"Number 10" is back

Everyone was waiting for it. If you are a fan who has been supporting the team since the Tokyo Gas FC days, the figure of the "number 10" of this team should vividly come to mind, and you also know how amazing he is. The man who returned to the official match pitch for the first time in about 10 months since playing in the Bellmare match in last year's Emperor's Cup is... yes, Takashi Okuhara, the "number 10" of FC Tokyo. Speaking of Okuhara, since joining Tokyo Gas FC in 1995, he has always been an attacking focal point for the team, leading the team to victory. He was also a key player when the team reached the top 4 in the Emperor's Cup two years ago. His playing style is characterized by frequent use of direct passes, passing the ball and then running behind the opposing defenders at top speed to do decisive work. On the other hand, he initiates dribbles with flexible technique and aims for the opponent's goal by charging forward. His return is undoubtedly a bright topic of immeasurable value for the team, which is about to face the most severe period in the future. This season, Okuhara, who has been troubled by lower back pain since before the start of the season, missed more than half of the league matches, but on this day, he made his first appearance in an official match, replacing Yukihiko who was absent due to accumulated warnings, and made his long-awaited "J2 debut".

The highly anticipated first match of the final round

The kickoff temperature was 35.6℃. I didn't expect to play a game in the highest temperature of the season so close to October. After this, we will face an extremely tough period of "5 matches in 16 days," including cup matches. Considering the players' exhaustion, it was necessary to settle the game in 90 minutes no matter what. The opponent in the first match of the final round was Oita, who is in 3rd place. It became a direct confrontation between the 1st place (Tokyo = 55 points) and the 3rd place (Oita = 46 points), but if Tokyo wins (adding 3 points), the point difference with the 3rd place will be "12," and they will break away from the top group along with Kawasaki Frontale in 2nd place. On the other hand, if they lose, they will once again enter a fierce battle, so they definitely wanted to secure a victory in this match. The crucial match that will greatly affect the future was kicked off under the strong sunlight like midsummer.

Almir's artistic FK takes the lead!

When the game started, Okuhara, who stood on the official pitch for the first time in about 10 months, showed a light and agile play that made no difference in his blank period. Okuhara, who was given an attacking position on the right side, stirred up the front line with aggressive runs into the space behind the opponent's defense, along with Okamoto, who entered the left side. In the space created by Okuhara and Okamoto, Amaral and Almir jumped in and bewildered the Oita defense with precise passes and dribbles.

Oita, on the other hand, launched a powerful attack with the combination of the sharpshooter Kanno, who currently ranks second in the league in terms of goals, and Will, who not only creates plays but also has a powerful shot from aggressive dribbling. Edwin, a technician who previously excelled in the midfield for Tokyo Gas, also played a part in their attack. In particular, Edwin, who moves vigorously in the midfield, often gets involved with the ball and builds up the attack by supplying sharp passes to Kanno and Will in the center or by spreading the play to the left and right.

Tokyo took the lead. In the 18th minute, Tokyo's right back Umayama advanced with a dribble of about 60 meters from a counterattack, and the Oita defender couldn't help but foul just outside the penalty area. In this free kick opportunity, Almir scored the opening goal with a low, curved, and sharp shot. Tokyo, riding on the momentum, had a chance in the 23rd minute when Amaral received the ball in front of the goal, evaded the defender with a sharp turn and feint, and shook the net with his left foot, but it was disallowed due to offside. The artful goal became a phantom. Both teams continued to engage in intense back-and-forth attacks and defenses. In the 30th minute, when Oita had the momentum, Will unleashed a series of powerful shots, but goalkeeper Suzuki made fine saves. Although Edwin was beaten several times on the right side by Sandro and Komine, Tokyo showed a stable defense centered around them and prevented any decisive work. On the contrary, in the 39th minute, Tokyo finally scored an additional goal. From a counterattack, Okuhara delivered a perfect ball to Okamoto in front of the goal. When Okamoto and the Oita defender competed for the loose ball, Amaral took it away, skillfully evaded the marker with a feint, and scored a powerful second goal with his left foot.

From Okuhara & Okamoto to Kagamiki & Enomoto

Tokyo, who finished the first half with a 2-point lead, struggled in the second half due to the heat and a lack of focus (due to the 2-point lead). In particular, Amalao in the front line became fatigued and couldn't dedicate his energy to defense, resulting in Tokyo being more passive overall. Oita, who gained confidence in the midfield and was able to pass the ball comfortably, created numerous goal-scoring opportunities, especially through Will. Tokyo, who was on the defensive, replaced Okuhara and Okamoto with Kagami and Enomoto, forming a "Fresh Duo". This changed the momentum. Oita, who was trailing by 2 points, had no choice but to attack, creating space behind Tokyo's defense. The addition of the energetic duo allowed for effective counterattacks. In the 40th minute of the second half, Aumir broke free from a pass by Kagami and took a powerful shot that the Oita goalkeeper deflected forward. Fujiyama, the left full-back who was participating in the counterattack, followed up and scored the third goal in a spectacular fashion. With this momentum, Tokyo scored again just one minute later. Aumir once again created space behind the defense and Enomoto broke free, charging down the left side. At the same time, Kagami moved into the center. Enomoto passed the ball to Kagami, who skillfully evaded the marking defender with a sharp turn and scored with his left foot, making it 4-0. In the first half, Okuhara and Okamoto, and in the second half, Kagami and Enomoto, both the starters and substitutes showcased their strengths and posed a threat to the opponent. After this, with a tough schedule of cup matches and league matches ahead, the attackers' performance on this day gave the team confidence. In the end, although there were areas for improvement, such as conceding 2 goals after losing concentration towards the end of the match, the most important thing at this stage is the result. Winning the first big match of the final round with certainty is significant. There were some unsatisfactory aspects, such as the lack of concentration in the final moments, but at this stage, the result is the most important. In that sense, it was good that we were able to secure 3 points with certainty. I am often asked about "promotion to J1", but I am not conscious of it yet. For now, I will just give my all to produce results in the upcoming matches. I want to refocus and strategize to achieve the best possible result against Kashima.