Defeat Gamba!

3 matches, 3 losses... This is the record against Gamba Osaka (hereinafter referred to as G Osaka) so far. Since FC Tokyo was promoted to J1 last year, the only two teams that they have never won against in the league are G Osaka and Kobe. Although there doesn't seem to be a significant difference in ability, for some reason they have been unable to defeat only these two teams. It is dangerous to have the image of being "weak against certain opponents". In that sense, it was necessary to win today's match at all costs. Additionally, the team is currently in good form and cannot afford to lose here in order to stay in the top positions. There is only one thing to do, "defeat Gamba and return to Tokyo".

Fukuda debut! Amaral, Kelly, and Yukihiko are also in great form!

On this day, it was the debut match of Hiroshi FUKUDA, the highly anticipated striker who transferred from Nagoya. FUKUDA had only been with the team for 10 days and was played in an unfamiliar position as a left midfielder, causing concerns about his combination with the teammates. However, once the game started, he immediately showed his presence with his sharp bursts and powerful charges, which are his strengths. With FUKUDA's inclusion, the overall balance of the team became more "attack-oriented", although there were some concerns in defense. However, the attacking power after gaining possession of the ball significantly improved.

The match started with Tokyo launching sharp attacks utilizing the speed of Yukihiko SATO on the right, pushing G Osaka back. The fast attacks from Yukihiko on the right have become a recent attacking pattern for Tokyo, and on this day, Yukihiko actively initiated dribbles, supplying decisive crosses multiple times through combinations with Kelly and Miura. Additionally, Kelly and Amaral were also in good form, with the attacks always being built up from Kelly as the starting point, and Amaral showing stable post-play from the top position, becoming the foundation of the frontline.

On the other hand, G Osaka started their attacks with midfielder Vita, with the involvement of Nakanogawa who has good ball retention skills and Endo who has good attacking abilities. They either tried to pass to forward Nino Boure or make through passes to the speedy Yoshihara who makes runs. However, their attacks lacked speed after gaining possession and they had few attacks utilizing the space on the sides. As a result, the ball unintentionally gathered in the center and was intercepted, and they were unable to create many decisive opportunities. G Osaka's characteristic is their slow passing game, with the top player Yoshihara and both fullbacks making sharp runs. However, on this day, they were always a step behind Tokyo in the side-to-side battles, and although they were passing in the attacking zone, they were unable to break through Tokyo's defense line.

Kelly's beautiful goal takes the lead!

The match progressed at a Tokyo pace. G Osaka, known for their fast restarts, created dangerous situations by exploiting the right side twice in the 7th and 9th minutes, but other than that, it was a noticeable development of Tokyo's sharp attacks.

In the 18th minute, Kelly attempted a looping shot from the crowded goal area, but unfortunately missed. In the 28th minute, Amaral showed an impressive header from the left corner kick, but it went over the bar. Furthermore, in the 32nd minute, Amaral jumped in with a header from Fujiyama's cross from the left, but it also went over the bar. Tokyo, creating chances one after another with Kelly's flexible ball control and exquisite distribution, took the lead in the 37th minute. Kelly received a pass in the central area just outside the penalty area and made a powerful goal from a perfect wall pass with Amaral. It was a goal born from Kelly's instant situational judgment, taking advantage of the opponent's unexpected turn after thorough side attacks until then.

In the first half, Tokyo, who wanted another goal, had a chance in the 44th minute. From the left, Fujiyama made a perfect pass to Amaral, who hit the post with the ball and Kelly took a strong shot, but unfortunately it went over the bar. Tokyo couldn't score an additional goal despite their attacking efforts and the first half ended.

In the middle of Kiyoshi OKUMA's strategy! Gamba Osaka crushed with Kensuke KAGAMI's first goal of the season!

In the second half, G Osaka launched a counterattack. G Osaka, who wanted to catch up with the tie, raised Endo, who had been withdrawn in the first half, to the front line, and Arai, the left fullback, also started to actively participate in the attack. In the 9th minute, G Osaka dropped a ball raised from the midfield to Nino Boure with his head, and Endo, who received it, broke through with a wall pass with Yoshihara and took a powerful left-footed shot. GK Doi somehow deflected it and escaped to a corner kick, but G Osaka continued to attack the Tokyo goal. In the 14th minute of the second half, Nigawa of G Osaka raised a ball to the front line, and when GK Doi came out to catch it, Sandro cleared it halfway, and the ball rolled to Yoshihara, who was waiting in front of the goal, and was kicked into the empty Tokyo goal, equalizing the score in a disappointing manner.

Tokyo, where the flow and atmosphere turned bad, moves here. In the 19th minute of the second half, Fukuda, who showed aggressive play but had poor combination and couldn't get involved in chances, was replaced by Kagami. Then, in the 25th minute of the second half, Shimura was replaced by Shimodaira, who showed signs of fatigue. Both of them had not played for a long time, but Kagami added an accent to the front line with dynamic movements and stable ball control, and Shimodaira led the team with intense play full of fighting spirit.

In the 32nd minute of the second half, G Osaka countered and Konomine and Shimodaira in the midfield intercepted the pass. Shimodaira quickly passed the ball to Kelly in the front line. Kelly received the ball on the right side and sent a cross to Amaral running towards the opposite side of the goal. Amaral won the competition against the opponent's defender and crossed the ball to the center, where Kagami dove in with a header and scored a valuable additional point. The decision made by Coach Okuma, who acted immediately based on the flow of the game, turned out to be a brilliant success.

The match then showed G Osaka's strong determination at home, with intense attacks. In the 37th minute, Arai brought the ball in from the left and took a powerful shot from the center. In the 39th minute, Vitaou also took a powerful shot from the combination of Yoshihara and Vitaou. In the 40th minute, Yoshihara attacked Tokyo's goal with a powerful volley shot from the front. However, the defense, led by goalkeeper Doi, held strong against G Osaka's fierce attacks and finally reached the end of the game. This match was crucial to prevent falling behind in the rankings, and taking the first victory from G Osaka carries significant meaning. Fukuda's addition undoubtedly strengthened the team, and the reserve players gaining confidence was also a great achievement. Next, we will seek revenge against Hiroshima at home, Tokyo Stadium!

[Coach Okuma's Comment] As expected, today's match turned out to be a close game in terms of content and the number of scoring opportunities. In the midst of that, it was a great achievement that the substitute player changed the flow of the game and scored a goal. In the future, it will be necessary for the backup players to work hard because we cannot rely solely on the starting eleven. Today, it became a confidence booster for both the players and the team. As for Fukuda, it seemed like he finally remembered all the players' names, and it was also his first time playing in that position, so I think he did well today in that sense. I believe we can expect more from him in the future.