Rematch...

The J2 League, which has already entered the second round from the previous match, continues to be a fierce battle as FC Tokyo regains the top spot with an impressive four consecutive victories, but the top three teams are tied with 20 points each. The opponent for this day was Niigata, who achieved a seven-game winning streak at the start of the season and caused a sensation in the J2 League. After that, they suffered three consecutive losses and are currently in second place, but they have a reputation for their stable defense and sharp counterattacks, so a tough battle was expected. In the previous match (3/28), they suffered a close defeat due to a "nightmare" penalty kick, so this rematch was a determined battle with the aim of victory. On this day, for the first bus tour of the season, more than 80 fans boarded and joined the "away" Niigata, forming a cheering squad of about 130 people when combined with the number of fans in the "goal end" who gathered at the venue, repeatedly chanting "Tokyo! Tokyo!" On the other hand, Niigata also had over 9,000 fans, the highest of the season, and with a temperature of 25 degrees resembling a midsummer day, the Niigata City Athletics Stadium was filled with an extraordinary heat.

Unable to create a chance like a chance...

In the first half, Tokyo tried to gather the ball to Almir as usual and build up their attack, but Niigata was cautious of the vertical pass from Almir to the front line and cut off every ball with thorough pressing. As a result, Tokyo couldn't create opportunities in the front line and couldn't find a way to initiate their attack. Occasionally, Fujiyama from the left and Yukihiko from the right attempted dribble breakthroughs and made last passes, but they couldn't create promising chances against Niigata's determined and passionate play. On the contrary, Niigata quickly transitioned after winning the ball and created chances with sharp counterattacks.

Once again, we cry over a penalty kick...

In the second half, Tokyo, who wanted to regroup, entrusted the defensive midfielder role to Koike, who has been playing a key role in connecting the offense and defense in the past few matches, and moved Almir to the front line to create an attacking rhythm. Koike faithfully and easily distributed the ball and allowed Almir to move freely in the front line. As planned, Almir functioned as the focal point of the attack, and Tokyo gradually regained their original rhythm. However, just at that moment, Tokyo was caught off guard. In the 3rd minute of the second half, while everyone was focused on the attack, the ball was stolen on the left side, and a perfect long pass was played behind the vulnerable Tokyo defense. A speedy Niigata forward broke through and seemed to be running alone, but defender Komine caught up and fiercely contested. Both players tangled and fell in the penalty area. In response, the referee ruled it as a foul by Tokyo and awarded a penalty kick. In the previous match on March 28th, Tokyo also conceded a penalty kick in a similar situation, and ultimately, that one goal became the winning goal, so the "nightmare" was replayed in their minds. The ball kicked by the penalty taker was initially saved by Horiike, but a Niigata player who followed up pushed it in, conceding the opening goal. Since it was a relatively early goal, Tokyo wanted to regain their composure and launch an attack, so they brought in forward Wada, who could be expected to make an impact. In the 30th minute of the second half, they also brought in defender Furukawa and moved Sandro to the forward position, attempting an all-out offensive to score a goal, but their monotonous attack couldn't break through Niigata's determined defense, and instead, they conceded a goal from a counterattack near the end of the match, sealing their fate. In the end, once again, the "penalty kick" became the cause of defeat, and they suffered the humiliation of losing two consecutive matches against Niigata...