<Review of the previous match against Vissel Kobe>
It was "Aoiaka no Taro" who cast a spell on the away pitch in Kobe.
First, in the 5th minute, a brilliant turn induced a yellow card for the opponent. The team saw Taishi Brandon NOZAWA make a series of fine saves from the 15th minute of the first half, and "after a pinch comes a chance." Tokyo succeeded in breaking through the Vissel Kobe goal with Taro's fantastic play.
It was the 24th minute of the first half. After exchanging passes with Takahiro KO on the left side, Keigo HIGASHI faced forward and delivered a cross into the near zone. At this moment, Ryotaro ARAKI, who had broken into the penalty area, skillfully twisted his body and dropped the ball backward with his chest, assisting Keita ENDO's brilliant finish. With a light and airy post play that felt like watching in slow motion, he created the opening goal.
Taro's magic doesn't stop. In the 7th minute of the second half, he thrilled the stadium with a magnificent looping shot, and just two minutes later, in the 9th minute of the second half, he added another goal from a set piece on the right side after being fouled.
The ball released from Tarou's right foot, aimed with sharp eyes, skillfully slipped between the opposing goalkeeper and the final line. Running into the far side at the end of a low trajectory that arched over the pitch was Soma ANZAI. With a powerful header, wearing number 38, he scored from Tarou's fantastic right foot, extending Tokyo's lead to two goals.
However, the opponent is the defending champion, Kobe, who is aiming for consecutive titles this season and is just one point behind the leader. They employ a bold high press and long balls as their weapons, playing strong football, and even in the final stages, trailing by two goals, they resorted to power play without holding back.
However, the blue and red team would not back down. With determination and pride, they continued to focus on their defense until the end, successfully protecting their goal. They put an end to Kobe's impressive run of six consecutive league wins and twelve unbeaten matches in official competitions, achieving another victory after a draw following three consecutive league wins. They demonstrated their strong competitive spirit and tenacious defense throughout the 90 minutes, securing a satisfying away victory.
Match Preview
After a 1-1 draw at home against Sagan Tosu, they achieved a 2-0 victory away against Vissel Kobe in the previous match. During this match, an incident occurred during warm-up when Kota TAWARATSUMIDA was injured, and Keita ENDO started in his place. Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI encouraged ENDO by saying, "Show the mentality you have," and in response to that expectation, ENDO scored the opening goal in the 24th minute of the first half. ENDO praised his teammates, saying, "It wasn't just me; my teammates were amazing too. We couldn't play beautiful soccer, but we maintained our focus and played good soccer," showing appreciation for his comrades who fought for 90 minutes.
Since September, we have maintained an unbeaten streak of 5 matches, and this week we welcome Shonan Bellmare, who has won 3 consecutive matches at Ajinomoto Stadium. Shonan recently achieved a comeback victory against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who are at the top of the league, and they are a team riding high on momentum. For Tokyo, the key will be to effectively avoid the opponent's high press, which is based on hard work, while taking control of the match.
Masato MORISHIGE, who has played full matches in the last six games, stated, "Doing good training and playing good games has become our strength. I want to challenge without breaking our routine to maintain that flow," vowing to continue the winning streak. To break into the top ranks in the last four matches, Tokyo will fight as one team until the very last moment.
This week's matchday program is here
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI]
Q: In the recent matches, it seems that you have shown flexible responses to opponents with various styles and have been accumulating wins.
I believe that adhering to our discipline and fulfilling our commitments leads to hard work, and continuing to play with belief results in victory.
Q: This week's opponent is Shonan Bellmare.
A. I truly respect Shonan. Shonan has many young and talented players. They are also a club with a long playing time for players under 21 years old. However, there is one team that surpasses that. Do you know which one? Yes, it's us, Tokyo. In our last match, we won 1-0, but it was a very difficult game. I think this match will be a big challenge, and we will prepare as much as possible for it. We want to give our best performance and make it an exciting match.
Q, There are only 4 matches left in the J1 League.
A, of course, we will focus on each match and fight. No matter which team we face, our motivation and challenge is to fight strongly. We will do our utmost for that.
[Player Interview]
＜Teppei OKA＞
Q: In the last match against Vissel Kobe, my position changed from the recent games, and I played as a center-back.
I am conscious of connecting the ball firmly from the back to the forwards, so naturally, the view changes for center-backs and full-backs, but my understanding is that what needs to be done for the team does not change. I make sure to communicate well with the players I partner with during regular training and those I play close to. I take care to ensure that the way we play does not change significantly, even when the positions of the surrounding players or myself change.
Q, this week's match is against Shonan Bellmare.
In both offense and defense, I want to align our coordination and understanding. I believe that communicating with the players on the defensive line and figuring out how to push back Shonan's attacking players is a crucial point in our defense. I want to focus on quality, anticipate various situations, and approach the match accordingly.
Q: I hope that Okada's hard work will lead to the team's victory this match week as well.
A, the ideal situation is to have less time spent on defense and fewer moments of crisis. However, when we find ourselves in such situations or under pressure from the opponent, I want to show solid defense that does not give them any freedom. And I want to achieve victory at home and consecutive wins in the league.
<Ewerton Gaudino player>
Q: In the last match against Vissel Kobe, I stepped onto the official match pitch for the first time in about a month and a half.
There were times when I was injured and unable to play in matches, but I am happy to have returned safely. More than anything, I believe it was of great value to have earned 3 points in an important match. Personally, my condition is improving, and I want to prepare to play in good shape for the match against Shonan Bellmare.
Q: The team has been on a good run, remaining unbeaten in the last 5 official matches.
A, I believe that every team can experience a period of being far from victory during a long season. However, it is precisely because Tokyo has the strength to overcome difficult situations with a sense of unity as a team that I think the team's condition is once again moving in a good state and direction. It is important to continue to improve our condition until the end of this season.
Q: There are only 4 matches left this season. What kind of play do you want to show to the fans and supporters?
There were times when I couldn't play, and I felt regret for not being able to contribute. That's why I want to stand on the pitch first and contribute to the team's victory with my play. My goal is to continue winning until the end without stopping the team's momentum and this good flow.
