Challenging J1 Kobe with various emotions in the Emperor's Cup 3rd Round!

　Emperor's Cup 3rd Round will be held. Vissel Kobe of J1 will play at Ajinomoto Stadium. In the league match, they have a chance to secure promotion with a victory in the previous round. From there, they will face the Emperor's Cup in just three days. They also have to prepare for an important away match against Tottori over the weekend, so there will be challenges in terms of physical condition and mental toughness. However, the players are highly motivated, each looking forward to playing against a J1 team. Coach Okuma also said, "This battle should be a good guideline for us to compete in J1 next season," and he sees it as a great opportunity to contribute to the team and look ahead to the next season.

　Kobe, who is currently 10th in the J1 League. In last season's league match, they fought to avoid relegation until the final round and ended up allowing a reversal in their ranking. It can be said to be a match with a grudge, but Kanda said, "Rather than wanting revenge, it's more about whether what we have built up as a team can be effective against a J1 team, whether we can compete. It's a match where our current worth is being questioned."

　Manager Okuma said, "We won't break the foundation of our soccer, but it's not sweet enough to say it's good as it is. Mental strength and clever tactics are also necessary in addition to that. In J2, there are times when the opponent returns the mistake, but that doesn't work in J1," he declared. He will continue to make calm situational judgments that have been built up in J2 and aim to defeat J1 Kobe with perseverance and momentum.

　However, due to discomfort in his leg, Hanyu decided to sit out this match considering the consecutive matches. Morishige has returned from his suspension in the league, but Konno is absent due to the national team duties. Therefore, Tokunaga and Morishige will play as center-backs, and Sakata will serve as the forward in the lineup. The match started at 19:00 with the kickoff in Kobe at the chilly Ajinomoto Stadium.

They took the lead with Takahashi's goal from a set play, but allowed an equalizer and went into extra time.

　Kobe, who comes with intense pressing at the start, took the ball and there were scenes where we were a little unsettled. In the 3rd minute, Kajiyama's pass to Yamasawa was intercepted, and Kobe's MF Okubo countered. They entered the area from a one-two with FW Popo, but we defended rigorously here. In the 6th minute, they were intercepted by the DF line again, and Kobe passed to FW Yoshida in the area with one touch. They got into a shooting position, but Morishige cut it off with a sliding tackle. We defended and escaped with a corner kick.

　But as time went on, they gradually started attacking with Tokyo-like soccer. In the 12th minute, they passed the ball around in the opponent's half and pulled it to the center, where Tanizawa sent it to the right space. Nakamura overlapped at the right timing and delivered a sharp cross. Sakata, who jumped in, couldn't connect with it, but they earned a corner kick. In the 13th minute, from this left corner kick, Takahashi headed the ball in response to Tanizawa's kick. The ball slipped through the crowded goal area and went into the net. They took the lead by effectively utilizing the set-piece opportunity.

　After taking the lead, Tokyo gained control and had more playing time in Kobe's territory. However, Kobe calmly launched sharp counterattacks from a solid defense. In the 37th minute, Kobe's midfielder Park unleashed a controlled shot, but Gonda made a save and it resulted in a corner kick. However, from this left corner kick, Kobe's defender Kawamoto was allowed to make a diving header from Park's kick, resulting in a goal... The first half ended with the score tied.

　The second half also became a back-and-forth battle, and Tokyo made substitutions, replacing Tanabe with Ishikawa in the 55th minute and replacing Sakata with Roberto CESAR in the 64th minute. They made an early move to win the game. Just after CESAR entered the pitch in the 65th minute, Takahashi intercepted the ball in the center and made a through pass to the front line. CESAR broke free and created a big chance for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. However, his shot was stopped by the brave dive of the Kobe goalkeeper...

　Afterwards, both teams continued to launch powerful attacks, resulting in intense exchanges between offense and defense. In the second half injury time, Nakamura advanced from the right side and sent a through pass to Lucas in the penalty area. Lucas made a decisive shot, but the goalkeeper made a save... MoriShige followed up with a shot on the rebound, but it went over the goal, and there was no breakthrough. The game entered into extra time.

Mori Shige's priceless header! Grabbing a dramatic victory in an intense and heated match, advancing to the 4th round

　In the 102nd minute of the first half of extra time, Kobe MF Oya received his second warning and was sent off. Kobe, who became 10 men, launched a fierce attack in the second half of extra time. In the 112th minute, Suzuki was substituted for Yawaza. Tokyo continued to put pressure on the front line and attacked. In the 116th minute, Suzuki's header from Ishikawa's FK kicked from the left side shook the net near side, but this was offside...

　Next, Murohara's left cross is deflected by the opponent's DF in the area and Cesar, who is in close range, enters a shooting position but fails to finish. He passes the loose ball to Lucas in front and creates a scoring opportunity. In the 119th minute, Cesar breaks through the right side. Kajiyama perfectly connects with the negative pass, but both attempts are blocked by the goalkeeper, and it seemed like it would go into a penalty shootout.

　But in the added time, Cesar's shot attacked the Kobe GK. It escaped from the CK, but Ishikawa kicked this left CK to the far side, and Morishige scored with a header! The intense and heated match had a dramatic ending. Without losing their spirit throughout the 120 minutes, they seized victory with Morishige's invaluable goal and advanced to the 4th round.

　【Player Comment】《Morishige》"Today, all the goals of both teams were set plays, but first and foremost, I was thinking about not being beaten in the defensive part. Personally, I have regrets. On the other hand, scoring two goals is a plus for the team. Kobe's speed was different from J2, and each individual had high abilities. There were parts that worked in that environment, and I also felt the challenges in the game. However, we were able to create chances as a team, break them down well, and pass the ball well. That can be a confidence booster, and there is a sense that we can fight well enough... but... we need to improve our accuracy even more."

　"Takahashi" "I was aware that the opponent was Kobe, and above all, I didn't want to be told personally that "I can't compete in J1". The goal was scored by Tanizawa's corner kick, which was aimed slightly outside the zone. I was able to score a header in a good position. There were careless ball losses throughout the game, and I couldn't control the game. However, I think I was able to feel the response in the areas where interceptions and midfield battles should not be lost."

　[Summary of Manager Okuma's Press Conference] "We believed that if we gave our all in the match against the J1 team, we could do it. The players did a great job of expressing the team's strength, which has been built up by all 31 members, on the pitch. Everyone, including the substitute players, fought diligently in both attack and defense without holding back. If we had let our guard down even a little, we would have been defeated. Even though we could have been tired from attacking, we continued to concentrate and attack without losing focus. There were also moments when Sakata, regardless of his position, returned to take care of the situation when it seemed like we might be countered. I think that continuing to do the most important things in soccer led to the result. However, we conceded a goal from a set piece while we were attacking well in the first half. At halftime, I said, 'There is no such thing as winning based on content in soccer,' but I think if we had scored from a set piece and not conceded from one, we could have had even more control over the game. We will continue to fight in the Emperor's Cup and in the remaining league matches, we want to play games that will further strengthen our team."

　(What does victory bring after extra time?) In the early stages, there was a feeling of not being accustomed to the speed and pressure of J1, and there was an atmosphere that we might be defeated as it is. However, as time passed, we became more accustomed to the physical contact and speed that we remember in our bodies. I wanted the first half to end with a score of 1-0 if possible... However, I didn't think at all about the next Tottori match. We only have two days off, but I want to choose the members considering their condition. Sakata also earnestly showed his own strengths, and now we have built up good competition and unity. In the current state, I think anyone can fight earnestly no matter who goes out."

　[Summary of Kobe Wada's Press Conference] "We are very disappointed and frustrated to have lost to FC Tokyo in J2. However, I thought that FC Tokyo, even in J1, might have the team strength to potentially compete at the top. We conveyed the message to the players before the game that it would be a tough match if we didn't enter it properly. We conceded a goal from a set piece and then the game flowed in FC Tokyo's favor. It was good that we were able to score from a set piece in the first half, although the performance wasn't that great. We managed to equalize, but one factor that prevented us from controlling the game at our pace was the lack of coordinated defense. The pitch was heavily watered, and the passing speed was very fast. As a result, we were unable to apply enough pressure and keep up with the passing speed. We couldn't defend in the typical Kobe style."

　In the second half, MF Tanaka was substituted for MF Matsuoka, which allowed for support in the front line. In the second half, the ball started moving and we were able to create chances. Despite being one player down in extra time, we fought with the consciousness of not conceding and trying to score if we had a chance. We defended well, running with determination, but in the end, I think it was FC Tokyo's determination that led to the goal. With one player less, we lacked numbers in the back. I think that set piece was also an intended ball. GK Kishi also made good saves and consistently defended against FC Tokyo's chances. As a result, it was a disappointing defeat. However, I am looking forward to playing against FC Tokyo next season. We want to become a team that doesn't lose next season. Today, both teams fought really well and I am happy that we were able to have a wonderful game."