I think that's the nature of Asian matches. The season continues, so first, we want to create a good atmosphere in the league matches and continue to perform well."

　"Watanabe: "I didn't feel like we were being dominated throughout the 90 minutes, but unfortunately we lost. We need to respond properly to set plays. (Were there many instances of playing with our backs to the goal?) After conceding a goal, the opponent closed the middle and we couldn't create many shooting opportunities. We were too focused on trying to break them down beautifully. (How was the opponent's defense?) It wasn't as intense as I expected, so looking back, I think I could have played more aggressively. In the future, I want to face forward with more confidence. I'm grateful to the supporters for coming all the way here today. It's my first ACL, but I believe we can go further if we can perform to our full potential, so I'll do my best."

　[Summary of Coach Popovic's Press Conference]First of all, thank you very much. Regarding today's match, the result alone was disappointing. It is common in the world of football that the performance was good but the result did not come. I think it was that kind of match. As I mentioned earlier, I am very satisfied with everything except the result. We can evaluate the plays our players made and their attitude towards the game, and I think it was a match where we could show what we have been doing so far. In today's match, we were able to demonstrate what Japanese football and FC Tokyo's football, as a club, are all about.

　I hope that everyone who watched enjoyed the game and was satisfied. I would like to express my gratitude to the supporters who came from far away. Unfortunately, we couldn't give the supporters the gift of playing the next game at home. I apologize for that. However, if we can continue to show games like today's, I believe that people will continue to come to the stadium and we will be able to fill it to capacity in the near future.

　Congratulations on the victory against Ulsan. However, I would like to reiterate that I want to commend our players for a job well done once again.

Players' comments
Mukuhara
"It was a tough game but we enjoyed long spells on top so conceding from a set play was the most disappointing aspect. The manager told us to squeeze the midfield when our opponents pushed forward and we were focusing on that, but they maintained their defensive balance very well when they pushed on. The only time we came under any serious threat was from that one set play, which is a typical Asian feature I think. The games are coming thick and fast so I feel the best thing we can do is to create a good atmosphere in the league and take it from there".

Watanabe
"It didn't feel like we were under any serious pressure for the whole of the game yet the final result was that we lost. We have to be more solid at set plays. After they scored they stiffened their central defence and that meant I was playing with my back to the goal far more. We were solely focused on carving them open with pretty football. Their defence wasn't quite as fierce as I'd expected and later in the game I was able to play facing their goal much more. I'd like to play with more confidence facing the goal in the future. I'd like to thank the supporters for coming all this way to cheer us on. This is our first time in the ACL and I think that if we give it our all we can go further in the competition. We'll do our best".


FC Tokyo manager Popovic 
 "First of all, I'd like to say thank you. Regarding the game, the only disappointing thing was the result. It's something that happens often in football; you play well but don't get the result. That's the kind of game it was today, I think. As I said at first, I'm satisfied with everything except the result. I thought both the performance and the players' approach to the game were estimable and I felt we showed the way we've been playing until now. I thought the game exemplified what Japanese football and FC Tokyo are all about. 

I think it was an enjoyable game for the people who watched it. I'd also like to express my gratitude to our supporters who made the long trip here today. It's very disappointing that we won't be able to play the next match in front of our own fans and I feel sorry about that. However, I think that if we can put in performances like the one today then it won't be long before we'll be playing in front of a full house for our home games.

I'd like to congratulate Ulsan on their victory and to praise our players for their performance once again".

[Ulsan Hyundai · Coach Kim Gunhee's Press Conference Summary] "It was great to be able to finish first in the group, but the performance in today's match was not very good. We want to make adjustments as we prepare for the Round of 16. (Unlike three years ago, this time we finished first in the group) Three years ago, I didn't really understand the importance of the ACL, and I couldn't even prepare for it. This time, I felt that if we could achieve good results, it would raise the value of the players and improve the image of Korea. So we made a lot of preparations and were able to finish first."

　The teams we played against this time were Australia, China, and Japan, but the level was different for each country compared to before. Australia had undergone significant changes. China didn't change much, but I think Japan is a country that we need to be quite cautious about in the future. We wanted to dominate the game, but we couldn't do it today, and it was tough. We will continue to study Japanese soccer and aim to diversify our attacking style.

　(How to prepare from Round 16?) First of all, the opponent for Round 16 is Kashiwa Reysol, who were the champions of the J-League last season, so we want to prepare well and have a dominating match. I think Kashiwa also knows the Korean soccer style well, but I think they have the same style as FC Tokyo, so I want to prepare and approach the match.

Ulsan Hyundai manager Kim Ho-gon

"It's great that we've finished top of the group but the performance wasn't particularly good today. We have many things to put right before the Round of 16. I think that three years ago we didn't really understand the importance of the ACL and our preparation wasn't the best it could have been. This time I felt that if we could get the results then it would improve the players' reputation and the image of Korean football. We worked hard in preparation and were able to finish first in the group.
We found that there had been some major changes in the levels of our opponents this time round."

Australia had changed dramatically, China not so much but Japan has changed drastically and we will have to be on our guard in the future. We had wanted to overwhelm them with our pressure but couldn't and that made it a demanding game for us. We have to study Japanese football and diversify our attack from now on.

Our opponents in the Round of 16 are Kashiwa Reysol, last year's Japanese champions. We want to prepare thoroughly and overpower them. I think they play a similar style to FC Tokyo so we will adjust our preparations and look forward to the encounter".