The big match against the top-ranked Antlers!

　Currently, Kashima Antlers are leading the 2nd stage. The starting lineup includes FW Yanagisawa, who recently scored a historic goal in the Italy match (11/7) and has now grown into Japan's ace, GK Sogahata, who made his national team debut in that Italy match, as well as MF Nakata and FW Suzuki, who have firmly established themselves in the national team. The player depth of Antlers is solid, with MF Motoyama and FW Hirase as substitutes, but today they are facing the match with a perfect best lineup.

　FC Tokyo, although far from being in perfect condition, has steadily improved its team strength with the return of MF Kelly and DF Tetsuya ITO from injury after three matches, as well as Kima on the bench, riding the momentum from their big win against C Osaka in the previous match. In their first stage matchup (7/7), they secured a shutout victory with two goals from Kelly at the packed home Tokyo Stadium, and they have no sense of inferiority or fear against the Antlers. With a win in this match, there is a possibility of rising to 3rd place, so motivation is extremely high. On the other hand, the Antlers are also highly motivated, as a win in this match would significantly advance them towards the championship, and the match was expected to be an exciting contest. From Tokyo, a record six buses and 270 enthusiastic supporters rushed to Kashima Soccer Stadium, creating a heated atmosphere in the stands that rivaled the local Antlers supporters. The 'big match' for both teams kicked off at 2:03 PM with the sound of the whistle echoing in the cold rain at Kashima Soccer Stadium.

1 minute into the game, Kobayashi's opening goal explodes!

　The match started with an exciting development that made the stadium restless. In the first minute, FW Amaral kept the ball on the left side and passed a looping pass to DF Fujiyama, who had moved up in the center. Fujiyama controlled the ball and then passed it through the Antlers' defense. In response, MF Miura broke through and crossed from the goal line, and MF Seigo KOBAYASHI, who had been closing in on the near side, kicked a powerful shot with his left foot to take the lead. Perhaps feeling the pressure of high expectations, Tokyo, who had been playing with a sense of urgency from the start, scored the fastest goal of the season in just one minute. The stadium was filled with a chaotic atmosphere, with sighs from Antlers supporters and cheers from Tokyo supporters.

Antlers' thick attack and Tokyo's sharp counter

　Woken up by a powerful opening punch right after the start, the Antlers quickly shifted to counterattack. The Antlers circulated the ball with excellent ball control and passing from midfielders Nakata, Ogasawara, and Bismarck, trying to find rhythm by feeding the ball to the Japan national team duo of forwards Yanagisawa and Suzuki. However, in the early stages, the combination between the two was poor, and even against simple vertical passes, DF Yamao and Sandro cleared them with tough charges. Gradually, as the two began to alternate roles as a target man and making runs into space, the marking started to slightly misalign, leading to noticeable scenes where fouls were committed to stop them, resulting in an increase in free kicks awarded near Tokyo's goal. Additionally, the aggressive attacking participation of DF Augusto, a symbol of the Antlers' strong performance in the second stage, was also a threat. Not only did he charge up the left side to challenge, but he also cut inside to create space on the left side, where Ogasawara positioned himself to become a pivot. The attacks involving Augusto in the thick midfield were diverse and confused the Tokyo defense. In the 13th minute, Yamao was caught out by Augusto and brought him down near the penalty area, receiving a yellow card. Although Tokyo's defense maintained high concentration and played with determination to prevent any decisive moments, they continued to endure the Antlers' thick attacks.

　On the other hand, Tokyo, which had many opportunities to defend, created chances with sharp counters. Tokyo's "solid defense and fast attack" was still effective on this day. Amaral chased fiercely from the front line, and after winning the ball with a tough press centered around Shimodaira in the midfield, Augusto moved up to the right side where space was created, and Yukihiro and Toda alternately made runs from there, serving as the starting point. They supplied accurate crosses to the center. They sent numerous final passes into the goal area, but Amaral was tightly marked and had few opportunities to enter the goal area, so they couldn't bring the ball to a shot.

Equalized by Ace Yanagisawa's "skillful goal"

　It was understood that they were not an opponent that could be defeated with just one goal, but they were quickly caught up with by the ace's shot. For Tokyo, it was a good flow as planned, but in the 29th minute of the first half, Antlers kept the ball in the midfield with Bismarck and passed it to Suzuki at the top. Suzuki dropped the ball and Nakata advanced with a dribble at high speed, passing it through to Yanagisawa in the front line. Yanagisawa skillfully took a course between Tokyo's defenders Yamao and Sandro at top speed, and shot the ball just a moment before goalkeeper Doi's dive, shaking Tokyo's goal net. Nakata's pass was also splendid, but there was no choice but to take off one's hat to Yanagisawa's "international level" play that brought it to a perfect finish.

　Tokyo, who had equalized, did not hesitate and continued to trouble the Antlers with aggressive play on both offense and defense. In the 33rd minute, Amaral's chasing induced a back pass mistake from the opponent, and as Amaral charged towards the Antlers' goal, goalkeeper Sogahata rushed out to clear the ball outside the penalty area. However, the clearance was weak, and the ball flew to Miura, who followed from behind Amaral, allowing Miura to take a direct shot towards the empty goal. Unfortunately, the ball narrowly missed to the left of the goal. Furthermore, in the 36th minute, a ball intercepted by Shimohira on the right side was passed intricately between Amaral, Shimohira, and Yukihiko, leading to a through pass to Miura, who had made a run into the goal area. Miura was brought down while trying to break through inside the penalty area, but there was no foul called. The Antlers also had Suzuki playing aggressively as a pivot in the front line, and in the 38th and 44th minutes, he took powerful shots with his left foot, but there were no goals. In the end, neither team was able to score additional points, and the match remained 1-1, with the outcome carried over to the second half.

Despite Kelly and Kina's efforts to turn the tide, the game was lost with two goals conceded in the last 8 minutes.

　In the second half, it was Tokyo that first took the offensive. In the 2nd minute, Yukihiko surged down the right side and delivered a sharp ground cross between the GK and DF, but GK Sogahata fumbled. However, the follow-up was weak, and they couldn't capitalize. In the 9th minute, Kelly was brought on, returning to the pitch for the first time in three matches after recovering from injury. Despite forcing his way back onto the field with a brace on his injured right elbow, Kelly quickly made his presence felt. In the 11th minute, he received the ball outside the penalty area and broke through a tight space with a quick one-two with Miura, shooting with his left foot. The shot went straight to the GK and did not result in a goal, but in the following 13th minute, he broke free on the right side from a through pass by Toda and sent a shot-like ball back from a tight angle, which was also caught by the GK. With Kelly's entry, another focal point was created in the frontline that had been concentrated on Amaral, increasing the number of reliable passing options and significantly improving the overall rhythm of the team's attack. Kelly received the ball and quickly advanced it forward, spreading it to the left and right sides before making runs into the goal area. In the 22nd minute, he jumped in with a header from a cross by Yukihiko on the right but just missed it. On the other hand, the Antlers also saw Augusto play so offensively that he seemed more like a midfielder or FW, launching attacks on the Tokyo goal. In the 23rd minute, he took a free kick in front of the goal, curling it with his favored left foot, but it just went wide.

　In the midst of a fierce offensive and defensive battle where the tide constantly changes, it was Tokyo who made the first move. Coach Okuma said before the match, "The crucial moment is when the opponent brings in substitute Motoyama," but Tokyo's timing to make a move was with the introduction of Kina, ahead of the Antlers. And then, two minutes after Kina's introduction, the Antlers sent Motoyama onto the pitch.

　With the addition of Motoyama, the Antlers' attack became more robust, and Motoyama became a focal point in front of Tokyo's goal with his sharp dribbling skills. The Antlers, eager to settle the match within 90 minutes, not only saw Augusto on the left but also actively involved Narahashi on the right side, showcasing a furious all-out attack, but Tokyo responded with solid defense. In the 31st minute, from a scramble, the ball reached in front of Tokyo's goal where Yanagisawa shot in a one-on-one decisive moment, but the sharply advancing GK Doi made a super save to catch it. However, in the 37th minute of the second half, Narahashi unleashed a powerful mid-range shot from the right side, and as GK Doi barely punched it away, Motoyama, waiting in front of the goal, volleyed it with his right foot, and the ball bounced into the right side of Tokyo's goal. Despite being pushed back, the high concentration and Tokyo's characteristic style of play sought additional scoring opportunities, making the conceded goal at this time painful. Even after falling behind, Tokyo aimed for the goal with their 'never give up football', but in the dying moments of the 44th minute, they were broken through on the left side by a one-two between Augusto and Motoyama, and Motoyama's well-placed return pass was converted into a decisive goal by Yanagisawa, who was free in front of the goal, sealing the match. Having taken the lead against the top-ranked Antlers on their home ground and showcasing Tokyo's strengths with high concentration until the last 8 minutes, the last two conceded goals became a regrettable defeat. The conceded goals at this time were also seen in the Jubilo match, but they were proactive goals conceded while going for the win, and I want to think positively about it. Creating situations to win against both teams, which are currently considered the top two in Japan, and boldly going for the win must have been a challenge that will surely lead to the next step. The players' experience must have been significant as well. In this match, there were many bright aspects, such as Kelly, Kina, and Tetsuya ITO making an unexpectedly quick return, and I want to reset my mindset for the remaining two matches.

[Coach Okuma's Comment] We took the initiative today, but couldn't get the result we wanted. We had informed the players before the game that Motoyama's entry was a crucial moment for the opponent, and we had taken care of it. However, in the end, we were overwhelmed by Motoyama on the front line. We need to switch our mindset and aim to win the remaining two matches.