League match resumes! We want to grab victory and build momentum

　J1 League Sec. 13 will be an away game against Avispa Fukuoka. After a break of about 2 months, including the FIFA World Cup, since Sec. 12 on May 6th, the league will resume. During the break, the team focused on improving their physical fitness at J-VILLAGE and had training sessions in Gotemba, where national team players Doi and Mobata joined. The goal of dominating the ball and breaking down the opponent remains the same, as they had practice matches against Shimizu and Kawasaki. However, defending against counterattacks from the opponent is a challenge, and how they can fix that will likely determine the outcome of the match.

　Fukuoka, on the other hand, couldn't ride the wave in the first half of the season, finishing in 16th place with 8 points. However, they welcomed new coach Ryoichi KAWAKATSU during the break, and the team's motivation is very high. In place of the departing forward Graucio, new signing forward Baron starts. The soccer style of starting from a solid defense and building up from the sides in a 4-4-2 system remains the same as before. In particular, the attacking contributions of right midfielder Kudo, left midfielder Koga, and fullbacks Nakamura and Alex are powerful. Additionally, center backs Chiyohanda and Kaneko have height and strength going forward, making it difficult for the opponents to create clear-cut chances.

　Tokyo, as a system, uses a 3-5-2 formation with Masushima, Jean, and Shigeno in the back, and Suzuki and Tokunaga on both sides. It is important to take control in the attacking and defending on the sides and push the opponent back. Additionally, Ishikawa returns to the starting lineup after about 10 months. He has his characteristic sharpness and speed without any concerns, and Coach Gallo wants to utilize his speed by playing him as a forward. If they can create opportunities in the front line through Baba's ball retention and Ishikawa's runs into the space behind the defense, it can be a threat even for the opponent's defenders.

　The Fukuoka match will be a very important battle in terms of predicting the future. Since this match will be included in a 4-game series with 2 games per week, we really want to win and gain momentum. The match started with Fukuoka's kickoff at 7:04pm, amidst a light rain.

Although they pushed the game forward, they were unable to create any decisive chances

　Tokyo takes control of the game from the start. In the 4th minute, using a cross from Tokunaga on the right side after Baba's keep in the center, Lucas shoots after hitting the opponent's defender in front of the goal. However, the opponent's goalkeeper catches it. In the 6th minute, Suzuki on the left side passes to Lucas, then to Baba, and then to Ishikawa, creating a flowing passing sequence to attack, but they fail to reach the finish. In the 9th minute, from Moino's left free kick to Tokunaga on the right, it is passed to Baba who goes for the follow-up, but his shot from the right inside the area is caught by the opponent's goalkeeper.

　Fukuoka compactly positions between the FW and DF, thoroughly implementing a strategy of aiming for counters from intense pressing. In the 13th minute, the ball was stolen in the midfield and passed to MF Koga on the left side by right MF Kudo. Koga became free and entered a shooting position, but Jean cut it off with a sliding tackle and it resulted in a corner kick. It was a decisive moment. Tokyo also had a counter in the 15th minute, with Shigeno passing to Suzuki, who then combined with Baba for a one-two on the left side. Baba attempted to send a cross, but the opponent's DF intercepted it. However, Lucas received the loose ball from the left area and took a shot, only to be deflected by the opponent's GK.

　After 20 minutes, Fukuoka took the lead in the game. Starting with two CKs from MF Koga on the left and right, they seized the opportunity. In the 24th minute, MF Kudo sent a long ball to the goal front from the right FK, which FW Baron dropped while competing with Jean. MF Koga, who had run in, headed the ball but it didn't hit the target and Doi caught it. In the 30th minute, MF Koga ran alone on the right side from a counterattack. The final pass to the center was cut off by Shigeno, resulting in a CK. On the contrary, in the 32nd minute, Tokyo also broke through the right side from a quick attack, but the floating pass to Ishikawa in front of the goal was offside.

　The rain has been getting stronger since around the 35th minute. Tokyo has been connecting passes so far and the performance is not bad, but they are unable to grasp the rhythm of the attack. In the 37th minute, Kajiyama takes a daring shot from outside the box, but it goes straight to the opponent's goalkeeper. Suzuki and Tokunaga run up the sides and try to make the final pass, but Fukuoka defends well and they cannot completely break through. As a result, most of the shooting chances are from outside the box. Towards the end of the first half, Fukuoka attacks, but the defense holds strong and the score remains 0-0.

The battle in bad conditions ends in a draw

　As the second half began, puddles started to form here and there, making the pitch conditions the worst. Dribbling and passing didn't go as planned, and neither team could create attacking opportunities. Tokyo made adjustments at halftime because they had allowed Fukuoka's attacks from the right side in the first half. As a result, Tokyo started to find a rhythm in their attacks. In the 49th minute, there was a pass exchange between Baba and Kajiyama, and the final pass was sent to Ishikawa who broke through the front line. However, it was unfortunately offside. In the 53rd minute, Kajiyama took a powerful shot from a right free kick, aiming for a goal, but it hit the opponent's defender and resulted in a left corner kick.

　In the 60th minute, Lucas dribbled through the center and took a middle shot. The fast ground ball headed towards the left corner of the goal, but the opponent's goalkeeper made a great save and it resulted in a left corner kick. From this corner kick, Ishikawa took a shot in the center but was blocked by the opponent's defender. In the 62nd minute, Baba exchanged passes with Lucas and took a shot in the center. Again, the opponent's defender made a strong tackle to cut it off.

　69 minutes, Tokyo moves. Rychely and Inoha are substituted for Ishikawa and Suzuki, who showed signs of fatigue. In the 70th minute, Inoha delivers a long feed to Baba in the front line from a counterattack. Although initially stopped by the opponent's defender, Rychely picks up the loose ball and breaks free, but it results in a corner kick. Fukuoka also gradually creates chances from set plays. In the 72nd, 73rd, and 76th minutes, MF Koga's sharp kicks are put into the goal area, but the defense remains focused and prevents a goal. In the 79th minute, Kurisawa is substituted for Baba in an attempt to regain momentum, and Lucas is moved to the forward position.

　83 minutes, Fukuoka DF missed control of Lucas' clear ball. Rychely picked it up and rushed towards the goal. However, he was blocked by the opponent DF's sliding tackle just before. Right corner kick. Kajiyama's liner-like ball was headed by Lucas, who jumped near the goal, but he couldn't find the target. In injury time, Jan cleared Koga's cross from the right side. However, the ball hit the crossbar, creating a tense moment, but ultimately both teams ended the match with no goals. The back and forth battle without letting their guard down until the end resulted in a scoreless draw.　

　【Player Comments】《Ishikawa》"It started raining halfway through, so I had to be mindful of the pitch conditions. We had control of the game for the first 15-20 minutes, but then the midfield became stretched and I wasn't sure whether to go forward or drop back. Since we couldn't connect passes, I focused on keeping possession and tried to score with the movement of the third player. However, the distance between players was too far. I tried to be patient, but couldn't find the right pace. It's disappointing to end in a draw, but personally, I'm glad to be back on the pitch. Today, there were supporters who came all the way to the away game and people who supported me during my injury, and I'm grateful for that. I wanted to score and respond to their support... I think Yuta's hold-up play and my runs into space created a few chances. The overall performance wasn't bad. I'll keep running and do my best to win next time."《Baba》"It was my first appearance in a while, but my legs were fine and my condition was good. However, the game didn't feel like soccer due to the rain. Therefore, in the second half, I needed to change my mindset and focus on connecting more passes instead of dribbling since the ball would stop. (Regarding the substitution?) Naosan and I talked about how we couldn't help the situation and that we should switch our mindset for the next game. I think it's good that we didn't lose."

　[Summary of Manager Garo's Press Conference] "Both teams competed fiercely, and it was a tough match. Until about 20 minutes into the first half, Tokyo had control of the game, but after that, we couldn't keep up with the marking on our left side and were broken down and attacked. In the second half, we were able to make adjustments and mark on the left side, but we couldn't have a good game due to this rain. We need to make adjustments to our defense, positioning, and marking, but I think we were able to have a game where both teams were fully committed until the end. (What is your evaluation of Ishikawa, who entered as a forward?) He has been improving day by day, but there were some difficulties due to the long period of being away from the game, including the mental aspect. Playing in a game is different from training. As a forward, you have to go all out from the beginning, and I had also told him to do the defense properly. In that sense, I could see that he was tired, so I made a substitution. However, he has been training well, and I expect him to continue to improve in the future."

　[Fukuoka Kawakatsu Coach's Press Conference Summary] "After the restart, I took on the position to score and win at home. We couldn't score goals, but it was good that we were able to do what I have been telling the team repeatedly, such as 'increasing the number of people entering the goal area, creating chances multiple times including free kicks and corner kicks.' In soccer, there are situations where you should be cautious and situations where you should be bold, but today we were slightly too cautious. Especially in front of the goal, we were cautious and there were missed opportunities, which is regrettable that we couldn't score. I think we should have been bolder, especially in the rain like today. Overall, we were able to attack forward. There was only one substitution, but we were able to run a long distance and move forward without the need for substitutions. Around the 35th minute of the second half, the opponent's legs started to slow down, so I brought in Iio to disrupt the opponent's defense in front of the goal. It was a short preparation period, but there is a sense of accomplishment after finishing the official match. However, it is a world where results are demanded, so we want to make the necessary adjustments and face the future."