Aiming for 3 points with consecutive victories!

　J1 League Round 2 is an away game against Hiroshima. In the previous round's opening match, the attacking unit exploded and the team's condition improved with a brilliant victory. However, as Tsuchihi says, "If we lose this match, the victory in the opening match will be in vain." It is also an important match that we must approach with a firm determination.

　Hiroshima drew with Shimizu in the previous match, equalizing in the second half. The focus this season is on the new foreign player, FW Gaubon, and DF Ikeda, who transferred from Shimizu. Based on the previous match, Ikeda has already fit into the team and functions as the core of the defense. On the other hand, Gaubon is a left-handed technician with a solid track record, but he has not fully adapted to the team tactics yet and still needs time. However, this match is also the opening match of the season, so it is expected that they will come in with even more determination than usual.

　Tokyo will face the same starting lineup as the previous match. Miura will be on the bench due to a left foot injury, and Suzuki Nori will replace him. We hope to rely on him as a joker when we need a late goal. The match started with Hiroshima's kickoff in freezing cold weather with a temperature of 0.6℃ and powdery snow falling.

TOKYO Aim For Consecutive Wins Against Sanfrecce

With their spirits lifted by the commanding win in the opening game, F.C. TOKYO traveled south to Hiroshima to take on Sanfrecce in the second game of the 2005 season. The team braced themselves for this important match, fully aware that, as goalkeeper Doi commented, "If we lose this one, the win last week has no meaning."
Sanfrecce earned a point in an away draw with S-Pulse in their first game. Two new signings were the men to watch: Brazilian striker Galvao and defender Ikeda, who was lured from S-Pulse in the off season. On the limited evidence of the first game, Ikeda seemed to have comfortably fitted into central defense, whereas Galvao seemed off the pace on the left side of the attack. However, players always raise their games for the opening home match, and TOKYO could expect a stern test.
TOKYO fielded the same line-up that started the previous game, with the only change being on the bench where Suzuki replaced the injured Miura. If the game turned out to be close, a late appearance from Suzuki was a distinct possibility. Sanfrecce kicked off on a bitterly cold afternoon amid snow flurries.

Unable to convert decisive chance...

　Both teams have been struggling to connect passes in the midfield due to the slippery pitch conditions since the start of the match. Additionally, both teams have been putting pressure on the midfield, making it difficult to create space and launch attacks. As a result, the game has been characterized by picking up loose balls after competing for them and then launching attacks. Hiroshima has been able to take advantage of this situation and dominate the game. As expected, they have intentionally positioned forwards Ogi, Gaubon, and Sato in the center, and have been repeatedly throwing the ball into that area, picking up loose balls, and launching attacks from the left and right sides. Despite defenders Hattori on the left side and Komano on the right side making multiple attacking runs and attempts before the 20th minute, Tokyo's defense, led by Toi, has managed to hold their ground. Meanwhile, Tokyo's only offensive opportunity during this difficult period was a shot by Lucas in the 11th minute.

　As Tokyo endured such a difficult period, their ball possession gradually increased and they began to launch smooth attacks. In the 27th minute, Toda showed persistence on the left side and Kurihara picked up the loose ball from there and took a shot from outside the penalty area. In the 28th minute, Miyazawa played a one-two with Lucas in the center and moved to the right side. Ishikawa dribbled through and crossed the ball, which was cleared by the opponent's defender, but Inokoshi picked up the loose ball and continued the wave-like attack by sending a cross. In the 32nd minute, Miyazawa sent a long pass to Kurihara who ran into the left side, and he immediately headed the ball back into the goal area, but Lucas narrowly missed the catch by the opponent's goalkeeper. Tokyo completely took control and created numerous decisive chances.

　First, in the 35th minute, Kanazawa exchanged passes with Kurisawa on the left side and sent a centering pass to the goal. Lucas and the opposing defender competed for the loose ball, which then fell to Ishikawa who was free in the far area. Ishikawa took a first touch and aimed for a shot, but it was saved by the opposing goalkeeper. In the 38th minute, from Miyazawa's quick restart, Kagawa passed to Ishikawa after dribbling past the end line and sent a centering pass. Lucas attempted a right-footed shot, but it was blocked by the opposing goalkeeper. In the 39th minute, Ishikawa delivered a right corner kick into the goal area, and Imakawa attempted a header shot. The ball hit the opposing defender and fell right in front of Jahn, who then took a right-footed shot. Unfortunately, the shot went over the crossbar, and they couldn't manage to open the goal. After that, they allowed Hiroshima to counterattack, but managed to prevent any goals and ended the first half with a 0-0 score.

Spurned Chances

The slippy pitch surface prevented either side from stringing passes together in the opening minutes. Both teams contested fiercely for possession in midfield and having won it then played the ball into space for the frontrunners to chase. Sanfrecce proved more adept than TOKYO, with Galvao, Oki and Sato picking up loose balls and playing them out to the wings where Hattori, on the right, and Komano, on the left, charged forward to join the attack. The pressure was intense but the TOKYO defence held firm; it took the visitors 11 minutes to launch their first attack and register the first shot, through Lucas.
TOKYO weathered the storm, slowly increased the amount of possession and began to threaten the home goal. In the 27th minute, Toda battled gamely down the left; Kurisawa seized on the loose ball and shot from outside the area. In the 28th minute, Miyazawa and Lucas played a neat one-two that allowed Ishikawa room to center from the right. The home defence cleared the ball only as far as Konno who crossed it back into the danger area. In the 32nd minute, Kurisawa headed a long ball from Miyazawa into the path of Lucas; Lucas shot first time but the Sanfrecce keeper held his effort. TOKYO were dominating the game and created a string of chances.
In the 35th minute, Kanazawa and Kurisawa exchanged passes before the former crossed towards the penalty spot. The ball evaded Lucas and a defender but fell for Ishikawa, completely free on the right. Ishikawa took one touch and struck but the Sanfrecce keeper pulled off a fine save to deny TOKYO the lead. A minute later, Ishikawa took the ball to the byline and centered only for the onrushing Lucas to become entangled with the keeper at the near post. Konno then had a header from Ishikawa's corner blocked in front of goal and Jean thumped the loose ball over the bar. Sanfrecce fought back as the first half drew to a close but 0-0 was the score as the teams left the field.

Unable to maintain our pace until the end

　In the 1st minute of the second half, Tokyo suddenly gets a chance. Toda on the left side crosses the ball into the goal area, and it reaches Ishikawa who was waiting free on the right side of the area. He cuts back once and shoots with his left foot, but the opponent's goalkeeper saves it. It seemed like they would hold on like this, but Hiroshima also regains their composure in the second half. Just like the start of the first half, they start winning the loose ball competitions, and for the first 10 minutes of the second half, the game becomes a stalemate. And then, Hiroshima takes control of the pace.

　Especially using the space well, with a focus on MF BETO, decisive scenes continue. In the 57th minute, BETO passed to Shigehara, who became free on the right side from a counter. Although he was allowed to shoot freely, Doi made a save. In the 69th minute, BETO passed to Sato, who was on the right side from MF Morisaki, and crossed to Gaubon, who was free in front of the goal, but his header shot went to the left post. In the 71st minute, Tokyo replaced Miyazawa with Asari to seal the movement of the opposing BETO. Also, by slightly advancing Imano's position and increasing the thickness of the attack, Tokyo gradually took control and in the 72nd minute, when Imano crossed from the right side, Toda headed it back to Kurizawa, who couldn't capture the frame with a direct shot, but Tokyo regained control of the pace.

　Substituting Toda for Suzuki Nori in the 77th minute immediately made the team more attacking. In the 79th minute, Suzuki Nori aimed a shot from outside the right area, but it hit the opponent's defender. In the 83rd minute, from Inamoto's interception, Ishikawa on the right side received a cross that didn't reach Lucas. In the 84th minute, Kurisawa passed to Kaji on the right side from the center, and he crossed the ball with a ground shot from a dribble. The opponent's defender cleared it once, but Lucas picked up the loose ball and took a shot that went wide to the right of the post. Unfortunately, they couldn't break through Hiroshima's defenders until the very end and the match ended in a scoreless draw, leaving them with only 1 point.

　[Player Comments] "Our defense line was stable and we were able to defend well. It's good that we got 1 point, but even in the two games without conceding a goal, we found some issues and we want to fix them and win the next game." "In terms of defense and balance, I tried to communicate with Imakano during the game and make adjustments. We tried to play with long balls rather than connecting passes... I feel sorry for the supporters who have come this far and wanted to get 3 points." "We couldn't create Tokyo's pace because we lost the ball too often. I think we won't see the title if we can't win in these situations. The pitch condition was bad, but we had chances to score within our safety-oriented playing style. We need to convert those chances. We want to win away."

　[Summary of Manager Hara's Press Conference] "It snowed and the pitch became slipperier and colder than expected. As a result, both teams avoided taking risks and played by kicking the ball into space and picking it up. Hiroshima has been playing a simple game of throwing the ball into the front line, picking up the loose balls, and spreading to the sides to cross. Even if we tried to take the ball from the front, they kept throwing it in. After about 30 minutes, we finally started creating chances, especially when Ishikawa was able to break through the sides. We had scoring opportunities, but I wish we could have scored there. There were also moments where we couldn't break through and Hiroshima created dangerous counter-attacking situations. As I have been saying since before the start of the season, we need to improve our accuracy in the final finish. It was a cold match, and Hiroshima played with determination, and although we wanted to win, our players performed well and concentrated. I think it's commendable to have kept a clean sheet in two matches. We need to practice well to convert several chances and challenge the next match. It's unfortunate that we couldn't give the supporters who came out in large numbers a goal. In terms of the content, I think a draw is a fair result. Hiroshima is also a well-organized team. We drew with them last year as well, so we want to settle the score when we face them next time. (What was the intention behind the substitution of Miyazawa with Asari?) Miyazawa's strengths didn't quite come out on the slippery ground. He was getting tired, and Beto stayed up front, effectively using the space, so we brought in Asari to mark him properly. And we pushed Konno forward to pick up the loose balls. It's not that he was playing poorly, but we made the substitution for that purpose."

　[Hiroshima Ono's press conference summary] "The players fought until the very end to aim for 3 points, but the result ended in a draw. We wanted to secure 3 points for the fans who supported us until the end in the cold weather, and the players had strong determination, but it's unfortunate. The performance was not bad, especially in terms of attacking from defense. We let go of 3 points in two consecutive matches, but we must not lose our way and continue to believe in ourselves. It's pointless to hesitate and question what we have built up until now just because we can't win here. We have done what we could, but there are still areas that need improvement, and we want to focus on that. Tokyo attacked from the right side, Ishikawa held the ball, Kaji came around. Lucas came inside from the left, Toda came from the left, and Lucas came inside. It was inevitable that the situation would become numerically equal. It was necessary to defend tightly to prevent a shot. I think there was good defense before the good attack."

TOKYO Lose The Initiative

TOKYO created the opening chance of the second half. Toda crossed from the left and found Ishikawa unmarked inside the area on the right. Ishikawa cut inside a defender and shot but again the Sanfrecce keeper denied TOKYO. Despite that early effort it was Sanfrecce who began the second period in the ascendancy, battling hard across the field and winning possession.
Midfielder Beto asserted himself and used space judiciously as Sanfrecce created several chances. In the 57th minute Beto found Shigehara on the right and Doi saved well to prevent the opening goal. In the 69th minute Koji Morisaki overlapped and crossed towards Galvao who put a free header wide. In the 71st minute Asari replaced Miyazawa with a brief to stifle Beto. Asari's introduction allowed Konno to play further forward and add his weight to the attack. The change lifted TOKYO and when Kurisawa fired Toda's knockdown from Konno's cross wide in the 72nd minute the momentum had swung back to the visitors.
Suzuki replaced Toda in the 77th minute as TOKYO went in search of the goal that would decide the contest. In the 79th minute Suzuki hammered a free kick against a defender, Lucas just failed to connect with Ishikawa's low cross in the 83rd, and Lucas shot narrowly wide in the 84th, pouncing on a poor clearance after Kaji's run and cross had ripped open the Sanfrecce defense. The home side clung on desperately until the final whistle blew and TOKYO had only a single point to show for all their endeavor.


Players' comments:
Doi
"The backline was stable and we defended well. It would have been nice to score but two consecutive clean sheets is a good start. There are things we have to work on though, but if we can fix them we should be able to go on and win the next game".

Miyazawa
"Regarding defence and balance Konno and I talked during the game and tried to adjust as we went along. Rather than short passing we deliberately attempted to play a long ball game today. We really should have taken the three points and I'd like to apologise to all the fans who made the long trip down here to support us".

Konno
"We failed to win the fight for the 50-50 balls and didn't really find our rhythm. If we can't succeed in those areas it's going to be difficult to take the title. The pitch condition was poor and we took a conservative approach but still managed to create chances. It's vital we take those. We want to win away".


F.C.TOKYO manager Hara
"It was snowing, much colder than expected and the pitch was very slippy. The safety first pattern of play meant the ball was played into space for the players to fight for. Sanfrecce played a simple style: long balls towards the front men, win the knockdowns and feed the wide attackers. The more we tried to press from the front the more they played the long ball. From around the 30 minute mark we began to get into the game, particularly through Ishikawa on the right, and started to create chances. We had some clear openings and really should have scored then. We have to improve the quality of our finishing. As we pushed forward that allowed Sanfrecce to counter attack. In the bitter cold and facing a highly motivated team we really wanted to win and the players performed very well in maintaining their concentration for the full 90 minutes. We haven't conceded a goal in two games now and that's a reflection of our play. We will have to work hard on our finishing in practice. It's a shame that we couldn't gift a goal to all the fans who travelled down to watch the game. I think a draw was a fair result, though. Sanfrecce are a good team. After playing two draws last year we hope to settle things next time we meet."
Regarding Miyazawa's substitution: "The slippery conditions didn't suit him and he couldn't really perform to his best today. He was tiring so I sent on Asari to shut out Beto who was using the space well and looking dangerous. Also I wanted to push Konno a little further forward to pick up the loose balls. I didn't substitute him because he was playing badly."

Sanfrecce manager Ono
"The team fought until the very end for the three points. It's disappointing for the players as they were highly motivated to win for all the fans who turned out in the terrible conditions. We didn't play badly at all today though; we've drawn twice but we're definitely on the right road. We just have to believe in ourselves. There are many reasons we failed to win today and we'll just have to analyze exactly what is lacking. When TOKYO attacked down the right and Ishikawa had the ball, he and Kaji exchanged positions. When Lucas moved forward Toda came in from the left and we had the same numbers back in defense. It couldn't be helped. The players threw themselves to block shots. There was a good defense in front of a good attack".