A crucial battle we cannot afford to lose

　This round, which will be held three days after the previous round, is a match against Verdy 1969. It is an away game at Tokyo Stadium, which is held only once in the season, but it is a match that players, even if they are not players, want to win at all costs.

　Verdy, who is currently in 15th place and struggling at the bottom, will play today's game with only two days of rest since the last match. However, as a "Tokyo countermeasure," they have changed their formation from the previous 3-5-2 to a 4-4-2. Tokyo has Amaral starting for the first time since the resumption of the league and the kickoff has begun.

Tokyo Derby a Crucial Fixture 

Just four days after the previous game F.C.TOKYO returned to Tokyo Stadium as the visitors for the away leg of the biannual Tokyo Derby against stadium co-hosts Tokyo Verdy 1969. Verdy, currently struggling in 15th place in Division 1, were playing their second game in three days. Verdy switched to 4-4-2 from their usual 3-5-2 and Amaral returned to the starting lineup for TOKYO.

First goal by Amaral! Getting into the rhythm

　Tokyo aggressively approaches the Verdy goal from the start. In the 8th minute, Amalao and Kelly connect from Toda on the left side, and Ishikawa cuts into the penalty area from the right side to take a shot. They showed a proactive attitude towards scoring. In the 9th minute, Kelly receives a throw-in ball and shoots while facing away from the goal. In the 14th minute, while Kelly keeps the ball in the center, Miyazawa runs into the goal area and Toda connects with a header, but unfortunately, it was offside.

　Tokyo, who tries to break through Verdy's tough pressure and disrupt their combination play, but they cannot break through and instead make mistakes here and there, allowing counterattacks. In the 15th minute, FW Ewerton created space on the left side of the penalty area, and FW Hiramoto ran into that space and took a shot from close range. However, Tsuchihi made a fine save. In the 21st minute, DF Soma passed the ball from a free kick, and MF Nagai took a shot in the center, but Tsuchihi easily caught it.

　And in the 23rd minute, Ishikawa ran up the right side and sent a cross, which Amaral headed. It initially hit the opponent's defender and bounced off, but Amaral cleverly took advantage of the weak clearance and floated a kick into the goal, GOAL! Tokyo took the lead by firmly converting the chance into a result.

　The team gains momentum with Amaral's goal in the 5th game. In the 25th minute, Fujiyama and Kelly exchanged passes on the left side and rushed towards the goal. Then, in the 27th minute, Ishikawa sent a ground cross from the right side, and Amaral took a shot. They shook from left and right, and Miyazawa also sent a pass for a live side change. Toda and Ishikawa run into the inside, and Kelly connects the ball in a flowing manner on the side, threatening the Verdy goal. In the 37th minute, Miyazawa took Ishikawa's free kick and took a long shot that missed above the goal, but they used the pitch widely and dominated the game with a good rhythm.

　Verdy tried to break through the wall with skilled dribbling from Nagai, Hiramoto, and Tanaka on the left side for 40 minutes. However, Tokyo DF remained calm and dealt with Tanaka's dribble breakthrough in the 43rd minute and Edimundo's dangerous jump in the 44th minute. The first half ended with expectations for the second half.

Amaral Puts TOKYO Ahead 

Tokyo started brightly, putting Verdy under pressure straight from the kick off. A flowing move involving Toda, Amaral and Kelly set up Ishikawa on the right of the area after eight minutes; TOKYO were looking sharp and aggressive. A minute later Kelly received a throw in with his back to goal, twisted around and fired in a shot. In the 14th minute Kelly held the ball up expertly in midfield but his lay off to Miyazawa was judged offside.
Verdy were being forced onto the back foot but nearly took the lead in the fifteenth minute as Edmundo burst into space on the left and slipped the ball to Hirano whose point blank blast was superbly blocked by Doi in the Tokyo goal. The TOKYO keeper was called on again five minutes later and held Nagai's effort comfortably.
TOKYO took the lead in the twenty third minute. Ishikawa whipped in a cross from the right but Amaral's initial header was blocked; attempting to clear a Verdy defender succeeded only in flicking the ball up in the air. Amaral reacted fastest, trapping the ball on his chest then flicking it over the advancing keeper before volleying it gleefully into the net, for his first goal in five games.
Two minutes later Fujiyama and Kelly combined neatly in front of goal and in the 27th minute Amaral nearly had a second from Ishikawa's low cross. TOKYO were using the full width of the pitch, Toda and Ishikawa drifting inside as Kelly hugged the touchlines, playing a confident and stylish game.
Verdy attempted to increase the tempo as the first half drew to a close but the TOKYO defence held firm, denying dangerman Edmundo space or time on the ball. The first period ended 1-0 to TOKYO and expectations were high for the second half.

Sunk by dangerous man Edmundo's free kick...

　In the second half, Verdy repeated fierce tackles. Utilizing the FK obtained there, Miyazawa shot in the 46th minute but was blocked by the DF wall. In the following 47th minute, Ishikawa aimed from slightly left of the center but missed the goal just below the left post. In the 57th minute, Ishikawa chased after a pass that went to the right side space and crossed, but Toda's shot in the center did not meet perfectly. Despite creating opportunities frequently, including set plays and corner kicks, they were unable to score additional points.

　In the 58th minute of that situation, Jean fouled Verdy Soma, who was waiting near the penalty arc on the left side to receive the ball. He received a warning and gave away a free kick. Edmundo, who had scored a direct goal from a free kick in the previous match, took this free kick and the ball slipped through the fingertips of Toi and fell into the right corner of the goal. With a single blow from the most dangerous man, the score was equalized to 1-1.

Edmundo Strikes.... 

Tokyo began the second half where they left off in the first with the Verdy defence conceding a series of free kicks in dangerous positions. Miyazawa blasted into the wall in the 46th minute, Ishikawa curled one fractionally wide a minute later, and Toda failed by a whisker to connect with another Ishikawa free kick shortly after that. TOKYO created a hatful of chances but were unable to convert any. In the 58th minute, Soma received the ball with his back to goal on the left side of the penalty area and went to ground under pressure from Jean who received a yellow card. Edmundo curled the ball beyond Doi's left hand for the equalizer.

Missed opportunity leads to a counterattack, and the team struggles after Jean's expulsion

　And, as if shaken by the unexpected goal, Tokyo makes many mistakes. In the 62nd minute, they lose the ball in their own half and allow Verdy to launch a quick attack. Verdy connects a vertical pass and Edmundo creates space in front of the goal, delivering a final pass into the penalty area. Jean once again commits a foul against Hiramoto, resulting in a penalty kick. In the 63rd minute, Edmundo confidently scores this penalty kick into the bottom right corner of the goal, allowing Verdy to take the lead in no time.

　Jean received his second warning and was sent off with a red card. Tokyo, now with 10 players, was forced into a difficult battle. In the 66th minute, Toda was replaced by Shigeki Motonii. Despite positioning Fujiyama in a high position to counterattack, they were unable to intercept the loose ball against Verdy's relaxed passing. In the 78th minute, even the last hope of a set play corner kick couldn't be converted into a chance. In the 78th minute, Hidetoshi Fujiyama was replaced by Baba.

　However, in the 79th minute immediately after that, FW Sakurai, who had entered the field from the second half 54 minutes in place of Nagai, received a second warning for delaying the game, and Verdy also had 10 players. After that, the game showed a hectic movement with warnings flying around. In the 80th minute, Kaji, who ran up the right side, aimed for the goal but the GK caught it. In the 81st minute, Tokyo lost the ball to Edimundo in the opponent's own territory due to a mistake, and FW Marcinhos was allowed to take a free shot. It was a decisive shot, but it narrowly missed to the right of the goal. On the contrary, in the 83rd minute, Miyazawa took a shot from the left FK near the goal but it hit the wall of the DF. And in the 85th minute, Kelly, who ran into the left penalty area, took a shot but it was stopped by GK Takakuwa, and the last chance was not utilized, and time was up.

　In the end, we couldn't hold onto our one-point lead and suffered a bitter comeback defeat. However, the battle continues with a tough schedule. It is important to move forward without lingering on this loss and focus on breaking the losing streak.

[Summary of Manager Hara's Press Conference] "It was a game that we didn't want to lose. Verdy changed to a 4-back formation, but Tokyo was thinking of playing the same way as before and using both sides effectively. It was painful that Jean was sent off when we were leading and looking for another goal. In the second half, our defense dropped too deep. We conceded a free kick to Edmundo and became too anxious. I think that was the reason for our defeat. Especially the second goal, we lost possession and it led to a goal. We need to eliminate those mistakes and improve the quality of our play. I want to create a pattern where Kaji and Fujiyama become the starting point on the sides and effectively use Amaral and Kelly. We have consecutive matches, so we want to somehow switch our mindset and prepare for the next one."

[Summary of Verdy Lory's press conference] "We switched to a 4-4-2 formation to both contain the opponent's Kelly and to have four players in the midfield. We included Hiramoto because we wanted to press forward and we thought he would be better at competing in the front line even if we played long balls. Marquinhos is a second striker, while Hiramoto seems more like a center forward. In the first half, the balance was off and we were dominated in the midfield. Tokyo's press was effective, and the scenes where we conceded were due to our own mistakes while in possession of the ball. Losing in the midfield means losing the game, so we discussed putting pressure in the second half. I think Sakurai, who came on as a substitute, made a good contribution to the victory with his movements."

Jean Off As TOKYO Slump 

Stunned by suddenly conceding a goal against the run of play, TOKYO lost their composure and began to carelessly give the ball away. In the 62nd minute, they lost possession upfield, allowing Verdy to quickly counter.
Edmundo rolled the ball into the path of Hirano as he burst between two defenders into the area, then went down with Jean in a tangle of arms and legs. The referee pointed to the spot, then showed Jean a second yellow card. Edmundo sent Doi the wrong way and TOKYO found themselves 1-2 behind and down to ten men. Moniwa replaced Toda and Fujiyama was pushed further upfield, but Verdy used their man advantage artfully, retaining possession and slowing the tempo down. Baba replaced Fujiyama in the 78th minute and soon after both teams were reduced to ten men as Verdy striker Sakurai, who had come on for Nagai in the 54th minute, was shown a second yellow card for not releasing the ball to Doi for a TOKYO goal kick.
The game deteriorated into a wild scramble and the yellow cards came thick and fast. Edmundo presented Marquinhos with a glorious chance to kill the game off in the 81st minute, but the Verdy man fired wide. The best chance for TOKYO fell to Kelly after 85 minutes, but Takakuwa blocked his effort and time ran out.
A second consecutive defeat and the manner of it are galling, but the team must put it behind them and focus on the next match, a "home" game at the National Stadium against Consadole Sapporo.

Tokyo manager Hara:
"That was a game we didn't want to lose. Verdy switched to a back four so we were hoping to attack them using both sides. We took the lead and were looking for a second but losing Jean really hurt us. The defense played too deeply in the second half and after Edmundo equalized we lost our composure, making simple mistakes. We'll be looking to bounce back in the next game."

Verdy manager Lori:
"We switched to 4-4-2 with the intention of stopping Kelly and played Hirano as a target man for long balls. Our balance was poor in the first half and we gave away the first goal with some sloppy play. If you lose the midfield you lose the game so I told the team to tighten it up in the second half and they responded well, with Sakurai's excellent movement partly responsible".