リーグ後半戦に突入、味スタで草津にリベンジを！

　リーグ第24節対ザスパ草津戦が開催。およそ1か月ぶりに味スタにてホームゲームを迎える。リーグは19試合を終えて、ここから後半戦に突入。前節岐阜戦は、アウェイで苦戦を強いられながらも勝ち点3をもぎ取り、再び首位に立った。今節は、前半戦で敗れた草津との対戦だが、どのチームとの対戦であれ、ホームでは自分たちのリズムで試合を進めることにもこだわり、連勝につなげていきたい。

　東京は、大竹がC大阪に期限付き移籍を果たす一方、永里、坂田が新加入。また今野、権田、田邉がそれぞれの代表の活動のため、チームでの実質の練習はほぼ一日のみ。それでも積み重ねてきたものをベースとし、今野、田邉も先発に名を連ね、前節と同様のメンバーで臨むことになった。

　対する草津は、現在勝ち点26で12位につける。東京も苦しめられたFWラフィーニャが、7月にG大阪に移籍。チームとして調子を落とした時期もあったようだが、新たに突破力のあるMF小林竜樹、高さのあるDF柳川雅樹が加わり、ここ3試合は2勝1分けと負けなし。特に前節は、鳥栖の堅守をこじ開けて逆転勝利を果たし、FWラフィーニャの離脱を全員のハードワークと粘り強さでカバーしている。

　何より中盤のMF松下、熊林らからの配球が草津の生命線だ。彼らに対してプレスをかけるだけでなく、つなぎのミスを少なくし、支配率を高めることで草津の攻撃の芽を摘みたい。一方、攻撃では、引かれる前に先制点を奪うことがポイントに。草津は総失点31とワースト2番目だが、高さはあるため、ピッチの幅と深みを利用して崩していきたい。曇り空ながら蒸し暑さの残る味スタ。試合は18時34分に東京のキックオフでスタートした。

Tokyo Aim For Revenge Over Kusatsu

Thespa Kusatsu were the visitors to Ajinomoto Stadium for a game that marked the start of the second half of the season. Tokyo had ground out a 2-0 away win over Gifu in their previous outing, a result that kept the side top of the league at the halfway point. Kusatsu had beaten their hosts in the reverse fixture earlier in the year but at home Tokyo were aiming to dominate and embark on another winning spree. 
In a flurry of midweek transfer activity midfielder Otake moved to Cerezo Osaka on loan while Tokyo gained midfielder Nagasato and striker Sakata. Konno, Gonda and Tanabe had all been involved in international games at their respective levels meaning that the full squad had only a single day's training together. Nevertheless, Konno and Tanabe both started in an unchanged first eleven. 
Visiting Kusatsu lay in 12th. place with 26 points at kick off. Forward Rafinha, who tormented Tokyo in the first meeting between the sides, had departed for Gamba Osaka and the team suffered a dip in form afterwards, but the arrival of midfielder Shota Kobayashi and defender Masaki Yanagawa prompted a revival with the team unbeaten in three, having won twice and drawn once. The come from behind win over the usually miserly Tosu in the previous fixture had been particularly impressive with the side making up for Rafinha's absence with hard work, grit and determination. 
Midfield instigators Matsushita and Kumabayashi were the pair Tokyo would need to control, pressing them hard to deny time on the ball and nip potential attacks in the bud. The visitors had conceded 31 goals thus far, the second worst in the league, so using the full width and depth of the pitch would be the key to opening up the shaky defence. 
Tokyo kicked off shortly after 6:30pm under a cloudy sky on an oppressively humid evening. 

ボールを保持して攻めるも、決定機はつくれず…

　試合開始直後に草津の速攻を受け、MF熊林のロングパスから左サイドに抜け出したFWアレックスに鋭いシュートを放たれた。だが、これを塩田のセーブでしのぐと、徐々に東京がボールを保持し、リズムをつかみ出した。しかし、サイドバックも積極的に仕掛け、エリア手前まではボールを運ぶものの、19分に中央に位置取った田邉のパスを前線の羽生が落とし、再びリターンを受けた田邉がシュートに持ち込んだが、GKにキャッチされる。

　21分には右の徳永→田邉→中央の羽生がつなぎ、最後はエリア手前・中央に回り込んだロベルト セザーがシュートを放ったが、DFにブロックされてCKに。24分には直接FKを森重が、30分には中村が狙うがネットは揺らせず。

　36分には徳永がファールを受けて、右サイドからのFKを得る。谷澤のキックから、森重が鋭いヘッドを叩き付けたが、ゴール手前でDFにクリアされた。ロスタイムにもカウンターから攻め上がった梶山がファールを受けて直接FKを得るが、谷澤のキックはクリアされて前半を終了。草津の集中したディフェンスの前に、なかなか決定的といえる場面は作れなかった。

Tokyo Dominate Possession 

Kusatsu nearly caught Tokyo cold from the kick off as forward Alex sprinted down the left, latched onto a long ball from Kumabayashi and hammered a drive at the near post. Shiota stood up and parried the shot away. Following that effort Tokyo slowly began to dominate possession and find their rhythm. Despite the sidebacks pushing forward aggressively clear-cut chances were few and far between. In the 19th.minute Tanabe chipped a pass forward to Hanyu who controlled the ball and played it back to Tanabe whose shot drew a save from Kita in the Kusatsu goal. 
In the 21st.minute a neat passing move sparked by Tokunaga's foray down the right created a shooting opportunity for Cesar; his effort struck a defender and flashed narrowly wide of the post with Kita wrong-footed on the goalline. Neither Morishige's fiercely struck free kick in the 24th.minute nor a Nakamura shot in the 30th. troubled the Kusatsu keeper. 
Tokyo won a free kick in a good position on the right after a foul on Tokunaga in the 36th.minute. Yazawa whipped a telling ball into the danger area where Morishige made a firm connection but a defender was well-placed to clear the threat. The visitors broke up a Tokyo counter attack by fouling Kajiyama in additional time; Yazawa's free kick was cleared and the whistle blew on a scoreless first half. Despite controlling the game Tokyo had struggled to create decisive openings in the face of Kusatsu's defensive concentration. 

勢いが増した後半、PKによる1得点にとどまるが手堅く勝利

　後半に入り、48分にはカウンターを仕掛け、ロベルト セザーが右エリアからシュートを放つ。GKのセーブに阻まれたが、これを機にチームは勢いに乗ることに。54分にもロベルト セザーが自陣からドリブルで独走し、フィニッシュまで持ち込んだ。60分過ぎには、羽生、谷澤、田邉、梶山らのパスワークから厚みのある攻撃を次々と仕掛けた。だがシュートは、草津DFにことごとく阻まれてしまった。

　状況を打開しようと66分には、田邉に代えて石川を投入。だがそれまでの積極的な姿勢が実り直後の67分、中村が左エリア内に送った浮き球のパスに合わせ、飛び出した谷澤が草津DFに引っ張られてPKを得る。69分、このPKをロベルト セザーがネットに突き刺し、ようやく先制を果たした！

　先制した後は、草津の攻撃を危なげなく守って奪い、攻撃につなげた。石川やロベルト セザーが前線をかき回し、DFラインも押し上げて畳み掛けるように2点目を奪いにいった。75分に草津のCKから石川が逆襲を仕掛け、押し上げた今野がつないで、再び右を上がった石川がクロス。中央に谷澤が飛び出したがオフサイドに…。

　81分にはロベルトセザーに代えてルーカスを投入。85分には自陣で高橋のパスカットから、今野が前線中央に走った谷澤にパスをとおす。しかし谷澤は反転したところでコントロールを失う。89分には羽生に代わって鈴木がイン。前線の運動量を活かして猛攻を仕掛けたが…。結局、草津の4本に対して、東京は20本のシュートを放ったものの追加点を決めることはできず、PKでの1得点にとどまる。それでも失点はゼロに抑えて手堅く勝ち切り、連勝を果たすとともに首位をキープした。

　【選手コメント】《ロベルト セザー》「流れは悪くなかったが、なかなか点を取ることができず、難しい試合になった。それでも何とかPKで1得点できて、首位をキープした。もちろん前半のうちに得点したかったが、ハーフタイムには『前半の狙いを後半も続けていこう』と話していた。続ける中で得点できた。1対0ではあったが、失点せずにきっちりと勝ち点3を得たことが大切だと思う。PKに関しては、前回外したことが一瞬頭をよぎったが、蹴る瞬間は集中していた。次節も再びアウェイで難しいゲームになるはず。それでも私たちは勝たなければいけない。今日のようなリズムが出るように心掛け、点を取って勝てるように頑張る」

　《谷澤》「PKだけの得点では満足していない。もっとパスをつないで、崩して点を取るような戦いがしたいが、ここのところ若干、バランスが悪いシーンが多い。さらにコミュニケーションをとって、つないで崩し切れるような戦いをしていきたい。(首位で臨む後半戦だが？)序盤に比べれば、戦い方もはっきりしてきたし、チームとしてもまとまってきた。新たに永里選手や坂田選手も加入してきたので、よい競争をしながら、個人も成長し、チームとしてよい戦いができるようにしたい」

　【大熊監督の会見要旨】「草津は、他の試合と比べて今日は守備から入ってきた。そのDFラインの裏をえぐるまでは、なかなかできなかった。ゾーンの後ろでは田邉たちが非常に良い仕事をしているが、今は1トップに近い形でやっているので、前半はそこからのコンビネーションや、枚数、迫力が少し足りなかった。田邉はミスも少なかったが、その上でゴール前の怖さや決定力をどうやってものにしていくか、だと思っている。後半は、この暑さでお互いに間延びもしたが、優先順位としてはサイドから仕掛け、そこから真ん中へとバリエーションを増やしたかった。だが2点目を決めきれないと同時に、草津も頑張る気持ちが表れていた。それは反省点。ただし攻守に足が止まらず、90分間を走り切った。それは堅持をして、足りないところは補い、次の試合に集中して臨みたい」

　【草津・副島監督の会見要旨】「前節・鳥栖に勝ち、今日も勝ち点3を狙ったが、やはりFC東京の方が1枚も2枚も上手だった。蒸し暑い中で、走らされるような展開になり、体力の消耗が激しかった。自分たちで、もう少し最終ラインでボールを動かすような時間を作ることができれば、もう少しリズムをつかめたかもしれない。そういった部分の課題点をもう一度しっかりと挙げて、こういうゲームをなんとか追い付く、勝ち切る展開にもっていきたいと思う」

Penalty Earns Tokyo Solid Win 

In the 48th.minute Tokyo counter attacked, Cesar drawing a save from Kita with a sharp drive. The chance added impetus to the attack and Cesar went close again in the 54th.minute, spearing a shot narrowly wide after a powerful surge from deep. As the second half progressed Hanyu, Yazawa, Tanabe and Kajiyama all combined to add numbers to the attack but the attempts on goal resulting from the neat passing approach play all struck Kusatsu defenders or were blocked away. 
Ishikawa replaced Tanabe in the 66th.minute in an attempt to break the deadlock. Tokyo's enterprising approach was finally rewarded just a minute later as Nakamura spotted Yazawa's sprint into the area and chipped the ball up to him from a position on the left. Yazawa took the ball down and was pulled back by a defender, earning Tokyo a penalty. Roberto Cesar sent Kita the wrong way from the spot and Tokyo had a priceless lead. 
After taking the lead Tokyo successfully negated the Kusatsu attack, regaining possession and pushing forward. Ishikawa and Cesar flitted around the front line while the defence pushed forward as the side sought to deliver the knock-out blow of a second goal. In the 75th.minute Tokyo counter attacked following a Kusatsu corner with Ishikawa and Konno leading the charge. Ishikawa crossed from the right but the unmarked Yazawa was given offside as he burst into the penalty area. 
Lucas replaced Roberto Cesar in the 81st.minute. In the 85th.minute Takahashi intercepted a pass in midfield and Konno stroked the ball forward to meet Yazawa's run. Yazawa lost control of the ball as he turned inside and the opening quickly evaporated. Suzuki replaced Hanyu in the 89th.minute to add some extra pace to the Tokyo attack. Tokyo continued to pour forward but a second goal was unforthcoming and the final whistle blew on a 1-0 win, Cesar's penalty being the difference between the teams. Tokyo had outshot the visitors 20-4, kept another clean sheet and the three points maintained their place at the top of the league. 


Players' comments 
Roberto Cesar 
"We weren't playing badly at all but couldn't get the ball in the net and that made the game difficult. Still, we scored from a penalty and that kept us at the top of the table. Of course we had wanted to score during the first half but at the break we just talked about continuing with what we were doing in the second half. We kept going and then got the goal. It may have only been 1-0 but we kept a clean sheet and it was a solid performance, which is important. When we won the penalty I had a momentary flashback to the last time, when I missed, but as I ran up to shoot I kept my concentration. We're away again next week with what will be another difficult game. Even so, we have to carry on winning. I'll be doing my best to play with the kind of rhythm we had today, get on the scoresheet and win the match". 

Yazawa 
"We're not satisfied with scoring a single goal from a penalty. We want to pass the ball around more to open the opposition up but to some extent our balance has been poor on many occasions recently. Communicating better and playing flowing football to wear down our opponents is the way we want to go. 
What about staying at the top in the second half of the season? Well, compared to the beginning of the year we've isolated the way we should be playing and the team is settled. We've got Nagasato and Sakata to come in which is great for the competition for places and should lead to individual improvement". 


F.C.Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma 
"Compared to their other games Kusatsu started far more defensively today. It was very difficult for us to find space behind their defence. Tanabe and the others did very well playing behind the zone but with us fielding something close to a single forward formation today we had trouble in the first half with our combination play, lack of numbers and a shortage of momentum going forward. Although Tanabe made very few mistakes there's a question of how to add some threat in front of goal and some decisive finishing. In the second half the heat took its toll and both teams lost their shape somewhat. We wanted to add some variation to our attack, using the flanks and then moving into the middle. Not scoring a second goal left Kusatsu with some hope of salvaging the game and that showed in their spirited approach. It's a point we have to reflect on. Still, we kept running for 90 minutes. We have to maintain that as it's some compensation for areas we're lacking in as we prepare for the next game". 

Thespa Kusatsu manager Soejima 
"We beat Tosu last time out and had wanted to take the points again today but, as I anticipated, Tokyo were one or two steps ahead of us. We were forced into a lot of running in the heat and that exhausted our energy, making the game very demanding. If we could have played the ball around more at the back then perhaps we could have enjoyed a better rhythm to our game. That's an issue we have to address as we work on ways to take something from games like this".