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"FC Tokyo U-23 Tetsu NAGASAWA Manager Press Conference Summary"

"First of all, I am grateful that we were able to play the game amidst the fact that there are many people in Fukushima Prefecture who have been affected and are feeling distressed due to the heavy rain the other day. We can only play on the pitch right now, so we want to do our best."

The team, with an average age of 19, had previously felt that it would be difficult to maintain a one-point lead throughout the match. So, we discussed the strategy of scoring multiple goals to secure the win. As a result, we were able to score two goals and win the match. The players fought hard.

The start was marked by conceding the opening goal to Yuji WAKASA, who came from FC Tokyo U-18. However, we were able to create chances from the first half, and there were times when we were on the offensive and faced difficult situations. Kimura and Omori, the center-backs, have become stronger with each game, consistently putting their feet in until the very end and preventing the opponents from touching the cross balls first. They have developed the ability to do this not only in training but also in matches. In today's match, the goalkeeper and center-backs held their ground well.

The last scoring scene, in a physically demanding period, saw HINETA show courage and run well up to the goal line, providing a good cross. The goal was scored by HARA, but multiple players were in front of the goal, and the players are becoming able to make the decision to run forward even at the risk of making mistakes. I think that in order to win in J1, it is essential to have players who can decide the game in difficult situations, especially in the final moments. In that sense, HINETA, HARA, and Na SANGHO also ran well and performed well.

It is normal for a team to move forward with confidence, but U-23 is doing it in order for the players who participated to be involved in J1, so I hope they will continue to appeal even more from next week's practice."