Welcome and confront the top-ranked Kashima at home!

　In the 10th round, facing Kashima Antlers, who are currently in first place, with only 2 days of rest since the previous Oita match. However, the team is in a state of complete disarray. Lucas, Toda, and Suzuki Nori were injured in the Oita match. But Manager Hara stated, "I don't want to use injured players as an excuse. Today, the players on the pitch will come together as one and show our strengths." The lineup includes Kondo Yu, who will make his first start of the season, at the forefront, Baba in the attacking midfield, and Sakai on the left side as a full-back. Kobayashi, who is also making his first appearance this season, is on the bench, and the team is united in their efforts to break their losing streak and defeat Kashima.

　Kashima, despite losing to C Osaka in the previous match, is in first place with 7 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. They have scored 17 goals and conceded 7, resulting in a goal difference of +10. Their strength lies in their balanced ability to connect attacks seamlessly from a solid defense. In this match, midfielder Fernando is suspended, and forwards Alex Mineiro, Nozawa, and Fukai are injured, similar to Tokyo, putting them in a difficult situation. Rookie forward Okazaki and second-year midfielder Masuda made their first starts. However, Coach Hara analyzed the situation, saying, "Using young players and taking care of injured players is a luxury in terms of player selection." They aim to take advantage of this opportunity and make a statement against the top team.

　A sunny Ajinomoto Stadium gathered 43,000 spectators in the stands. Manager Hara said before the match, "I want to express my gratitude for this tremendous support. I want to live up to the expectations." Of course, the players also had the same feelings and kicked off at 16:03.

Taking On The Leaders

Two days after the Oita game, league-leading Kashima Antlers visited Ajinomoto Stadium for the 10th match of the season. TOKYO were struggling with injuries: Lucas, Kanazawa, and Toda were the latest victims. Manager Hara refused to use the recent spate of injuries as an excuse, though. "I want the team we send out to play as a unit and show the best aspects of our game," he commented before kick-off. Striker Yusuke Kondo made his first start of the season, as did Baba in a withdrawn role just behind him, while Sakoi played at left back. Kobayashi appeared on the bench for the first time this year as TOKYO attempted to put recent results behind them, unite, and take on the Antlers.
Kashima were surprisingly beaten at home by Cerezo in their previous game but still held on to top spot with a W7 D1 L1 record for 22 points. Solid defense and good balance are the main characteristics of this team. Holding midfielder Fernando was suspended while strikers Alex Mineiro, Fukai, and Nozawa were injured. Rookie Koroki made his debut, as did second-year midfielder Masuda. "The Antlers are looking after their injured players and promoting youngsters to the first team to have a look at them," commented manager Hara.
Over 40,000 people flocked to the stadium. "We are very grateful for this tremendous support," he added, "We really want to answer the fans' expectations."
The game began shortly after 4pm on a glorious afternoon in west Tokyo.

Allowing the first goal while trying to grasp the pace...

　The Tokyo players showed a forward attitude, encouraged by the cheers from the stands since the start. In the first 30 seconds, Ishikawa took a powerful shot. In the 2nd minute, Jang defended against Kashima's attack with a strong tackle. From there, Tsunai and Sakui connected, and Sakui passed to Yusuke Kondo who was running on the right side. Kondo dribbled past the opponent's defender and made a dash towards the goal, creating a chance, but unfortunately couldn't make the shot. In the 3rd minute, Miyazawa aimed directly for the goal from a free kick on the right side of Kashima's field. In the 6th and 7th minutes, Miyazawa and Ishikawa had more chances from free kicks, but couldn't score. In the 8th minute, Ishikawa received a side change pass from Miyazawa and cut inside from the right to take a shot, but it was saved by the goalkeeper. In the 14th minute, Kondo Yusuke became the wedge in a fast attack, and Miyazawa sent a pass to Ishikawa running on the right side. Ishikawa fought hard to win a corner kick, but couldn't finish it off.

　Kashima had not created any real chances until the 17th minute. FW Suzuki received a long feed from MF Aoki and kept the ball near the left end line. Left fullback Ishikawa, who had moved up to support, crossed the ball early. FW Okazaki's header from the far post grazed the bar and bounced back, and Homma, who was following up, pushed it in with a header. Tokyo conceded the opening goal while they were gaining momentum.

　The game gradually shifted to Kashima's rhythm. Kashima passed the ball around in the defense line and patiently waited for attacking opportunities, displaying a relaxed style of play. In the midst of this, they created a chance from a set piece in the 27th minute. Kondo Yu, with his back to the goal, connected with Miyazawa's free kick from the right side, but the shot veered to the left. In the 35th minute, Kashima stole the ball in the opponent's half and quickly transitioned to attack. Kaji, who had moved up the center, boldly attempted a dribble shot, but it was saved by the opponent's goalkeeper in the upper right corner of the goal.

　However, in the 41st minute, Tokyo kept the ball on the left side and Kashima MF Masuda made a strong dash towards the center and passed the ball to FW Okazaki with perfect timing. Okazaki, riding on his speed, unleashed a powerful shot that went over the hands of Doi and hit the crossbar. Honyama, who picked up the rebound freely, scored a precise goal, resulting in a goal. They conceded a second goal from a similar play by the same combination as the first goal, and went into the second half trailing by two points.

TOKYO Start Well But Concede Early

TOKYO flung themselves at the Antlers straight from the kick off as though propelled forward by the thunderous waves of noise emanating from the stands. Ishikawa registered the first shot with only 30 seconds on the clock, Kondo latched onto a neat through ball from Sakoi and dribbled his way into the area in the 2nd minute and Miyazawa belted a free kick fractionally wide of the post a minute later. Two further free kicks within shooting range were given away by the Antlers but TOKYO were unable to hit the target. Livewire Ishikawa stung Sogahata's palms with a well struck drive in the 8th minute and battled tenaciously down the right wing to win a corner in the 14th minute.
Antlers took the lead in the 17th minute, completely against the run of play. Suzuki chased a long hoof to the byline and succeeded in keeping the ball in play, then rolled it back to midfielder Ishikawa. Ishikawa played a deep cross to the far post where Koroki attempted to cushion a header over Doi. The ball hit the bar and fell for Motoyama to nod home and give his team the lead with their first attack.
The goal changed the complexion of the game at a stroke. The Antlers were content to retain possession, playing the ball around the backline and building slowly into attack. Kondo had a brief glimpse of goal in the 27th minute but shot wide following Miyazawa's free kick. In the 35th minute Kaji dribbled forward and shot but Sogahata held his effort comfortably.
The killer blow came in the 41st minute. Masuda held the ball up on the right before rolling it into the path of the onrushing Koroki. Koroki lashed a fierce drive against the bar and Motoyama, unmarked inside the area, hammered the rebound into the roof of the net to double the lead. The first period ended 0-2.

Danilo and Kobayashi create opportunities, but unfortunately suffer defeat

　In the second half, we approached with a change of mindset. In the 48th minute, we won a free kick and then a left corner kick, but we couldn't convert them into chances. In the 50th minute, we substituted Baba with Danilo. However, in the 54th minute, Kashiwa's right full-back, Ari, made a breakthrough and Sakai fouled him inside the penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick. Kashiwa's forward Suzuki missed the penalty, and we avoided conceding an additional goal.

　Afterwards, in the 57th minute, Kobayashi, who made his first appearance this season, was substituted for Sako. Kobayashi was placed on the left front line and launched a fierce attack with a 3-back formation. In the 59th minute, Danilo, who stole the ball inside the opponent's territory, boldly turned towards the goal and dribbled, forcefully shooting the ball which hit the lower left post! Jean followed up on the rebound but was offside... It was difficult to score a goal. Afterwards, they tried to create chances from corner kicks and free kicks, but their efforts were not decisive and they couldn't bring it to a crucial scene.

　In the 66th minute, Danilo passed to Kobayashi on the left side from Miyazawa. Kobayashi took a bold shot, but the goalkeeper caught it weakly. In the 71st minute, Kashima replaced forward Okazaki with midfielder Honda in the defensive strategy. Tokyo also made a fierce counterattack by replacing Kondo with Mashima in the 75th minute and pushing Jean to the front line. They repeatedly launched speedy attacks centered around Ishikawa, but couldn't find a decisive blow against Kashima's solid defense, with the defenders pulling back and the midfielders defending with the expectation of fouls. They didn't give up until the end and tried to score a goal with an all-out effort, but ultimately failed to convert any of the 8 corner kicks and set plays. They suffered a 0-2 defeat against Kashima's skillful game management, resulting in their 6th consecutive loss.

　【Player Comments】"Jean" "We conceded a goal before we could score, and from there we were pushed back by the opponent and couldn't create chances. In the end, I moved up to a position that is not my usual one and tried to score, to win, but it wasn't enough. I want to do my best and get results in the next game." "Kondo Yu" "We tired Kashima by chasing the ball. The distance between us and the midfield became too far, and in that time we were passed and played around. I tried to make adjustments, but I was too focused on myself and ended up being reactive. Even when Nao broke through, we couldn't capitalize on it... I think not being able to score in the early chances is affecting us in the end." "Kobayashi" "We were determined. I tried to compete on the side while changing positions fluidly with Nao. However, the opponent was sitting back and it was difficult to break through with dribbling in the vertical position. We couldn't produce results, so I don't know if there will be another chance, but if there is, I want to work hard and bounce back."

　[Summary of Manager Hara's Press Conference] "The supporters always cheer us on, and in order to respond to their support, I spoke to the players about playing a good game and facing the match. I think our attitude was good at the start. We actively attacked and earned free kicks and corner kicks. However, when we conceded a goal, we suddenly became timid. We couldn't make forward passes and seemed afraid to compete. At halftime, I told them to not be afraid and to put the ball forward and fight. In the second half, we brought in Danilo and Kobayashi, and since Kondo Yuu injured his leg, we moved Jean to the front line and put Mashima in the back. Instead of maintaining balance, we tried to have each player carry the ball forward and pick up loose balls. I think that attitude was better than in the first half. We haven't been getting results, but we can't ignore the support of these supporters. The team needs to come together, lift their heads, and fight. We have to hold on somehow and get through this. We have to change and play a gritty, team-oriented soccer like in the second half."

　[Summary of Kashima and Cerezo's press conference] "It was a wonderful first half. As Tokyo is the home team, we expected them to come out aggressively and continue attacking in the second half if they were behind. I emphasized to the players that a 2-0 scoreline is a very dangerous one. Naturally, Tokyo brought on forward players to score. So, one key point was deciding when to tighten our defense. I was a little worried when Danilo came on, but he often plays in the gap between the defense and midfield, so we focused on catching him there. He is a skilled player, but I believed that as long as our defenders marked him tightly, it wouldn't be a problem even if he entered the penalty area. Tokyo took risks and switched to a 3-man defense, with Miyazawa and Kaji playing as wing-backs, and they attacked quite aggressively. That's why Honda, who came on to contain Danilo, did a solid job. Instead of man-marking, we made a commitment for Aoki to mark him depending on the position of the ball, and that allowed us to suppress Tokyo's central attacks. We were also able to contain Miyazawa and Kaji on the sides through substitution strategies. Fortunately, Tokyo used a lot of long balls, which made it easier for our defense to respond. We had to be cautious of Ishikawa from Tokyo, but I think Ryuya Ishikawa did a great job containing him in the first half. In the second half, there were some situations where Ali's side was exposed when the play shifted to the left, but Ali didn't know Ishikawa well, so he was a bit confused in his response. We believed that it would be easier to defend by putting in players who are familiar with Tokyo's players, and we were able to contain them through substitutions. We thoroughly instilled the mindset of going to win back the points we lost in the previous match, and it worked well in this game. We were also able to handle loose balls in set pieces. Each player followed through with their commitments. Although we felt a bit relieved after scoring two goals in the first half, it was still a scoreline that required caution against Tokyo, a team that plays attacking football. By enduring the first 15 to 20 minutes, we were able to hold on until the end."

Danilo, Kobayashi Shine But TOKYO Fall

TOKYO began the second period in a positive mood, winning a free kick and a string of corners but were unable to trouble Sogahata. Danilo replaced Baba in the 50th minute. Antlers then won a penalty in the 54th minute as Sakoi upended Ari inside the area. Suzuki chipped the ball wide of the goal and failed to extend the lead.
Kobayashi replaced Sakoi in the 57th minute as TOKYO went in search of a goal to give them some hope of saving the game. Kobayashi moved to the left of the attack and TOKYO switched to a three back system. In the 59th minute Danilo wriggled through the Antlers defense and cracked a low shot against the post; Jean was given offside as he desperately stretched to snare the rebound.
TOKYO were enjoying the lion's share of possession, winning corners and free kicks but were unable to create a clear opening. Danilo set up Kobayashi in the 71st minute but his shot was weak and straight at Sogahata. The Antlers replaced Koroki with defensive midfielder Honda in the 71st minute and switched to a defensive mode. TOKYO withdrew Kondo, sent on defender Masushima, pushed Jean up into attack and attempted to use Ishikawa's speed to unsettle the Antlers defense. The visitors defended in depth and resorted to illegal means to prevent TOKYO having a clear sight of goal. TOKYO won 8 corners and free kicks in the second half alone but all came to naught and the Antlers superior skills won the day. It was TOKYO's 6th consecutive defeat.


Players' comments
Jean:
"They scored when we couldn't then settled back and defended deeply. Striker is not my usual position but I'll do anything for the team and we desperately needed a goal. We'll do our best to get a result in the next game".

Kondo:
"Kashima tired us out chasing after the ball. I was isolated from the midfield and they kept possession very well. Ishikawa made some openings but I couldn't get on the end of them. Not taking those early chances really hurt us today".

Kobayashi
"We were really up for this game. We tried to use Ishikawa's movement and sudden changes in positioning to unsettle the Antlers defense on the wings but they were playing so deeply it was very difficult. Dribbling through was tough as well. I don't know if I'll get another chance but if I do I'd like to make amends for today's game".


F.C.TOKYO manager Hara:
" The support we receive from the fans is always superb but today was extra special and we really wanted to play a good game for them. The players attitude showed in the way we started the game. It wasn't particularly great play but it was very positive and we had some chances from corners and free kicks. After the first goal we lost our spirit, stopped playing the ball forward and going in hard to win it. At half time I told the team not to be afraid and to get the ball forward more. In the second half we sent on Danilo and Kobayashi, replaced Kondo as he had an injury, moved Jean to the front line and put Masushima into defence. Rather than worrying about the balance we just wanted to get the ball forward and fight for the loose balls. We just can't win at the moment; the players will have to get their heads up and play through this difficult period. The way we played in the second half wasn't pretty but maybe that's what we have to do right now".

Antlers manager Toninho Cerezo:
" We played a great first half. We had expected TOKYO to really attack us and were prepared to go into the second half behind. 2-0 is a dangerous score, as I told the players. Obviously TOKYO were going to add players to the attack in the second half and the key point for us was when to move into defensive mode and protect the lead. I was a little worried when Danilo came on as he's a good player and operates in the space between the defence and the holding midfielders. If we could stick tight to him then I thought he wouldn't be such a problem, though. We sent on Honda not to man mark Danilo but to work in tandem with Aoki, depending on where the ball was. Honda moved well and did a good job today. We also managed to suppress TOKYO along the flanks. We were relieved when they started playing the long balls as that was no problem for our defence and we dealt with it comfortably. TOKYO's Ishikawa is a dangerous player but our Ishikawa played him out of the game in the first half. In the second half Ari had some trouble coping with Ishikawa on the left as he doesn't know the player; we thought it was best to use substitutes who know the TOKYO team well. After losing the last game we were determined to take the three points today and that showed in the performance. All the players performed their tasks thoroughly and that's why we won".