The league resumes, demonstrating their own strengths

The league match will resume on August 27th. We will face Shonan Bellmare in the 2nd Stage Sec. 11.
The Levain Cup, which took place during the league suspension period, demonstrated a strong determination to win. In the away second leg of the quarterfinals, Tanabe and Takahashi scored their first goals of the season and secured a victory over Fukuoka, advancing to the semifinals. It is a crucial match that we want to carry the momentum into the league.

During this time, Mori Shige, Maruyama, and Nathan Burns, who have been participating in the activities of each representative, have returned to the team. However, in order to maintain the momentum of the Levain Cup and the continuity of the team, Tanabe and Kajiyama were appointed as the central midfielders. Mori Shige and Yoshimoto formed the center-back partnership, and Nakajima was appointed on the left side. Nakajima will start for the first time in the league since the 4th round against Kashiwa on July 17th, but as everyone prepares, the depth of the player roster will also be a strength as they head towards the end of the league.

Shonan, who we are up against, is currently in 17th place in both the 2nd stage and the overall standings. They are currently on an 8-game losing streak and are in a difficult situation, but they have been able to compete closely with top teams such as Kashima, Hiroshima, and G Osaka. Their strong attacking style is based on pressing from the front and hard work. On the other hand, Tokyo wants to compete with them by utilizing their greatest strength, which is the "quick transition" along with their physicality. In addition, they want to prolong the time of ball possession by bypassing the opponent's press and take the game on the offensive.

Shonan is a 4-3-3 formation on the team sheet, but the defense consists of Takuya Okamoto, Andre Baia, and Tsuboi as a back three. Up front, there is FW Otsuki leading the line, with FW Takayama and FW Hasegawa as shadows. They have been playing with a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Ishikawa and Mikasa deployed as defensive midfielders.

Even in September, the humidity remains high at Ajinomoto Stadium, with lingering mugginess. Amidst sudden showers just before the match, it started at 19:03 with Shonan's kickoff.

The time when we couldn't break through continues, but Nakajima's aggressive attitude pays off!

In the early stages, Shonan boldly carried the ball forward mainly through crosses and long feeds, while Tokyo was pushed back into their own half. They also gave away several set-piece opportunities, but still defended calmly and countered Shonan's momentum.
12 minutes: From Shonan's right side midfielder Shimoda, a through pass was sent to forward Takayama in the area, but Morishige responded perfectly. He didn't allow a finish and started a counterattack from here. Nakajima dribbled a long distance. He tried to exchange passes with Higashi on the left and then tried to turn and aim for the goal in the center of the area, but was blocked by Shonan's defense. Tanabe reacted to this loose ball. He took a left-footed shot from the left area just in front of the goal, but it went over the bar.

Immediately after, Shonan continued to hit the middle, but Tokyo was saved by a missed shot and launched a quick attack from their own territory.
18 minutes: Yoshimoto's pass is dropped by Maeda, and Kajiyama in the midfield passes it directly to the front line. In response, Higashi runs into the area and tries to take a decisive shot, but is challenged by the opposing defender and a foul is called, resulting in a Shonan ball.

20 minutes: The game continued with both teams trying to steal the ball from each other, but gradually Tokyo started to possess the ball. Nakajima became a key player in the attack, and the team attempted various challenges. There were several attacking moments from the left side, utilizing Tokyo's fluidity and crosses from Tokunaga, but they were unable to score as time passed.

37 minutes: Changing the side from right to center to left, Tokunaga passes to Nakajima who is closer to the center, turns towards the goal and takes a dribble shot, but it goes over the bar.
41 minutes: Maeda, who received a pass in the center of the area, persistently dropped the ball, and Nakajima, in front of the area, made a through pass. East followed this and jumped out in front of the goal... but it was offside.

44 minutes: Although they struggled to finish, Morishige on the left side of their own field, Kajiyama in the midfield, and Nakajima dribbled through the opponent's defense. Maeda in the front line made a diagonal cross to pull out the opponent's defense, and Nakajima carried the ball to the center. Then, from just outside the penalty area, they sank a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner of the goal, making it 1-0.

Nakajima's strong attitude towards goal paid off, as they took the lead in a good time just before the end of the first half and headed into the second half.

Kawano and Maeda score goals, securing the first victory of the season with a 3-0 win!

47 minutes: In the second half, Tokyo created the first chance. Nakajima crossed from the left, and Higashi in the right area contested for it. Tanabe reacted to the loose ball. He quickly got into a shooting position in front of the goal, but was blocked by Shonan. With the resulting corner kick on the right, Yoshimoto headed the ball but with weak force, and it was saved by the opponent's goalkeeper.
50 minutes: Shonan's left cross is held back by Kajiyama in their own half, and they bring it to a counter attack. Nakajima → Muroya's cross is initially blocked, but they connect with the second ball, and Kajiyama → Nakajima in front of the area aims for a goal.

52 minutes: Shonan substituted Weslley, a forward, for midfielder Kei ISHIKAWA. Midfielder Shimoda and forward Takayama also changed positions as they prepared for a counterattack.
57 minutes: From Shonan MF Shimoda's free kick, DF Andre Baia headed the ball, but Akimoto made a diving catch.
62 minutes: Shonan's sharp right cross, MoriShige tries to clear it with a header while falling down in front of the goal. Otsuki, Shonan's forward, was able to follow up on the loose ball and took a shot from a close range, but Akimoto made a save with one foot and it resulted in a corner kick.
69 minutes: Shonan uses their third substitution card and brings in FW Ziné. This further increases the attacking momentum.
70 minutes: Shonan continuously showered shots after a corner kick, but they were effectively blocked by Morishige and his teammates.

71 minutes: Tokyo substitutes Nakajima for Hashimoto. Morishige, Yoshimoto, and Tokunaga form the back three. Muroya and Hashimoto on the wings. Maeda in the center of the front line, with Kono and Higashi on either side, changing to a 3-4-3 formation to adapt.
75 minutes: East connects the ball from their own territory, Kawano dribbles it to the front line. He exchanges a one-two pass with Maeda in the center of the area, receives the return pass, and while moving further to the left side, Kawano drives a left-footed shot into the top right corner of the goal. With Kawano's splendid goal, they secure an additional point and make it 2-0.

77 minutes: In order to strengthen the defense and maintain a 2-point lead, Maruyama was substituted for Tokunaga and placed as the left defender. However, both teams continued to launch counterattacks, resulting in an open and fast-paced game.
80 minutes: Kajiyama retrieves the ball that was stolen in the opponent's territory and passes it to Higashi on the left. Maeda, who receives Higashi's cross in the center of the area, couldn't convert it into a shot, but Maeda and then Kajiyama persistently connect the play, and Hashimoto jumps out to the left area to cross. Maeda in the far right area perfectly heads the ball with precision, extending the lead to 3-0 against the opponent.

85 minutes: Insoo YU replaces Kono. This increases the chase from the front line and intensifies the flow. In the additional 5 minutes of injury time, Shonan was exposed to a fierce attack as they tried to retaliate. However, FW Jinei's shot was blocked by Maruyama's sliding tackle. Furthermore, they entered the shooting position in the penalty area, but Yoshimoto and Morishige blocked consecutively. They then gave a right corner kick, but FW Jinei's header hit the bar. The defense line bravely defended and survived the crisis, ending the game without conceding a goal. They secured a victory with the first 3 goals and a 3-point lead in the league match.

[Player Comments]
《Nakashima》
"The opening goal was scored by a player who moved around me, and I consider it a team goal. However, I am not satisfied with just this one point, and there were also chances to score the second and third goals today. I want to continue working hard to keep scoring. If I value the attitude towards the goal and increase my speed there, the opponent should feel threatened. I want to become a more intimidating player."

《Kawano》
"The first half wasn't bad, but we often lost the ball without being able to penetrate. That's why Nakajima's goal was significant."
I received a gentle pass from player Ryoichi MAEDA for my goal. I could see an open space for the goal, so I swung my leg with all my might. Personally, I wanted the result to be a goal for a long time. However, I think we need to continue and not just end with one shot. Today, everyone endured and kept the opponent from scoring, so we were able to grasp victory together."

[Summary of Coach Yoshiyuki SHINODA's Press Conference]
"The result was fantastic thanks to the players' hard work. We were able to start the game well. We created chances by finding spaces while overcoming the strong and fast pressure from the opponent. There were scenes where we made unnecessary mistakes and lost the ball, which almost allowed Shonan to control the pace of the game. However, we were able to finish the first half with a goal from Nakajima. At halftime, we regrouped and discussed with the players how we would approach the rest of the game."
I think we were able to control the game while watching the opponent's substitute members, and Kono and Maeda scored goals to push the opponent away. However, we need to improve more and there are things we need to do. I think everyone was focused in the scene where we threw our bodies to prevent a goal in the late stages, but we also need to reflect on creating such scenes. After the game, I talked to the players about the next match. I told them to think carefully and prepare for the Urawa game with 100 percent physical and mental condition.

[Shonan - Coach CHO Kwi Jae's Press Conference Summary]
"While the league was suspended, I had been preparing to win 3 points away by trying new things. I also told the players after the game, but if the players don't believe they can do what I think they can do, then everything, including tactics, will be in vain. In the first half, we started defending like an alibi after losing the ball and waiting for the opponent to miss their shots, which was a pathetic development. Despite having good opportunities, I had been thinking about why they couldn't play without fear of making mistakes. There was also a message for the players to solve it themselves, and although I didn't give tactical instructions at halftime, I told them to kick the ball forward and attack when they get the loose ball."
However, in the second half, the players started to connect the ball in reverse. This is not because the players ignored the instructions, but rather because the switch was turned on. I feel responsible as a coach for their mentality and fighting spirit. Although there were good aspects even in a situation where we couldn't win points in the summer, when we tried again in September, it turned out to be this kind of game. The most unpleasant thing is when the players themselves determine their own limits. There is no point in doing professional sports if we play as a team that takes risks and defends with alibis. In the first half today, I felt that way. Tokyo is undoubtedly a strong team, and even if our performance is good, we don't know if we can win against them. However, after the halftime instructions, when I see them attacking and creating chances, I wonder which is their true form. Today's result was a complete defeat by a large margin, but I believe that we must take one step or even two steps forward from here, and I want the players to think about such things. We have no choice but to overcome this situation together."