After defeating Fukushima United FC in the 2nd round of the Emperor's Cup on June 7th, July 12th became a "special day". One month later, the time has finally come to settle the score.
Meanwhile, Tokyo has changed coaches and is currently in the process of building a new style starting with defensive improvements. Some new players have joined the team, while others have left. Although there are concerns about the number of injured players, the team's situation is irrelevant when it comes to the Verdy match. What matters is the upcoming game. In order to win and defeat Verdy, the Tokyo club will give their all to show their blue and red colors.
Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI said.
"Personally, I have experienced several derbies, but I understand that this Verdy match is a special game. For fans and supporters, this match may be everything. There are emotions in football that cannot be explained in words, and that is also an important part of football. I want to play the game with that passion for them."
The first Verdy match in 12 seasons opened at Ajinomoto Stadium.
1stHALF - Tsukagawa's powerful middle shot takes the lead
As the chant "We can't lose to Verdy" continued to be sung, the game started with the opponent's kickoff. Although the game started with pressure, in the 8th minute of the first half, player Shuto ABE took the team's first shot and changed the momentum. In the 15th minute of the first half, a heading shot hit the post from player ARHAN's long throw, but they managed to overcome the only dangerous situation and took control of the game.
The flow continued and in the 20th minute of the first half, they succeeded in taking the lead. Diego OLIVEIRA, who received the ball in the midfield, carried it and made a final pass to Koki TSUKAGAWA, who was running alongside him. Number 35, who was playing as an attacking midfielder, confidently swung his right foot and the shot bounced in front of the opposing goalkeeper, shaking the back of the net.
After taking the lead, we proceeded with the game with even more ease. The final line showed a concentrated defense, with Kuryu MATSUKI and Diego TABA's double volante gaining an advantage in recovering second balls and increasing possession rate. And, with Tsukagawa pulling out the ball in space and Diego TABA putting his body on the line to secure it, we created the starting point for our attacks. In the 26th minute of the first half, Abe, who had jumped in from the third line, had a chance to score an additional goal.
Even when defending, Henrique TREVISAN continues to shut down the opposing forward and does not allow any chances to be created from the flow of the game. Jakub SLOWIK, who is the biggest threat with his long throws, reads the trajectory after the second throw and catches them firmly. He snuffs out the opponent's attacking opportunities and safely leads by one point as they reach halftime.
2ndHALF - Diego's close shot is caught up and extended
In the second half, Verdy, who had substituted two players at halftime, was pushed back, but they quickly settled the game and earned a corner kick in the 10th minute of the second half. Kicker Matsuki encouraged the fans behind the goal, and from the second attack, Diego TABA took a shot that hit the crossbar. Furthermore, Tsukagawa broke through and scored a goal, but it was not counted as an additional point due to an offside call.
As a result, the flow of the game gradually shifted towards Verdy. They were pushed back by the opponent who made early substitutions and sent fresh players to the front line. And in the 25th minute of the second half, they conceded an equalizing goal from a corner kick.
It was a clash of wills after the score returned to the starting point. Tokyo had more time pushing forward, but the goal seemed far away and there was no breakthrough. In the end, the match ended 1-1 after 90 minutes. The derby, after a gap of 12 seasons, entered into a battle of 120 minutes.
EXTRA TIME—Unable to capitalize on the opportunity at the start
As the game entered extra time, Tokyo created a big chance just 38 seconds after the start. They broke through on the right side and Tsukagawa crossed the ball. Keigo Higashi, who had made a near post run, headed the ball in front of the opponent's player, but the shot missed the target.
Both teams understand the value of the next goal and continue to play the game with an attacking mindset while maintaining balance. In the midst of that, in the 11th minute of extra time in the first half, they were once again threatened by a shot from a long throw-in, and in the 15th minute of extra time in the first half, they had a close call due to a defensive clearance mistake, but were saved by the opponent's missed shot.
The balance of the game remains unchanged even after entering the extended second half. At this point, Naoki Kumata is brought into the front line, but the team as a whole is visibly fatigued and struggles to bring the ball up to the front. Before they know it, the clock has reached 120 minutes. The game continues into extra time, but with no resolution, it eventually leads to a heated penalty shootout.
PENALTY SHOOTOUT - Kubo stops the 9th shot! Victory in a fierce battle
Tokyo, who took the first turn, calmly shot to the right with player Matsuki, and player Kimoto also succeeded as the second shooter. Furthermore, player Tsukagawa shot to the bottom left as the third shooter, and player Kumada shot to the bottom right as the fourth shooter. Then, player Nagatomo scored as the fifth shooter, but Verdy also had all five players succeed, leading the penalty shootout to go into extra time.
The kick of the sixth player Abe was touched by the opposing goalkeeper, but the mistiming worked and it rolled into the goal. The seventh player Terayama Tsubasa went straight to the middle. The following eighth player Koizumi Kei also succeeded, and the ninth player Higashi kicked it into the upper left corner, and Tokyo had all nine players succeed.
And then, they faced the opponent's ninth kicker. Jakub SLOWIK, who had been unable to stop despite reading the course several times, finally stopped this ninth kicker. They won the fierce battle against Verdy and advanced to the 4th round of the Emperor's Cup.
MATCH DETAILS
＜F.C.Tokyo＞
STARTING XI
GK Jakub SLOWIK
DF Kei KOIZUMI/Seiji KIMURA/Henrique TREVISAN (Extra time 13': Kyosuke KIMOTO)/Yuto NAGATOMO
MF Kuryu MATSUKI/Shuto ABE/Takaki TSUKAGAWA
FW Ryoma WATANABE (Second half 31': Tsubasa TERAYAMA)/Diego OLIVEIRA (Extra time 0': Naoaki KUMADA)/Kota HYOZUMI (Second half 16': Keigo HIGASHI)
SUBS
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Shuhei TOKUMOTO
FW Leon NOZAWA
GOAL
First half 20 minutes: Koki TSUKAGAWA
Verdy
STARTING XI
GK Mateus
DF Yuta Narawa/Yuto Tsunashima/Tomohiro Hira (46th minute: Kaito Chida)/Arhan (95th minute: Junki Koike)
MF Daiki Kusunoki (68th minute: Ryosuke Shirai)/Toyofumi Sakano (74th minute: Kosuke Sagawa)/Hirotsune Kato (46th minute: Kohei Yamakoshi)/Ryo Nishitani/Ryushi Sugimoto (63rd minute: Yuji Kitajima)
FW Keito Kawamura
SUBS
GK Yuya NAGASAWA
GOAL
Second half 25th minute: Ryosuke SHIRAI
PENALTY SHOOTOUT
[Peter Cklamovski Coach Press Conference Comments]
Q: please review the game.
A, it was a cup match and a heated Verdy match, so I thought that various things would happen in the game. Based on my experience, you never know what will happen in a cup match, so you have to be prepared for everything. It's the same in today's match. What was really important and crucial was to control our emotions and give our all.
I think they firmly carried out their own way of thinking and played a very good football. There were also moments where we could have scored more goals, but we couldn't convert those chances and ended up struggling. And we were caught off guard by the opponent's set plays. That is a disappointing aspect. However, in the midst of that, the players fought bravely and selflessly with a belief in this club. I think it is the effort of everyone in the club. And for the fans and supporters, I think today's victory became something special.
Tokyo is blue and red.
Q, it was almost the same lineup as the Urawa Reds match in the league.
A, considering the balance of freshness and safety, this member selection has been made. First, it is important to fight stably and to firmly coordinate the team. I would like to continue moving forward step by step while doing it firmly in practice in the future.
Q, extra time, and even penalty shootouts were needed.
A, it is wonderful that they were able to give their all until the end. They fought bravely and with heart. They had given everything they had until the gas tank was almost empty. I am truly proud that they were able to run for 120 minutes in that way.
Q, I think I made a name for myself in the Verdy match, which is the first in 12 seasons.
A, I have a great respect for the club's past pride, and it was a memorable battle that the people of Tokyo can be proud of. I am proud that I was able to share these things with the group and the players, not just myself. It was also important that we took another step towards the trophy. I am proud of everyone involved with the club, and I think it was good to win for the fans and supporters.
Q: Did you anticipate that the match would go into a penalty shootout?
A, I think preparation is everything, and within that, we were able to have good practices. We were also able to work on penalty kicks during practice. We have had a really good preparation this week and have prepared to fight for 120 minutes. Also, I really want to express my gratitude to the fans and supporters. I am happy that we were able to send off our teammates who continued to cheer us on from warm-up until the end of the game with smiles on their faces.
Q, since becoming the coach, there have been no losses in the 4 official matches played.
A, I think this is the result of everything that everyone involved in the club, including the players, coaching staff, and medical staff, has done. By coming together and preparing diligently day by day, we have been able to perform well. It's a great start, but there is still much more we can do. There is still a lot of potential and possibilities, and we need to work step by step to bring them out and continue without letting our guard down. By doing so, I believe we can get closer to becoming our dream team.
[Player Interview]
Yuto NAGATOMO
Q, the match against Verdy turned into a fierce battle that even went into a penalty shootout.
A, ideally, we wanted to settle the game in 90 minutes, but Verdy also had many fresh players, and both teams fought desperately in this heat. We expressed our own style of soccer, ran for 120 minutes, and ultimately it became a penalty shootout. I think there is some luck involved in penalties, but I believe that everyone had a strong feeling of "We don't want to lose to Verdy" and "We, the blue and red, are Tokyo", which led to victory.
Q, for 120 minutes, his endless movement up and down the left side saved the team.
A, I feel that my condition has improved a lot. I played for 120 minutes and had no physical problems at all. Even though I am 37 years old, I still feel that I can play and I gained confidence in my physical abilities.
Q: In the penalty shootout, you aimed for a calm shot. Did you decide on the target before taking the shot?
A, I calmly judged the shooting course by observing the movement of the opponent's goalkeeper. Even when I was a member of Inter Milan, I had the experience of being the kicker in penalty shootouts such as the Milan Derby and scoring goals. I was able to approach it with confidence and above all, I was able to compete with a strong determination.
＜Koki TSUKAGAWA player＞
Q, please look back on today's game.
It was a game that had to be decided in 90 minutes, but because it was the Emperor's Cup, the importance of scoring an additional goal became apparent. I felt the importance of scoring more goals, so I want to be more greedy next time. Also, despite it being a weekday night, many fans and supporters came and created an atmosphere that the players alone could not create, which was impressive.
Q, it was a splendid goal with a powerful swing of the right foot.
A, even when I received a pass from Diego OLIVEIRA, Diego also moved again, and Ryoma WATANABE was in front, so at first I was looking for a passing option, but when I saw the goal, I swung and it landed nicely on my foot, creating a trajectory like a knuckleball, and it went into the goal for me. Scoring goals is one of my strengths, so I want to make sure to be conscious of scoring when practicing shooting and mini-games.
It was a penalty shootout after a 120-minute match, but I was able to stay calm and score.
A, I couldn't put any strength in my legs anymore, but I pushed it into the goal with determination.
Q, there is a league match against Kashima Antlers in 3 days. Please tell us your enthusiasm.
A, because the Emperor's Cup and the league matches are different, I want to build up from practice and do my best. (Looking at Kei KOIZUMI sitting next to me) In the next match, Kei KOIZUMI will be playing against his former team, so I believe he will score goals and I hope to contribute to the victory by playing boldly (laughs).
＜Tsubasa TERAYAMA player＞
Q, what instructions did you receive from Coach Klomovski before entering the pitch?
First of all, I was focused on how to get into this intense match. Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI told me to express my own strengths and characteristics. We were caught up in a tie and in a situation where we had to score a second goal, so I was conscious of directing the team's Victor forward and recovering the ball in the midfield position to connect to the attack.
Q, I think we had a lot of time being chased by the defense. What kind of balance did you find on the pitch?
I was conscious of going for the second goal and not giving the opponent any additional points. While communicating with Kuryu MATSUKI, who formed a double pivot, I was conscious of balancing offense and defense, recovering second balls, and playing a connecting role in attack according to the situation, and I was playing while aiming for opportunities to score additional points in particular.
Q, it seems that I was able to smoothly enter the game in difficult game developments such as the Urawa Reds game and this week's Verdy game, where the opportunity to play in the middle of the game has increased.
Among many appearances from the middle, I feel the difficulty of entering the pitch from the middle in a close game, but I have been conscious of making the rhythm of the play by focusing on the first play and expressing my own characteristics in the past few games. The number of times I can express good plays in the game has also increased, but positioning and mistakes are also noticeable. I want to further pursue and grow so that I can start the game instead of coming off the bench.
Q, the performance and intensity after scoring a goal in a penalty shootout left a lasting impression.
I was conscious of delivering goals and victories to the fans and supporters. I was a little nervous, but I was determined to kick it right in the middle. I wanted to firmly decide and boost the voltage of Tokyo's fans and supporters, especially with the strong desire to support Slowik's PK stop.
<Seiji KIMURA>
Q, please review the game.
A, in the first half, I was able to demonstrate my strengths and effectively suppress the opponent. I had a good feeling from making good plays. However, in the second half, I made noticeable passing mistakes and fell behind the opponent's forwards, allowing them to create opportunities. I believe that if we don't eliminate these small mistakes and fine-tune our performance, victory will slip away. As a center-back, it is important to not give the opponent freedom in their attacks and to snuff out potential threats. Therefore, I want to make corrections step by step starting from practice.
Q, we started the game with a focused start, and at times, we also saw plays that became the starting point of our attacks.
In the extra time, many players on the pitch were fatigued, so I thought it was important not to force the ball and sometimes simple plays would be crucial. We were particularly conscious of utilizing long feeds from our own defense to push up the defensive line towards the end of the game. As the game progressed, Verdy's forward players also made substitutions and aimed for goals with fresh players, but we emphasized the importance of not losing in speed and predicting and seizing opportunities.
Q, the stadium was enveloped in a unique atmosphere throughout. How did you feel on the pitch?
Despite being a weekday night game, many people came to the venue. There were significantly more Tokyo fans and supporters than Verdy, and I could feel the excitement on the pitch. I felt the support pushing us towards victory, and I sincerely felt the joy of sharing it with the fans and supporters.
