Fight aggressively at home and aim for another winning streak from here

　Sec. 21 will be held on Jul 17 (Sun). We will face FC Gifu at home. In the previous match, although we took the initiative, we couldn't break through Oita's solid defense and ended up with a scoreless draw. Our winning streak also stopped at "5", but there is no need to be pessimistic about the performance. In this match as a home game, we will display an even more aggressive attitude, aiming to score and win, and strive for another winning streak from here. The starting lineup for this match remains unchanged, as it has been for the past 6 matches. On the other hand, Lucas has been registered in the league and will make his first appearance on the bench.

　Gifu, who is facing them, is currently in last place, 20th, with 2 wins, 2 draws, and 11 losses. Their total goals scored so far is 11, and their total goals conceded is 28, both of which are the worst in the league. However, in the 19th round against Kyoto, they managed to come from behind and secure a victory, showing their relentless fighting spirit until the end. Their usual formation is 4-4-2, but in this round, they have adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation with 187cm FW Nishikawa leading the front line, FW Shimada as the attacking midfielder, MF Someya on the right, and MF Oshiya on the left.

　Tokyo has been able to dominate the ball against any opponent lately. This allows them to effectively tire out their opponents, but the most important thing is to seize opportunities with determination. At home, they want to pile up goals and share the joy with the fans.

　The day began to darken, but the wind still carried a heated atmosphere at Ajinomoto Stadium. The match started at 18:34 with a kickoff in Tokyo.

Tokyo Aim To Restart Winning Run At Home

FC Gifu were the visitors to Ajinomoto Stadium for the 21st game of the season. Tokyo's winning run had been stopped at five by Oita Trinita's solid defense in the previous outing but there was no cause for pessimism in what was a dominant performance. Tokyo now had a chance to launch another run with an aggressive display in front of their own fans.
The side was unchanged for the sixth straight game, with the newly registered Lucas taking a place on the bench.
FC Gifu began the game in 20th and last place in the league with a record of W2 D2 L11, having scored 11 and conceded 28, both the worst totals in the league. The side had overcome a two-goal deficit to beat Kyoto 3-2 in the 19th round of games and that tenacity was the team's main strength. Usually employing a 4-4-2 formation, Gifu lined up in a 4-2-3-1 shape with 1.87m forward Nishikawa leading the line ahead of Someya on the right, Shimada in the middle and Oshitani on the left.
In recent games Tokyo had controlled the ball, moving it around until the opposition was exhausted. The most important aspect of the game was converting the chances that then accrued and sharing the joy of a win with the home supporters.
Despite the sun having set, Ajinomoto Stadium retained the heat of the day as Tokyo kicked off shortly after 6:30pm.

Tokunaga scores his first goal since 2008 and seizes momentum

　Took complete control of the game from the beginning and progressed the game within the Gifu team. The movement and passing work in the front line, as well as the attacking runs of the fullbacks, worked well together, creating many chances.

　In the 4th minute, Takahashi headed the ball perfectly from Tanizawa's free kick, but it went over the bar. In the 10th minute, Tokunaga dribbled up the right side and passed it to Hayashi in the center with a heel pass. Hayashi then passed it to Tanizawa on the left, drawing the defenders towards him. Tanizawa then connected with Roberto CESAR on the left. They bewildered the opponents with quick passing, but Cesar couldn't finish the shot. Then, they broke through from the left side, and Tanizawa, who was left free behind Cesar, took a decisive shot from the front of the goal, but it was saved by the goalkeeper...

　The time continued when I couldn't make the most of the chance, but in the 22nd minute, Tokunaga cut off Gifu's ball at his own DF line. He hit it to Tanabe in front of the left and went to the front line himself. Tokunaga broke through by matching the pass sent by Tanabe with a floating ball to the front, dropped it forward with a header, passed the opponent's DF, and sprinted in the left area. Despite breaking the formation, he accurately shot it into the goal, and scored the opening goal with Tokunaga's goal for the first time since 2008.

　With this momentum, we continued to create chances one after another, but in the 29th minute, after a good decision by Hanyu -> Tokunaga -> Tanabe in the right area, Cesar, who was free in the center, shot wide. In the 32nd minute, Cesar was blocked when he tried to respond to Tokunaga's cross, and Tanihara in the far area had a scoring opportunity, but was stopped by the goalkeeper... We couldn't score an additional goal and ended the first half with a one-point lead.

Tokunaga's First Goal Since 2008 Gives Tokyo First-Half Lead

Tokyo dominated possession from the whistle as the game was played almost entirely in the Gifu half. Hanyu led from the front as Tokyo's movement, supported by forays forward from the side backs, created a stream of chances. In the 4th minute, Takahashi rose unchallenged to meet Yazawa's free kick from the right with a thumping header that sailed narrowly over the bar. In the 10th minute, Tokunaga dribbled forward down the right, Hanyu moved the ball on with a heel-flick and Yazawa drew defenders towards him before slipping the ball out to Cesar on the left. Cesar was forced wide and failed to muster an attempt on goal but the speed and slickness of the pass-work left the Gifu defense mesmerized. Cesar then tore open the Gifu defense down the left and the ball reached the unmarked Yazawa, following up near the penalty spot. Yazawa shot low and hard but Noda, in the Gifu goal, stuck out a leg to divert the ball to safety. The breakthrough wasn't long in coming, however. In the 22nd minute, Tokunaga intercepted a pass and laid the ball off to Tanabe, then continued his run through the midfield. Tanabe hoisted a delicately-judged lob forward, Tokunaga nodded the ball on then outpaced a defender as he burst into the area on the left. Running at full speed, Tokunaga lost his balance but managed to clip a volley as he fell that bounded past Noda and into the back of the net. Tokunaga's first goal since 2008 had given Tokyo the lead.
With Tokyo in full flow now, the chances continued to come thick and fast. In the 29th minute, Hanyu, Tokunaga, and Tanabe combined to set up Cesar whose shot flew inches wide of the post, while in the 32nd minute, Noda made another superb save to deny Yazawa yet again following good work by Cesar. A second goal failed to materialize and the half ended 1-0.

Tanabe and Cesar score a goal rush! First place in the season with a convincing victory

　In the second half, in the 50th minute, Gifu faced a quick attack and MF Oshiya shot from the left area, but Shioda made a save. After gaining rhythm in defense, goals were continuously born towards the home stand. In the 52nd minute, Tokunaga → from the right side, Hanyu, Cesar in the middle dribbled up and passed to Tanabe near the penalty arc. Tanabe skillfully controlled the ball from the trap, turned around the opponent's DF, calmly shot and scored the second goal.

　After 60 minutes, Tanabe and Yazuwa create a big chance, but on the contrary, there is also a scene where they receive a good counterattack from Gifu. However, they calmly defend with Shioda at the center, and in the 72nd minute, Tokunaga, who had injured his leg, takes precautions and Mokuhara comes on as a substitute. While grasping the flow in both attack and defense, in the 75th minute, from Tanabe's interception in the opponent's territory, Roberto CESAR scores a dynamic dribble shot to extend the lead.

　In the 76th minute immediately after, Lucas made his first appearance in place of Tanabe. He entered as an attacking midfielder, with Hayu moving to left midfield, and further advanced towards the goal. In the 80th minute, Cesar was fouled and earned a penalty kick, which he confidently converted to make it a four-goal difference. After that, while not pushing too hard, they looked for opportunities by exploiting Gifu's stagnant defense.

　In the 89th minute, Lucas in the opponent's territory and center sensed no pressure and took a shot to test the feeling. The shot hit the front of the goalkeeper, but he maintained his aggressiveness until the end and scored 4 goals, the first time since the Kyoto match, leading to a comfortable victory! With a goal difference of +13, they are now tied for first place in the league and have taken the top spot for the first time this season.

　【Player Comment】《TOKUNAGA》"(I scored) by stealing the ball and running behind. There was space, so I went inside and got a good ball from Tanabe. I'm not used to being in front of the goal, so I got nervous and lost my balance, but I just focused on putting it on target. We couldn't score in the Oita game and ended up with a draw, so we talked about focusing on shooting and choosing plays that are more dangerous for the opponent. While the team as a whole focuses on scoring goals, I also have a desire to score myself and want to increase my assists."

　"Today, because it was a home game, I tried to put all my feelings into it and do everything I could. I think we had a good game and by accumulating victories, the team is also improving its shape. (About my goal) That is what I can call my style. I think I was able to make a move to receive the ball and I think it also served as a decoy. I'm happy not only when I score, but also when other players score. The most important thing is for the team to win. I want us to continue fighting together towards victory in the future."

　[Summary of Coach Okuma's Press Conference] "There were moments where we were able to break down the opponent's defense until the point where we couldn't break it down any further, starting from the first half. It's not enough to just attribute it to lack of finishing ability, as it also involves individual skills and mental aspects. I think it was good that we were able to break down the opponent's defense multiple times, including in the second half. Additionally, it was good that the new members were able to join without disrupting the balance of our offense and defense, and brought a different atmosphere and combination to the team. However, in the next match, we will be facing a different team with a different mentality. It is important for us to switch gears and focus on each game, while building on the addition of new players in a positive way."

　(About Lucas) It's the first time I've used him in an official match, but he has experience. Soccer is the most difficult when played simply, but he easily demonstrates that difficulty, in other words, he easily performs simple plays in front of the goal. The pass he made to Otake was a pass that we had never seen before. I want young players to learn from such plays and in the future say, "Lucas left a mark on FC Tokyo."

　[Summary of Manager Kimura's Press Conference in Gifu] "We faced the top-level team in J2 in front of a large audience, hoping to show our strengths. However, we ended up with a complete defeat. We expected to be pressured and moved around to some extent, so we tried to patiently seize the ball with a sense of rhythm. However, we couldn't focus on where to take the ball from due to the opponent's ball movement and skill. At halftime, I gave stricter instructions, but ultimately, we made mistakes and conceded three goals in the second half."

　(What is the cause of the slump?) I think it's because we haven't had any games with zero goals conceded and we lack a stable defensive organization. Of course, there are also injuries and health issues, but every team has those. We lack a serious pressure on the opponents, even though we are trying to shape ourselves. We need more pressure from the front line. Today, the front line restricted us, and we wanted to mark the balls coming from there more rigorously... But we just stood there dumbfounded in front of FC Tokyo's four players' skillful ball control. We couldn't pass the marks well. As a result, there were many situations where we allowed the opponents to receive the ball freely. If we don't resolve that, it's difficult to stop the flow of the opponents' attacks. I think improving that will lead to a decrease in goals conceded."

Second Half Goal Rush Takes Tokyo To The Top

Shiota was forced into action in the 50th minute as Gifu launched a fast break, beating away a fierce drive from midfielder Someya at his near post. Following that scare, Tokyo tightened their grip on the game again and, attacking the home end, soon had the match under control. In the 52nd minute, Hanyu fed Cesar in a central position, the Brazilian dribbled forward and picked out Tanabe on the edge of the penalty area. Tanabe produced a sublime first touch and turn that left his marker stranded and the young midfielder inside the box with only Noda to beat, which he did with consummate skill, driving the ball into the roof of the net to double the lead.
Both Tanabe and Yazawa missed golden opportunities to stretch the lead further. Gifu then launched a series of counterattacks that briefly threatened the Tokyo goal but Shiota stood firm to deny the visitors a way back into the match. Tokunaga left the field with a leg injury in the 72nd minute, to be replaced by Mukuhara. In the 75th minute, Tanabe intercepted a pass in midfield and rolled the ball through to Cesar who sprinted clear of a defender and raced nearly half the length of the field before sliding the ball past Noda with the outside of his right boot.
Lucas then replaced Tanabe in the 76th minute for his first appearance on his return to the club. Hanyu moved to the left while Lucas took up a position as withdrawn second striker behind Cesar. In the 80th minute, Cesar went down under a clumsy challenge inside the Gifu area, then picked himself up to dispatch the resulting penalty with aplomb.
Even with the score at 4-0 and the visitors resigned to their fate, Tokyo continued to push forward. In the 89th minute, Lucas found himself in a pocket of space outside the area and let fly with a thunderous drive that Noda tipped over the bar. The final whistle blew on a resounding win, the first time Tokyo had scored four since the Kyoto game in May. The goal rush boosted Tokyo's differential to a league-tying +13 and lifted the club to the top of the table.


Players’ comments
Tokunaga
"For the goal I intercepted the ball and then just kept going behind the defence. The space opened up and Tanabe put a great ball in for me to run on to. I'm not used to being in front of goal so I felt the tension and my balance gave way but I just tried to get the ball between the posts. We failed to score against Oita and talked about how best to make it difficult for the opposition. We want to score as a team effort but of course I want to get my name on the scoresheet and I aim to add some assists as well from now on".

Roberto Cesar
"We were at home today so we were determined to put everything we have into the performance. We played a good game, we're racking up the wins and the team is really coming together now. The first goal was very much my kind of goal, as was the assist to Tanabe. We're getting used to each other, I think. If I don't score, I'm happy for whoever does. The most important thing is that the team wins. We want to continue to work together and carry on winning games".

FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"In the first half we opened them up to the point that we couldn't have opened them up any more. The finishing has to be a technical and mental issue. The number of chances we created was very pleasing, as was the way we kept our balance when the new players went on. If we can maintain that base then fresh possibilities open up in terms of combinations. However, next week we'll be playing a different team with a different approach. We can take the pluses from having a fresh player but taking each game as it comes and on its own merit is important.
This is the first time I've had Lucas playing for me in an official game and the experience he has is clear to see. Keeping it simple is the most difficult thing in football, playing uncomplicated football in a simple way in front of goal. Some of the passes that Otake played, for example, we haven't had anything like that here before. I want the younger players to learn as much as they can for the future, so that we can say "This is what Lucas brought to FC Tokyo".


FC Gifu manager Takahiro Kimura
"We were hoping to be able to show the best of our ability in front of a large crowd against a top-level team. Unfortunately we suffered a complete defeat, We had anticipated our opponents' movement and passing and were ready to be patient and then get stuck in to win the ball but the quality of the way they moved the ball and their skill in possession meant we couldn't find a focal point to press our attack. At half time I told the team to be more intense but we made mistakes and conceded three more in the second half.
What's the cause of our current malaise? We can't keep clean sheets and our defensive organization is lacking. We've had injury problems and trouble with players' conditioning but that's common to all teams. We can't apply enough real pressure from the front. Also today our marking wasn't tight enough and the exchange of marking duties wasn't good.
Their players were allowed to receive the ball unmarked and on the run too often. If we can't prevent that then we won't be able to stem the flow of opponents' attacks. If we can improve in that area then I believe we can reduce the number of goals we concede".