Will they take a step towards promotion...

If Oita, who was in third place, had lost in the previous day's match, there was a possibility of "promotion" for Tokyo on this day. However, the reality was the opposite, as Oita won and "promotion" was postponed to the final round. In the provisional ranking, Oita rose to second place while Tokyo fell to third. It would be a lie to say that we are not concerned about Oita, but all we needed to do was win. In the match against Sendai on this day, if we could achieve a "90-minute win (= 3 points)" or a "V-goal win (= 2 points)", we could maintain second place and have a "strong chance for promotion". And if we could end the final showdown with Niigata next week with a resounding victory, we would secure "promotion". We must not forget that we can achieve "promotion" through our own efforts, not through the efforts of others. If we play our own soccer, the results will follow. Let's believe and fight!

Amaral forced to play!

With only two games left, Tokyo, who is being caught up by Oita at the last minute, has no choice but to put their ace, Amaral, in the starting lineup and go for the win. Amaral's left ankle, which was injured in the Nabisco Cup match against Kashima, has not fully healed yet, and he had to play through the pain with the help of painkillers. In the previous match against Omiya, he came on as a substitute but still led the team as the focal point of the attack, showcasing his strong presence as the ace. As a mental pillar as well, Amaral's presence was essential. In front of the 7,325 fans (the most for a league match!) gathered at this Komazawa Athletics Stadium for the final home game, they could not afford to lose.

Overwhelming Sendai with a fierce attack, but...

Tokyo, desperate for the opening goal, launched a fierce dash right after the kickoff. In the first minute, Okahara on the left side made a beautiful breakthrough with a one-two with Almir, and Kagami also surged forward with abundant stamina. In the tenth minute, Okahara broke through the left side with a splendid feint and delivered an exquisite ground pass to Kagami, who was waiting in the center. Kagami took a sharp shot after a one-touch, but the ball went high over the bar. In the following fourteenth minute, this time left-back Fujiyama intercepted sharply and passed the ball to the front line to Almir. Almir turned and unleashed a powerful shot with his left foot, but it was thwarted by a fine save from the opposing goalkeeper. On the other hand, Sendai struggled in midfield due to the absence of playmaker Pauro EMIRIO, who was suspended due to accumulated warnings. Nixon, the defensive midfielder, and veteran Echigo kept the ball in midfield and distributed it early to the forwards. Up front, technician Abe, who has plenty of experience in J1, made a wedge on the left side, while Taira showcased solid hold-up play in the center. This two-top combination had speed and required attention, but the Tokyo defense on this day needed no warnings. Sandro and Komine showed strict marking, preventing Sendai's two-top from facing forward, and they quickly intercepted any balls played behind them to regain possession. However, they faced a major crisis just once. In the nineteenth minute, a momentary lapse allowed Echigo to receive the ball free on the left side, and he immediately took a shot. The goalkeeper Suzuki dropped the ball in front of him, and Taira, who was following up, picked it up and passed it to Nixon, who was running free towards the goal. Nixon, thinking he would carefully shoot into the 'delicious goal' with no goalkeeper, ended up missing. Tokyo, relieved, began another fierce attack. In the center of Sendai's defense, 190cm tall Dubaitch closely marked Amaral, and simple crosses were easily cleared, so deep crosses from the sides were effective. Tokyo's Yukihiko actively attempted to break through from the right side, and when he delivered a cross from a deep position, Amaral won every ball in the air. Tokyo took several close shots on the Sendai goal in the 20th, 25th, 26th, and 35th minutes, and in the 43rd minute, Yukihiko broke through deep on the right side during a counterattack and sent a sharp cross to Kagami, who was waiting free in front of the goal. In the next moment, everyone imagined a goal scene, but the ball that Kagami struck with his head, trying to secure the goal, bounced high and went well over the bar. Normally, Tokyo would have scored easily in such a perfect situation, but they couldn't find the back of the net. Despite the overwhelming development that could have led to a large number of goals, they just couldn't score that 'one goal.' The first half ended at 0-0, and the match would carry over to the second half.

Battle with an invisible enemy...

Entering the second half, Tokyo replaced Okuhara, who showed signs of fatigue, with Kaburaki and aggressively attacked Sendai's territory just like in the first half. However, a nightmare struck immediately after. In the 3rd minute, a counterattack saw Hirano dribble down the left side and deliver a ground pass to Nakajima, who ran in and took a middle shot from about 30 meters! The difficult shot, struck directly with his right foot from a ball coming in from the left, pierced the goal net despite the desperate save attempt by goalkeeper Suzuki. After the match, Sendai's coach Shimizu acknowledged it as a lucky goal, and the defense-oriented Sendai took the lead. Eager to equalize as soon as possible, Tokyo regrouped and launched another fierce attack. In the 9th minute, Amaral made a powerful header from a corner kick from the left, but it was unfortunately caught by the goalkeeper. In the following 11th minute, Yukihiko sent a wonderful cross from the right side, which Amaral aimed for with a perfect header, but it was thwarted by a fine save from the goalkeeper. In the 23rd minute, Kagami broke free from a floating ball from behind and faced the goalkeeper one-on-one. It was a decisive chance, but the looping shot that went over the outcoming goalkeeper's nose also went over the bar, resulting in no goal. "Why can't it go in!!" As time ticked away, Tokyo, attacking more fiercely, inevitably leaned forward, occasionally facing Sendai's counterattacks, but Komine, who remained in the defense line, made a passionate play to stop them. In the 35th minute, Yukihiko made a brilliant dribble breakthrough on the right side and earned a corner kick opportunity, and Amaral made a powerful header!? However, the ball cruelly hit the bar. With less than 10 minutes remaining, defender Sandro also joined the attack as Tokyo attempted an all-out assault. In the dying moments of the match, in the 44th minute, Amaral aimed for a header from a corner kick from the left, but again it went straight to the goalkeeper. As stoppage time began, Tokyo seized several corner kick opportunities but ultimately failed to score, leading to a merciless time-up. The shot count of 23 to 10 tells the story of a completely one-sided game, yet Tokyo was abandoned by "luck." Tokyo created numerous scoring chances from the desired formations but failed to convert, while Sendai easily capitalized on their one chance... Is this what football is? Did they lose to the invisible enemy called "pressure" once again? As a result, Tokyo finally relinquished the 2nd place they had held since 10/3 (Sec. 29) to Oita at the last moment. Who could have predicted that after winning the direct confrontation against Oita on 9/25 (Sec. 28) and having a 12-point lead at that time, they would be overtaken? However, the possibility has not become "zero." Certainly, "self-promotion" is no longer an option, but in the world of sports, you never know what might happen. Next week, the final match on 11/21 will be a decisive battle away against their nemesis, Niigata. The conditions for Tokyo to "promote" are that Oita must either draw in their final match (vs. Yamagata) (→ in this case, Tokyo must win in 90 minutes to "promote") or lose (→ in this case, Tokyo must win by V-goal or in 90 minutes to "promote"). Tokyo will not only repay their debt to Niigata, who have suffered three shutout losses this season, but will also surely secure "promotion." On November 21, they will gather all their strength and approach the match with full force!

[Coach's Comment]

Taku SHIMIZU

I'm glad we were able to win against Tokyo, who we haven't been able to beat so far. I was well aware that there was a difference in team strength, so I was aiming for counterattacks. As a result, it was a successful strategy, but the players endured without losing focus until the end.

<Tokyo - Coach Okuma>

I didn't think I would miss so many scoring opportunities, whether it's due to nerves or luck. Anyway, "one goal" seemed so far away. Amaral and Kagami's shots, among other things we were trying to do as a team, were successful. It doesn't mean that the possibility of "promotion" is completely gone. We will fight until the very end and we definitely want to win against Niigata.