Yoichi DOI sets new Japanese record!

　Sec. 11 of the 2nd stage is an away game against Hiroshima. The venue is Hiroshima Big Arch, which has been used since 2002. It is an important match where we can move up from 9th to 6th place if we win by a difference of 2 points or more, considering the results of other matches yesterday and today's acquisition of 3 points.

　Hiroshima currently has 2 wins, 5 losses, and 3 draws in the 2nd stage, with 11 points. They have been unable to secure a win in their recent 3 matches, all of which ended in a draw. In order to increase ball possession in the midfield and add depth to their attack, they have replaced FW Takeshi OKI, who scored 2 goals in the previous match, with Hiroshi Morisaki.

　Tokyo, on the other hand, has not been able to accumulate points. In the recent 5 league matches, they have 1 win, 2 draws, and 2 losses. The explosive attacking power they had before, with all 3 goals coming from set plays, has disappeared. In this match, considering the condition, Miura will be replaced by Miyazawa, Kanazawa by Fujiyama, Kelly by Kajiyama, and Baba by Noriyuki Suzuki, significantly changing the starting lineup and approaching the game with a fresh formation.

　In this match, Doi will set a new Japanese record with a consecutive match appearance record of 146. I also want to win comfortably and end it, considering the Nabisco Cup final on November 3rd (Wed, holiday) three days later. In the midst of occasional heavy rain, a one-minute silence was observed to mourn the victims of the Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake before the kickoff by Hiroshima.

Struggling more than expected on a slippery pitch

　The former coach told the players in the meeting before the locker room "The way we start the first game is important", "The pitch is slippery, so be careful", "Let's shoot more than 10 times in the first half and be aggressive" and sent them off. However, as instructed by the coach, Kajiyama's middle shot just after the start and Lucas' shot from an angle of 7 minutes, we had been playing an aggressive game up to this point, but gradually we were drawn into the opponent's pace by a set play that surprised Hiroshima.

　In the 9th minute, a tricky floating pass by the Morisaki brothers on the right side resulted in a free kick, and DF Komura aimed for a shot but missed the goal. In the 11th minute, Morisaki Kazu kicked a right corner kick to the far side, and Hattori ran in from behind for a free volley shot. This was saved by the post, but the DF line started to get confused and ended up giving the first goal to Hiroshima.

　At the 15th minute, Morisaki Hiroshi put a right corner kick into the goal area with his left foot, and the ball flowed to the far side. Morisaki Kazu picked it up and immediately took a shot after a one-touch trap. This shot pierced into the top right corner of the goal, allowing Hiroshima to score the opening goal.

　Tokyo struggled to connect their attacks smoothly, with both sides focusing on intense battles for the ball in the midfield. In the 22nd minute, Kajiyama received a lofted pass after winning the ball from the opponent. He then dribbled past the opposing defender on the right side but failed to deliver a successful centering pass. In the 23rd minute, Miyazawa quickly delivered a free kick from the left side, but the opponent's goalkeeper punched the ball away. Kaji picked up the loose ball and took a shot, but it was saved by the goalkeeper.

　25 minutes, Ishikawa on the left side, Suzuki Nori, Kajiyama, Suzuki Nori's pass work to break through and centering, but the opponent's defender cuts it off. In the 31st minute, Lucas enters the right side penalty area with a dribble from a throw-in and centers, but Ishikawa picks up the loose ball and shoots it outside the goal frame. Hiroshima also defends from the front line, with MF Bett always involved with the ball and attacking the Tokyo goal with a combination with FW Morita, but they do not allow any goals with an organized defense centered around Doi. In the first half, the slippery pitch affected their ability to keep the ball as desired, and it ended without satisfaction.

Finally, Lucas' equalizing goal brings rhythm to the attack...

　At halftime, Coach Hara instructed, "Let's hit the ball forward without fear and move forward. Let's make sure to do our own job before telling others." However, at the start of the second half, Hiroshima aggressively attacked from the left side, and we were unable to control the ball as we wanted. However, Suzuki Nori created several chances by forcefully dribbling through on the left side, and the whole team started to push forward. And finally, the equalizing goal was scored.

　52 minutes, Suzuki Nori from the left side, via Imano, switched to Kaji on the right side. Before the opponent's defenders could form a defensive line in front of the goal, Suzuki Nori sent a centering pass to the far side. He won the aerial duel with the opponent's defenders and headed the ball down to Lucas, who controlled it with one touch and shot with his left foot! The ball hit the right side net and equalized the score. At the same time, Baba replaced Miyazawa and played as an attacking midfielder. Kajiyama moved to the defensive midfield position, completely controlling the pace of the game for Tokyo.

　When Kajiyama-Baba duo started to keep the ball, the tempo of the attack improved. In the 54th minute, Suzuki Nori ran up with a vertical pass from Baba on the left side and crossed it to the center. Ishikawa, who had been closing in from the right side, took a direct shot but it bounced off target. In the 55th minute, Kajiyama picked up the ball in the midfield and passed it to Suzuki Nori on the left side. He went all the way to the end line and crossed it to the center, but it was cleared by the opponent's defender. However, the momentum was with Tokyo.

　Substitute Toda for Ishikawa in the 59th minute. Hiroshima also made a substitution in the 60th minute, replacing DF Yoshida with MF Komano to strengthen their defense on both sides and try to stop Tokyo's momentum. They also occasionally attempted counterattacks, but in the 61st minute, Morita's header shot from Hattori's left-side centering was caught firmly by Doi. On the contrary, Tokyo had a big chance in the 73rd minute. Kajiyama on the right side exchanged headers with Baba and passed to Toda, who had run behind the defense line, and he shot, but it narrowly missed the left side of the goal.

　Amidst the continued stalemate, Hiroshima brought in Maeda from MF Li in the 77th minute. They tried to gain momentum by bringing in a young and energetic player, but the DF line, centered around Shigenobu and Jean, responded firmly. Conversely, in the 82nd minute, they replaced Kajiyama, who showed signs of fatigue, with Masushima. They made Inomata more attacking and relentlessly attacked Hiroshima's goal, but they couldn't find the decisive blow, and the game ended in a draw. They only managed to secure 1 point.

　【Player Comments】"It wasn't a satisfactory result, and we couldn't create a good attacking shape. I think the goal was the result of our usual shooting practice. (The achievements today were) not losing and being able to catch up even after conceding. I want to approach the Nabisco Final with the same mindset and take a rest for the next two days to adjust." - Lucas "It was a game we could have won. It's disappointing that we conceded despite being cautious about set plays from the beginning. I think we could have won if Toda's shot had gone in, but like the Marinos game, our start to the match was poor. (Regarding the new record) It's nice to have a new record, but since we couldn't win... I think not losing will lead to the next Reds game, and I believe we can win against any opponent if we can play our own soccer. However, it would be great if we could do it on a big stage." - Doi

　[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] At first, we had chances, but I was most wary of the opponent's set plays, as they had scored from a trick play in the previous match, so I expected various tactics from them. However, they executed something unexpected (a floating ball pass) that caught us off guard. This caused the team to become disorganized, and later, from a corner kick, Hattori made a run and hit the post. To be honest, we were really flustered by those two set plays. Additionally, Miyazawa and Ishikawa made mistakes right from the start, which prevented them from showcasing their true abilities. I had expected Miyazawa to utilize fast players on both sides and attack with good side changes, but he became hesitant and stopped going for the ball. In that situation, we conceded a goal from a loose ball after a corner kick, and the first half was completely disappointing. At halftime, everyone was frustrated, so I told them to focus on their own play rather than others, to not be afraid and to ask for the ball more, and to connect with the forwards. Kaji and Fujiyama were hesitant and made sideways passes, which led to dangerous situations. After Baba came in, the combination with Kaji became effective, and we started to control the ball at our pace. It was good until we equalized, but we couldn't finish. It was a very tough match, and in this rain, we struggled with ball control and couldn't fully utilize our speedy players. Rather, Hiroshima played a simple game, consistently pushing forward and picking up loose balls. We wanted the three points, but we want to do our best for the Nabisco Cup Final. (A word towards the Nabisco Cup Final) Yes, I think it's good that we didn't lose today. I watched the Reds' match in Osaka yesterday, and I think the current Reds have good balance. I believe the many instances of the opponent making back passes are due to the momentum of the entire team. Tanaka, Nagai, and Emerson are defending well from the front, which allows the back line to be solid. The three forwards, along with Hasebe, Yamada when we win the ball, and Mitsunobu, are creating a pattern of simple attacks. I believe the Reds are a strong team with momentum, so I want to take today's lesson and play without fear. Rather, I want us to apply pressure and attack quickly after winning the ball, as that will be the key to victory. Since it's a one-off match, I think the team with momentum will win. This is our first final, and the Reds are aiming for the league title for the third consecutive year. We want to play boldly like challengers and win.

　[Hiroshima Ono's press conference summary] First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the supporters who cheered for us until the end in the rain. In the past few games, we have had a series of draws, so our mindset for this game was to take all 3 points, even if we conceded a goal, we wanted to score more than that. I think it's inevitable to concede 1 goal against FC Tokyo. Regarding our performance, I thought that we did what we intended to do until the end, but in this unexpected back-and-forth game, I want us to attack and win within the back-and-forth exchanges, and bring the team to a point where we can attack and win. I want to live with the players in the training for the next game, carrying this feeling of frustration.