Revenge match

The J2 League, which continues to be tumultuous, has completed one-third of all matches (36 matches) as of the end of the previous round, and FC Tokyo is in 4th place with 20 points. Niigata is in 1st place with 23 points, Oita is in 2nd place with 23 points, and Kawasaki Frontale is in 3rd place with 21 points. Yamagata is in 5th place with the same 20 points as Tokyo, and Sapporo is in 6th place with 17 points. There is a fierce battle among these 6 teams with a 6-point difference. After this day's match, there will be a one-month interval with only 2 matches remaining, so every team wants to win and maintain their position in the top. In such a situation, Tokyo's opponent for this day is Montedio Yamagata, who is currently tied in points. In the 1st round, Tokyo failed to convert chances, including missing a penalty while dominating the game, gradually losing rhythm, and conceding a goal in extra time, resulting in a humiliating away defeat. This day's match, which is a revenge match away from home, became a perfect opportunity to repay the debt.

Reliable Ace Amaral!

The game started moving early on. At the beginning, Yamagata deployed a fluid attack with the two forwards and midfielders Hirama and Takahashi freely changing positions. Tokyo, confused by this, couldn't mark properly and Yamagata smoothly circulated the ball. In the 1st minute, Yamagata defender Iwamoto, who joined the attack, took a powerful shot from the right corner of the penalty area. The ball evaded Horiike's desperate save and found its way into the bottom left corner of the goal. After that, Yamagata continued to make decisive chances by running behind Tokyo's unstable defensive line and launching sharp counterattacks, but goalkeeper Horiike made fine saves and prevented additional goals. The defense, led by Sandro, gradually regained their usual composure as time went on, and the intense pressing in the midfield by Asari and Shinjo also started to work. On the other hand, in the attack, the ball was collected by Amorao, who started as a starter after a long time, and they tried to build rhythm from there. Amorao faced tough marking, but the attacking participation of full-backs Fujiyama and Umeyama, as well as the stable play of Almir as a central breakthrough post, created chances. The back and forth battle continued, but in the 39th minute, Tokyo equalized when Amorao headed Fujiyama's cross from the left side back to the center, and Yukihiko scored with a right-footed volley. With this, Yukihiko repaid his debt from the 1st round (missed penalty kick), and Amorao made a strong impression by doing decisive work.

I've been waiting for this man's revival!

Tokyo, which was able to end the first half in a good shape, launches a fierce attack in the second half. However, just after the start of the second half in the 46th minute, Tokyo is awarded a penalty kick for pulling Yamagata FW Mutail, who kept the ball in the penalty area, according to the decision. Tokyo's fans and officials were stunned by the development, which was exactly the same nightmare as the previous match against Niigata, but Tokyo's goalkeeper Horiike, who had a great performance that day, brilliantly saved the ball kicked by Yamagata's kicker and did not allow an additional point. With this, Tokyo completely gained momentum, while Yamagata lost its shine. Tokyo creates a series of close opportunities with a 11th-minute volley shot by Okamoto, a powerful middle shot by Asari in the 12th minute, and a super long shot by Yukihiko in the 14th minute. In the 67th minute, Tokyo makes a move. Although it is a scene of a tie, Tokyo, who wants an additional point, replaces defensive player Shinjo with offensive player Kagami. This hits the mark. Kagami showed an outstanding performance last year and was even selected for the JFL Best Eleven, but he hasn't had a good season this year and has often been on the bench. He tended to be passive in his play, but Kagami was different on this day. He had good control of the ball, good ball release, and showed brilliant passing with Almir in the midfield. And in the 80th minute, Amalao drops a cross from the right by Yukihiko with his chest, and Kagami scores a powerful right-footed middle shot from the center. The goalkeeper of Yamagata couldn't move at all, and it was a clean shot that turned the game around. In the end, Tokyo continued to attack and managed to hold on, returning the debt from the first round away match. Tokyo, which has risen to 3rd place with this, will face Oita, who took the lead, at Nishi-Gaoka in the next match on May 29th. It is painful that Almir cannot play due to accumulated warnings, but there are many bright factors for the decisive battle, such as the recovery of Amalao and the revival of Kagami.