Attacking Tokyo, Defending Yamagata

Yamagata has a record of 2 wins, 2 losses, and 5 draws so far. They are currently in 6th place with 1 point behind Tokyo, making this a crucial match for both teams. The game started with Tokyo taking an aggressive approach, while Yamagata focused on defense and counterattacks. Tokyo quickly passed the ball to Amaral, who moved around the field, trying to establish an attacking rhythm from both sides. On the other hand, Yamagata closely marked Amaral and adopted a defensive system, with Bautele, Hirama, and Mutail leading their attacks. Amaral's post-play was consistent as always, creating rhythm through combinations with Almir, Umayama, and Yukihiko.

Painful PK failure

In the 15th minute of the first half, Almir, who had been persistent on the right side, sent a sharp cross ball to the center, which was handballed by Yamagata DF Washida. It was a penalty kick obtained at the best time for Tokyo, who had been attacking since the start of the game but had not had any real chances. The kicker was Yukihiko Sato, who had played for Yamagata last year. Everyone was confident that Tokyo would take the lead, but the kicked ball was blocked by Yamagata GK Suzuki's excellent judgment. Disappointed that they couldn't take advantage of their biggest chance, Tokyo, and feeling like they had narrowly escaped death, Yamagata regained their breath. In the 20th minute of the first half, Tokyo's key midfielder Asari was injured and had to leave the field, allowing Yamagata's playmaker Hirama, who had been held back by Asari until then, to become free and the combination of Bautele, Hirama, and Mutail started to shine. On the other hand, Tokyo, unable to switch their mindset from the shock of the missed penalty kick, began to make more passing and coordination mistakes overall. This is the moment when everyone should encourage each other and the team should come together as one. However, Tokyo, who still wanted to regain their rhythm somehow, tried to gather the ball to Amaral, who was fighting alone in the front line, but they couldn't create any decisive opportunities.

First defeat with a V-goal this season

In the second half, "Fighter" Okamoto took the pitch in place of Kobayashi. With his intense play, he injected energy into the team and the game became more intense. On the other hand, Yamagata, who had been defensive in the first half, changed their approach and started pressing from the front, gaining control of the ball. As coach Ueki mentioned in the post-match press conference, "I thought we could win if we could contain Amaral and Almir," strict marking was applied to Almir in the second half, completely neutralizing Tokyo's rhythm. Due to the poor condition of the field and Yamagata's intense pressing, Tokyo made many mistakes and was on the defensive. They had several decisive opportunities, but Sandro and Komine in the center, with Horiike as the core, remained solid and did not allow any goals. In extra time, Tokyo tightened their focus and launched a counterattack, but the situation remained unchanged with Yamagata in control, and they endured a difficult period. Then, in the 12th minute of the first half of extra time, the balance was finally broken. Yamagata's forward Mutail persevered on the right side and passed to the center. Substitute Masashita calmly kicked the ball into the net, sealing the game. It was Tokyo's first defeat with a V-goal this season, and furthermore, it was their second consecutive home loss, a tough result. In the post-match press conference, Coach Ookuma said, "It was unfortunate that we couldn't switch our mindset after missing the penalty kick. It was also painful that Asari, who is a key player in the midfield defense, was absent. Going forward, we will make adjustments for the Nabisco Cup on the 14th and prepare for the match against Oita on the 17th." Switching mindset is crucial.