A tough match against Nagoya, a formidable opponent!?

Tokyo, who took the lead at the end of the second round, will face Nagoya Grampus Eight in a night game this round. Nagoya has transformed into a winning team since welcoming Joao CARLOS as head coach in the middle of last season, and also won the Emperor's Cup. This season, although they lost their key defender Thales, it was expected that they would maintain their team strength by reinforcing with Homildo from Brazil. However, they have lost to Kashima and Iwata since the opening. They should be determined to win today and regain their form. In the past, Tokyo Gas faced Nagoya in the Emperor's Cup during the 1997 JFL era. Tokyo Gas won 3-1 against a team without STOJKOVIC and gained momentum towards the best four. Today, the key point will be how to contain the attacking line centered around STOJKOVIC. Nagoya has a stronger team, but it's a home game! Show Tokyo-style soccer and defeat Nagoya to achieve three consecutive wins in the opening!

Intense Battle Despite Being Scored First

Nagoya had the first big chance. In the 6th minute, MF Okuyama shot a ball that was directly hit by Lopes from the post. It narrowly missed the goal, but immediately after that, Stojkovic kicked a corner kick that went over Komine and Amaral's heads and landed perfectly for the opponent MF Koga, who is 183cm tall. He scored a powerful header, and Tokyo conceded their first goal (since being promoted to J1).

After that, Tokyo resisted Nagoya's dominance by using persistent defense and counterattacking. In the 33rd minute, TUTO dribbled on the left side and passed to the opposite side. Amorao's shot, which was quickly closed down, unfortunately hit the post! Tokyo continued to create numerous chances after that. The match was truly evenly contested. Nagoya showed brilliant passing play in front of the goal, starting from Stojkovic, and also demonstrated variations in attack with long balls from the defensive line to the front line. In response, Tokyo did not fall behind, using the pattern of passing from Naito and Yukihiko to switch the play to the space where the opponent's right midfielder, Mochizuki, advanced, and TUTO and Kobayashi attacking the left side. Both teams fiercely contested in the midfield, and there was a period of intense exchanges between attack and defense.

Yukihiko, counterattack with consecutive goals in 2 matches!

Before the start of the second half, Asano, a substitute member, calmly and politely gives advice to Asari, who came out onto the pitch. It was a scene that showed us that the players are not fighting alone, but as a team of 11.

After the start of the second half, Nagoya, who wanted to score an additional goal, showed their fierce determination. If Tokyo makes a pass mistake or commits a foul in a deep position of their defense line, Nagoya will quickly take advantage of it. In the 59th minute, Tokyo substituted Kina for Koike, who made his first appearance. They want to quickly turn the tide and launch an offensive. However, after the 60th minute, Nagoya was given a series of corner kicks. Tokyo managed to defend against them with a brave defense. In the 73rd minute, Nagoya substituted Iijima, a defender, for Okuyama, an attacking midfielder, changing their formation from a 3-back to a 4-back to protect their one-point lead. However, as a result, the pressure in the midfield eased, and Tokyo began to take control of the game. In the 80th minute, Amaral took a shot that deflected off a defender and fell to Yukihiko in front of the goal, who turned around and passed it to TUTO. Yukihiko received this exquisite final pass and kicked it with all his might! This equalizing goal by Yukihiko, following his crucial goal in the Fukuoka match, demonstrated his strength in crucial moments and brought the game into extra time.

We won! King of Tokyo is here!!

Even in extra time, Tokyo, who excels in physical fitness, tried to aggressively attack with momentum. In the 100th minute, they stole the ball from the opponent's corner kick and launched a counterattack. Tokyo, with quick transitions between offense and defense, created a great opportunity, but in the end, Yukihiro's pass was intercepted, and there was a sigh from the stands... Immediately after, Stojkovic had a free shot, and there were also tense moments like chances. However, without getting discouraged, they chased after the ball, and Asari passed to Amaral just outside the penalty area from a deep position. Amaral, who was one-on-one with the defender, cut inside with a dribble and took a shot! The ball, kicked with quick footwork, grazed the fingertips of goalkeeper Narazaki and went into the goal!! It was the moment when the left foot of the King of Tokyo put an end to the 104-minute battle.

Sticking to it and grabbing the V goal. Although the winning points are 2, the fight that caught up without being daunted even if it was preempted and achieved a come-from-behind victory is something that is worth more than winning points and leads to the next. Show us your spirit of never giving up, full of determination, and continue to show us your growth, Tokyo!

Coach's Comment

"Comment from Joao CARLOS coach"

"The first half went well and we were able to create chances. We were able to mark the opponent's two forwards and their attacks from the sides, and we ended the first half with a good lead. In the second half, we thought about substituting Okuyama for Iijima to strengthen our defense, but we ended up dropping back completely and playing to the opponent's rhythm. We dropped back too much and gradually got caught up in their rhythm, resulting in a loss. Tokyo is a team that has been promoted from the second division and is said to play simple football, but they also have technical skills. Today, the left side was more attacking than we expected. Even when we were behind, everyone made efforts to recover and fight back. At times, we were able to play easily and play beautiful football."

"Coach Okuma's comment"

"In terms of physical effort, I think we were able to keep up until the end, but it was a game with many points to reflect on. However, I believe that the fact that we were able to withstand the 1-0 score without losing our balance even after conceding the first goal led to our victory. We need to improve on aspects such as build-up play and making plays that should not be done in the defensive zone, and aim higher. In J1, I think we are able to perform at a similar level in terms of physical effort, defense, and transitioning between offense and defense. However, there were also instances where our decision-making in each zone of defense, midfield, and attack was incorrect, and there were areas with low accuracy. In these past three matches, the players have maintained their concentration and approached each game with the determination of starting the season. I think that has led to the results and a great sense of fulfillment mentally. However, in a way, I think it is a tough league where such confidence can be easily shattered if we don't approach it with humility. It is necessary for us as a team to continue to cherish each game and approach the next one."