First step towards becoming the Asian champion!

　FC Seoul of the K League held a preseason match away. Mashima, Inoha, Kajiyama, and Ozawa were absent due to the activities of the U-21 and U-19 Japan national teams. Toda, Suzuki, Kanazawa, and Rychely were injured, and Imano, who was selected for the Japan national team, injured his left knee in the practice the day before and had to cancel the trip just before departure. Although the team composition is difficult, we want to end it not just as a friendly match, but to grasp something as a team and return home, aiming for the J1 League match against Urawa on August 12 (Saturday) which will be resumed.

　FC Seoul, who won the FA Cup in July, can feel the momentum in the team. They have a strong lineup, including FW Junseo PARK and MF Sung Ryong JUNG, who participated in the World Cup Germany tournament, and most of the members have been selected for the South Korean national team in various age groups. It is also expected to be a highly motivated match as it is FW Eunsu CHO's retirement game.

　Tokyo has a 3-back with Fujiyama, Shigemori, Jean, and Ishikawa, Tokunaga as the left and right fullbacks, Asari and Miyazawa as the defensive midfielders, Lucas in the attacking midfield, Baba, and Akamine as the top forwards in a 3-6-1 formation. As Ishikawa said, "Playing overseas is a rare opportunity. It is a good chance for the team and each player to determine what they can and cannot do by playing with all their might."

　FC Seoul and Tokyo's team have been exchanging staff for several years, and their long-awaited preseason match has finally been realized. Today, the registered members will be limited to 22 players, with up to 6 substitutions. The match took place at Seoul World Cup Stadium, which was completely filled with approximately 60,000 FC Seoul fans, making it an away game. The match started with FC Seoul's kickoff at 7:04pm.

Despite conceding a goal from a mistake, the first half ended with Tokyo dominating the pace

　The stadium is bowl-shaped, so the airflow is poor and the humidity is 62% according to the humidity meter. However, the situation is even more stifling and uncomfortable due to the high humidity. In the 2nd minute of the match, Tokyo allowed FC Seoul to take the lead by taking advantage of a defensive mistake between Doi and Shigemune. However, Tokyo responded by launching attacks with a good rhythm from the midfield, despite the tough defense. In the 6th minute, Lucas → Ishikawa cut in from the right and managed to get past two opposing defenders to take a shot, but couldn't finish it. In the 7th minute, Tokunaga on the left side made a run behind the defense after receiving a through pass from Miyazawa, and took a bold shot after cutting inside, but it hit the opposing defender. In the 12th minute, Ishikawa won a corner kick on the right side and delivered a cross, and once again Tokunaga had a free header, but missed the target by a wide margin. In the 16th minute, Shigemune dribbled up and passed to Tokunaga who was in the middle. It was a shooting opportunity, but it was blocked by the opposing defender.

　FC Seoul's attack has become monotonous, focusing only on aiming for passes behind the DF to Park Juyong and Che Yeongsu, and they are unable to create a proper attacking shape. Tokyo had a decisive moment in the 18th minute. Lucas passed to Tokunaga, who broke through in front of the goal and faced the opponent's GK in a one-on-one situation, but the shot was saved by the GK. Akamine picked up the rebound and sent a low cross to the goal, but Ishikawa couldn't finish it. Then, in the 21st minute, Miyazawa took a FK, and in the 23rd minute, Lucas took a shot from outside the box, but they couldn't find the back of the net.

　In the 25th minute, Akamine shoots from the right side after a one-two with Baba, but the goalkeeper deflects it and no one can follow up. In the 36th minute, starting from Tokunaga on the left side, Baba enters the area in combination with Lucas and takes a shot, but it slightly curves to the left and misses the goal. In the closing moments of the first half, in the 44th minute, Ishikawa puts a right corner kick inside and Lucas heads a perfect shot, but it goes over the bar. Despite dominating the game with a shot count of 12 to 5 in the first half, they couldn't score a decisive goal and ended the first half trailing.

Despite injecting fresh members and launching a counterattack, they were unable to score and suffered a defeat.

　As instructed by Coach Garo before the match, "An international match requires each individual to fight for their country with pride," the team pledged to launch a comeback in the second half and headed to the pitch. In the second half, Abe was substituted for Akamine. Abe actively made runs towards the goal. In the 50th minute, Baba on the right side attempted a final pass to Abe, but it was intercepted by the opponent's defender. In the 52nd minute, Tokunaga passed to Lucas, who then sent a through pass to Abe in front of the goal, but it was ruled offside.

　FC Seoul made defensive adjustments during halftime and completely switched to a counter-attacking strategy. They cut off Tokyo's attacking opportunities and started creating numerous decisive moments. However, with the introduction of Shioda and Asari in midfield, they managed to hold their ground and prevent any additional goals. In the 67th minute, there was a chance from a right free kick, and Miyazawa delivered the ball to Shigeki who was unmarked on the far side. His well-aimed header was saved by the goalkeeper.

　Both Tokyo and FC Seoul are using substitution slots one after another to bring in fresh players. Kawaguchi, Kurisawa, and Ikegami are coming in, and the attack is becoming more active. In the 78th minute, Ikegami sends a cross from the right side to Tokunaga on the opposite side. He cuts inside and passes it to Kawaguchi, who is in the center. He shoots directly with his left foot. It hits the goalkeeper's face. However, in the 84th minute, they finally concede an additional goal from a counterattack by FW Dodo. Tokyo also tries to attack in search of a goal, but they end up conceding their third goal in the 89th minute, and it's all over. In the end, they suffer a 0-3 defeat without scoring any goals. They will restart the league with the issue of finishing ability still remaining.

　【Player Comments】《Asari》"This was my first game of the year, so I approached the match with the intention of showcasing my strengths. However, the result was 3 goals conceded, especially in the second half where we were caught off guard and conceded 2 goals through counterattacks. As defenders, it was our responsibility to stop them, and we should have found a way to do so. In the first half, we struggled to communicate effectively due to the noise around us, and there were moments where we were on the back foot. In the second half, our defense started to come together, but in the decisive moments, the opponents were one step ahead. This year, I have played in various positions, and playing as a defensive midfielder after a long time was a good experience. I believe I was able to make a strong impression in this position."

　[Summary of Manager Garo's Press Conference] "The result was 0-3, but in terms of content, it was a good game with both teams attacking each other. Unfortunately, we couldn't score while the opposing team did, but the difference wasn't as big as the numbers suggest. (What was the impact of Inoue's absence?) There is no doubt that he is an important player for the team, but that doesn't mean this result was because of his absence. Soccer is not something that can't be done without someone, and if a player is missing, other players can cover for them. The result is disappointing, but I also think we had chances just like FC Seoul. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of the team for inviting us from Japan and creating such a wonderful opportunity, and for warmly welcoming us, FC Seoul and everyone in Korea."

　【FC Seoul Lijang's coach press conference summary】"The game today, although the result was 3-0, was difficult for both teams due to the heat. We were tired from the FA Cup and physically exhausted, so we tried to fight with various players. However, it was also Cheyong's retirement game, so the motivation of the other players was very high. (Which opponent player left an impression?) Number 18, Ishikawa. We didn't have any prior information about him, so we didn't know, but he created a very dangerous situation."