RIVELINO takes revenge and secures victory at home

　From the quarterfinals of the Nabisco Cup, two days after, in the 2nd stage, we will once again face Gamba Osaka. For Gamba, this is a match immediately after a complete victory, and not only in the 1st stage but also in past J1 league matches, they have shown a good compatibility with 4 wins and 1 loss, so the advantage is with Gamba.

　However, everyone in Tokyo has the feeling that "we cannot lose to the same team twice in one week" and "we cannot lose all three matches this season to the same team, including the heavy defeat in the 1st stage. We absolutely cannot afford to lose." We want to show our determination and achieve revenge, as well as break the bad trend of losing at home that has been continuing since the end of the 1st stage.

　Gamba Nishino coach said after the Nabisco Cup, "Because it's Coach Hara, he will definitely do something. We will think about how to fight for the next two days and face it." However, the starting members remained the same for both teams. However, Tokyo returned the side half who changed left and right in the Nabisco Cup to the usual positions, with Ishikawa on the right and Toda on the left, and kicked off.

Revenge!

Following their meeting in the Nabisco Cup quarter final on Wednesday the opponents for the second game of the second stage were again Gamba Osaka.
The advantage surely lay with the visitors: a comprehensive victory three days earlier, a big win in the corresponding fixture in the first stage and a record of four wins and only one loss to TOKYO in the J-League pointed to only one result.
However, losing at home twice in a week to the same team was out of the question for TOKYO; to restore their pride and halt a recent run of disappointing home losses a win was crucial.
Gamba manager Nishino commented after the Nabisco Cup game " If I know ( F.C.TOKYO manager ) Hiromi Hara he'll be planning to strike back. We have two days to work on our tactics ". As it was, both teams fielded the same starting elevens, but Toda and Ishikawa exchanged sides for F.C.TOKYO.

Both teams engage in attacking football

　Tokyo connects the kickoff ball, Amaral attempts to break through the center and shows enthusiasm for today's game. However, Gamba also comes aiming for the goal without waiting for the situation to unfold from the start. In the 2nd minute, FW Maguron dropped the ball and FW Yoshihara made a decisive shot by weaving through the defense. In the 4th minute, MF Morioka jumped in from the right and took a shot from a cross from the left side, and suddenly Tokyo faced a pinch.

　But when he missed the shot, in the 8th minute, Toda received a long throw from Kaji on the right side and made a well-aimed header, but the goalkeeper saved it. In the 9th minute, Shigehira intercepted on the left side, but Shimodaira took it back while waiting for support, and Gamba Moriooka took a shot. However, in the 14th minute, Ishikawa received the ball with his back to the penalty area on the right corner and turned around, instantly bypassing the defender and rushing towards the goal, but his powerful shot was blocked by the opponent's goalkeeper's excellent save. The game continues with both teams creating big chances, and it wouldn't be strange if either team scored.

　In the 24th minute, Maguron cut off a feed from the DF line and attacked the right goal area, but his shot hit the post. The rebound was swung to the left side and Yoshihara took a shot. Once again, he was saved by a missed shot, but Tokyo, where pass misses stand out here and there, invites trouble on their own. However, they do not become passive and in the 28th minute, Ishikawa cuts inside and receives Toda's return at the post, then takes a shot from the front of the goal. Unfortunately, it goes straight to the goalkeeper.

　In the 33rd minute, Jean took a shot from a combination play between Gamba Yoshihara, Morioka, and MF Nikawa. In the 42nd minute, Maguron scored with a header from a free kick from the back. In the 43rd minute, Ishikawa dribbled through the opponent's defense, was fouled, and won a free kick. Jean aimed for the goal. In injury time, Jean also took a header shot from a left corner kick.

　Both teams fought bravely and Gamba had more decisive scenes. However, they couldn't convert their chances into goals, and the first half ended with a 0-0 score.

Attacking Start

TOKYO looked highly motivated from the kick off but Gamba had the best of the early chances. In the 2nd. minute forward Yoshihara collected Magrao's knockdown, beat a defender and should have scored; in the fourth minute Morioka connected with a left wing cross but failed to beat Doi in the TOKYO goal. The home side were under pressure, but Toda drew a save from the Gamba keeper with a header in the 8th. minute. A minute later a midfield mix-up presented Morioka with another chance. TOKYO came closest to taking the lead in the 14th. minute as Ishikawa received the ball with his back to goal on the right of the area, spun past a defender and fired a low, hard shot to the near post. The Gamba keeper made a sharp one-handed save but a breakthrough for either team seemed inevitable given the number of chances being created. 
Magrao rattled the TOKYO post in the 24th. minute and Yoshihara missed the rebound as some loose play gifted possession to the visitors. Ishikawa nearly put TOKYO ahead in the 28th. minute from Toda's neat return but fired straight at the keeper. Both sides upped the tempo as half time approached: Magrao headed a free kick wide in the 42.nd minute, Ishikawa then ran at the Osaka defence until fouled but Jean hit the free kick into the wall and the same player headed an injury time corner over the bar. 
Gamba just shaded an entertaining first half, which finished 0-0.

King Amaral, showing his true abilities when it matters!

　In the second half, both teams cautiously started by exploring each other's strategies and prioritizing safe plays without taking risks. Among them, Gamba made the first move. In the 53rd minute, Daiku was substituted for Morioka and positioned in the front line, forming a three-top formation. In the 56th minute, Maguron made a header shot from a right corner kick, but it went over the goal. In the 59th minute, Nigawa broke through Tokyo's left side and sent a decisive pass to the center, but Kaji cleared it. In the 60th minute, Arai sprinted through the midfield and connected with Maguron in the center, who then made a last pass to the right space. Yoshihara made a run and took a shot from just before the goal area, but Doi made a fine save and it resulted in a corner kick.

　Gamba created a chance and an unfavorable time. However, Tokyo today concentrated and did not panic. In the 66th minute, just as they were trying to make a bet by sending Fukuda, Amaral dribbled through the midfield press and passed to the left. The ball initially hit the opponent's defender, but Miyazawa neatly picked up the loose ball and sent an accurate cross in front of the goal. Amaral, who had become free in the center of the penalty area, headed the ball and slammed it into the goal, bouncing in front of the goalkeeper and scoring! Taking advantage of Gamba's attack, Tokyo took the lead.

　Before the match, we took the lead, but Manager Hara said, "I didn't want us to sit back and defend just because we scored one goal, so I wanted Fukuda to keep pressing from the front and also show that we can attack." As planned, Fukuda was substituted for Shimodaira in the 67th minute. Just after that, in the 68th minute, Kelly attracted the opponent's defender in the center of the penalty area and passed to the left side. Toda sent a cross to the far side of the goal, and Fukuda made a high-heading shot from a free position. It was a decisive moment, but it went slightly to the right of the goal. We couldn't score an additional goal despite the effort.

The Inestimable Amaral Strikes

Both sides began the second half cautiously and little occurred until the 53rd. minute when Gamba replaced midfielder Morioka with striker Oguro and switched to a 4-3-3 formation. The move nearly bore fruit immediately as Magrao headed a corner just over the bar and soon after an inviting cross from Futagawa required a vital clearance by Kaji. In the 60th. minute Araiba ran at the TOKYO defence and slipped the ball to Magrao who rolled it into space on the right for the overlapping Yoshihara to crack a powerful shot goal ward. Doi produced a superb save to turn the ball away for a corner. 
Gamba were enjoying their best spell of the game and a goal seemed inevitable. It came, but at the other end. TOKYO were preparing to bring on Fukuda when Amaral won the ball in midfield and loped forward; he knocked the ball out to the left and continued his run into the area. Miyazawa held off a defender and curled a perfect cross toward the penalty spot where 
Amaral rose majestically to power a header down and, via the keeper's fingertips and the underside of the bar, into the goal. 
TOKYO had taken the lead just as they were about to reshuffle the formation but manager Hara still brought on forward Fukuda for Shimotaira. " I didn't want to just defend after we had taken the lead, " he commented, " I still wanted to attack". This attitude nearly brought another goal two minutes later as Fukuda headed a Toda cross fractionally wide at the far post. 

Complete shutout victory with Doi's superb save and team's concentrated defense

　In the 72nd minute, Gamba Osaka substituted FW Matsumi for Yoshihara, and Tokyo also substituted Fujiyama for Toda. Fujiyama entered the left midfield position. Both teams showed their determination in their benchwork, and the game heated up. Tokyo defended against Gamba's attacks near their goal with strong defense and launched counterattacks. In the 79th minute, Kelly received a throw-in on the right side, broke through two defenders, and crossed from the end line. Ishikawa picked up the clearance ball and took a shot. However, it went over the goal.

　In the midst of a fierce attack and defense, Gamba showed their determination to score by having DF Miyamoto join the attack. In the 82nd minute, Okubo dribbled past two defenders in the midfield and took a powerful shot. In the 83rd minute, Maglione aimed directly for the goal with a strong shot from a free kick just outside the penalty area, but Tsuchi caught it firmly. Then, in the 88th minute, Miyamoto ran into the goal area to shoot the ball clear from Endo's cross on the left side. However, Tsuchi escaped from this decisive pinch with a superb play full of determination. Even Gamba's fierce attack in stoppage time was met with the concentration of all players.

Time's up for the showdown.

　It was a tough game where the passion and determination clashed, but we shut down Gamba Osaka, who boasts a strong offense, perfectly. We not only repaid a big debt but also achieved a delightful victory at home Tokyo Stadium, marking our first win since July 14th and securing our second consecutive victory in the 2nd stage.

[Summary of Manager Hara's Press Conference] "We couldn't afford to lose to the same team, especially at home, just three days after our previous loss. I think we played with that kind of determination. We only had two days between matches, so it was difficult to make any major changes in training, but it was frustrating to hear Coach Nishino say again, 'I understand what Hara is thinking.' So I tried not to think too much and approached the match. However, I expected Gamba to switch to a front three if things didn't go well, but we had been too defensive in the previous match and got caught, so I returned to the basic formation of Ishikawa on the right and Toda on the left, and I told Kaji and Shigemori to keep going forward from the first half. If we can control the source of the ball and prevent good balls from being played inside, we have nothing to fear. After Amaral scored a goal in a good position, there were some dangerous moments, but we fought well until the end. I do think Gamba is strong, but we must continue to fight with the same strong determination as today."

[Gamba Osaka Nishino Coach's Press Conference Summary] "From the start, I think the movement and development of the ball was better than in the Nabisco Cup. However, we couldn't bring it into a good shape in the final box. We were under quite strict marking, so in the second half, we tried to put the ball in from the side, and I think we actually did it on the right side. However, Tokyo has been defending with a focus on organization through support and coaching, rather than creating a 1-on-1 situation as in the previous match. We weren't perfectly focused for the full 90 minutes, so I think there were plenty of chances to break through, but we couldn't take advantage of the moments when there were gaps, and we couldn't break through. When we get scored on, it's in this kind of situation, where we also create easy counter-attacking opportunities, and I still think we haven't fully attacked."

Doi Preserves Win With Miracle Save

Gamba replaced Yoshihara with forward Matsunami in the 72.nd minute and in reply Toda made way for Fujiyama on the left of the TOKYO midfield. The game began to heat up but Kelly kept a cool head in the 79th. minute, collecting a throw on the right before bursting between two defenders and racing to the goal line. His pull back was cleared only as far as Ishikawa who curled a left footed shot inches over the bar. 
Gamba defender Miyamoto pushed forward as his team searched for an equaliser. In the 82nd. minute Oguro beat two defenders and shot from distance; a minute later Magrao fired a free kick around the TOKYO wall but Doi held the ball cleanly. The best chance fell to Miyamoto in the 88th. minute as an Endo cross was cleared to him on the edge of the area. He shot low and hard but Doi flung himself to his left to fingertip the ball around the post. TOKYO held their concentration through injury time to repel the best efforts of Gamba and record their second successive win and the first at home since July 14th. 


F.C.TOKYO manager Hara:
" The players were highly motivated today and that clearly showed. They were determined not to lose twice at home in three days to the same team. I expected Gamba to use 3 forwards so I made Toda and Ishikawa change sides and told Kaji and Moniwa to get forward more. After Amaral scored there were many close shaves but the team battled to the end. I want the team to show the same determination and commitment in the following games ".

Gamba manager Nishino:
"In the first half I thought we actually played better than in the Nabisco Cup game but just couldn't finish. The marking was very tight tonight and the TOKYO players supported each other very well. We had many chances but conceded a goal just as we looked like scoring and that, rather than tiredness, was the main reason we lost. We left ourselves open to the counter attack."