Aiming for the first victory in 4 years against Nagoya in the final home game

　Sec. 14 will face Nagoya Grampus Eight at home. It's hard to believe, but this is the final match of the 1st stage held at home. The past record against Nagoya is 1 win, 2 draws, and 5 losses. Since winning with a V goal in the J1 1st stage in 2000, there have been no victories, which is unfortunate. However, with the support of the home crowd, we want to win at all costs.

　Today, Asari is suspended due to accumulated warnings, but Miura is in the starting lineup. Additionally, Miyazawa made the bench for the first time since Sec. 8.

　Nagoya, who is currently in 6th place, has been on a winning streak in June, including the Nabisco Cup. They are missing goalkeeper Nara Saki, defender Omori due to injury, and midfielder Yoshimura due to suspension, which leaves some concerns in defense. However, Weslley and Marques, the strong forward duo, are in good form. They are the most formidable attacking pair in the J-League. Despite the high temperature of 27℃ before the night game, the match started with Nagoya's kickoff.

Allowing Nagoya to take the lead by demonstrating their scoring ability

　To seal off Tokyo's side, Nagoya changed their formation from a 3-back to a 4-back lineup in the previous match. They transitioned from tight defense to attack, and in the 5th minute, they threatened Tokyo's goal with side changes and breakthroughs from the second row. Tokyo attempted to exploit the space behind the defenders with quick passes after winning the ball, but in the 3rd minute, Lucas was caught offside, followed by Suzuki in the 6th minute. Despite struggling to create chances against Nagoya's solid defense, Bamba took the first shot of the day with a mid-range shot in the 14th minute. In the 19th minute, Tokunaga received a pass from a side change and dribbled up from the right side, unleashing a powerful shot from near the penalty arc. However, it narrowly missed to the right.

　In the following, both teams continued to compete for possession, but neither could create any decisive opportunities. In the 34th minute, Inamoto took a header shot from a free kick on the right side by Baba, but that was Tokyo's only shot in the first half. Nagoya also had only two shots, one from MF Okayama just after the start and another from MF Yamaguchi in the 34th minute. However, something happened in the 42nd minute. Shigeyoshi Mogi went to check the ball from the opponent's right throw-in, but Marques quickly passed the loose ball to Nakamura on the right side. Nakamura dribbled into the penalty area and delivered a fast ground cross in front of the goal. Tokunaga, who was covering, and Doi couldn't touch the ball. Okayama appeared free in front of the goal and scored, allowing Nagoya to take the lead just before the end of the first half.

　In the second half, Tokyo started to grasp the rhythm while trailing by one point. Shortly after the start, Kanazawa's cross was cleared by the defender. Lucas received the loose ball with his chest and attempted a volley shot, but it was saved by the goalkeeper. In the 49th minute, Baba dazzled two defenders inside the right area, and Kanazawa, who had moved up to support, sent a cross, but no one was able to connect on the far side. Immediately after, Baba evaded Toda with a one-two pass and sent a through pass to the front line. In the 51st minute, Tokunaga, just like in the first half, cut inside to the center and took a shot while being surrounded by defenders. This time, he cut to the left.

Lucas's amazing goal! Kajiyama and Miyazawa intensify the chase

　It happened while Toda, who had injured his leg, was outside the pitch for treatment. In the 51st minute, Wesley, who had drifted to the right side, passed the ball to Kakuta from the bottom of the midfield. Kakuta made a fierce dash and dribbled up, but Jean cut him off with a sliding tackle. However, when the ball spilled in front of Marques, who had moved up to the front line, Marques smoothly guided it into the goal with one touch, resulting in a goal. Just as they were about to seize the pace of the counterattack, they found themselves trailing by two goals due to Marques' high finishing ability.

　However, it couldn't end like this. In the previous match, Tokyo allowed a draw in the opposite situation. We must make good use of that lesson. In the 55th minute, Kajiyama was substituted for Toda. Then, Kajiyama, who entered as the left MF, utilized his ball control skills and started creating chances from Kanazawa's attacks and by inducing fouls from the opponents for set plays. In the 59th minute, Abe replaced Baba. And in the 63rd minute, Lucas, who received a pass from Kanazawa in the midfield, skillfully dribbled past the marker with a light touch and forcefully rushed towards the goal. Rhythmically evading one, two opponent defenders, he entered the penalty area. Even here, while being surrounded by three defenders, he forcefully attempted to break through and faced the opponent goalkeeper in a one-on-one situation and took a shot!! The ball went in to the right of the goal with a determined fine goal that said, "It can't end like this." The score was reduced to a one-point difference.

　The intense attack and defense that sped up from here became fierce, and in the 65th minute, Nagoya's Marques took a sharp volley shot from a counterattack. It narrowly missed to the right. In the 66th minute, Kajiyama was fouled in the left area corner and won a free kick. Kajiyama's kick reached Suzuki, who was free in front of the goal, but the timing was slightly off and he couldn't take the shot. However, Tokyo, who was gaining momentum, replaced Miura with Miyazawa in the 71st minute to further boost their comeback. With the appearance of "16" for the first time since the 5th match (4/14 vs C Osaka), the "Miyazawa call" resounded throughout the stadium, and the blue and red eleven became even more lively.

Shigeki, Lucas scores with determination! Dramatic comeback victory!!

　72 minutes, Kanazawa's shot from an aggressive attack was parried by the opponent's goalkeeper, but Suzuki, who bravely followed up, was judged offside. In the 73rd minute, a wave attack from Kajiyama -> Kanazawa -> Miyazawa's cross. Miyazawa picked up the loose ball again, and Kanazawa crossed from the left. They won a corner kick. Jean's header couldn't find the target, but in the immediate 74th minute, they won another corner kick from Kanazawa's breakthrough and completely pushed Nagoya's defense. And in the 75th minute, Kajiyama cut in from Miyazawa's short corner to the sideline, and passed a ground ball like an arrow in front of the goal. Motoyama, who received the ball, pushed it in with his right foot, although his trap was a little too big. It was his first goal in the J-League, and at the same time, it marked the team's 200th goal in J1, making it a valuable equalizer.

　The match between Tokyo, who are attacking fiercely, and Nagoya, who are countering, has turned into a slugfest. In the 78th minute, Kajiyama jumps into the goalmouth from Tokunaga's cross, but the shot hits the left post! Miyazawa picks up the rebound and takes a shot, but a player who remained on the front line is offside. In the 80th minute, Nagoya launches a quick attack and Nakamura takes a shot from the right side. Doi saves it and it goes out for a corner kick.

　However, in the 81st minute. After stealing the throw-in from Abe's left cross, Lucas receives the ball that Kanazawa put in the area. Lucas breaks through the marker with a sharp turn and dribbles in the center while confirming the position of the opponent's goalkeeper, then shoots a controlled shot with a side kick of his right foot. The ball pierces the net on the right side and goes into the goal!! The stadium is filled with excitement and enthusiasm due to this dramatic development. In the final stages, Nagoya continues to attack without allowing a counterattack, and the time is up. In front of the stands filled with 25,167 people, Nagoya achieves a dramatic comeback victory after 4 years and their first victory in 90 minutes. They also rise to 4th place in the rankings, while also decorating their final home game.

[Player Comments]《Lucas》"The first goal was a situation that happens once or twice in a season. However, since we were trailing, I tried to break through forcefully, and that led to a good result. In the first half, perhaps due to fatigue, everyone struggled to find their rhythm. In the second half, we were still trailing by two goals, but the players who came on as substitutes pushed everyone's spirits forward. I think Miyazawa's feelings were conveyed. Regarding the goal, of course, as a forward, I always feel a sense of responsibility. My goal was born from the efforts of the whole team, but I will continue to fight with a sense of responsibility from now on. The victory is thanks to many fans, and it has been a source of support for us." 《Miyazawa》"I was instructed to kick long balls when I came on. I could clearly hear the cheers from the stands during the substitution, and I was happy. It was my first time playing in a match with Kajiyama, but ultimately the atmosphere changed, we scored a goal, and I’m glad we won. We have been practicing for this day, and I wanted to give it my all. There were various conflicts, but it is important to show good plays in the stadium. I realized that having a fighting spirit is crucial, so I want to continue to express that going forward."

[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "In the last match against Ichihara, although we didn't lose, I felt that all the players had a sense of defeat. It was difficult to switch that mindset, and I told the players, 'Ichihara's fighting spirit is wonderful. Even if we fall behind, let's fight with that kind of spirit.' And today, it turned out to be just that kind of situation, but after going down 0-2, they bravely moved forward without fear. After the last match, the players were definitely feeling heavy, especially Baba, who had tough marking, and with a schedule of three matches in a week, he seemed sluggish. At halftime, I said, 'Even if we concede a goal, let's fight with a strong mindset,' but we ended up conceding a second goal, and honestly, there was a bit of panic. From there, I brought in Kajiyama, Abe, and Miyazawa, and the players who came on changed the flow of the game. Kajiyama has great qualities, like soft ball touches and dribbling while using his body. He was away from the team during the Toulon expedition, but I used him from the second half in the last match to help him get accustomed. Today, when he came on, the ball settled, and the movement started. Then there's Miyazawa. Since I became the coach, his left foot has been a key point, and he has always been a starter, even when a bit tired. However, this season, the marking has become tougher, and there were concerns about the balance with Konno—where Konno moves forward and he stays back. But in recent practices, he has been very motivated, so I put him in at that moment today, and seeing his passionate play almost brought me to tears. He was putting his body on the line, going to win the ball even with his head. I think he just forgot that until now. He was just trying too hard to do everything well, but he has wonderful qualities inherently. I would be happy if this brings him back to life. Even without Kelly, Baba and Kajiyama stepped up, and even with Ishikawa injured, Suzuki came in. Suzuki was a bit dormant in the first half, but if he fights like he did in the second half, his strengths will show. Above all, in front of so many supporters, I am glad that we didn't give up easily and kept fighting until the end, especially the substitutes who played with passion. We will adjust for a week and want to finish by beating the Reds in the final match."

[Summary of Nagoya Coach NELSINHO's Press Conference] "The first half was excellent. The defense was stable, and we were able to play compact football as a team. We did not allow Tokyo to create scoring chances, and conversely, we gradually moved forward from a solid defense and were able to take the lead. Until the 15-minute mark of the second half, we were able to play at our rhythm. However, we gradually lost our ability to press, and when the opponent dominated the midfield, we allowed them to score. We lost it in the worst possible way. It was a shot brought in from midfield to the area by the opponent's forward, and such goals cannot be allowed regardless of the team's situation. After that, as you can see, the game progressed at Tokyo's pace, and they won. (Tokyo made movements in the midfield, including substitutions) I don't think the opponent's substitutions had an impact. However, that was until we conceded the first goal. After conceding, we became unsettled. The opponent took advantage of that unease. (The substitutions were made after we were equalized) I wanted to make changes, but today I couldn't bring in veteran players due to warnings and injuries, so the bench was mainly composed of young players. With the score at 2-1 and the opponent gaining momentum, I thought that bringing in young players would not be beneficial for the team, so I did not do it."