The first goal is scored by Kobayashi!

Tokyo defended against Kobe's fierce attacks with fine saves from goalkeeper Horiike and clearances from defender Sandro, gradually gaining control of the game. Sato and Kaburagi created chances by utilizing their counter-attacking abilities. In the 37th minute, Almir crossed the ball into the box from a free kick on the right side, and Sato won the aerial duel to set up Kobayashi for the opening goal. Kobayashi then showcased his skillful dribbling, causing trouble for J1 players. Tokyo gained momentum and the flow of the game shifted in their favor. A truly balanced offensive and defensive battle unfolded. In the second half, the back-and-forth attacks continued. Kobe shifted their strategy from early crosses from the wings to a more compact midfield by dropping back their forward, Kan. On the other hand, Tokyo's Almir improved his ball retention in the midfield, distributing excellent passes to Fuyama on the left and Sato on the right. This led to chances being created from the wings.

Intense Attack of J1

The opponent for the first match of the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup is Vissel Kobe from J1. Kobe is an attacking team with three Korean national team players, but they have been struggling this season in the J1 League without a single win. Therefore, they are determined to win today's match against a lower-ranked J2 team. The match started with Kobe's fierce attack. Tokyo, who was confused by the speed and power of the J1 team, struggled to control the ball against Kobe's sharp start and intense charges. Hasebe in the midfield organized the game, and Choi on the right created chances with sharp crosses. The ace striker, Kim, is a talented player with a combination of speed, power, and technique, and although Sandro marked him closely, there were dangerous moments where he couldn't catch him and was caught off guard. The first 15 minutes of the match were completely one-sided. It clearly showed the level difference compared to J2 teams and made it clear that winning would not be easy.

A valuable draw

After 20 minutes of back and forth, in the second half, midfielder Kan broke through the left side and centered the ball to the middle. The ball was contested and headed in by Kobe defender Tsuchiya. After the tie, Tokyo made consecutive substitutions with their ace players Amarao and Okamoto. With Amarao's addition, they established a base in the front line and improved their rhythm with stable post play. In the 36th minute of the second half, Sato broke through the right side with speed and delivered a perfect centering pass to Amarao, who was free in front of the goal. However, Amarao made a mistake in ball control and the goalkeeper caught it. In the following 40th minute, Amarao broke free from a long pass from Sato, but the goalkeeper cleared the ball a moment earlier, preventing a goal. In stoppage time, Amarao won a header from a corner kick from the left, but unfortunately, it was cleared by a defender. The goalkeeper and defense line showed consistent defensive performance throughout the game, without losing concentration. Although there is room for improvement after being caught up in the second half, just like in the J2 4th round against Frontale, the team can take confidence in the fact that they competed evenly or better against a J1 team. They confirmed that their defense, which was solid until last year, has improved their attacking power. They want to prove their strength in the away game next week (Wednesday, 14th, Kobe Universiade Stadium).