アウェイながら勝ち点3と5連勝を目指す一戦

　リーグ第30節は、アウェイで徳島ヴォルティスと対戦。前節は北九州のハードワークに苦しめられながらも、粘り強さと攻守の“質”で上回り4連勝を果たした。今節は3連戦の最後となるが、大熊監督は「トーナメントのような気持ちで力を出し切って戦う」と、この一戦の勝利にかけることを誓い、アウェイながら勝ち点3の奪取と5連勝をめざす一戦だ。

　対する徳島は、現在勝ち点49で3位につける。東京との勝ち点差は5。また4位との差は2で、昇格に向けて一戦も落としたくない状態だといえるだろう。ましてや今節はホームゲームで、「最終節のような気持ちで勝負にこだわってくるはず（大熊監督）」。長身のFW佐藤、FW津田、そして左サイドのFW柿谷はそれぞれに6得点を挙げており、右のMF濱田や衛藤を含め、まず攻撃陣を勢いに乗らせないことが大事になる。

　東京は、警告累積のため出場停止の田邉に代わり永里が移籍後初先発に。谷澤が「草民が不在の分、自分がバランスを意識して、逆サイドの選手の特長を活かしたい」というように、落ち着いて中盤の主導権を握ることで得点のチャンスを見出したい。またケガから復帰した高松が好調ぶりをアピールし、ベンチ入り。ここから終盤戦に向けて、まさに総力戦で一戦一戦を大事に戦っていきたいところだ。

　互いにどうしても先制点がほしいところだが、東京はここのところ、選手交代から畳み掛けていくような戦い方もできている。もしスコアレスの状態が続いても、相手の焦りを生むような仕掛けができれば勝機はつかめるはず。徳永が「自信をもって自分たちのサッカーを貫いて勝ち点3を」と意気込むように、試合をコントロールすることで徳島の闘争心を断ち切り、勝利につなげたい。試合は鳴門・大塚スポーツパークポカリスエットスタジアムにて16時4分に東京のキックオフで開始された。

Aiming For 5th. Straight Win In Tricky Away Fixture 

F.C.Tokyo traveled south to the island of Shikoku to take on Tokushima Vortis in the 30th. game of the season. In their previous outing Tokyo had been made to work hard by a resilient Kitakyushu team but quality at both ends of the pitch and sheer perseverance produced a well-earned 2-0 win. Going into the third game in a week, Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma had urged his team to, "Play like it's a cup game," and in turn the players had vowed to win and extend the winning streak to five games. 
Opponents Tokushima lay in 3rd.place at kick off, 5 points behind Tokyo. In turn, Tokushima were 2 points ahead of the fourth-placed club, making the game a vital one for their own promotion hopes. With home advantage, "They're going to come at us as though it were the last game of the season," commented the Tokyo manager. Towering striker Sato, his partner in attack Tsuda and left-sided forward Kakitani had all notched 6 goals apiece so far, and together with midfielders Hamada and Eto would provide a stern test for the Tokyo defence. 
For Tokyo, Tanabe was suspended, earning Nagasato his first start since his arrival at the club. Yazawa commented, "Since Sotan is out I'll be looking to keep the balance on my side and let the guy on the opposite side play to his strengths". Forward Takamatsu had returned from long-term injury and was sufficiently recovered to take a place on the bench. As the league prepared to enter the final stretch playing to the full extent of the available strength in each game became vitally important. 
Although both sides would be desperate to score first, in recent games Tokyo had shown an ability to ask questions of the opposition with their substitutions. Further, if the game remained deadlocked at 0-0 the opposition's impatience to find a goal could leave them open at the back. Tokunaga was bullish about the match, "We want to play our own game with confidence and take the three points." 
Tokyo kicked off shortly after 4pm on a cool, windy afternoon in the Pocarisweat Stadium.

移籍後初先発の永里のゴールで先制し、前半を折り返す

　序盤から勢いよく前線に飛び出す徳島に押し込まれた。だがここで慌てず冷静に対応、失点を許さず耐える時間が続いた。9分には素早いリスタートから、ルーカス→左サイドの椋原がクロスからCKを得る。だが谷澤のキックには誰も合わせることができず。11分は、徳永が右サイドでインターセプト。前線につなぎ、羽生→中央のルーカスが、右エリアにスルーパス。徳永がここまで走り込んだが、シュートはブロックされてしまった。

　すると15分、前線へのフィードに対して梶山が相手に競り勝ち中へ送ると、フォローアップした徳永から谷澤の折り返しが徳島DFに当たってCKを得る。この谷澤が蹴った右CKから、左エリアの今野が前に送ったボールを、ゴール前の永里が体勢を崩しながらもコースを変えて押し込みゴール！セットプレーのチャンスをきっちりと活かして先制を果たした。

　これでリズムを掴みたいところだったが、反撃に出る徳島の流れを食い止められず、流れは完全に徳島に。MF柿谷や倉貫を起点にスピーディに前線に運ばれ、次々にチャンスを作られた。だが東京は最後のところで身体を張り、ゴールを割らせず。一方で攻撃では形を作れず、前半のシュートは徳島の12本に対して東京は3本のみ。それでも1点のリードを保って後半へと折り返した。

Nagasato Gives Tokyo Crucial Lead 

As expected, Tokushima flew at Tokyo from the kick off and penned the visitors back. Tokyo held firm and coolly weathered the early storm before breaking out of defence in the 9th.minute and earning a corner from Mukuhara's left-wing cross. Yazawa stroked the ball into the danger area but was unable to find a teammate. In the 11th.minute Tokunaga intercepted a pass on the right, laid the ball off and continued his forward run. Hanyu found Lucas infield and the Brazilian rolled the ball into Tokunaga's path on the right of the area. Tokunaga let fly but a defender blocked his drive away. 
In the 15th.minute Kajiyama won an aerial duel for a long ball, Tokunaga collected the knock down and attempted to find Yazawa, the ball striking a Tokushima defender and going out for a corner. Yazawa took the corner on the right, Konno headed the ball back across goal from the left and Nagasato, on his first start for the club, twisted athletically to hook the ball into the net. Tokyo had made a set play count to grab a vital early lead. With the breakthrough in the bag Tokyo were looking to impose their rhythm on the game but the hosts fought back strongly to dominate proceedings. 
Tokushima midfielders Kakitani and Kuranuki used their pace to move the ball forward quickly as the hosts began to create chances. In response to the intensifying pressure, the Tokyo defence flung themselves into the breach, denying Tokushima an equaliser. The home side mustered 12 attempts on goal to Tokyo's 3, yet it was the visitors who led at half time.

カウンターから石川がきっちりゴールを決めて突き放し、5連勝を飾った

　後半開始から東京がチャンスを作る。47分、梶山が自陣で徳島MF柿谷のボールを奪い、逆襲。ルーカスからのリターンを受けて前進し、左エリアにスルーパスを送る。抜け出した永里がDFと競り合いながらもシュートを放ったが、枠を捉えることはできなかった。49分には右サイドで徳永と羽生のコンビネーションから、羽生が右エリアに抜け出し、ファーにグラウンダー。後ろに永里が構えていたが一歩前に飛び出せず、合わせることはできなかった。

　ただその後は前線へのパスが合わず、奪われて逆襲をくらうという展開になる。57分には永里に代わり石川を。66分には高橋、羽生が中央でつなぎ、エリア手前のルーカスが反転してシュートしたが、GK正面を突く。71分には羽生に代えて坂田を投入。だが徳島も攻撃的な選手交代を使い、さらに攻めに出てきた。徳島が前掛かりになる中で迎えた77分、東京がカウンターを仕掛け、ルーカス→坂田がスピードを活かして左サイドを駆け上がる。

　坂田は相手を抜ききらず、落ち着いて味方の上がりを待ち、中央の谷澤にパス。谷澤は持ち上がりながらDFを引き付け、右エリアに。わずかに長く、際どいパスになったが、走り込んだナオが、角度のないところから見事なシュートをニアの上に突き刺した！　迫力のあるカウンターで2点目をゲット。あきらめず攻めに出る徳島を突き離すとともに、厳しい試合を粘り強い守備でしのぎ切り、アウェイで勝点3をもぎ取り、5連勝！

　【選手コメント】《永里》「(先制点について)ゴールの位置は見えていたので、右足のインステップで合わせた。みんなからは『オウンゴールかと思った』と言われて(泣)。ショックです(苦笑)。出場にあたっては、裏に抜ける動きや、ドリブルで仕掛けるという自分の持ち味を出していきたかった。求められているのもそういうことだと考えていたが、徳島に押し込まれて苦しんだ。みんなには疲れもあったはずで、ボールをつなげる時間は少なかったが、そこで守備から入ることをベースにして、勝ち切ることができた。上手いチームが、全員ハードワークをすれば負けない。自分はそう感じるし、それを明らかにした試合だとも思う。

　先発はチョー緊張しました。東京でスタメンで出るということは、その責任感は、他とは比べ物にならないと思っている。そこでプレーできることは選手として光栄だが、もっと慣れていかなければいけない。もちろん内容が良くて、勝てるサッカーをめざさなければいけないが、今後もリズムを掴めない試合や、相手が良さを出してくる試合もあるはず。今日2点を取って勝ったことを自信とし、これからの試合につなげていきたい」

　《石川》「負けられない試合が続く中で、今日も絶対に勝ちたかった。アウェイだったので、試合の入り方に気を付けて、自分たちのリズムに持っていこうとしていたし、ベンチでも同じ考えだった。出場した直後も、なかなかリズムを作ることはできなかったが、攻守にスピード感を出すことを意識していた。(ゴールについて)左サイドで上手くリズムを作ってくれて、僕までつないで、自分の特長を引き出させてくれた。みんなはヤザのパスを『長過ぎ』と言っているが(苦笑)、もう少し短ければファーもニアも狙えて、コースに迷いも出たはず。

　スピードに乗った状態で、それをニアだけの選択にしてくれたので、コースがはっきり見えた。思い切って蹴りこむだけだった。ヤザが溜めを作ってくれて、迷いをなくしてくれたという意味でも良いパスだった。(途中出場で結果を出したが？)今日は先制点が大きかったと思うが、自分もずっとゴールがほしかったし、チームとしても2点目を早く取りたかった。昇格に向けては総力戦になるが、誰が出てもFC東京のサッカーをしたいと思うし、最後は気持ちも大切。僕自身、意地もある。今日のような厳しい試合を糧にしながら、アグレッシブにFC東京らしいサッカーをしていきたい」

　【大熊監督の会見要旨】「予想通り徳島は集中したいいチームなので、苦しい試合になった。風向きもあったのですが、権田を中心に前半をきちっとした守備で耐えた。みんなで粘り強く我慢強くやったことで、後半の流れを引き寄せた。お互い連戦なので、交代を含めてこちらに流れを引きずり込めればと。ナオの点が役割としても流れとしても大きかったと思います。天皇杯が入ってきますが、11月の日程は今回の連戦以上の日程なので総力戦になる。11人以外をいつでも使えるスタンバイを、練習からしておくことが今日のような結果に繋がる。天皇杯も含めて1試合1試合集中してやっていきたいと思います」

　【徳島・美濃部監督の会見要旨】「今日はFC東京との対決ということで、非常に多くの人に集まっていただきましたが、結果を出せなかったのは非常に残念でした。ただ全般的な試合の内容とかゲームをコントロールする、チャンスやシュートの数を含めても、ある程度選手は頑張ってくれました。いいゲーム・内容は作れていると思うので、結果を残して欲しかったし、残せなかったのは非常に残念です。(良かった部分？)J2で一番強いFC東京に臆することなく、しっかりラインを高く設定してアプローチをかけて、ボールを奪いにいく作業をした結果、攻守の切り替えが早くなり、非常に攻撃のチャンスを出せたと思います」

Ishikawa Goal On the Counter Seals 5th. Straight Win

Tokyo created the first chance of the second half. Kajiyama robbed Tokushima midfielder Kakitani inside his own half, exchanged passes with Lucas and strode forward before releasing the ball into Nagasato's path inside the opposition penalty area. Nagasato held off a defender and shot but failed to hit the target. Tokunaga and Hanyu combined down the right in the 49th. minute, Hanyu darted into space inside the penalty area on the right and drove a low cross to the far post where Nagasato failed to connect by the narrowest margin. 
After that brief burst Tokyo struggled to connect their passes in attack and once again the pendulum swung back to the hosts. Ishikawa replaced Nagasato in the 57th.minute. In the 66th.minute Takahashi and Hanyu combined in midfield and moved the ball on to Lucas on the edge of the Tokushima area. Lucas swiveled and shot in one movement but his effort flew straight at Oh in the Tokushima goal. Sakata replaced Hanyu in the 71st.minute. Tokushima made attacking substitutions themselves, pushing further forward in search of an equaliser. Then, in the 77th.minute, Tokyo caught Tokushima on a counter attack. Sakata received the ball from Lucas and used his pace to drive down the left wing, then held the ball up as he waited for support from the midfield. Sakata slipped the ball inside to Yazawa, who drew the home defence towards himself before moving it out to the right, to meet Ishikawa's run. Yazawa seemed to have overhit the pass at first but Ishikawa met the ball at full speed and drove it firmly inside the near post from a tight angle. A deft and lightning fast counter attack had given Tokyo a two-goal cushion at the perfect moment. Tokyo blunted the Tokushima attack with a tenacious defensive display while clinically dispatching their own chances, taking the three points and extending the winning streak to five games. 


Players' Comments 
Nagasato 
"I saw where I was in front of the goal and caught the ball with my right instep. Everybody said they thought it was an own goal ( Cries ). I was shocked ( Bitter laugh ). When I knew I was starting I wanted to show what I'm capable of: using my movement to get in behind the opposition defence and my dribbling ability. That's what was wanted from me but Tokushima pushed us back and put us under pressure. I'm sure everyone was suffering from fatigue and we really didn't spend a lot of time moving the ball around but we started from a defensive base and managed to see out the win. If you're a good team and everyone works hard then you're not going to lose. That's what I felt and the game made it clear, I thought. 
I was very nervous about starting the game. You can't really compare the sense of responsibility you feel starting a game for Tokyo with anything else. It's an honour and it's something I have to get used to more. Of course we want to play attractive, winning football but there are going to be more games where we can't find our rhythm and the opposition play well. Scoring twice and winning today will give us confidence for the upcoming games". 

Ishikawa 
"The games we can't afford to lose are coming thick and fast and today was another one we absolutely wanted to win. Since we were away we were very careful about the way we started, about keeping our rhythm, and that was the same for us on the bench as well. After I went on we still couldn't really find our rhythm so I was focusing on using my pace in both defence and attack. For the goal the guys created a nice rhythm down the left and worked the ball across to me, where I was able to show what I can do. Everyone said Yazawa's pass was too long, ( Laughs ). If it had been a little shorter I could have gone for the far post as well as I was a little undecided as I ran onto the ball. 
At full speed there was only the near post I could go for but I saw the path clearly and just hit the ball. The way Yazawa held the ball up and made the decision of where to aim for me meant that it was a good pass. Did my substitution decide the game? The first goal was very important but I've been after a goal for a while and I just wanted the team to score again as quickly as possible. We need to play to the limit of our ability to achieve promotion and want to play F.C.Tokyo-style football regardless of who is in the team, so spirit is the most important thing. I've got the backbone for the fight as well. We want to take the performances from tough games like today's and use them as we carry on playing aggressive Tokyo-style football in the future". 


F.C.Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma 
"Just as we expected Tokushima concentrated well as they're a good team and it became a difficult match. We had the wind in our favour in the first half but we defended perfectly, with Gonda at the heart of it. Everyone was tenacious and persevered, then in the second half we controlled the flow of the game. Nao's role off the bench and goal was massively important in shaping the outcome today. With the Emperor's Cup game in there as well, the November schedule is even harder than this run of games so we'll need everyone to play their part. Apart from the first eleven the other players have to be ready when called upon and what we work on in practice is reflected in results like today's. We want to carry taking each game as it comes". 

Tokushima manager Minobe 
"Today was the showdown with F.C.Tokyo and that drew a lot of people to the stadium so it's very disappointing that we couldn't get the result. But if you look at the performance, the game control, the numbers of chances created and those on target, then you can see that the players fought hard. It was a good game and we played well so it's disappointing not to take anything away from it. 
What was good about the performance? Many things, I felt. Tokyo are the best team in J2 yet we played without fear, kept a tight high line and developed our moves. We went out to win the ball, switched over from defence to attack quickly and created a lot of chances".