GAME RESULTMatch Results

Sec. 31 2020/12/12 (Sat)
Audience 9,755 people 
Weather: Clear, temperature 15.9 degrees, humidity 36% 
Referee: Hiroyoshi TAKAYAMA Assistant Referees: Haruhiro OTSUKA/Naoya OKAWA Fourth Official: Hayato SHIMIZU

J1 Sec. 31

Ajinomoto

HOME

FC Tokyo

1-0

Match ended

First Half0-0

Second half1-0

AWAY

Sanfrecce Hiroshima

FC Tokyo Sanfrecce Hiroshima
65' Hotaka NAKAMURA
Scorer
58' Kyosuke TAGAWA → Kazuya KONNO
72' Adailton → Kiichi YAJIMA
85' Hirotaka MITA → Rei HIRAKAWA
Player substitution 55' Yusuke CHAJIMA → Yoshifumi KASHIWA
78' Yuya ASANO → Kosei SHIBASAKI
6 Shoot 15
4 CK 4
15 FK 8
Warning
Expulsion
FC Tokyo Starting
GK 13 Go HATANO
DF 22 Takumi NAKAMURA
DF 47 Seiji KIMURA
DF 5 Daiki NIWA
DF 37 Hotaka NAKAMURA
MF 44 Manato SHINADA
MF 28 Takuya UCHIDA
MF 7 Hirotaka MITA
FW 24 Taichi HARA
FW 15 Adailton
FW 27 Kyosuke TAGAWA
FC Tokyo Substitute
GK 1 Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF 34 Rio OMORI
DF 49 Kashif BANGNAGANDE
MF 40 Rei HIRAKAWA
FW 19 Kiwara MIYAZAKI
FW 23 Kiichi Yajima
FW 38 Kazuya KONNO
Sanfrecce Hiroshima starting lineup
GK 1 Takuto HAYASHI
DF 2 Yuki NOGAMI
DF 23 Hayato ARAKI
DF 19 Sho SASAKI
MF 25 Yusuke CHAJIMA
MF 8 Kawabe Shun
MF 6 Toshihiro AOYAMA
MF 24 Shunki HIGASHI
MF 29 Yuya ASANO
MF 10 Tsukasa MORISHIMA
FW 9 Douglas VIEIRA
Sanfrecce Hiroshima substitute
GK 38 Keisuke OSAKO
DF 3 Akira IBAYASHI
MF 5 Hiroya MATSUMOTO
MF 30 Kosei SHIBASAKI
MF 50 Tomoya FUJII
MF 18 Yoshifumi KASHIWA
MF 26 Kodai DOHI

[Highlight Video]

[Player and Coach Comments]

"Hotaka NAKAMURA"
"Throughout the season, I had opportunities but couldn't produce results, and I felt frustrated."
Today, I am finally able to lead the team to victory with my own goal, and I think I have finally become a member of Tokyo. I am really happy right now."

(Winning at Ajinomoto Stadium is always special)
"I couldn't produce results for a long time, and I was frustrated and filled with apologies. But I was able to contribute to the victory like this. I think the fans and supporters were really looking forward to it, so I'm glad I could contribute in the form of a goal."
However, we have only taken the first step.
"I want to continue to work hard to contribute to Tokyo's victory without being satisfied here."

(Looking back at the goal scene)
"Today's game was a back-and-forth of counterattacks from the first half, and it was a situation where we had to give it our all to have a chance of winning."
There were times when we had to be patient, but we were also able to create scenes where we could launch a quick attack all at once.
When it comes to quick attacks, I felt that a negative ball was effective, so I thought that if I could get into that position during a cross ball, it would be a chance.
"In the scoring scene, Hikaru MITA gave me a good ball, so all I had to do was stay calm and score."

(The ball was stuck in the goal net)
"I don't remember much. I just hit it randomly, so I'm glad it went in."

(After the fierce battle in the ACL, this victory. Towards the next final match, the Levain Cup final)
"I think each player, including those who had fewer opportunities to play among the members who went to Qatar today and the players who stayed in Tokyo, approached this match with various thoughts."
I think that the players today, among them, will contribute to improving the team by producing results, and it will definitely lead to the next step.
"We are not satisfied with this victory as a team, and we want to further improve the quality and prepare ourselves firmly from here."

"Hirotaka MITA"
"Today, the members have changed significantly from the ACL."
"I think it was the strong determination of the players who had a hard time participating in the ACL to seize victory within that, which led to today's result."

(I think the start of each play was fast)
I think it's the symbol of Tokyo football.
"I feel that it was possible because the players who had not had the opportunity to play so far have been able to accumulate steadily."

(Young players from the academy made many appearances and achieved victory)
"We were able to demonstrate what we have been building up through our daily training in today's match."
I think the part that says "勝ちきった" will be a valuable experience for young players in the future, and it can be said that winning made it so.
I think it was a good game for the future of Tokyo.

(The coach was evaluating the performance of player Hikaru Mita today)
"Today, amidst many young players on the field, I felt that I needed to take the lead."
I felt that being entrusted with the captain's armband was a message from the coach.
There was an option to take the shot myself, but I entrusted it to Hotaka NAKAMURA, who was free.

(Including the final round of the Levain Cup this season, there are 2 more matches to go.)
"This season, there have been various challenges, but through the long series of matches, the maturity of the team has also increased."
The league match is also the final round.
"We want to continue to improve as a team towards the Levain Cup final."

"Tokyo - Summary of Coach Kenta HASEGAWA's Press Conference"
"Today, the players who participated gave their all in their play. There is nothing more to say."
I think it was a wonderful victory"

(Is this victory the result of long-term accumulation or the experience of ACL?)
I think it's both.
Many players have participated in the matches this season and have gained valuable experience, including games in the ACL where they couldn't secure a victory despite playing well.
During halftime, we talked about how "Today's game is playing a fantastic match. Let's win it." They played with great enthusiasm for the remaining 45 minutes of the second half and were able to secure a solid victory.
I think they expressed their frustration from the ACL in today's match.

(I think that in today's game, the part that we focused on the details was clearly demonstrated in the play, but the evaluation is)
"Although we created dangerous situations at the beginning, as the game progressed, we grasped the rhythm and they played with attention to detail."
Instead of throwing it back to their own half, Hotaka NAKAMURA's throw-ins are simple but thrown behind the defensive line.
I think each of those plays led to the result of no goals conceded.
"I think we were able to calm down the game and carry it smoothly because Nakamura Takumi and Shinaida were able to settle the ball and create a cushion-like pause at Mita's position."

(Evaluation of Hotaka NAKAMURA, who scored a goal, while young players were active throughout the match)
"I think Hotaka is one of the players who had a frustrating experience in the ACL."
He fought tough today, using the frustration and experience.
The player was not someone who could make a decisive play in such situations, but I felt that they had become a little tougher through their experience in Asia.

(In the second half, I think the flow of the game changed after Konno was substituted. What instructions did you give?)
I think he is also one of the players who have been very frustrated this season.
He was told to go out on the pitch and give it his all with his current feelings.
The flow changed after Konno joined, and he played really well."

(Konno player made his first appearance in the league since August)
"He has been working hard without slacking off from practice, gradually learning the defensive aspects and team tactics with his body. We have high expectations for him in the ACL and brought him along."
Although he was never able to participate in the ACL for a long time, he felt various emotions in his own way and brought that experience to today's match.
"Furthermore, we look forward to watching his play in the future."

(Today, I think Mita and Niwa players had a significant impact in the absence of Higashi and Morishige players)
I think both of them played wonderfully.
Regarding Mita, there have been good times and bad times, and he has not been able to play satisfactorily even in the ACL.
However, looking back on this season, there are also games where Hikaru Mita has played exceptionally well.
I talked to him about the difference between good times and bad times, and today he really played with all his heart.
Mita today played in a way that makes us want to use him more in the future.
Niwa also showed great play in the ACL Parse match, and demonstrated a presence like "Daiki Niwa is here".
I think I was emotionally involved today because it was against my former team Hiroshima, but they showed stable play.

"Hiroshi JOFUKU Press Conference Summary (Hiroshima)"
"Unfortunately, I couldn't meet the expectations of the many supporters who came and supported me during the increasing spread of the infection. I am filled with frustration."
Especially in the second half, there were moments where we couldn't bring the game to our own pace, and it was a match where we felt our own weakness and as a coach, I felt my own shortcomings.

(There is a game coming up soon, but what kind of preparations should we make?)
First, we will focus on the players' recovery and choose the players who are able to play. I believe that the players who feel frustrated about today's game will go out and play in the next game.
I think there is no player who does not feel frustrated about today's game, so I hope we can make good preparations to show our true selves.

(I think we were attacking from the first half and wanted to score within the first half)
"I think not being able to score throughout the 90 minutes is a deficiency as a coach. We need to work harder on that aspect."
"It was a problem that we couldn't continue to fight at our own pace because we knew that the actual time would be shortened when we were scored against."