Aim for advancement to the Final Round tournament and defeat the formidable opponent Hiroshima!

The 6th section of the Nabisco Cup was played away against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. In the league match against Nagoya Grampus, they lost 0-1 without being able to convert their chances. It was a game where they showed a fighting spirit until the end, but they couldn't stop the losing streak. However, the players talk about the importance of continuity, saying, "We need to improve each issue in offense and defense and move on to the next game. We have to be aware of it from the stage of practice and preparation and continue to do it." Coach Massimo also continues, "In order not to waste the work we have done with the players so far, we want to connect it to victory. However, whether we are winning or losing, it is important to believe in ourselves and continue." Everyone will continue to fight with a strong determination "everything is for victory" without looking down here.

Hiroshima, who faced Tokyo in the Nabisco Sec. 5 match on the 20th (Wed), changed their lineup but suffered a 0-1 defeat. After playing 4 matches, they have dropped to 4th place in Group A with 5 points. It will undoubtedly be a difficult battle for Tokyo, but it can also be seen as a match where they want to take revenge and learn from their mistakes in Sec. 6 of the league. It will be crucial to prevent Hiroshima's young and fresh players such as FW Asano, FW Notsuda, and MF Shimizu from gaining momentum.

Tokyo is without Maeda, Yoshimoto, and Enomoto. Lassad starts in the front line. Muto and another player form a two-top, with Higashi playing as an attacking midfielder. Takahashi anchors the midfield, with Yonemoto and Hanyu. Maruyama takes one of the center-back positions. Wai also made the bench for the first time since the Nabisco Matsumoto match on March 26.

Hiroshima changed their lineup for the league match, with only MF Marutani starting from the previous match. The average age of the starting lineup is 22.91 years old. GK Hiroe is also on the bench, and they have approached the match with a fresh lineup. However, it is not possible to underestimate the playmaking ability of MF Kudo, Chajima, and the scoring ability of MF Notsuda and FW Asano. On the other hand, they aim for victory in a match where they work hard both in attack and defense and show their fighting spirit.

Hiroshima was reminiscent of summer during the day, but as the sun began to set and in the weather where one could take a breath, the match started with a kickoff in Tokyo at 19:04.

Although we created good opportunities, our lack of efficiency in the forward line resulted in no goals in the second half.

The game started in the first minute. From the restart in the midfield, Hiroshima FW Asano dribbled on the counterattack after stealing Yamamoto's misplaced pass. He carried the ball to the front of the goal, but we managed to stop him somehow. Then, MF Notsuda, who had moved up to the central-left area, took a shot. Gonda caught it and successfully averted a dangerous situation.

20 minutes have passed without either team finding a breakthrough. Tokyo is connecting passes and dominating possession, but they are struggling to click in the final third and have had few shooting opportunities. Hiroshima's counterattacks are sharp, and the game remains in a back-and-forth situation. However, in the 22nd minute, Muto failed to control the vertical feed from Takahashi, and Hiroshima countered. The ball was played from left to right, and although there was an early cross, it was not converted, and the ball went wide. In the following 24th minute, a free kick was awarded to Hiroshima/Tokyo near the center of the field. Lassad cleared the ball sent into the goal area, but it was played back in from the second ball, resulting in a left corner kick. However, they were unable to create a shooting opportunity from the set piece and managed to defend it.

In the 29th minute, Higashi flowed to the left side. Lassad started running in the left area, making a decoy movement. From just before that, a pass was sent through the central area and behind the opponent's defender, and Muto broke free for a decisive shot. However, he was slightly off angle when facing the goalkeeper... and couldn't find the target...

35 minutes have passed, and Tokyo has had some good opportunities against Hiroshima's 5-back formation, but their accuracy has been lacking. They have not been able to score. On the other hand, Hiroshima has been targeting Tokyo's ball circulation in the midfield and has had some moments of receiving a counterattack with momentum. In the 38th minute, Hayu injured his side, and the game was temporarily stopped. He went off the pitch, but it was not a serious injury, and he quickly returned. However, in the 42nd minute, he was forced to be substituted, and Mita was brought onto the pitch in place of Hayu.

Tokyo dominated the ball and created good opportunities, but lacked accuracy in the final third and failed to score. There were moments when they had to deal with Hiroshima's sharp counterattacks, but they managed to avoid conceding a goal. Hanyu was forced to be substituted due to an accident, but the game will continue into the second half.

Equalized with a goal from Hayashi, and maintained the top position!

Tokyo changed their formation to 4-4-2 from the start of the second half. Takahashi and Yonemoto as the double pivot in midfield. Higashi on the left wing, Mita on the right. In the 59th minute, Kawano came on for Tokyo. Lassad moved up to the front line, with Kawano playing as the attacking midfielder. Muto and Mita were on the wings, creating a formation similar to 4-2-3-1. 65 minutes have passed, and during this period, Hiroshima has been trying various challenges to break through the opponent's defensive block, but they have been unable to shake the net.

In the 75th minute, Lin was substituted for Lassad to activate the front line. In the 79th minute, a counterattack was launched from their own half, and Takahashi dribbled up, but was dispossessed while looking for a passing opportunity in the front line, and Hiroshima counterattacked. They couldn't stop this. It was developed from the center to the left, and a sharp cross was made from there. Shimizu slid into the right area and was combined with a sliding tackle... and conceded a goal.

80 minutes have passed, and Hiroshima has started to grasp the rhythm with a player substitution. On the other hand, Tokyo has had fewer scenes of carrying the ball forward, made mistakes while attacking, and conceded a goal from a counterattack... In the 85th minute, Hiroshima substitutes MF Shimizu, who scored the opening goal, with DF Shiotani.

In the second half additional time, Mita broke through the right front line with a one-two with Kono and crossed it on the ground. Lin slid in near the ball and GOAL!! He equalized with his second Nabisco goal!

Unable to score during the rhythmically good period, we conceded a goal from Hiroshima's counterattack due to a mistake. However, in additional time, Mita->Hayashi marked the equalizer to turn the tide! Although we didn't secure a spot in the finals tournament, we successfully accumulated 1 point. With a 3-point lead over the teams below us, we maintained our top position.

[Player Comments]
"From the moment I stepped onto the pitch, I was talking to Mita and Ota, saying 'Give me the ball near me.' Scoring is my specialty, but if I receive a good ball like that, even I can score a goal (laughs). However, I was conscious of moving directly to the goal without being marked and not entering too early. I have been causing trouble for the team all this time and I couldn't fully believe in myself, and there were times when I wondered if I was going in the right direction... I was frustrated that I couldn't produce results in J1. But... even though we only got 1 point today, I was able to contribute to that and it gives me a little confidence. I want to contribute more to the team and be trusted by those around me. In order to do that, I want to continue to work hard so that I can achieve results in the next game as well."

《MoriShige》
"All the pinches were our own mistakes. I somehow managed to get the ball, but somehow I played and got caught by the opponent... that happened a lot, and I needed to concentrate more and improve the accuracy of each play. Hiroshima was aiming for counters from the first half. I don't know how many people felt that atmosphere on the pitch, but we needed to tighten our focus. I think Tokyo's weakest point is self-destructing, conceding goals, and losing. Each and every one of us needs to reconsider that."

[Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's press conference]
"It became a game of rapid changes in attack and defense in the high temperature. I think we created more chances in the first half. In the second half, there was a lot of space and we conceded a goal from a counterattack. The last 10 minutes were not very good, but we believed in victory. Although we have not secured a spot in the final tournament, it is a significant 1 point."

[Hiroshima - Coach Hajime Moriyasu's Press Conference Summary]
"We prepared to win this match and overall it was a performance that deserved a victory, but unfortunately we missed out on 3 points. However, the players played aggressively with courage. They fought tenaciously with the desire to win until the end. Although it ended in a draw, there is still a possibility of advancing to the final tournament, so we want to fight firmly and win the next match with the support of luck. I feel sorry that we couldn't deliver a victory to the fans and supporters who came to support us on a weekday night. The players were able to continue fighting until the end thanks to the cheers of the fans and supporters."