A crucial match where we want to maintain an aggressive attitude and do whatever it takes to secure a victory and turn things around.

　Sec. 23 of the league, Sanfrecce Hiroshima will play away. In the previous match against Omiya, they suffered a defeat with a score of 0-1, and their overall league record is 9 wins, 3 draws, and 10 losses, falling to 12th place in the standings. Although the results have been frustrating, the team has not lost confidence. This match will focus on how to turn the gains from the Omiya match into a victory. They will use their frustration as motivation and strive for a turnaround in any way possible.

　Hiroshima, the opponent, is currently leading with 43 points. They have a total of 44 goals, boasting a top-class attacking power, and have conceded only 23 goals, which is few, making them stand out in goal difference (+21). Furthermore, FW Sato, who scored goals in the first half of this season, currently has 17 goals and is at the top of the rankings. Above all, despite showing good soccer, we have been scored against by taking advantage of our weaknesses and have been suffering from frustrating losses since 2007, the last time we won against Hiroshima. There is no doubt that they are a formidable opponent who uses solid defense and fast counterattacks as their greatest weapon.

　Tokyo will approach the game with a formation similar to Hiroshima's 3-4-2-1. Kaga, Morishige, and Takahashi will be the back three, with Mukuhara and Tokunaga on the left and right sides respectively. Lucas will be up top, with Kajiyama and Ishikawa as the two shadows. Coach Popovic says, "Our team's goal remains the same. The back three is just one variation. We shouldn't complicate things or make it difficult for ourselves by being too fixated on the system. We want to use it as an advantage to maximize each individual's strengths."

　One of the highlights of the game is the battle on the side, and Mokuhara is determined not to concede a goal first and not to lose to MF Mikic. He wants to show his energy and always take the initiative to score. In the big match against the top team, although it is an away game, as coach Popovic continues to say, "If we don't attack, we cannot win." We will not let the opponent's strengths show and maintain an attacking attitude to seize victory. The match started at 19:05 with Hiroshima's kickoff at Hiroshima Big Arch.

Created a chance from a CK in the final stage, but couldn't score and ended the first half with a scoreless tie.

　From the start of the match, both teams showed a cautious start. In the 4th minute, Tokunaga, who had moved up to a high position on the left front line after Takahashi's side change, took the ball and passed it to Lucas in the left area, but they couldn't connect from there. In the 9th minute, we stole the opponent's ball and connected it, Ishikawa dribbled forward and passed it to Lucas on the left. Kajiyama → Lucas briefly kept the ball and crossed it, but it flowed behind Kajiyama and was cut off by the opponent's defender.

　On the contrary, in the 15th minute, Hiroshima's MF Takahagi aimed directly for the FK, but it went over the bar. In the 16th minute, Hiroshima's DF Moriwaki dribbled into Tokyo's territory. Unable to contain this, it was connected to central MF Takahagi, who was unable to press and was shot with a powerful shot from just outside the area center, but it went over the bar and avoided danger... Gradually, Hiroshima began to possess the ball, but they concentrated at the end and connected it to their own time without panicking.

　Still, Tokyo couldn't hold the front line. Hiroshima has grasped the rhythm and created decisive opportunities, but Tokyo's defense managed to prevent any goals. In the final stages, they created chances from set plays. In the 39th minute, Takahashi made a decisive header from Ishikawa's left corner kick, but it was saved by the goalkeeper. In the 44th minute, they connected a short pass to Morishige from a left corner kick, and Hasegawa made a powerful header from the cross, but it was caught by the goalkeeper. The first half ended with a scoreless draw.

Lucas defended the opening goal with his body and secured the victory.

　In the second half, Hiroshima was pushed back, but in the 49th minute, Kajiyama on the right side passed to Lucas in the center. Lucas, facing the opponent's defender, feinted sideways and scored a precise shot. He took advantage of the opponent's mistake and scored the long-awaited opening goal. In the following 56th minute, Kajiyama advanced to the front line and won a corner kick. MoriShige headed the ball from the second left corner kick. It flowed just in front of the goal, and Takahashi also tried to score, but it didn't connect. The goal was not scored.

　Tokyo became more defensive-conscious after taking the lead, and the defensive line started to drop, pushing Hiroshima back. In the 60th minute, Hiroshima's DF Moriwaki feinted from the right and took a looping shot with his left foot. It flew towards the goal, but Konda stretched out his hand and made a touch to keep it out. In the 63rd minute, Tokyo substituted Nemanja VUCICEVIC for Ishikawa. Then, in the 68th minute, Edmilson was brought in for Kajiyama to go for an additional goal.

　70 minutes, Vucicevic created an opportunity on the left front, and Edmilson received a vertical pass from Lucas on the left side of the area. However, he was surrounded by defenders and couldn't connect with Mukuhara, who had moved up on the right. In the 78th minute, Hiroshima's midfielder Ishikawa broke through on the right front and made a decisive negative pass from the sideline, but midfielder Takahagi in front of the goal couldn't finish it. They escaped the pinch. After that, they created several decisive chances, but with the help of mistakes, the time was up. It was their first victory in 6 league matches and their first victory against Hiroshima since 2007.

　【Player Comment】《Lucas》"We were pushed back in the latter part of the game, but looking back calmly, it was a match where both teams canceled each other's strong points. Hiroshima made some mistakes, but overall, I think it was a game where neither team had many chances. (About the goal scene) I remember it well (laughs). I think the trap was with my right foot or left foot... I scored in a similar way in the opening match against Omiya, and that was with my left foot, so maybe it was a trap with my left foot (laughs)."

　(Instinctively took a shot?) Yes, that's right, that's right (laughs)!! (Although I ran until the end?) However, towards the end, I made a pass mistake and the ball to player Yonehara became too long. I think that was the only chance in the second half. Of course, we want to play aggressively and create many chances to score goals. We have that ideal. But as you all know, soccer is not easy. There are difficulties, and in the midst of those difficulties, I am very happy that I was able to score and win."

　"Personally, I couldn't send the ball forward much in the first half. But we were talking about how if we could hold the first half without conceding any goals, we could score in the second half, and we were able to endure the battle and ultimately keep a clean sheet, which was good. (After taking the lead, were you conscious of launching counterattacks?) I'm not afraid of teams without counterattacks. So, I wanted to go forward like that and show that 'we also have counterattacks' and I was thinking of going forward at least once. We couldn't score, but I wanted to show the attitude of running through and challenging even in the late stages. But it was really tough (laughs). In the end, it was a battle with myself. I thought that by doing my best there, it would also lead to my future."

　[Coach Popovich's press conference summary] "I think it was a tough and difficult game as expected before the match. The key point of this game was how much we could persistently and patiently fight. I think the outcome of the game was very close, and either team could have won. Looking back on the game, I wanted to maintain a high line and pressure from the front in the second half as well as in the first half, but I couldn't do that. I think the game was evenly matched until we scored, but there was a moment when we pulled back a little after scoring. I think that's where we struggled."

　In the end, Hiroshima had many decisive chances, so it was a game where either team could have won. However, today we were able to score in the places where we needed to. In today's match, we were able to score from the opponent's mistakes through counterattacks, just like Hiroshima always does. I think we can evaluate the fact that we were able to do what the opponent is good at. In the previous match, we created 10 chances but couldn't finish them, but today we firmly scored on one chance. I think it was a factor that brought us the result.

　As many of you may know, the first team I worked for when I came to Japan was Hiroshima. I have a strong attachment to Hiroshima and there are still many players that I know well. I wish them good luck in their future battles and I hope they continue to be a good team.

　[Hiroshima Moriho's press conference summary] "I think the players expressed the soccer we are trying to do through the game, and it was good that they were able to run and fight and do what they wanted to do. However, we gave the opponent a chance at the start of the second half, which made the game difficult. After conceding a goal, the opponent tightened their defense, and there were dangerous situations from counterattacks, but we were able to pass the ball well and create scoring opportunities against the withdrawn opponent. I want to continue that aspect. Today, Tokyo took advantage of their chances and scored in the game."

　(More than 23,000 supporters came to cheer us on) We had a lot of supporters come to Big Arch and give us their support. We wanted to fight and get results in front of a large number of supporters, and the players fought with that kind of feeling, but I'm disappointed that we couldn't give them 3 points as a gift."