A crucial match that cannot be lost

Kawasaki Frontale came into today's game with great determination. No one expected them to start the season with three consecutive losses. If they were to lose today's game, it would not only be their fourth consecutive loss, but also a worst-case scenario of being defeated by their "arch-rivals" Tokyo at home. It is only natural for them to be fired up in such a situation. On the other hand, Tokyo, who came as the away team, cannot afford to lose this match, especially after losing the previous game. The "Blue and Red Army" in the stands is showing even higher energy than usual, unleashing intense support as if this were their home ground. The match started with fierce determination from the beginning. Frontale tries to break through with TINGA's tenacious dribbling and early crosses to their tall forwards. Despite not being in the best condition, the presence of former Japanese national team player IWAMOTO is significant, as his set-piece kicks are accurate and sharp, creating numerous chances. On the other hand, Tokyo builds their rhythm with AMOROSO's stable post play and OKAMOTO's passionate charges. Both fullbacks, FUJIYAMA and UMEYAMA, actively join the attack from interceptions to create opportunities. In defense, ASARI stops TINGA with aggressive challenges, and SANDRO marks tall forward UEMURA tightly, not allowing him to work freely. As both coaches mentioned in the post-match press conference, both teams showed great movement, with a fast-paced and dynamic exchange of offense and defense, making for an exciting game.

Amaral Big Explosion

The center of Tokyo's attack was undoubtedly "KING OF TOKYO" Amaral. In order to vent their frustration from the previous match, he actively got involved with the ball and created a stable post-play to set the rhythm for Tokyo. Then, in the 5th minute of the second half, Amaral ran into the ball that was connected by Fujiyama and Almir on the left side and scored a spectacular goal, securing a valuable lead. Tokyo continued to dominate the game and in the 18th minute of the second half, Okamoto broke through on the right side and took a shot. The goalkeeper deflected it, but Okamoto took another shot! The goalkeeper deflected it again and Amaral scored a spectacular second goal. The Tokyo Eleven celebrated in joy. At that moment, no one doubted their victory...

Unexpected tie. And a draw.

Tokyo, which is gaining momentum, is fiercely attacking with Tinger and Iwamoto at the center to show their determination. And in the 25th minute of the second half, Horiike punched the ball that flew in from the right to Iwamoto. Iwamoto calmly scored to narrow the gap to one point. The attack and defense continued to go back and forth, but the pace gradually shifted to Frontale. Frontale, eager to score a second goal, increased the number of times they passed to tall forward Uemura. Up until now, they had managed to defend against Sandro and Horiike, but they were finally beaten by Uemura in injury time, allowing a tying goal by Takada. The Tokyo Eleven were stunned by the tying goal just before the end of the game. The first extension of the season was dominated by Frontale. The momentum of the team that caught up at the end and the team that was caught up with was clearly different. Frontale, who is already one of the top teams in J2 in terms of individual abilities, relentlessly threatened the Tokyo goal. Iwamoto freely built up the attack, and the defense put their bodies on the line with fierce fighting spirit. Tokyo also made consecutive substitutions with Kaburagi, Kobayashi, and Kagami, but they couldn't change the tide against Frontale's determination, and the final whistle blew without any major changes. In the post-match press conference, Frontale's coach Betto called today's game the best game. On the other hand, Coach Okuma said, "We endured well without losing balance in the pressing atmosphere of the away game. It's a shock that we missed the victory by just a little, but the performance is improving." It is true that the performance has improved significantly compared to the previous match, but it was a game that is deeply regrettable. We look forward to the next match against Montedio Yamagata.