GAME RESULTMatch Results

Sec. 33 2021/10/23 (Sat)
Audience 9,748 people 
Weather: Sunny, with a temperature of 17.9 degrees Celsius and humidity of 31%. 
Referee: Takuto OKABE Assistant Referees: Tomokazu TAJIRI / Yusuke HAMAMOTO Fourth Official: Tomokazu SATO

J1 Sec. 33

Ajinomoto

HOME

FC Tokyo

1-2

Match ended

First Half0-1

Second half1-1

AWAY

Kashima Antlers

FC Tokyo Kashima Antlers
75' Ryoma WATANABE
Scorer 45'+1 Arthur CAIKE
65' Itsuki UEDA
35' Diego OLIVEIRA → Ryoma WATANABE
66' Takuya AOKI → Hirotaka MITA
66' Yojiro TAKAHAGI → Keigo HIGASHI
83' Kensuke NAGAI → Kazuya KONNO
Player substitution 46' Mitsugama Kentaro → Leo SILVA
76' Shoma Doi → Ryotaro ARAKI
76' Arthur CAIKE → Ryuji IZUMI
83' Juan ALANO → Itsuki SOMENO
6 Shoot 13
8 CK 3
11 FK 13
90' Tsuyoshi KODAMA
90'+2 Joan OUMARI
Warning
Expulsion
FC Tokyo Starting
GK 1 Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF 22 Takumi NAKAMURA
DF 3 Masato MORISHIGE
DF 32 Joan OUMARI
DF 50 Yuto NAGATOMO
MF 8 Yojiro TAKAHAGI
MF 21 Takuya AOKI
MF 31 Shuto ABE
FW 15 Adailton
FW 11 Kensuke NAGAI
FW 9 Diego OLIVEIRA
FC Tokyo Substitute
GK 16 Nobuyuki ABE
DF 34 Rio OMORI
MF 7 Hirotaka MITA
MF 10 Keigo HIGASHI
MF 18 Manato SHINADA
MF 23 Ryoma WATANABE
FW 38 Kazuya KONNO
Kashima Antlers starting lineup
GK 31 Yuya OKI
DF 32 Keigo TSUNEMOTO
DF 33 Ikuma SEKIGAWA
DF 28 Machida Hiroki
DF 2 Koki ANZAI
MF 20 Kenji Mitsukuri
MF 21 Diego PITUCA
MF 7 Juan ALANO
MF 17 Arthur CAIKE
FW 8 Shoma DOI
FW 18 Ueda Kiyose
Kashima Antlers substitute
GK 1 Sun Tae KWOUN
DF 22 Rikuto HIROSE
MF 4 Leo SILVA
MF 11 Ryuji IZUMI
MF 13 Ryotaro ARAKI
MF 25 Yasushi ENDO
FW 19 Itsuki SOMENO

[Highlight Video]

[Player and Coach Comments]

"Ryoma WATANABE"
(Looking back on the match)
"I had to come on in the middle of the first half due to an accident, and I struggled to catch my breath. It was a difficult start for me. As a team, we conceded a goal in the first half, which put us in a tough situation. However, after scoring one goal, we had the momentum to score another."
If we can catch up there, I felt that we could take another step forward as a team.

(How did you approach the game?)
"First, I wanted to start with a solid defense and create the team's momentum."
I entered the game with the idea that since I have stamina, it would be great if I could run and run and score at the very end."

(Ajinomoto's first goal)
"I really wanted this goal. I tried not to think about it too much, but now that I actually scored, I feel relieved and happy."

(Looking back at the scoring scene)
"Adailton was about to head the ball, so I shouted 'OK!' At first, I couldn't see the ball and I pulled my head back, but then I was able to see the ball. In the end, I hit it based on my feeling."

(Next match enthusiasm)
"Even if I can't score, it's okay as long as the team wins. Anyway, I want to focus on winning."
I believe that even if you score, it is meaningless if you don't win.
"I want to contribute to the team winning first, but I also want to leave a mark in the form of goals."

"Takumi NAKAMURA"
(Reflecting on that scene where I recorded an assist)
"I thought Nagatomo's cross ball would come through, so I decided to go there."
"It was good that the first touch went well, which created time to think about the next play and was able to cross the ball by shifting the timing with the opponent."

(I think it was a cross ball from a difficult position)
"I thought if I just lifted the ball, it would hit the opponent, so I chose to delay the timing a bit and felt that if I passed it from above, it wouldn't hit the opponent, so I chose that play."
I didn't expect him to come up at that timing, but I could see that Ryoma WATANABE was open.
However, I think that goal by Watanabe was fantastic.

(Even in practice matches, Ryoma WATANABE assists and seems to have a good partnership with him)
"A player who can understand what I want him to do and where he wants to receive the ball without having to talk, just through eye contact."
"I find it very easy to do and enjoyable to play soccer together."

(Regarding scoring goals from the side that the team is focusing on)
"I feel that it would have been better if we could have done this from the beginning of the season, but I will take it as a positive that I was able to assist and I will continue to do my best to keep it up."

(After the match, he sat down on the pitch and his frustration was evident)
"Today was very disappointing, but there are still 5 matches left."
"Today, amidst the sold-out tickets, I once again felt the importance of giving the joy of victory to the spectators."

"Tokyo - Summary of Coach Kenta HASEGAWA's Press Conference"
"A frustrating defeat. It was very disappointing, but after it became 0-2, the players showed their determination and managed to score a goal, which I believe will lead to something in the future."
They did their best until the end with the desire to somehow show their feelings to the nearly 10,000 fans and supporters who gathered.
"In addition, we want to prepare for the next match against Taku SHIMIZU and win as many home games as possible to finish this season."

(Kashima had a lot of long balls, but it was unexpected)
"It was known that Kashima would use it simply in response to the movements of players like Ueda and Doi."
There were times when we had unpleasant developments despite connecting clear passes, but from the beginning to the middle of the game, we were able to launch attacks in a good manner.
In the middle, it would have been good if the ball had reached Adailton's feet, but it got stuck, resulting in a counterattack and a set play. It was a very wasteful goal to concede, especially considering it was a long-range free kick.
The defense line couldn't drop back and the goalkeeper couldn't come out, but it was a ball that seemed like nothing, so I think it was a goal that could have been prevented if we had called out to each other.
It was not a bad first half, so the last goal conceded was painful for the team.
Recently, we have been conceding a lot of goals during that time period, so we are trying to fix it somehow, but it's not stopping easily. We think we need to do something about it.

(Diego was substituted due to injury, but what did you think?)
"I wasn't in the best condition during this week's practice, so I had already considered Ryoma's substitution."
I think he also improved over time.

(If we don't score when we have a good opportunity in the first half, it will become difficult)
"There are many game situations where we can ride the momentum if we take the lead."
Due to the influence of injured players, it is inevitable that the game will become difficult if we concede multiple goals first.
"We cannot win unless we take the chances to score, especially against Kashima. I thought that whoever scores the first decisive goal will be a major turning point."

(Various players are involved in the midfield, but what are they emphasizing?)
"Results are important, but if we don't improve the content, it won't lead to results. We only scored one goal today despite creating chances, but we want to continue what we have been doing so far. I think there has been significant growth compared to the away Kashima game in the first half of this season."
"We want to fight firmly for the growth of the team and individuals in the remaining 5 matches."

"Summary of Kashima Naoki Soma's Coach Interview"
"First of all, I would like to thank all the supporters who came to the game. In the previous match against Yokohama FC, we made you all feel frustrated. We played a somewhat embarrassing game from our perspective. We would like to express our gratitude for believing in us and fighting together."
I think that energy led to today's victory.
It became a game with a speedy vertical development, aiming for goals and the back, while being conscious of winning, and intense battles for the ball.
Picking up the ball in a good condition can create a positive attacking shape. That was the flow, I think. The wind was very strong, in the first half we had the wind against us, and in the second half we had the wind at our backs, so there were some unpleasant balls dropped behind us in the first half. However, we were also able to quickly attack with the wind.
I think we were able to gain courage by scoring points in a good time zone in the first half. It was really good, including the time zone.
In the second half, instead of defending, go and try to get it back again.
The energy of Tokyo's power to catch up and turn the game around was very high, but we were able to score additional points in a good way through our counter when we overcame it.
I wish we could have ended without conceding any goals, but I think the players really expressed their desire to win, and each player joined hands to become one team. I think that was the kind of game it was.
I felt those aspects even in the preparation, so I was able to express them well and connect them to a solid victory. I think it really became a game that can be connected to the future.
Next is the Emperor's Cup, and we want to make good preparations for it.

(In the first half, I think it was unusual for Kashima to continuously play long balls, but it seemed to be according to their plan)
"One thing is that we could somewhat imagine that Tokyo would come to steal the ball from the front, based on our recent way of playing."
Also, when we thought about putting our focus forward again, we wanted to create a situation where we could move the ball forward rather than having it behind.
Today, it was a game where victory was absolutely necessary. In that situation, the start was in a form of moving forward with a forward center of gravity.