11,000 people vs 30 people

"How to break through the thick defense..." This is the highlight of the match mentioned in the local newspaper's morning edition. Tokyo has only conceded 11 goals in the previous matches, with an average of just 0.7 goals per game, the fewest in the league. Naturally, the image that opposing teams have of Tokyo is "thick defense" or "solid defense". On the other hand, Sapporo, led by coach Okada, is a well-balanced team that excels in intense defense and quick counterattacks after winning the ball. Despite the absence of their ace player Yoshihara, who is currently representing Japan in the South American Championship, their attacking power, which includes abundant talent and two new foreign players, is destructive. Therefore, the pre-match prediction was introduced as "how Sapporo will break through Tokyo's thick defense...". Sapporo had 22 points and was in 5th place until the previous match. As a team aiming for promotion to J1, they couldn't afford to lose in a direct confrontation with Tokyo, who was in 2nd place. Especially since they had already lost to Tokyo in the first round, it was expected that they would come to the home ground (Atsubetsu) with fierce determination to make a comeback. The number of spectators who rushed to watch this big match was an astonishing 11,783. Among them, there were about 30 fans who came from Tokyo, including those who took the overnight train, while over 11,000 were local Sapporo fans. More than 90% of the seats in the stands were filled with Sapporo's color, "red", and they continued to cheer tirelessly. Atsubetsu Stadium shook as the chants from the Sapporo fans behind the goal echoed throughout the venue, giving a painfully real sense of the unique atmosphere of an "away" game.

Enduring the fierce attack...

Sapporo, supported by local fans, launched a fierce attack from the beginning. Sapporo cut off Tokyo's passes with intense pressing from the front line and broke down the left side with fast ball movement centered around MF Tanada and Assis. On this day, Kominato replaced the injured Umayama on Tokyo's right side (Sapporo's left side), but in the first half, the combination with Sandro in the center was poor, leaving space for the opponent. It was a difficult situation where crosses were repeatedly sent in as a result. Tokyo also tried to assemble FW Amaral in the post, but the midfield could only produce difficult passes with poor accuracy due to Sapporo's intense pressing just short of fouls, and it didn't take shape. Even the attacking participation of the usual side backs, with Fujiyama occasionally showing sharp dribbles on the left, was not enough to overcome Sapporo's intense fighting spirit without support. In the 25th minute, goalkeeper Horiike was injured and sent off, and the team's morale dropped, allowing Sapporo's relentless attack to gain momentum.

One-hit kill! Asari sinks rivals with a single blow from the left!!

Sapporo continued their fierce attack, but GK Suzuki, who replaced Horiike, demonstrated stable play despite it being his first appearance in J2. They managed to keep the first half goalless. In the second half, Tokyo changed the position of MF Yukihiro from the right to the center and tried to break through with a combination with Amaral. Sapporo's press also decreased compared to the first half, and gradually Yukihiro started to make good passes to the front line, giving Amaral opportunities to dribble forward. Defensively, Sandro and Furube dealt with Sapporo's relentless attacks from the sides. Sandro handled the heading balls, while Furube covered thoroughly. Thanks to the efforts of GK Suzuki, they didn't allow any goals. Enduring until the 69th minute, Asari confidently shot the ball that came loose from Amaral's dribble. The powerful shot from a distance of over 30 meters was absorbed into the lower left corner of the goal.

Afterwards, Sapporo showed their determination until the end, and even attempted to score a goal with the goalkeeper joining the attack during a corner kick, but Tokyo's "solid defense" never crumbled until the end. In the atmosphere of this away game, Tokyo endured the accident at Horiike and the fierce attacks, and although the performance was not satisfying, they achieved a very valuable victory.

＜Manager Okuma's comment＞ Perhaps due to the pressure from the opponent, our midfield organization was poor. Umayama's absence also disrupted the balance between offense and defense, so we want to make adjustments for the future. Although we are not satisfied with the content, it is significant that we were able to win in this difficult situation amidst this atmosphere.

＜Coach Okada's comment＞ The players showed their best performance of the season and proved that they are doing the right things. It's disappointing to lose, but I still believe that there is plenty of chance to make it to J1, and I have told the players not to lose hope.