A crucial match to take revenge and maintain the top spot

The postponed 4th section of the league, which was postponed due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, was held. The home game was moved to Kumagaya, and Tochigi SC played against them. In the previous section, they struggled against Toyama's quick press and suffered a defeat with no goals, experiencing their first consecutive loss of the season. Although it will be a rematch with Tochigi starting from 8/21 without any break, the players firmly stated, "We cannot afford to lose to the same opponent twice" and "We cannot have three consecutive losses," and coach Okuma also sees it as "a good opportunity for revenge."

　Tokyo, who currently has 41 points, is in second place. In the previous match against Ehime, they conceded a goal in injury time and ended up with a disappointing draw. However, their quick pressing, attacking prowess, and most importantly, the whole team's passionate play, as demonstrated in the previous match against Tokyo, are their major strengths. In order to prevent the forward line consisting of FW ZE RICARDO, Sabia, and MF Mizunuma from playing freely, Tokyo should focus on the intensity of ball contests and the quick transition between offense and defense, and aim to establish a rhythm.

　Tokyo, while Tanizawa's suspension is lifted, Imano and Kanda are absent due to the activities of the Japanese national team. In this match, Tokunaga will replace Imano as center back, and Mokuhara will be placed as right full-back. In the previous match, we couldn't convert our chances and conceded on the counter. We should be able to seize the opportunity if we stay calm against the opponent's pressing from the front and make some adjustments in our attack. We want to create unexpected plays from Lucas' post-play and the movements of players like Hayashi and Tanizawa.

　Coach Okuma said, "It is important for the team as a whole to cover for the absence of Konno and Gonda. In order to do that, it is necessary to 'fight' at the very least. Even if someone else is absent in the future, we want to make up for it with a team that can fight. We want to push our fighting spirit to the forefront in battles and situations, and connect it to victory." So, without hesitation or fear, let's fight like Tokyo at home and win! The match started at 18:04 with Tokyo's kickoff at Kumagaya Athletic Stadium.

Tokyo Gun For Revenge And To Retain Top Spot 

Tokyo took on Tochigi SC at the Kumagaya Athletic Stadium in a match rescheduled from the 4th round due to the Tohoku earthquake. In their previous outing, Tokyo had succumbed to Toyama's fast-pressing game, losing 1-0 to post successive defeats for the first time this season. The team was fiercely determined to halt the slide as they faced Tochigi for the second time in two weeks, with players commenting that, "There's no way we're losing to the same opposition twice," and, "We can't lose three straight games." Even manager Kiyoshi Okuma saw the fixture as, "a great chance for revenge."
Tochigi lay second in the league table at kick-off, behind Tokyo on goal difference. The side had conceded a late equalizer in the previous game against Ehime and dropped two points, but the qualities shown in the Tokyo game shone through: fast pressing, clinical finishing, and, above all, a powerful team performance. Tokyo would need to attack the ball aggressively to deny midfielder Mizunuma and strikers Ricardo Lobo and Sabia any freedom to play, while quickly turning defense into attack and forging a rhythm.
Manager Okuma commented, "With Konno and Gonda missing, it's important that we can cover for them. The bare minimum we need is players with fight; from now on, no matter who is missing, we want to supplement the team with players committed to the battle. We want to show our fighting spirit towards the match-ups right across the field and towards the ball, and want that to lead us on to winning the game."
Tokyo kicked off shortly after 6pm on a warm and damp evening in the Kumagaya Athletic Stadium.

Despite having control, they were unable to make a decisive move and remained scoreless until the second half.

　In the early stages, Tochigi gained momentum, but Tokyo calmly responded. They avoided Tochigi's press and quickly sent the ball to the front line, gradually dominating the midfield by picking up loose balls in the competition. In the 12th minute, Tanabe launched a quick attack from Takahashi's interception and dribbled up the center. He was fouled just outside the box, but the ball spilled to the right side, where Yuzawa followed up with a decisive shot, but it went wide of the goal...

　18 minutes, the ball fell from Lucas' post to the right area in the center, and Mokuhara, who was up here, aimed for a shot hooked to the outside but missed the target. Tanabe often shows his face in the connecting scenes, while Hayu also penetrates the opponent's back and launches an attack from the side, connecting to a chance. In the 29th minute, Nakamura dribbles through the left side from a one-two pass. He attacks up to the sideline and makes a last pass in the negative direction. Lucas follows this and swings his head, but it goes to the right...

　38 minutes, Tanabe created space on the left side and passed it to Nakamura who had moved forward from the outside. Nakamura evaded the opponent's defender and made a minus pass into the penalty area. Kajiyama, who had rushed up, received the ball and took a decisive shot with his left foot, but... it went slightly to the right. Towards the end, there were moments when Tochigi suffered from counterattacks, but in the 43rd minute, a shot by FW Savia -> FW Ricardo Robo also missed the goal, and there were moments when mistakes helped. However, Tokyo was unable to convert their good momentum into a goal and the first half ended with a score of 0-0.

Tokyo Dominate Scoreless First Half 

Tochigi attempted a storming start to the game but Tokyo remained calm, evaded the pressing and played the ball forward quickly, fighting for possession and slowly gaining the upper hand in midfield. In the 12th minute, Takahashi intercepted a pass in midfield and moved the ball on to Tanabe who dribbled straight at the heart of the Tochigi defense. Tanabe's surging run brought him to the edge of the penalty area where he was flattened; the ball ran on to Yazawa, steaming down the inside right channel. Yazawa shot fiercely but the ball rippled the side netting.
Lucas held the ball up in a central position in the 18th minute before it ran free to Mukuhara, pushing forward down the right. Mukuhara attempted a drive with the outside of his boot but the shot flew narrowly wide of the target. Although Tanabe was heavily involved in the Tokyo attack, Hanyu was searching for space behind the Tochigi defense and that led to openings being created along the flanks. In the 29th minute, Nakamura played a one-two and set off on a run down the left wing, taking the ball to the byline and hoisting a cross into the center, which Lucas met but directed his header wide of the post.
Tanabe was the instigator of another sharp Tokyo move in the 38th minute, spotting Nakamura's run infield from the left channel with a neat through ball. Nakamura shrugged off a defender and cut the ball back to Kajiyama, who shot firmly yet wide of the target again. Tochigi caught Tokyo on a counter attack in the 43rd minute, Ricardo Lobo setting up fellow forward Sabia inside the Tokyo area on the right. Sabia screwed his shot across goal and wide of Shiota's left post. The miss was beneficial, although Tokyo's inability to take their chances when on top kept the score to 0-0 at half time.

Ends in a scoreless draw with 2 consecutive games without scoring

　In the second half, the flow was interrupted by Tochigi's tough defense. Additionally, Tochigi MF Paulinho was substituted by DF Ochiai due to an injury, causing Tochigi to focus more on counterattacks and increase the time spent passing the ball in the defensive line. Both teams continued to battle for the ball in the midfield, resulting in a stalemate. Then, Tokyo substituted Ishikawa for Tanabe and tried to attack using speed.

　In the 73rd minute, after cutting off a pass from Hayu on the right side, Ishikawa dribbled up and passed to Lucas in the center. Hayu then shot from inside the right area, but the ball curved to the left in front of the opponent's quick defense. After that, Tochigi continued to defend their goal, and there was a period of time where they couldn't bring it to a finish. In the 82nd minute, Nagasato, who came on as a substitute, started on the left side and sent a cross. Lucas in the far area dropped the ball, and in the midst of the scramble, Yuzawa fell, but there was no whistle for this.

　Tokyo, which launched an offensive, had a shot on target in the 84th minute when Ishikawa, who had moved up the center, brought the ball inside from the left side and took a precise shot, but it went wide. In the 90th minute, it was a left corner kick from Nakamura's shot. Lucas headed the ball perfectly from Ishikawa's kick, but it was blocked by the Tochigi DF who covered it. In the second half, although Tochigi's counterattacks were safely contained, they were unable to capitalize on their chances and the match ended in a scoreless draw.

　【Player Comment】《Morishige》"It was a new defensive line, but we managed to keep a clean sheet and I don't think we allowed Tochigi to have many shots. There was a moment of fear in the counter-attack, but I think our defense was solid and I felt the difference in strength. Regarding the build-up, Tochigi was compact in the middle, so I was thinking of using the full-backs more simply rather than passing to Luccon, Kaji-kun, or Yaza. If Tochigi's players are so vital and we play football right in front of them, it would be difficult to break through or even just take a shot. In that situation, Mokuhara was able to create a new attacking style by going vertically and crossing. To score goals, I think we need to use both the inside and outside and expand the opponent's defense a little more to break through. We couldn't finish with a win and there is still a sense of dissatisfaction overall, but I also think that this is how the league matches go. We also faced difficulties at the beginning of this season, but we have overcome them together. We want to discuss and improve on how to overcome this situation."

　"Nakamura: "Because the pressure in the center is tough for Tochigi, the sides were easily accessible. I asked for them to use me simply when the fullbacks pushed up and we could have 1v1 situations. However, our strength lies in being able to create opportunities in the center. I think it's important to use that effectively. Today, there were more moments of speeding up compared to the Toyama match. However, it may have been necessary to do that at a slightly higher position. When we couldn't find openings, there were more sideways passes and we couldn't create decisive chances. It's also important to calmly connect in the midfield around the penalty area without panicking. We had control, but the situation wasn't great in that aspect. To improve, we have no choice but to win and gain confidence. Personally, I want to show more breakthroughs. If I do that, I think I can earn the trust of players like Yuhei and it's necessary for me to create opportunities myself.""

　[Summary of Coach Okuma's Press Conference] "Recently, we have been conceding a lot of goals, so in that sense, I think we were able to take care of the counterattacks, which are a characteristic of Tochigi, throughout the game. However, there were also disjointed parts when we tried to change gears with substitute players. But there were also players who showed their characteristics, including Nagai's shots. It's not just about finishing ability, but also about combinations and partnerships that lead to goals. There are also parts where Roberto CESAR is no longer with us and the lineup has changed, so I felt that it is necessary to review that and search for more attacking threats, including player substitutions."

　[Tochigi Matsuda's coach's summary of the press conference] "You could say that we achieved the minimum result against FC Tokyo away, but it was a perfect situation to win by 1-0. There were many scenes where we wasted opportunities due to lack of precision. Honestly, I wanted to make it a game where we could increase our precision and win. It means that we lacked precision in the end. The challenge for the future is that we couldn't score a goal or finish it off. However, I think the players in that situation should have confidence or courage. I think they know what they can do. I hope this will be useful in the future."

Tokyo Fail To Find Net In Scoreless Draw 

Tokyo's attempts to break the deadlock were dealt a blow as the second half unfolded. Tochigi midfielder Paulinho was stretchered from the field after suffering a leg injury and was replaced by defender Ochiai, signaling a change in tactics from the visitors who sat deeper, rarely ventured forward and played the ball around more at the back. The midfield stalemate continued. Tokyo replaced Tanabe with Ishikawa in the 61st minute in an attempt to inject more pace into the attack.
In the 73rd minute Hanyu intercepted a pass on the right and moved the ball on to Ishikawa, who raced forward before cutting the ball inside to Lucas. The ball ran loose and Hanyu managed to get a shot away before the Tochigi defense closed him down; unfortunately, it drifted wide of the post. Following that half-chance the visitors stiffened their defense further and although Tokyo enjoyed plenty of possession they were unable to convert it into clear-cut shooting opportunities. Substitute Nagasato created room for a cross on the left in the 82nd minute, Lucas headed the ball back into the danger area from beyond the far post and Yazawa crashed to the ground in a tangle of bodies as he attempted to reach the ball. The referee ignored the vociferous claims for a penalty.
Tokyo continued to take the offensive. In the 84th minute Ishikawa pushed forward in a central position before slipping the ball out to Nagasato on his left; Nagasato struck firmly but his drive sailed over the bar. In the 90th minute Nakamura tried his luck with a shot from outside the area, earning a corner as the ball deflected off a defender. Ishikawa took the corner and Lucas rose above the Tochigi defense to meet the ball with a thumping header that seemed destined for the back of the net until a Tochigi defender leapt to head the ball off the line from under the crossbar. Tokyo successfully negated Tochigi's threat on the counter attack in the second half but failed to take their own chances, and the game ended in a 0-0 draw.


Players' comments 
Morishige 
"Although we had a new defensive line today we kept a clean sheet and denied them nearly any shooting chances. There was one momentary scare on a counter attack but overall I felt we didn't have any real problems in defence, although I did feel a difference in strength. Tochigi packed the central defensive area so I thought that instead of using Lucas, Kajiyama and Yazawa it was better to bring the side backs into play. It seemed that given Tochigi's vitality in the centre it would be difficult to make a breakthrough there. Morishige pushing forward and getting crosses in also gave us an extra option in attack. I think that we need to stretch the opponents' defences further to give ourselves a better chance to open them up. We can't finish games off at the moment, it feels like something's missing and that's why the games seem to be repeating themselves. When we had problems earlier in the season we overcame them by discussing the issues amongst ourselves and that's what we've got to do again here".


Nakamura
"Tochigi applied a lot of pressure in the central area and the flanks were fairly easy to use today. I told the team that I wanted to play a straightforward role, pushing on to take on the opposite side back. However, our strengths lie in the central area so using both areas properly is important. We speeded up the play far more than we did in the Toyama game but we should be doing it a little further forward. When there was no-one open inside we played the ball straight down the field and didn't really create so many clear openings. We have to keep calm on the edge of our opponents penalty area and also connect our passes in midfield. We largely controlled the game but the circumstances weren't particularly great. Winning is the thing we need to give us confidence and improve the team. On a personal level I want to get forward in attack more. I feel I have to do more in attack as it would also generate more faith in me, the way it has in Tokunaga".


FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"We've conceded a few goals recently and considering that I felt we took great care to blunt Tochigi's counter attacking threat today. And then, when we thought about stepping up a gear the changes we made didn't really add to the flow of the game and were somewhat mismatched. Even so, including Nagasato's shot on goal, some of the players were able to express their individual strengths. Also, it's not the "finishing" but the combinations needed to score goals and the groupings within the team. Roberto Cesar is missing and the line up has changed. We have to look at things afresh and search for ways to carry a greater threat in attack".

Tochigi manager Matsuda
"You could look at the game and say that we came away with the bare minimum from an away game against FC Tokyo, but we could also have won 1-0. There were so many occasions where the accuracy of our final ball let us down. Frankly speaking, it was a match where we wanted to improve our accuracy and win. We lacked precision at the vital times. Scoring goals is going to be the issue for the team from now on. However, it's a case of whether the player on the spot has confidence or nerve. I think they know what they are capable of doing. We'll be fine if they can put that to use from here on".