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Tokyo faced their final away game of the season. They were required to recover from the painful defeat suffered in the Emperor’s Cup Semifinal Round and move forward with a new approach.
Right from the start, the team created chances with smooth passing, then faced Kobe’s high press by engaging in ground battles while mixing in simple attacks aimed at exploiting the space behind the defense to seek goals.
As a team, they showed intensity in battles for the ball and in transitions between offense and defense. Although the time spent being pressed by Kobe gradually increased, they maintained a compact formation without dropping their line and displayed focused football.
It was a match that particularly highlighted the defensive unit’s hard work. In the 44th minute of the first half, despite conceding a critical chance, goalkeeper Go HATANO stretched out his right hand and slightly altered the ball’s course with his fingertips to avert danger. Then, early in the second half at the 4th minute, HATANO also blocked a powerful shot. In the 23rd minute of the second half, Keisuke SATO showed a full-speed press back to his own half, and in the 28th minute, when Kobe launched a counterattack, Sei MUROYA prevented a goal with a sliding block after a fierce sprint.
The attacking line, eager to score a goal by any means, simultaneously brought on Teruhito NAKAGAWA, Marcos GUILHERME, and Soma ANZAI in the 26th minute of the second half. This added an accent to the frontline, not only speeding up the transitions between offense and defense but also increasing the number of opportunities to target the space behind the defense.
However, they were unable to break through Kobe’s defensive line until the very end. In the final moments, Vissel Kobe’s Osako struck the post, giving everyone a scare, but the team maintained their focus and the match ended. They returned from the away game with 1 point.
Match Preview
The final match of the 2025 season is the “Big Thank You Day.” It will be the last home game where we face Albirex Niigata, showcasing the culmination of the entire year and a match where we must respond firmly with a victory.
Since the team started this January, head coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI has conducted a total of 242 training sessions on the pitch. While carefully valuing ball possession, he has pursued a style of play that quickly and flexibly exploits the space behind the defense. He has also been particular about the fundamental battles for the ball, and through the struggles experienced in the first half of the season, he has refined what was built up by switching to a four-back system and the contributions of mid-season signings, laying the foundation for a team that can compete and win.
On Thursday this week, it was announced that Coach Matsuhashi’s contract has been renewed, and he will continue to lead the top team in the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Vision League for the transitional 2026 season. In response, the coach said, “It is a great honor, and I am truly grateful for this decision. I believe many people made this decision with understanding, courage, and determination, so I want to fully embrace those feelings and move forward steadily,” as he looked to the future with a determined gaze.
The team currently stands 11th with a record of 13 wins, 10 draws, and 14 losses in 37 league matches. A victory in this round would allow them to finish with an even record. This game is an opportunity to solidify the progress made so far and end the season with confidence and a sense of accomplishment heading into next season and beyond. Additionally, their recent league performance shines with a five-match unbeaten streak and only two goals conceded. It can be said that they are steadily gaining the strength to avoid defeat while maintaining stable match management.
Sei MUROYA, who has continued to play in a style that symbolizes the intense blue and red spirit, spoke about challenges, saying, “Ideally, I want to raise the quality of our attack much more.” At the same time, he expressed confidence, saying, “We have the ability to secure one-goal difference games, and we have the feeling and confidence that if we have one goal, we can win. As a team, we have also developed the mentality to fight without running away.” He also emphasized that “With the announcement of Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI’s contract extension, I want to play football that gives hope for next season, both for the team and for the fans and supporters,” highlighting that this match is also a new starting point.
The ‘Big Thank You Day’ marks the conclusion of the 2025 season. Coach Matsuhashi, who says, “We always fight with gratitude towards many people,” also expressed his appreciation to the fans and supporters who have fought alongside the team.
“Their passionate support is truly one of the major factors driving us forward. They give us the energy to share joy together, and we receive overwhelming cheers, so I have always felt the need to be a coach worthy of that. I believe this has been a season filled with endless gratitude, and while winning is the absolute prerequisite for the Niigata match, we want to take the initiative as we have been pushing forward and show a victory with attractive and entertaining soccer.”
On the day of the match, an FC Tokyo original design “fleece poncho” will be given to the first 30,000 attendees, and truss banners featuring the new uniform visuals to be worn in the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Vision League will be displayed on the pedestrian deck of Ajinomoto Stadium. Furthermore, the stadium street from the north exit of Tobitakyu Station to Koshu Kaido will be designated as a pedestrian-only road, where the lively “AO-AKA STREET” event will take place, featuring popular food trucks, stage events, and booths related to Chofu City. Alongside the team battling on the pitch, it is important to also pay close attention to the various events around the match.
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q. The final practice of the 2025 season has ended. How are you feeling right now?
A. The team experienced ups and downs, but the players trained with truly high awareness. At the end, I told the players, “Let’s make sure to show that tomorrow.”
Q. What kind of match do you want to show to the fans and supporters tomorrow?
A. Not just for tomorrow, but we must always aim higher and keep winning. Winning is the fundamental premise, and we aim to take the initiative ourselves and create an attractive game that is interesting for the viewers. We train with that kind of game in mind, and among that, we want to show a solid victory at the end. Tomorrow is not a special day, but there is a special feeling in being able to hold the final match at home. I believe the players feel that too. However, the most important thing is to fight aiming for the three points, just like always.
Q. What is your impression of Albirex Niigata?
A. In recent matches, they have given the impression of very good starts. However, we must enter the game with enough power to firmly overturn that. Niigata has players who can create chances if given even a slight opening, as well as players with high finishing ability. We must be very cautious about that. It is dangerous to enter the match considering only their ranking or current situation. In the end, it is most important to direct the focus on ourselves, to run more than the opponent, to switch play faster than them, and to outcompete them in one-on-one situations—excelling in these fundamental aspects.
Q. Please give a message to the fans and supporters ahead of the final match of this season.
A. Their passionate support is a great driving force that pushes us forward. When things aren’t going well, their boos motivate us with a feeling of ‘We’ll show them.’ They always cheer with such intensity that makes us want to share joy together. I personally receive calls that are more than I deserve, so I always feel the need to become a Tokyo coach worthy of that. Although we still have tomorrow’s match, I truly feel this has been a season filled with endless gratitude.
[Player Interview]
Q. Tomorrow’s match will be the culmination of the team’s 2025 season.
A. It has been announced that Rikizo MATSUHASHI will continue as head coach, and I believe this match will be played with an eye toward the 2026 season. We want to play soccer that gives both the team and our fans and supporters hope for the next season.
Q. How do you feel about the progress made this season?
A. The entire team has become able to take a flexible stance against our opponents. Even during the half-season that I have been with the team, I have been able to feel that. I think the increase in matches where we can secure a one-goal lead is influenced by that.
Q. The team’s defense has become more stable, and I think you can now play based on that. How do you feel about this progress?
A. Since I am a defender, focusing on defense, we have had many matches without conceding goals. In that regard, I believe we have the ability to secure wins in one-goal difference games. We also have the confidence that if we can score one goal, we can win. Ideally, I want to improve the quality of our attack, but since everyone is working hard on defense, I think that is a challenge the team should address heading into next season.
Q. Tomorrow’s final home game is designated as “Big Thank You Day,” a match to express gratitude to those who have supported us. As a player, how do you want to express your thanks on the pitch?
A. What I do won’t change. I want to play in a way that gets the fans and supporters who come to Ajinomoto Stadium fired up, both as a team and individually. I want to show the same fighting spirit as always.
Q. In the match against Vissel Kobe, there were moments when the team was not fully coordinated.
A. The balance between defense and attack was poor, and even the attacking players were focusing too much on defense. I think we lacked the power and intensity to connect good defense to good offense. It’s not possible for only the players at the back to defend, and I don’t think only the forwards can score goals. The defenders also need to be involved in the attack, and the forwards need to participate in defense. We have reaffirmed this communication over the past week.
Q, Although there were scoring opportunities in the match against Kobe, we were unable to finish them. To win, scoring goals is necessary.
A, There were such scenes, but fundamentally, the number of times we headed toward the goal and the number of chances were few. In this week’s practice, we also conducted training to properly address this issue. To firmly move toward the goal and apply pressure forward, we will all work together.
Q. What are your impressions of Albirex Niigata?
A. I think they will approach the match with strong determination as it is the last game of the season. After their relegation was confirmed, they might be able to play more freely and boldly. Even if that is not the case, I believe every team has a very strong desire for the final game of the season, so we want to face the match with strong determination and not be outdone by that.
Q. Tomorrow’s match will be the final game of the 2025 season.
A. We want this match to connect even slightly to the 2026 season and to enter the next season with a positive image. As a result, we ended up in the middle of the standings, but as long as there are fans and supporters who come to watch us with expectations, we must meet those expectations. This season has been full of ups and downs, but even in such circumstances, it was thanks to the fans and supporters who never gave up on us, cheering passionately at home and even coming to support us at away games, that we were able to fight through the difficult times this season. We will give our all in the match to finish the season on a good note.
AloJapan.com