The Tamagawa Classico. Get the river under control. Despite the worst efforts of the marketing departments of both teams, this has developed into a bit of a rivalry over the past few seasons. FC Tokyo have had terrible trouble keeping up with Frontale in the league, more often than not losing out in both home and away ties. One particular 7-0 home drubbing a few seasons ago is an especially painful memory. Despite the clash that really mattered, last year's triumph in the Nabisco Cup Final, going the Gasmen's way, once again we lost out to them narrowly (and probably unfairly) at Todoroki earlier this year.
Going in to this one though, confidence was high in the Tokyo camp. After last week's impressive win in Yokohama, we were able to see off Jeffery United in the last 16 of the Emperor's Cup midweek despite fielding a second string side. Kawasaki on the other hand had lost out after 120 minutes with largely their best team out. They were also missing their best player and the man with the most slappable face in Japanese football, Mr. Kengo Nakamura.
The truth is however, it was always going to be tight, and so it proved in the first half as Tokyo (yet again, I know) had the majority of possession but lacked the cutting edge to create any real chances. The forward line seemed detached from midfield, with Casual living up to his name for the second week in a row and Hanyu largely anonymous. Credit to Frontale, who looked well organised and disciplined, and dangerous on the counter at times against a stretched Tokyo backline.
Indeed, just after the restart they snatched the lead. There seemed to be little danger when Yajima received the ball 15 yards out with his back to goal and 3 defenders around him, but he was allowed to turn and his shot though weak could not have been better placed into the corner. Sigh.
What happened next? Well there was huffing and puffing, but not much else, until Morishige got his head on an Ishikawa corner and it bounced in front of their keeper Aizawa, who could only flap at it. 1-1, and there was hope once more....
.....until the 84th minute when the same Morishige had his 46th major brain fart of the season. There seemed to be little danger (I appear to keep writing that) as a looping ball was played in from the left, it was his to clear and easily headable, but somehow he totally misjudged it, flapped at it and actually only got an arm on it, deflecting it into the path of the onrushing Juninho who coolly looped it over the advancing Gonda.
Oh dear oh dear....how many times have late brain farts cost us this season?
Overall, an all too familiar tale. Undone by a less talented (Juninho aside) but more intelligent side able to exploit our glaring weaknesses.
Which Tokyo will turn up in Nagoya? Let's hope they are all still pissed after their title celebrations.
No comments:
Post a Comment