"An opportunity to take one step closer to the cup. We want to play our football and choose players who can win."
The battle for the top resumes. Amid a packed schedule, coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI is also burning with the desire for victory in the upcoming matches.
J.League YBC Levain Cup 1st Round 3rd Round, invading the home of Away Tosu. The tournament format has changed to a knockout system starting this season, and the 1st Round will determine the winner in one match. First of all, we want to win here and advance to the playoff round, which will be played in a home and away format.
Tokyo, who faced Y.S.C.C. Yokohama away in the 2nd round, started the game with Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA's first blue and red goal in the 13th minute, and added points with Riki HARAKAWA's right foot and Keita ENDO's accurate shot. Goalkeeper Tsuyoshi KODAMA, who made his first appearance of the season, showed off his technical skills by participating in the build-up, and the team displayed an attacking style. Although there were some dangerous scenes from counterattacks, the defense fought hard and did not concede any goals. In the additional time of the second half, Jája Silva tore through the center of the pitch with a powerful dribble and smashed a spectacular right-footed shot, securing a 4-0 victory and advancing to the 3rd round.
In the league matches, we have not won in 3 games and are far from victory, but it is a fact that we are able to make adjustments during the game and see how to break through the situation. Although we have been unable to win consecutive games during Golden Week and have had some games where we couldn't finish with a win, individual performances have not been bad. It is expected that player selection will be based on monitoring their recovery status during consecutive matches, but regardless of who takes the field, Tokyo this season is able to combine their strengths. The performances of the players who have been given the opportunity to play are highly anticipated.
Sagan Tosu, on the other hand, suffered a shutout loss to Nagoya Grampus in the previous league match, but had a big win of 3-0 against Júbilo Iwata in Sec. 13 and 5-2 against Kawasaki Frontale in Sec. 14. Despite their low ranking of 17th in the league, caution is necessary as they have shown a high scoring ability in the past few matches. In addition, Tosu's coach Kenta Kujira has experience working as an assistant coach under Peter Cklamovski, who is now the coach of Montedio Yamagata. It will be interesting to see the tactics of these two former colleagues who once shared a love for soccer.
For Tokyo, Away Tosu has a bad compatibility with 5 consecutive losses in official games since October 2019. This season, they have broken through the traditional "devil's gate" of Fukuoka and Sapporo, so they want to break the past trend and get closer to winning the cup here as well.
[Interview with Peter Cklamovski]
Q, it will be a consecutive game, what do you think about the team composition?
A, We will make a decision while watching how the recovery goes. On Tuesday morning, after receiving updates, we will confirm the members and then head to practice. However, the important thing is that it is a league cup match and it is an opportunity for us to get closer to the cup, so I will choose a team that can perform well and win.
Q, The coach of Sagan Tosu is Mr. Kenta KAWAI, who worked together during his time at Montedio Yamagata.
A, he is a good coach and doing a good job, and Tosu is also a good team. I want to make sure that we can give our maximum effort. It will be a tough away game, but we will prepare well and fight on all fronts.
Q, On May 31st (Fri) of the following week, we will have a league match against Tosu at the same venue. Do you take into consideration anything when playing against the same team in a short period of time?
A, I am focusing on one game at a time. The current situation is the team's current situation. I don't think anything will change just because there is a game. Our mentality is to continue playing our football and grow while improving. We will fight to overcome the game against Tosu and move on to the next one. And then, we will prepare for the league game against Gamba Osaka, and then for the league game against Tosu... It is important to prepare for each game in this way. That is what we value the most.
Q, there have been no victories in the last 3 games, but how do you feel about the team's performance?
A, I believe that the content is the most important. Some may say "we haven't won in 3 games". In one of those 3 games, we had to fight with one less player for a long time. What I need to do is focus on what we need to continue improving and extending. We are concentrating on what steps we need to take to reach our destination. This also applies to our performance. I believe we have shown that we are heading in the right direction and towards success. However, there are still areas that we need to improve on. Regarding these 3 games, I think there was evidence of our progress and growth within the games.
Q, Yokohama F.Marinos match was a game where Tokyo showed a clear attitude of continuously aiming for the next point.
A, it was a game where we gained a lot. The opponent was also a very good team, and it was also a chance for us to show how much we can do against such opponents. Depending on the time, there were also parts where we had to fight through difficulties. However, from the end of the first half, we were able to play unstoppable football against the opponent, and although we didn't win, we were able to create opportunities to win. This was because both teams played aggressively. It was very disappointing that we didn't get the result we wanted, but we were able to create scenes that deserved a victory. With this one point, we want to further pursue what is important for us to become the team we dream of. It was a game where we showed what we can do, and there are still areas that need improvement. We want to gain as much as we can and move forward, and we are looking forward to the next game.
[Player Interview]
＜Jája Silva＞
Q, I scored my first goal since joining in the previous Levain Cup match.
In the previous Y.S.C.C. Yokohama match, I was able to score my first goal in Tokyo, so my motivation is very high as we approach the Levain Cup. Since the matches are played in a tournament format, we cannot afford to lose. I definitely want to win and advance to the next stage, and I want to contribute to the team with plays that lead to goals.
Q, I think that depending on the position you play, you are often required to have a high defensive intensity.
In modern football, even forwards are required to have strong defensive abilities and tactical understanding. I think that Peter CKLAMOVSKI, the coach, is looking for this and I want to contribute not only in attack but also in the defensive aspect that the team needs to express on the pitch.
Q, We play in various positions such as center and side depending on the game, but how do you want to activate the attack?
A, I am most skilled at playing in the left wing position, but if the team needs it, I have no problem playing in the center or right positions. If it is an attacking position, I believe that contributing to victory through scoring or assisting is the most important thing.
＜Kosuke SHIRAI player＞
Q, What kind of performance do you want to show for the Sagan Tosu match?
A, The Levain Cup is different from the league games as it is a tournament format, so I am most conscious of focusing on the result of winning rather than the content. In that regard, I want to utilize my sprinting ability, which is my strength, and work hard on both offense and defense.
Q, Yuto NAGATOMO had a great performance in the Yokohama F.Marinos match. What kind of inspiration did you receive?
A, Nagatomo's goal and performance have been a great inspiration for me as a player in the same position, and it has also sparked even more desire within myself. Personally, I feel like I have been able to maintain good form and by competing with Nagatomo, we are able to bring out the best performance on the pitch regardless of who is playing. I want to continue this current situation.
Q, Playing on the right wing from the second half in the Nagoya Grampus and Yokohama FM matches. Please tell me what you are conscious of when playing in the previous position.
A, as an attacking position, I am always actively trying to take the space behind the opponent, and have the awareness to make runs into the box against build-up play and crosses from the opposite side. This season, our team has been able to score goals and express our attacking combinations, so I want to aim for goals and assists in line with those movements.
