Ota's FK gives the lead! Lucas puts Niigata in the lead

The second half continued with a quick exchange of attacks and defenses. In the 50th minute, Niigata made a left cross from a midfield loose ball scramble. They left FW Okamoto free in the center of the area and he took a header shot, but it missed the target and they escaped the danger. Immediately after that, in the 51st minute, Hasegawa attempted a central breakthrough with a dribble. In response, Niigata's DF held him back with a foul, earning a free kick from inside the penalty arc. In the 53rd minute, Higashi ran diagonally in front as a decoy, and Ota took a shot! The ball was sucked into the top right corner and they took the lead with Ota's left-footed shot.

The game will become intense from here. There are moments when Niigata, who is trying to counterattack, takes possession of the ball, but Tokyo continues to defend tenaciously and tries to score additional points on the counter. In the 65th minute, Lucas and Higashi intercepted the ball in the front line and launched a counterattack, but it did not bear fruit. On the contrary, in the 71st minute, Niigata's right back Kawaguchi attacked the center, evaded Tokyo's defenders, and took a left-footed shot. The ball traveled far and made us hold our breath, but the shot was blocked by the crossbar. Then, Niigata FW Kawamata dribbled up from the left side and unleashed a powerful shot, switching Tokyo's defenders.

In the 78th minute, Lucas earned a free kick, and this time Higashi aimed for it but hit the left post and couldn't take advantage of the chance. However, in the 79th minute, Lucas on the right side dribbled towards the center. He exchanged passes with Hasegawa in front, went around the area, skillfully slipped through the opponent's defense and scored from the center!

Niigata seemed to be gaining momentum in the counterattack, but we managed to push them back by scoring an additional goal. Even after widening the lead, substitute players Hirayama, Mita, and Vucicevic showed even more momentum in their attacks. Although we couldn't score a third goal, we calmly defended and kept Niigata's attacks goalless, securing a 2-0 victory.


[Player Comments]
《Ota》
"(In the FK situation), John HIGASHI player took action first, which caused the opponent's wall to crumble a bit, and I could see GK Higashiguchi player moving. Just as planned. Until now, even if I scored, the team couldn't win, but today we won for the first time and that's the most exciting. No player has given up on winning, and I think everyone feels the same when they hear the supporters' cheers. I want to continue winning and do my best from now on."

"Hasegawa"
"Niigata was strong in the past. They targeted Tokyo's vertical passes, and we struggled with that, but even in a tough situation, we were able to create chances and even take shots. It would have been great if we could have scored, but it was good that we were able to go into halftime with a 0-0 score."

(Regarding the FK that led to the opening goal) Lucas and I exchanged passes in a good way and he dribbled up. I saw Watanabe on the right front, so I was thinking whether to pass it there or go by myself, but then the opponent's leg got in the way. (Regarding Lucas' goal) We have practiced that kind of situation many times, and I knew what Lucas wanted to do. He ended up scoring, and if that happens, I will also be highlighted and it will lead to evaluation. I am grateful for that."


[Coach Popovich's Press Conference Summary]
"I gave my all to not disappoint everyone who came to this game among the other interesting matches. I expected it to be a tough game from the beginning, so I asked the players to be one step ahead of the opponents in both decision-making and physicality, and to play fast. The playing style of teams like Niigata is rare in the J-League. They are strong physically, aggressive, and have good ball control. I think we were able to maintain a stable game against such opponents. By continuing to play like this, we can get closer to the title. I believe that if we can have this kind of game every match, we will definitely get results. We patiently and persistently fight, wait for opportunities, and make the most of the chances that come our way. It has been a while since we played at Ajinomoto Stadium, but it was great to achieve such a result."

After a big loss in the Kashima game, today we were supposed to be tested for our true worth. It was good that we were able to show our strength. Also, recently, a member of the FC Tokyo family passed away, but today we were able to fight together and present a good game and result. (Is it thought that the biggest challenge is to continue to exert our strength?) Mental stability also leads to results. On the other hand, that is the area that takes the most time. Tokyo has actually had a history of not being able to win important games, but we must change that ourselves. We are challenging that very thing and trying to change history."


[Summary of Manager Yanagishita's Press Conference in Niigata]
"I think it was a game where we didn't know which way it would go. I told the players at halftime that Tokyo wasn't that good in the first half either. We had several chances, so if we could convert them, we could get 3 points. However, we were robbed in the worst possible place and gave away a free kick. However, when comparing Tokyo's players to ours, the number of easy mistakes is quite different. Tokyo's players can connect passes even in this kind of weather. Niigata's players often make mistakes when they are about to create chances. We have been able to find the cause recently. We can't improve immediately, but we will continue to make corrections and aim to end plays by stealing the ball and taking shots."