Aiming for 3 points away in the final match of the league!

　The final match of the league is against Albirex Niigata away. In the previous home match, we took advantage of set plays after a tenacious battle and achieved victory. As a result, we have risen to 5th place in the rankings. Although it is also dependent on other teams, if we win this match, there is a possibility of reaching 4th place at best. Let's demonstrate what we have built up so far this season and go for all 3 points with a strong determination even away from home!

　Niigata, who is facing the match, is in 8th place with 49 points. In this match, MF Motohama, who is also a key player in the defensive midfield, will be suspended. In addition, MF Marciolishardes, who has scored 10 goals so far this season, and FW Oshima will not be able to play due to injuries. However, the most important key for Niigata is how to break down their solid defense, as they have conceded the fewest goals in the league so far, with a total of 30. Coach Jofuku says, "Considering Niigata's solid defense, I think the match will be decided in a very close contest. We need to be patient and endure, and we want to come out on top in a close battle."

　Tokyo, with the return of Kajiyama and Hirayama from suspension, returns to the starting lineup. In addition, following the previous match, Hiramatsu is deployed as a center-back, taking into account Niigata. In terms of attack, Tokyo wants to first take control in the midfield, using the width of the pitch for repeated attacks and utilizing Suzuki's speed to break through. Furthermore, they want to prevent goals by being resilient and prioritizing balance in the side-backs, as they did in the previous match against Kobe, against sharp counters and crosses from the sides.

　Manager Shirofuku once again said, "Just because it's the final match doesn't mean it gives us any advantage. It's a joy to be able to fight while still having a slight possibility of qualifying for the ACL, but regardless of our position, we will focus only on proving our strength this season and earning points." As always, he prepared for the upcoming match and focused on winning. The match started with Niigata's kickoff at 15:33 at the Tohoku Denka Big Swan Stadium.

Take the lead with a goal from Hokuto! Hold the lead and go into halftime

　The start was tough for Niigata as they struggled to connect passes and launch attacks due to the strong press from the opposition. There were moments when they were caught on the counter, but they defended calmly and formed blocks to hold their ground. In the 12th minute, Hiraoka contested a long feed from the defensive line by Inamoto, heading it down while competing with the opponent. Nakamura, who was running towards the center, immediately aimed for the goal. The shot hit the left post and bounced inside, resulting in a goal. They successfully converted the chance and took the lead.

　Tokyo, which has gained momentum, attacks mainly from the left side. In the 16th minute, Nagatomo dribbled up and broke free from a one-two with Hayabusa, then crossed the ball. In the 22nd minute, Hayabusa also crossed from the left after exchanging passes with Hirayama. Both crosses couldn't find their target in front of the goal, but the flow is not bad. However, gradually, Niigata begins to take control from a quick start. In the 28th minute, a powerful diving header from DF Chiyohanda is unleashed from a right corner kick. Tokyo DF desperately clears the shot that hit the post, preventing the goal from being scored.

　The ball is dominated, but no decisive chances are created in the flow. In the 31st minute, Tokyo counterattacked, with Hayashi running up the left side and passing through the opponent's defense. Suzuki seemed to have timed his run well, but it was ruled offside. In the 34th minute, from a left free kick, Suzuki kicked the ball near, and Hirayama headed it but missed the target. In stoppage time, Hirayama persistently made a move on the left front line, bypassed the opponent's defense near the goal line, and entered the box. He attempted a shot from a difficult angle, but missed by a wide margin. After the 25th minute, even though Niigata dominated the ball, they calmly defended with Kono at the center. They maintained a one-goal lead and ended the first half.

終了間際に痛恨の同点弾を許し、ドローで終えた

　Tokyo showed an aggressive attitude from the start of the second half and pushed the game forward in Niigata's territory. In the 47th minute, Imakano aggressively overlapped and won a corner kick. On the second left corner kick by Suzuki, Hiramatsu tried to connect but couldn't finish it. In the 50th minute, Hayu brought out Nagatomo's overlap and crossed from the left. There, Hirayama jumped in but couldn't connect with a header. In the 54th minute, from a speedy development, Hirayama sprinted down the right side from a one-two with Nakamura. Yonemoto created a decisive chance by connecting with the cross, but his left-footed shot was blocked by the goalkeeper's save.

　70 minutes, Hirayama drops Kajiyama's vertical pass, and Suzuki and Nagatomo also run up to the front line, but are defended by the Niigata DF. In the 76th minute, from Kajiyama's cross that broke through the right front line, Hirayama heels it while carrying the opponent DF on his back, but it goes straight to the GK. In the 80th minute, Hirayama shoots from Akamine's pass as a substitute, but it is blocked by the GK's save... There were also mistakes in the attack, and there were moments when we suffered sharp counterattacks, but while firmly suppressing Niigata's attack, we couldn't convert our chances and time passed.

　In the 82nd minute, Fujiyama came in, followed by Asari, trying to secure the game. However, in the 89th minute, Niigata's left midfielder Kigami broke through the side. Fujiyama managed to avoid a corner kick with a sliding tackle. From this left corner kick, defender Matsuo scored a perfect header, resulting in a goal... Nevertheless, they didn't give up and both teams continued to attack each other in pursuit of victory, but the intense attack in stoppage time did not bear fruit. The game ended in a draw, finishing the league with 53 points in 5th place. Also, with this match, the official schedule for this season has come to an end.

　【Player Comment】《Nakamura》"Everyone was really focused. Not only for the players who couldn't participate in the game... but also because I've had the same feelings this season, I understand their emotions very well. I tried my best to run for them as well. We approached the game with a strong determination, but Niigata also showed a never-give-up attitude. We weren't really in trouble until the last corner kick situation... (About the goal scene) We've been practicing direct shots all week. That paid off, and I think it was also because Sota dropped the ball nicely and the ball ran well on the slippery pitch due to the rain."

　"After the Nabisco, I think we couldn't take that one more step to win. I want to use this experience to aim for the title in next year's Nabisco and league matches. For that, what comes next is important. I want to start the next season with what we have built up this year, rather than starting from scratch. Mr. Fuji and Mr. Sari told me, 'Take care of Tokyo.' From the two players who have undoubtedly made Tokyo's history, they said, 'I want the team to be good, with both content and results,' and I also want to make efforts to become such a team. I received strength from the fans and supporters, and I am grateful for their support. I want to work hard together with the players and become one as the Tokyo Family, so that we can share our joy."

　[Summary of Coach Jofuku's Press Conference] "I think both teams played a very good game with a lot of passion. As someone involved in the game, I could feel the emotions on the pitch from both teams. It is extremely disappointing that we couldn't win and only ended up with 1 point instead of 3, and I take responsibility for that. It could be due to my tactical mistakes, the way we finished the game, or not being able to score a second goal. I accept that today's result, being 1 point and 5th place, is a reflection of all the results we have had so far, and I want to accept that. I want to praise the players for today's game and thank them for their efforts throughout the year."

　(Based on today's results, what is the overall summary of this season?) Each team had accidents and there were both luck and misfortune. Finishing in 5th place after playing 34 matches is the result of our efforts, and we accept that. However, whether we won or lost, there is no doubt that there are more matches that we want to play again. I think that increasing the number of matches that we want to play again, that we want to have another chance at, will strengthen the team. The fact that there are definitely more matches that we want to play again than matches that we never want to play again makes me feel a great sense of potential and possibility in this team, and I want to express my gratitude to the players who have continued to work hard."

　【Summary of Niigata Suzuki's press conference】"I anticipated that today's game would be very challenging. We had players suspended and injured, and both teams were highly motivated to compete for rankings. I thought FC Tokyo would come up with some more tactics. Initially, we simply matched up with Hirayama and failed to pick up the second ball, resulting in conceding a goal. However, our plan was for the players to solidify our defense, launch quick attacks when we regain possession, and spread the ball to the sides when necessary, and they executed it well. However, Niigata's pressure on Uchida prevented him from playing freely. They thoroughly studied and prepared countermeasures, knowing that he is the starting point of our attacks."

　At the point where the two top forwards Ewerton and Yano were, if the ball had settled a little more, there would have been a push from the midfield, but there were cases where it was crushed there, and there were many missed passes near the opponent's penalty area, so we couldn't create a good shape. There were a few chances, but I think that was because the opponent couldn't keep up with our momentum. In the second half, in the midst of a back-and-forth attack and defense, we couldn't do anything with 0-1, so overall we became more aggressive, and the opponent also defended well and connected the ball to the shot, which happened several times. I think we were able to persist without conceding a second goal there and it led to a goal from a set piece in the last scramble. We changed the system, used players in different positions, and made various changes because the players we put in didn't function well, but it didn't have much effect. However, everyone's feelings came together in the set piece, and with the power of the supporters, I think we were able to play a tenacious game and score the last goal in our style."