A must-win match!

　The 4th round of the Nabisco Cup qualifying league is an away match against Oita Trinita. In the previous match against Chiba, we conceded a goal in the first half and allowed the opponent to take the lead. However, in the second half, we were able to steal the ball from the front line with intense pressing and created numerous chances with fast side attacks. Unfortunately, we couldn't score and ended up losing the match. As a result, we are currently at the bottom of Group C with 1 draw and 2 losses, and it has become a very difficult situation to advance to the next round. However, there is still a possibility. We will give our all in the remaining 3 matches and, of course, we must win the match against Oita this round.

　Oita has changed their members considerably, but they have already played twice this season and both teams know each other's strategies. Oita, currently in 3rd place with 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss, will definitely come to win and advance to the qualifiers. With 4 defenders and 4 midfielders forming a solid line, they first wait in their own half and then counterattack quickly when the opponent attacks. Especially in the 9th league match this season, they allowed FW Magnao Alves and Dodo to score twice from chances, which is still fresh in memory. FW Magnao Alves will also be absent in this match due to injury, so the attacking threat will decrease slightly. However, in the previous match against Kashiwa, they took control of the game, defended against Kashiwa's attacks, and FW Dodo scored from a set piece. They have been able to maintain a solid defense and make the most of their one goal.

　Tokyo, on the other hand, has made changes to the starting lineup. The defensive line remains the same, but Miyazawa returns to the midfield. His precise passing will be a weapon in creating attacking rhythm by delivering balls behind Oita's defensive line. In the forward line, Toda and Kondo Yu form a two-striker formation. We hope to see the same combination of Toda's energetic movement in the front line and Kondo Yu's ability to find space and receive the ball effectively, which we saw in the second half of the previous match against Chiba where Chiba switched to a defensive approach.

　And on the bench is the fighting general Miura. It will take a little more time for Miura to get back to his usual movement, as he just returned in the previous match, but by Miura entering the pitch, he can create a gap in the midfield that was not there before and change the tempo of the attack, which had been consistent. Moreover, Miura's solid presence at the bottom of the midfield gives the entire team a sense of calmness and reassurance. Danilo also has difficulty producing results, but he still has the decisive power when it matters. The feeling of an imminent explosion is coming...

　Tokyo is expected to take the lead to some extent, but the key will be whether they can break through Oita's defensive line. They want to create numerous chances by repeatedly widening the play and involving players like Konno in the attack from the midfield, and break through Oita's goal. We are well aware of the poor compatibility with Oita since last season, but we can't afford to say such things in this match. If we win, the team's situation will improve, but if we lose, our chances of advancing to the knockout stage will be almost eliminated. It is a match that we absolutely must win. Under the clear sky that reminds us of summer, the match started with Oita's kickoff at 3:00pm.

In the first half, we attacked well but couldn't score

　Contrary to expectations, Oita started the game aggressively and attacked from the beginning. In the 2nd minute, Tokyo's left side was broken and resulted in a free kick opportunity. In the 4th minute, MF Matsubashi dribbled past the right side and crossed the ball, but it couldn't be connected to FW Kijima who was positioned in front of the goal. However, Tokyo settled down after the 5th minute and started to control the ball, launching a counterattack.

　7 minutes, Miyazawa aims for goal with a free kick opportunity but goes over the bar. 9 minutes, Kurisawa -> Miyazawa -> Konno connect on the left side, Kondo Yū sends a through pass to Toda who has moved up to the front line from the post, but the opposing goalkeeper catches it a step ahead. 10 minutes, Kondo Yū aims for goal with a free kick opportunity but again goes over the top of the bar. 12 minutes, the ball is switched from Konno on the right side to Kurisawa, and Kanazawa, who had moved up for support, crosses. Toda tries to head it in while falling down but misses the mark. 15 minutes, the ball is broken through on the right side by Ishikawa and Toda, and it is passed to Kondo Yū for a shot, but it hits the opposing defender and results in a corner kick. From there, three consecutive corner kicks occur, and Kurisawa passes the ball to Kondo Yū who is in the left area after the last right corner kick, but he shoots wide of the left goal.

　Tokyo had complete control, but Oita received the ball in the space between Tokyo's defenders and midfielders, and from there, they either launched a side attack using the left and right midfielders, Moto and Matsubashi, or Dodô dribbled forward and combined with forward Kimijima for a central breakthrough. In the 19th minute, Moto took a shot from the left area after a quick restart, but it went wide. In the 21st minute, Matsubashi crossed from the right side on a counterattack. Kimijima picked up the loose ball and took a daring shot, but Shioda made a fine save and it resulted in a corner kick. In the end, Oita only had these two shots in the first half during this period of time.

　Tokyo's attack continues. In the 25th minute, Kanazawa passes to Toda, who has moved forward, and shoots without turning around. In the 32nd minute, Ishikawa on the right side dribbles through the center, and Oita cannot help but commit a foul. Miyazawa aims for the free kick but is blocked by the wall. After that, they continue to attack without compromising the defensive balance, but they are unable to create any decisive opportunities, and the first half ends with a score of 0-0.

Kondo and Kurisawa decide the game with their goals

　Tokyo scored the opening goal just after the start of the second half. Ishikawa kept the ball and passed it to Toda, who had drifted to the right side. Toda then delivered a direct, line-drive cross. Yusuke KONDO, who had made a run into the goal area, perfectly headed the ball into the net to take the lead.

　They continue to attack without letting up. In the 50th minute, Inomata dribbles into the middle after receiving a throw-in from the right side and passes it to Kondo Yu. He takes one touch and shoots towards the goal, but it goes straight to the goalkeeper. In the 51st minute, Toda receives a clearance ball from Jan and competes with the opponent's defender, earning a free kick near the center of the field, about 25 meters away from the goal. Miyazawa aims for the bottom left corner of the goal, but the goalkeeper saves it. With the lead, the players gain confidence and stability in their movements, and the team's rhythm improves significantly. Then, in the 55th minute, they score another goal. From Miyazawa's wide play, the ball is passed to Fujita on the right side, who immediately crosses it into the goal area. The opponent's defender clears it, but it falls to Kurizawa, who runs in and shoots directly, grazing the right post and scoring! They now have a two-goal lead.

　Oita also moves. In the 60th minute, Abe is brought in to increase the number of attacks in the front line. And they start a development where they gather the ball to midfielder Komorita and quickly put long balls to both sides from near the center circle to create the starting point of the attack. However, although they continued to be attacked by the opponent who became aggressive, they did not allow a shot until the final shot, and the Tokyo defense showed a calm response.

　Even after Tokyo took a 2-point lead, they created numerous chances. In the 70th minute, Kondo Yu forcefully dribbled into the area and took a shot. In the 71st minute, Ishikawa aimed for the top right corner of the goal with a free kick from about 30 meters away, but missed. In the 75th minute, Kurisawa picked up the clear ball from Ishikawa's cross and connected it, but Miyazawa's shot narrowly missed the top right corner of the goal. In the 79th minute, Danilo was substituted for Toda and brought the ball into the goal area from a counterattack, but did not take a shot. In the 85th minute, Miura was substituted for Kondo Yu and the formation was changed to move Miyazawa to the front line. The team held off Oita's final counterattack and kept a clean sheet until the end of the match. It was the first victory in 10 matches, and with no goals conceded, it was a promising result for future battles.

　[Player Comments] [Fujita] "In the first half, I focused on balancing the game by observing the opponent's approach. In the second half, I approached the game with the intention of taking the lead because we couldn't win without scoring. I always try to take corner kicks and throw-ins in high positions and then return to (our own half) to do my job. I saw that Mr. Toda was free, so I took a chance and crossed the ball, which led to Kurisawa's goal. I'm really happy because it was the first time I started and won. I want to contribute to the team and win again in the next match." [Kurisawa] "In the second half, the opponent got tired and the space in the middle opened up, so I tried to attack more and do things that the opponent didn't like. I didn't feel safe with just a 1-0 lead, so I thought the second goal would decide the game. I hit the ball with the intention of keeping it low and on target. I was able to hit it without exerting unnecessary force. I think we played a game with everyone's emotions involved. It was good to be able to respond to the supporters who came from far away with a victory, but winning the next match is also important." [Shioda] "Before the match, I said 'Let's unite and win in Oita and go back to Tokyo!' but I stumbled over my words and everyone started laughing. It was embarrassing, but it created an atmosphere similar to the final of last year's Nabisco Cup. When you focus too much on winning, you tend to exert more force, but that incident may have relieved some unnecessary pressure. Even after taking the lead and scoring two goals, Oita kept pushing forward, so we had to be careful not to switch to a defensive mindset. At that time, everyone naturally shouted 'Let's go forward!' It wasn't something that the bench told us to do, but we were able to show an attacking attitude by thinking for ourselves and applying the lessons we learned. (There was a good save, right?) I'm always told to 'be prepared early' and I was able to react well by watching where the shot was coming from. It might have lifted the team, but it was a victory that came from the collective effort of the defenders, midfielders, and forwards. I feel like I received the best birthday present."

　[Summary of the press conference by the former coach] "Since we lost to JEF in last week's Nabisco Cup, we have no choice but to win. We talked with the players about giving our all and putting our hopes on the slim possibility. In the second half of the previous JEF match and the league match before that, although we lost, the overall rhythm and balance were gradually returning. However, despite not getting the results, it's frustrating that we couldn't score, or that the opponent scored with just one chance. Today, we were also threatened with a shot from the right side of Oita, which we had been conceding until now. However, Shioda saved it for us, and although the first half was a bit shaky, I think they fought well. We showed the players the matches between Milan and Liverpool in the Champions League, and talked about how Liverpool, who had lost 3-0 to Milan, changed when they scored one goal, and how the game can change with a small play. Scoring a goal requires the mental strength of each individual, and the team must also fight with a strong determination. With so many supporters coming all the way to Oita, or supporting us at Ajinomoto Stadium, we had the feeling that we had to respond to those people. It's been a while since we won and didn't concede, and that's a good thing. Even if it's a bit embarrassing, I'm glad that they fought without giving up until the end. We will start a new FC Tokyo from here as the first step. We can't end it like this, so we will fight with all our might in the remaining two matches of the Nabisco Cup qualifiers and in the league matches. That will increase our strength. We want to do our best in training every day."

　[Summary of Oita-Kamamoto Coach's Press Conference] "Today's game was not about changing the team with new members, but we faced it by changing the members from the previous match. However, we may have had too many things we wanted to do. The game itself was not bad, especially in the first half. The reason for the loss was that we easily conceded the first goal in the second half. We need to maintain a solid defensive balance, which we were able to do in the first half. We were able to put pressure on the ball in the second half as well, but I am dissatisfied with how easily we were beaten by the opponent. However, climbing a mountain requires timing and crossing a river. We have a clear purpose. We still have a chance in the Nabisco Cup, so we want to fight without giving up. As for the intention of promoting young players, we are competing with all the members who are playing and not playing in the matches. We cannot compete in July if we do not improve as a whole for the second half. It was one challenge. (We used young players today), of course, the result is important for the team, and we also need to prepare for the next match. Both are important."