Win the last match of the 5-game Tokyo Derby that we absolutely cannot lose!

　League 33rd round, Tokyo Verdy match is held. It is a derby match played as a home game. In the previous round, they suffered a painful defeat by allowing a comeback in the final moments. Also, they have only gained "1" point in the last 2 matches. Despite facing this match with only 3 days of rest, Coach Okuma aims to make it a game that marks the start of the next 6 matches, saying, "It is a game right after a defeat and also the last game of the 5-match series, but today I want it to be a game that starts the next 6 matches, and we will fight with unity in attack and defense," and he challenges the capital city battle with renewed determination. On the other hand, Verdy is currently in 6th place with 48 points. In the previous round, they achieved a big victory against Tochigi. They still have a chance for promotion, and their enthusiasm must be considerable. They particularly pride themselves on their attacking power, and their total of 61 goals scored so far is the highest in the league. Especially, FW Maki, who joined in the middle of the season, has fit in well. At the same time, FW Abe, MF Kikuchioka, and Kono on both sides have mobility, and they have players who can attack collectively and individually. In response to this, Coach Okuma says, "If we don't maintain a compact formation, we won't be able to take the ball from Verdy," and Tokyo will counter with everyone defending. Of course, the overall movement is necessary, but the midfield, forward line, and defense line need to have unity and defend in coordination. With that, if they can take control and excel in second ball contests and quick transitions, they should be able to create chances to disrupt the opponent's balance. Verdy has also scored 3 goals from set pieces in the previous round, so they certainly have momentum, but the fact remains that they have had ups and downs in the crucial moments in the last 4 matches, with 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. In order to prevent them from gaining momentum, they need to stay calm and find opportunities by reading the flow of the game. The weather is calm and sunny, and the Ajinomoto Stadium is filled with 35,911 spectators wearing blue and red. The match started with Verdy's kickoff at 13:04.

Tokyo Derby Marks End Of Demanding Programme

FC Tokyo hosted Tokyo Verdy at Ajinomoto Stadium in the 33rd game of the season. In their previous outing, Tokyo had conceded a late goal in a painful defeat to Oita, leaving the side with only a single point from the last two games. Manager Kiyoshi Okuma commented, "Today's match comes straight after that defeat, it's the final one of this tough stretch and we want to set ourselves up for the six games that start now. We want to play with a sense of unity in both attack and defence."
Opponents Verdy sat in 6th place with 48 points at kick-off. Coming off a 4-2 away win over Tochigi in the previous round and still harbouring hopes of promotion themselves, the side was expected to provide fierce competition. Verdy boasted the top-scoring attack in the league with 61 goals and had been further strengthened by the arrival of forward Maki, who had quickly fitted into the team. Forward Abe together with wide midfielders Kikuoka and Kawano possessed both speed and mobility, equally capable of combining or going it alone in attack.
To counter that threat, manager Okuma recognized the need to, "Keep a compact shape or we won't be able to get the ball off Verdy." The manager stressed the importance of the team defending as a whole and the need for cooperation to win the ball. Seizing the initiative and winning the second balls, then quickly turning defence into attack to stretch the Verdy defence would be the key.
A bumper crowd of 35,911 flocked to Ajinomoto Stadium on a cool autumn afternoon, turning the stands into a sea of blue and red. Verdy kicked off shortly after 1pm.

Taking advantage of the opponent's gap with a persistent fight, we took the lead with Lucas' goal!

　Verdy applies intense pressure from the start and tries to launch powerful attacks. In response, Tokyo also compactly organizes their formation and responds firmly. They prevent shots and instead initiate quick counterattacks. They send the ball simply to the front line, aiming to create chances through Lucas. In the 8th minute, they push up as a team, and Morishige aims for the space behind the opponent's defense with a long pass from the right side. The ball reaches Lucas, who skillfully evades the defender and heads the ball, but it narrowly misses to the left. After that, there is a period where they cannot create decisive opportunities, and there are moments when Verdy counters. However, they persistently fight in a balanced match and gradually gain control. There are more instances of moving forward with Hayashi at the center. In the 34th minute, Tanabe cuts inside the opponent's defense from the right side and takes a shot, but it goes straight to the goalkeeper. In the 38th minute, they earn a free kick from a position just outside the left area, and Morishige attempts an overhead shot from Kashiwazaki's kick, but it only results in a corner kick. In the 45th minute, they pass the ball around to seek a chance, and Kajiyama sends a vertical pass to Lucas. Although they couldn't connect, they pick up the second ball again, and central player Tanizawa is fouled and brought down. Tanizawa quickly restarts the game with the free kick they earned. He passes to Tanabe on the left, and Tanabe crosses the ball into the goal area. Lucas breaks free between the opponent's defenders and executes a powerful header! The ball deflects off the opponent's goalkeeper's hands and goes in, seizing the opportunity to score the opening goal just before the end of the first half. In stoppage time of the first half, Verdy midfielder Kikuchi also had a close call with a direct free kick hitting the crossbar, but they didn't concede a goal and entered the second half with a 1-0 lead.

Tokyo Grab Late Lead In Intense First Half

The game began at a furious tempo, with the visitors showing force and dynamism in the early exchanges. Tokyo maintained a compact shape and successfully denied Verdy any attempts on goal. The home side kept it simple in attack, winning the ball and then quickly moving it forward to Lucas. In the 8th minute, Tokyo pushed forward, Morishige battled hard to get behind a defender on the right and curled a pin-point cross to Lucas near the penalty spot. Lucas met the ball with a firm header that sailed narrowly wide of the far post.
Following that effort, clear-cut chances were few and far between, while Verdy threatened occasionally on the counter attack. The bruising struggle to gain the upper hand continued, and as the half wore on, it was Tokyo that slowly began to assert themselves. Hanyu became increasingly influential, repeatedly carrying the ball forward into dangerous areas. In the 34th minute, Tanabe cut inside from the right, dribbled forward and shot while Morishige's attempted overhead kick from a Yazawa free kick in the 38th minute clipped a defender and went behind for a corner.
The game had entered the final minute of the first half when Kajiyama played a pass straight up the field to Lucas. The Brazilian striker was unable to pick out a teammate but pounced on the loose ball to regain possession, then found Yazawa in a central position. Yazawa was fouled, then showed acute awareness to pick himself up and take a quick free kick, moving the ball out to Tanabe on the right wing.
Tanabe curled a superb cross into the penalty area where Lucas outjumped a defender and directed a header at full stretch towards the top corner of the goal. Shibasaki managed to make contact with the ball but was unable to prevent it hitting the back of the net. Tokyo had exploited the slightest chink in the Verdy defensive armour to take a well-timed lead.
As the game moved into additional time, Tokyo were saved by the woodwork as Verdy midfielder Kikuoka crashed a free kick against the bar. That was the final action of the half; the teams left the field with Tokyo 1-0 ahead.

Unable to take the lead in the intense game, conceding an equalizer from a set piece... ending in a draw

　In the second half, Verdy brought in MF Kawano, who has speed and dribbling skills. However, in the 47th minute, Tanabe broke through the defense with a one-two pass with Yazuwa and took a shot... but it lacked power and missed a great chance to score an additional goal. In the 53rd minute, Hayashi and Kajiyama successfully stole the ball in the opponent's territory using their strength. Hayashi made a breakthrough into the penalty area, but Verdy's defense was intense and they managed to hold their ground.

　Verdy increased their momentum by bringing in FW Maranhão in the 57th minute. After the 60th minute, they allowed a breakthrough on the right side and continued to escape to a corner kick. Then, in the 61st minute, Verdy MF Kono kicked a low right corner kick, and DF Tsuchiya and Morishige competed near the ball, causing the ball to graze Morishige's foot and change direction, going over the near side... They were caught up in a tie with an own goal from a set piece...

　In the 65th minute, Iwakawa was substituted for Tanabe in an attempt to take the lead. Verdy did not give up and the game became intense with both teams fighting for possession and countering each other. In the 67th minute, Hanyu headed the ball back in response to Mokuhara's cross, but the goalkeeper caught it. In the 71st minute, Ishikawa connected with Hanyu from a short corner kick on the right side, and it seemed like the cross from there hit the hand of a Verdy player, but it was another corner kick. Takahashi struck the ball with his head from this corner kick, and Imakawa followed up with a shot from the loose ball that went far, but the goalkeeper made a save from close range and the chance was not converted.

　In the 78th minute, Sakata was substituted for Hanyu, and in the 87th minute, Roberto CESAR was substituted for Lucas. Immediately after that, Cesar used his speed to make a move from the right side, created a momentary pause, and made an excellent pass to Ishikawa in the left area. However, the decisive shot was blocked by the goalkeeper's save... Both teams continued to fight without giving up until the end, and in injury time, warnings were exchanged between both sides, with Takahashi, Sakata, and Kajiyama receiving yellow cards in quick succession, making it an intense development. However, in the end, they were unable to shake the net, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw. The derby, which showcased determination and fighting spirit, ended in a draw.

　【Player Comment】《Imano》"In order to get promoted, and especially in the derby, we wanted to secure 3 points. It's really disappointing. (We haven't won in the last 3 matches, is there any sense of urgency?) I don't think we can just dismiss it as a sense of urgency. It means that our team still lacks strength. We need to reflect on that. However, without thinking about the future, we are focusing on each match and aiming for victory. If we can win with a good performance, promotion should naturally follow."

　"Ishikawa" "In the second half, I was doing warm-ups without watching the game. I tried to focus on my own play in a good way... In the end, it's frustrating whether I was able to change the rhythm and flow of the game or not... Regardless of the playing time, I have to produce results within the given opportunities. I want to use the reflection of not being able to win and continue to fight in the next game."

　[Summary of Coach Ookuma's Press Conference] "In the first half, we were pushed back by Verdy's momentum, but we gradually built up our rhythm and were able to launch attacks from the time of the opening goal. The flow in the second half was not bad either, but we were caught off guard by a set piece. It's not about what we did... but the opponent's equalizer increased their mental strength. We were able to regain our momentum by making substitutions, but we still couldn't convert several chances. However, I think we did reasonably well in terms of aiming for goals while taking care of counterattacks. If the substitute players could have attacked the sides with more composure, I believe our offensive depth and intensity would have increased even more."

　[Verdy Kawakatsu's press conference summary] "The players' motivation was sufficient because it's Verdy. We considered Tokyo's movement in a place where they don't have the ball to be troublesome, so we set up a 4-1-4-1 formation with the sides slightly dropping back. In the first half, we were able to steal the ball as planned, but our emotions got ahead of us a bit, and we couldn't move the ball as usual, resulting in more dribbles. There was a lack of composure in our attacks. In the second half, we were able to move the ball a bit. We wanted to change the flow by shifting gears once more towards the end, but we didn't have any substitution cards for our attacking line. MF Kikoka and MF Takahashi were substituted due to injuries. MF Kono was also told by the medical staff to play for about 30-45 minutes, so we had no choice but to play with the current lineup. Therefore, we couldn't make many intentional substitutions. The players endured well in a tough situation, and we wanted to give them a win. It's frustrating. However, there is still a possibility of promotion, so we want to prepare for the remaining five matches with the same motivation as today."

Tokyo Concede From Set Play

Verdy sent on speedy, dribbling midfielder Kawano for the second half. However, it was Tokyo that created the best chance of the second period. Yazawa played a defence-splitting through ball that Tanabe ran onto with perfect timing, leaving the young midfielder clear of the Verdy defence with only Shibasaki to beat. Tanabe snatched at his shot though, a weak effort that Shibasaki comfortably saved low to his left. Hanyu and Kajiyama combined to wrestle the ball away from a Verdy player in the 53rd minute, the former then racing forward and into the visitors' penalty area. The Verdy defence was able to regroup and crowd Hanyu out before he could inflict any damage.
Verdy introduced striker Maranhao in the 57th minute, adding further strength to their attack. The visitors increased their pressure on the Tokyo goal, winning consecutive corners in the 60th minute. In the 61st minute midfielder Kawano drove a low corner to the near post, where Morishige and Verdy defender Tsuchiya fought hard to reach the ball first. The ball clipped Morishige's boot and deflected past Gonda, squeezing narrowly inside the post. Tokyo had conceded an own goal from a set play and the match was all square again.
Tokyo replaced Tanabe with Ishikawa in the 65th minute. Emboldened by their goal Verdy continued to threaten and the game evolved into a tempestuous, counter attacking affair. In the 67th minute Mukuhara drove a cross into the Verdy area and Hanyu back-headed the ball towards the far corner, an unexpected effort that nearly caught Shibasaki out of position. Ishikawa cracked a shot from a right-wing corner in the 71st minute, the ball reaching Hanyu who again crossed into the danger area; Hanyu's effort seemed to strike the arm of a Verdy player but the referee waved away appeals for a penalty and awarded a corner instead. Takahashi outjumped the Verdy defence and directed the ball to the far post, where it fell kindly for Konno whose run around the back of the Verdy defence had gone unnoticed. Konno smashed the ball hard and low but Shibasaki flung himself to block the danger at point-blank range.
Tokyo replaced Hanyu with Sakata in the 78th minute and Lucas with Roberto Cesar in the 87th. Moments later Cesar raced away down the left and drove a perfect ball across the Verdy area to Ishikawa on the right; it was a golden opportunity to grab a late winner but Shibasaki produced a fine save to deny Ishikawa. Neither side was prepared to give an inch and as the 90 minute mark approached the intensity ratcheted up even further, with a plethora of yellow cards being handed out. The fighting spirit and gritty obstinacy continued to the very end, with the final whistle blowing on a hard-fought 1-1 draw.


Players' comments
Konno
"For our promotion prospects and to say nothing of it being the derby, we had wanted to win so it's very disappointing.
With no wins in three are we getting impatient? We have to forget about the word 'impatience', I think. We're still lacking in overall team strength. That's what we have to focus on. We're not thinking about what lies in the future, just concentrating on the performance in each game as it comes and trying to take the points at the same time. If we can play well and win games then promotion will come, I think".

Ishikawa
"I didn't watch the second half as I was warming up. I was wanting to concentrate on my own play. I'm not really sure if I was able to contribute to the result or to changing the flow of the game. Regardless of when I get on the field I have to take the chances that come to get the result. We have to reflect on not winning today while we look ahead to the next game".


FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"We were pushed back by Verdy in the first half but after taking the lead we found a rhythm and were able to create in attack. We didn't play badly at all in the second half but then conceded from a set play. It wasn't so much about what we were doing as the mental strength the equaliser gave to the opposition. We made various changes to regain the momentum but weren't able to put away the chances we created. However, I felt we were suffiiciently careful about leaving ourselves open to the counter attack while we were pushing forward to find another goal. If we could be a little more composed and the substitutes could find more space down the flanks then we will be able to attack more fully and in greater numbers".

Tokyo Verdy manager Kawakatsu
"The players were highly motivated today. We were concerned about the off-the-ball movement of Hanyu and the others so we went with a 4-1-4-1 formation, and withdrew the two wide midfielders slightly. In the first half things were going pretty much according to plan until we won the ball, when we tended to get a little ahead of ourselves and didn't play the ball around as much as usual, starting more moves with a dribble instead. We needed a little more composure in attack, I felt. We enjoyed less of the ball in the second half. As the game wore on we had wanted to change up a gear but couldn't as we were forced to take off Kikuoka and Takahashi because of injuries. The medical staff told us that Kawano was fit for only 30 to 45 minutes so we had no choice but to go with the players we had available. We couldn't make any tactical substitutions. We played very well today so it's disappointing that we couldn't win. We still have a chance of promotion though so we'll give it everything we have in the remaining games to show the kind of motivation we displayed today".