I want to finish the first half of the season in a good shape, aiming for the resumption of the league matches!

　The final match of the Nabisco Cup qualifying round, the 6th day, was an away game against Avispa Fukuoka. In the previous match against Urawa, we played a spirited game both in attack and defense, took control throughout the game, and outperformed the opponent in terms of content. However, we couldn't score a decisive goal and the match ended in a scoreless draw. However, Kanazawa and Ozawa, who made their first starts of the season, fully demonstrated their strengths and became a bright prospect for the future. In the previous match (4th round), we suffered a defeat unable to withstand Fukuoka's counterattacks, so this is a match where we want to take revenge.

　Tokyo, Lucas is suspended due to accumulated warnings. Instead, Kajiyama returns as a starter and is positioned in the second row with Ozawa. Coach Gallo said, "Kajiyama and Lucas have different styles, but their roles remain the same. I hope they can be aggressive in the attack and penetrate into the area." Kajiyama himself also said, "The way we start the game is important. From the beginning, we want to target the back of the defense, connect passes easily, and play with a clear rhythm."

　Fukuoka, on the other hand, was only able to secure 1 point in the 5th day Yokohama FM match, despite taking the lead and ending in a draw. However, today they should come with more momentum and aggressively aim for 3 points with the support of their home crowd. There won't be any major tactical changes, and for Tokyo, stopping Fukuoka's sharp counterattacks is the key to victory. In that sense, the play of Imano + Inoha will be one of the highlights. They will prevent any danger with their strong defense, become the starting point of the attack, and utilize the speed of Toda and Kawaguchi in the front line.

　Not only winning the final game before the break, but also dominating in terms of content with the soccer style of "increasing ball possession and attacking from the sides" that we have been playing so far, we want to connect this game to the league matches starting in July! It started at 3:00pm with a kickoff in Tokyo at the Hakatanomori.A, a hot and sunny stadium.

Opportunities are created, but unable to take the shot

　Immediately after the start of the match, both teams were slow and unable to connect passes, possibly due to the heat. In the 2nd minute, Fukuoka's forward Kawashima dropped the ball in the front line, and Yabuta connected it, shooting from inside the area. Shioda made a save and it resulted in a corner kick. Tokyo, on the other hand, launched a quick counterattack from this corner kick. Kajiyama connected the play, and Kanazawa, who had moved up from the left, took a shot. Toda was also in the box, but the ball went wide to the left. After the 10th minute, Tokyo started to circulate the ball and create chances. In the 11th minute, there was a left free kick, and in the 12th minute, Ozawa kicked the ball into the goal area from a right corner kick and set piece, but the opponent's defender cleared it.

　In the 14th minute, Kanazawa → Kawaguchi broke through the left side, and Imano attacked to the end line and crossed. Kawaguchi and Toda jumped in, but the opponent's DF cleared it and it became a left CK. Kicker Ozawa's ball was punched by the GK, but Kawaguchi, who had closed in on the far side, shot it outside the side net. After that, they developed from the center to the side, easily creating the shape of the attack with direct and 1, 2-touch passes. In the 19th minute, Tokyo connected precise passes on the right side, and Kawaguchi crossed it in the end. It was sent to the far side, but no one was there to follow up. In the 23rd minute, Tokunaga → Kajiyama connected, and from the pass of Imano and Kawaguchi who went up on the right, they won a right CK. However, they couldn't bring it to a finish.

　In the 28th minute, Tokunaga → Ozawa in the center played a direct pass to Konno on the right side of the area. He sent a lofted pass, but it was blocked by the opponent's defender and did not reach Kawaguchi. Fukuoka also tried to counterattack several times on Tokyo's mistakes, but couldn't bring it to a finish. In the 34th minute, Tokyo had a scoring opportunity. Kanazawa on the left → Ozawa → Konno connected, and a strong cross with shooting intent came from the right side of the area. Toda flicked it back with a header at the far post, and Kawaguchi followed up with a header, but the opponent's goalkeeper made a save just before it crossed the goal line.

　In the 40th minute, Fukuoka struggled under pressure in the opponent's territory, but Kanazawa, Imano, and Inoha tenaciously regained possession of the ball and connected it to the attack. In the end, Toda picked up the loose pass from Kawaguchi and won a left corner kick. In the final stages, Imano and Inoha began to balance well at the bottom of the midfield and outperformed the opponent in both offense and defense. Kajiyama easily handled the ball, creating a rhythm for the attack and creating numerous chances from the side. As a result, the first half ended scoreless and turned to the second half.

One point is far away... Fukuoka couldn't break the goal until the end

　1 minute into the second half, Kawaguchi, who received a left cross in the right area, bravely shoots despite being contested by the opponent's defender. Blocked by the opponent's goalkeeper. In the following 2 minutes, Toda runs up the left side, evades the opponent's defender and crosses. Kajiyama picks up the loose ball and takes a middle shot, but it goes offside as it reaches Kawaguchi in the front line. In the 49th minute, Kawaguchi's cross from the right wins a corner kick. Kajiyama's kick is cleared by the opponent's defender. In the 51st minute, from a right throw-in, Kajiyama crosses to Kanazawa on the left, leading to a corner kick. They connect the corner kick and cross twice into the goal area, but are blocked by Fukuoka's tall defender.　

　Fukuoka also cut Inoha's pass and countered in the 54th minute, with FW Miyazaki heading the cross from left MF Koga, but Shioda caught it. It was a moment of suspense. In the 59th minute, Akamine was substituted for Ozawa. Toda on the right, Kawaguchi on the left, and a three-top formation. In the 67th minute, they launched a wave attack. Inoha crossed from the right side, and Jean competed with the opponent's DF in the center, but it was cleared. Kawaguchi, who picked up the loose ball on the left side, crossed to the far side after evading the DF, but it was once again blocked by the opponent's DF.

　Tokyo continues to attack. In the 72nd minute, Kajiyama → Tokunaga cuts inside and crosses. The opponent's hand was hit inside the area, but no foul was given. In the 73rd minute, Tokuanga's right cross was contested by Toda and Kawaguchi in front of the goal, and Kanazawa ran in to shoot from the resulting scramble, but it went over the goal. In the 76th minute, Inamoto headed Kajiyama's left corner kick, but the ball missed the target without meeting.

　Tokyo goes for the win. In the 77th minute, ABE replaces Kawaguchi, and Suzuki replaces Toda. Akamine moves to CF, ABE joins the right side, and Suzuki joins the left front line, forming a 3-top formation to go for a goal. In the 81st minute, Tokunaga sends a cross from the right corner of the area, and Akamine runs in from the left and volleys, but it goes wide of the goal. In the 83rd minute, ABE on the right dribbles inside, and from Akamine's wedge, Kajiyama makes the final pass. Suzuki, who is free, takes a shot that the goalkeeper saves, but the rebound heads towards the goal, only for the opposing defender who covered to clear it at the last moment.

　In the 84th minute, Kajiyama, who received Abe's vertical pass on the right, dribbled past the opponent's defender and cut inside for a shot! The opponent's defender blocked it, and the ball floated high. Akamine headed it, but the shot hit the crossbar... We just couldn't score a goal. With less than 5 minutes remaining, both teams exchanged attacks and defenses rapidly, but the match ended in a scoreless draw. Tokyo tried to gain momentum from the front line with player substitutions and went all out to score "one goal," but they couldn't convert in decisive moments. They have some issues to address in finishing and will enter the break period.

　【Player Comments】《Shigeki》"It was extremely hot and both physically and mentally exhausting. However, in the past, even when I kept the opponents from scoring, I made many mistakes. It was like saying 'that's me' (bitter smile). But today, even in this situation, I was able to hold my ground and didn't make any mistakes. I think I have grown as a player. Fans and people around me say I should aim for the national team, but I can't even think about the future yet. However, both Kazu-san and Shunsuke-san have overcome difficult situations like this. It's my turn to overcome the next one!"《Imano》"The balance wasn't bad, but I may have been too focused on keeping possession of the ball. It's necessary to forcefully go for the shot. I needed a strong determination to say 'I'll take it' and score even if I'm alone. Connecting passes is for the purpose of taking a shot. I want to practice with the goal of shooting as the primary objective. I thought it was bad when I injured my left knee during the match, but I gradually got used to it. I'm fine now."

　[Summary of Coach Gallo's Press Conference] "I think we played a good game. Throughout the match, we were able to connect passes and control the flow, but we couldn't convert the big chances we had in the first half. The flow improved even more in the second half, and we created even more opportunities, but we lacked the finishing technique. Regarding the referee's judgment, there was a play where hands were used inside the penalty area. Using hands is a foul whether it's inside or outside the penalty area, and if it's inside the penalty area, it becomes a penalty kick. There were some situations that I couldn't understand. (What was the intention behind putting Suzuki and Abe in the front three?) Before that, we also included Akamine, of course, to be more attacking. Some of the opponent's defenders had already received yellow cards, so we tried to actively engage in one-on-one situations."

　[Summary of Fukuoka Matsuda's Press Conference] "It was a positive that we didn't concede any goals today. However, the overall performance was lacking. It's true that the heat was a factor, but that's not an excuse. There were many instances where we didn't take the initiative in crucial moments and resorted to defensive play. This applies not only to the individuals who didn't take the initiative, but also to those around them who didn't encourage them. Instead of conserving energy and playing half-heartedly, we should have made up our minds to face the heat and give our all. In the second half, we substituted FW Graucio for FW Yabuta, who was struggling with his condition, and also brought in FW Tanaka because we were being pushed back without a strong presence up front. We had to win, so we switched to a one-striker formation and attacked aggressively. We will enter a break period, but there won't be any major changes. First, we need to refresh ourselves and then reflect on what we have achieved and what we haven't. As a team that is not a newcomer, it's not enough to focus only on the performance. It's important to have a winning mentality and play with the mindset of a winner."