Aim to break the losing streak at home!

　Returning home after 3 games, Tokyo aims to break their losing streak. In Sec. 7, they will face Kashiwa Reysol. However, Tokyo is in a difficult situation today, with Miyazawa suspended and Ito absent due to poor health. Kina starts as a defensive midfielder for the first time this season. Also, Komine starts as a center-back for the second time this season, since the Levain Cup on May 12. In times like this, everyone should strive for the goal through football and seize victory.

　On the other hand, Kashiwa had become a different team from the 1st stage. With the new coach Aurelio, they aim to gain momentum by introducing a fresh lineup centered around Brazilian players MF Sampai, Ricardinho, and FW Edmilson, and are planning for three consecutive victories.

　Tokyo is expected to rely on side attacks centered around Sato, while in response to this, Kashiwa has changed their defense line from the traditional 3-back to a 4-back. Previously, both Watanabe (Hikari) and Hirayama, who were positioned high up the field as wing-backs, have been pulled back to the defense line. Additionally, Sampaião will be marking Kelly, and Nebariki will be marking Amaral, demonstrating a thorough man-to-man marking approach.

　The highly anticipated match has started, with Tokyo trying to break through this defensive network of Kashiwa.

Losing the Losing Streak 

Following two consecutive away defeats F.C.TOKYO returned to Tokyo Stadium for the seventh game of the second stage against Kashiwa Reysol. TOKYO, without the services of the suspended Miyazawa, the injured Ito and Japan Under 21 team members Ishikawa and Moniwa, fielded an unfamiliar formation.
Kina made his first start of the season as a defensive midfielder while Komine appeared at centre back for his second start of the year.
Reysol are a team reborn after a disastrous first stage. Under new coach Aurelio, with the Brazilian trio of Sampaio, Ricardinho and Edilson at the heart of the team, they had won three straight games and were slowly dragging themselves away from the relegation zone.
To counter the threat of Sato down the flanks Reysol switched from their customary three back system to a back four with Mitsuteru Watanabe and Hirayama in more withdrawn positions; they also elected to man mark Kelly and Amaral. How TOKYO would deal with this approach was the main question as the game kicked off on a glorious autumn afternoon.

Despite creating chances in the latter part of the first half, Toda's header did not result in a goal.

　From the start of the first half, both teams continued to battle in the congested midfield. In the midst of that, in the 4th minute, Kina, who had drifted to the left side, and in the 7th minute, Sato, who had crossed from the right side, both had their crosses caught by the opponent's goalkeeper. In the 8th minute, Kashiwa kept possession with precise passing in front of the goal, and Edmilson sent a final pass to the free forward Unozawa in the left penalty area, but Komiya showed quick cover and escaped with a corner kick. In the 12th minute, Kelly and Sato connected from a counterattack, and Toda broke through with the final pass, but unfortunately it was offside.

　However, Amaral and Kelly were unable to control the ball and dominate Tokyo, which is good at marking closely. As a result, the game gradually shifted to Tokyo's side against Kashiwa, which excels in ball retention.

　Kashiwa earned a corner kick in the 16th minute when FW Unozawa broke through on the right side from a through pass by MF Ono. In the 17th minute, Edmilson in the right midfield was fouled and awarded a free kick. They also won corner kicks in the 24th and 26th minutes. In the 30th minute, Unozawa attempted to break through into the penalty area from a promising attack, but Tokyo's defense was quick to react and prevented any shots on goal.

　Tokyo repeatedly tries to find a way through the sides using Kaji's long throw, but they struggle to create opportunities in the front line. In the 33rd minute, Amalao headed down Kelly's pass from the right side in the penalty area, and Kina took a middle shot. It went over the bar, but it was the first shot of the day for both teams. In the 36th minute, Kelly ran into the front line with a through pass from Kina, but their combination didn't work. In the 37th minute, they successfully brought the ball into a counterattack using the space on the left side, but Kashiwa took it away in front of the goal. Adilson and Ricardinho quickly launched an attack, and DF Hirayama ran in from behind and took a shot. The ball was cut by a DF and escaped to a corner kick.

　In defense, Tokyo shows good points such as Komine's tenacity and Fujiyama's interceptions, but in attack, their lack of decisiveness makes it difficult to find a way through. However, in the 40th minute, Amaral heads in a cross from Kaji. Then, Kelly sends a through pass to Toda who breaks through the front line, but the Kashiwa DF cuts it off. From the resulting corner kick, Jean unleashes a sharp header, but unfortunately it goes straight to the goalkeeper. In the 43rd minute, Sato receives a pass from the left side and breaks through to the right side of the goal area to take a shot, but the goalkeeper makes a save. Tokyo shows their momentum.

　And in the 44th minute, after receiving a throw-in from the right side, Jang Hyun Soo crosses the ball, and Toda attempts a header shot. The ball shakes the net, and it seemed like the opening goal. However, Toda's play was judged as a foul against the goalkeeper, and the goal was not allowed. A missed opportunity.

　The first half was lackluster for both teams, but Tokyo created opportunities towards the end, building anticipation as they headed into the second half.

TOKYO Create Chances 

TOKYO started positively, breaking free of the midfield morass to launch crosses into the danger area in the 4th and 7th minutes. The latter led to a quick counter attack from Reysol but a well-timed block by Komine on Edilson averted the danger. In the 12th minute neat interplay between Kelly and Sato saw Toda breach the Reysol defence only to be given offside in a very marginal decision. TOKYO were dominating possession but the blanket defence and man-marking tactics of the visitors denied any clear-cut chances.
Reysol threatened mainly at set pieces and won a string of corners midway through the half which the home defence dealt with comfortably. In the 30th minute a cross-field ball reached Unozawa inside the TOKYO penalty area but the brief danger was soon smothered. Such was the efficacy of both defences that the game had to wait until the 33rd minute, when Kina volleyed Amaral's knockdown over the bar, for the first shot. A fast break from Reysol in the 37th minute saw Ricardinho set up Hirayama but a lunging defender turned his shot around the post.
TOKYO turned up the pressure as the first half drew to a close. Amaral connected with an early cross to send a header wide, Kelly's through ball to Toda was scrambled away for a corner which Jean headed straight at the goalkeeper and in the 44th minute TOKYO thought they had the lead. A throw in on the right reached Kaji who delivered a pin point cross for Toda to nod past the keeper. Unfortunately the goal was disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper. The half finished 0-0, neither side having been able to dominate.

A sense of goal, but Komine is sent off... A battle with 10 players for the third consecutive game.

　Tokyo, which switched gears even after Toda's no goal, approached the second half. In the 46th minute, Sato intercepted and sent a cross to Amaral in front of the goal with speed, but the opponent's DF Watanabe (Hikari) made a desperate clearance just in time. In the 48th minute, Kashiwa also had Unozawa diving headfirst into Edison's pass, but the shot missed to the left. In the 52nd minute, Kaji's long throw went over Amaral's head, and Toda, who picked it up on the left side, turned and shot. In the 54th minute, Fujiyama ran up the left side and cut inside to take a shot. The ball floated slightly to the upper right, but it was a good shot that gave a sense of a goal. In the 57th minute, Fujiyama sent a cross into the left penalty area from an early restart, but it narrowly missed Sato, who jumped in from the right, and the opponent's DF cut it off. In the 61st minute, Sato headed Fujiyama's cross in the center of the goal, but it went over the goal. Tokyo created the starting point of the attack even from the left side and pushed Kashiwa.

　Kashiwa substituted FW Kato for Ohno here. It was in the 62nd minute right after that. Komine fouled Unozawa, who received a pass from Ricardinho, near the penalty arc. Komine had already received a warning in the 35th minute of the first half and received a second warning for "repeated violation" in this play, resulting in his dismissal. Tokyo will face their third consecutive match playing with 10 players.

Early Bath For Komine 

Spurred by the disallowed "goal" TOKYO began the second half at a furious pace and soon had Reysol on the ropes. Sato made a smart interception and set off down the wing before curling an inviting center towards Amaral; a desperate clearance foiled the "King of Tokyo". In the 52nd minute, Amaral flicked a Kaji long throw into Toda's path but his shot was blocked. Soon after, Fujiyama cut in from the left and fired a rising effort that drifted just wide of the left upright. In the 57th minute, a quickly taken free kick found Fujiyama on the left of the Reysol penalty area but his cross, aimed at Sato, was cleared. The same pair combined shortly after and this time Sato connected with Fujiyama's cross, only to see the ball sail over the bar. Just as TOKYO seemed about to make a breakthrough, disaster struck. Komine brought down Ricardinho on the edge of the penalty arc and was shown the yellow card, his second of the game. Red followed and Komine trudged disconsolately from the field; for the third consecutive game TOKYO were down to ten men.

Decided in one chance, painful three consecutive defeats

　In Tokyo, they moved Shimotaira down to center back, but in the 67th minute, they substituted Asari for Kina. They moved Shimotaira back to defensive midfielder, placed Asari on the left of the defense, and Jean and Fujiyama formed the final line.

　The unfolding seemed to be a similar scene to the previous match, but Kashima's attack was not necessarily powerful, and while Tokyo was being pushed back, in the 81st minute Amaral connected from Toda's post and Shimodaira took a middle shot, unfolding a balanced battle that did not make them feel behind.

　But it was a momentary gap. In the 84th minute, Kashiwa slowly passed the ball to the right of the penalty area, and Ricardinho caught up and kept it. He passed it back, and Watanabe (Hikari) crossed directly. Kato jumped into the goal area at the perfect timing and scored with a diving header, resulting in a goal. Tokyo conceded a goal at an unfavorable time.

　After that, Tokyo tried to counterattack without giving up. In the 87th minute, the opponent's defender cut off Kaji's long throw-in, and Amaral picked up the loose ball and took a volley shot, but unfortunately hit the crossbar. However, despite Tokyo's relentless attack, Kashiwa's defense by Sampai and Myojin was effective, and they were not allowed to take shots.

　Entering the 4th minute of stoppage time, Kelly, who received a throw-in from the right side, forcefully attempted to break through but was brought down inside the right penalty area, with no whistle blown. In the end, despite Tsuchiho also showing determination by going up for two consecutive corner kicks, they were unable to take a shot and the time was up. They suffered a painful 3rd consecutive defeat in a self-destructive manner.

[Summary of the press conference by Coach Hara] "In the last three matches, we have been missing players and had players sent off, which has been very tough. In the first half, the rhythm and balance were slightly off, and I don't think it was good at all, but within that, Komine showed his marking skills and Kina gradually showed his strengths. We were able to create good opportunities from the end of the first half to the second half, and we were able to contain Kashiwa's side attacks, so I thought if we could just score a goal. Even with 10 players, we were not being broken down, so I thought if we put Sato and Toda on both sides, the opponent would not be able to come out on the sides, and within that, we wanted to score a goal through side breakthroughs or counterattacks. However, we were scored against in the last minute, and honestly, we didn't have enough time."

3 consecutive game suspensions, I don't think the ejections were that dirty of plays, but I think we need to control that.

[Summary of Kashiwa Aurelio's press conference] "There are no easy games in every match, and today's match was also very difficult. However, Kashiwa's tactic is to neutralize the opponent's key player. Today, we aimed to neutralize Amaral's high balls and eliminate the opponent's attacks from the right side, and we were patient and able to make the right attacks at the right time. Tokyo has Amaral as their top striker, so we used DF Nebariki to mark Amaral and left Satsukawa free, forming a defensive formation biased towards the opponent's right side. I think we succeeded by also shutting down Kelly. In the end, we broke through from the right side and were able to score using Kato."

Kashiwa Snatch Late Winner 

Following Komine's dismissal, Asari replaced Kina and moved into the back line. The nine outfield players stepped up their work rate and matched Reysol right across the field; TOKYO nearly had the lead in the 81st minute as Amaral set up Shimotaira who shot wide. The killer blow came in the 84th minute as Ricardinho chased a long ball down near the corner flag, held it up and slipped it back to Watanabe. Watanabe curled a teasing cross into the TOKYO area which Kato met with a perfectly timed diving header that gave TOKYO keeper Doi no chance.
TOKYO threw everything into attack and nearly equalised in the 87th minute as Amaral volleyed a loose ball over the keeper and onto the bar. Veterans Sampaio and Myojin stood firm at the heart of the Reysol defence and survived a confident appeal for a penalty as Kelly went down under pressure in the 89th minute. Goalkeeper Doi joined the attack as TOKYO won a pair of corners deep in injury time but to no avail and the final whistle blew on a third consecutive defeat.

TOKYO manager Hara:
"That's the third game in a row we've finished with ten men and it's tough. I don't feel the play was dirty but it's something we have to deal with. The first half we couldn't find our balance or rhythm but the period just before and after half time we played well and I thought we would score. We contained Reysol's threat down the flanks and created several chances. After being reduced to ten men we didn't buckle and I felt the threat posed by Sato and Toda might produce something for us. Their goal came from a counter attack down the wing and we ran out of time".

Reysol manager Aurelio:
"There are no easy games but today's game was particularly difficult. We managed to neutralize the main TOKYO threats though: Nebiki was detailed to cut out high balls into Amaral, Kelly was man marked, and Sato was blocked down the right wing. The winning goal came from a move down the right, and Kato took it very well."