Approaching with a winning posture

　Sec. 11 will be a match against Omiya Ardija, who are currently in 4th place, at home. Despite playing two matches in three days since the previous round, Lucas and Toda have returned from injury. Although they are not in perfect condition, they volunteered to play in this emergency situation of consecutive defeats. In addition, Imano was appointed as the left full-back. Coach Hara explains the reason for this, saying, "Imano has strength against opponents. In the current team situation, it was difficult for him to chase from the front, and his work in the midfield was incomplete, so I wanted him to do a simple job as a full-back." Asari is in the defensive midfield, Miyazawa and Kurizawa are in the center. Lucas starts on the bench, and Yusuke Kondo starts at the top.

　Omiya, who was promoted to the J1 league this season, has not drastically changed their soccer style that they have built since their time in J2, and they have been focusing on a strong defense and powerful counter attacks. With their solid performance, they have accumulated 5 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses. Although their top scorer, FW Cristiano, will be suspended for this match, head coach Hara stated that they have been successfully rotating players and getting results, as seen in their victory against Kashiwa in the previous match with a goal from FW TUTO. Today, MF Fujimoto will be on the bench and MF Ando will make his first start of the season as the right MF.

　J League's campaign "10,000 Goals" is only 8 goals away. This round is also attracting attention for that reason, but it is an important match that Tokyo cannot afford to lose. The players have also expressed their determination and pledged to fight with all their might to break their losing streak. The match started at 3:04 pm with a kickoff from Omiya at the cloudy Ajinomoto Stadium, receiving support from the passionate stands.

Going For Victory 

Fourth placed Omiya Ardija were the visitors for the 11th game of the season. F.C. TOKYO welcomed back the determined but far from completely recovered Lucas and Kaji. Manager Hara raised eyebrows by naming Konno as left side back but explained his choice at the pre-match press conference by saying, "He's physically very strong but has been stymied in his attacking role recently due to the team's current situation. A simpler role is in order today". Asari filled the holding midfield position with Miyazawa and Kurisawa in front of him. Lucas was named to the substitutes bench while Yusuke Kondo appeared as lone striker.
Newly promoted Ardija had made little change to the defensive, counter attacking style that served them so well in J2 last year. Top scorer Christian was suspended and another Brazilian, Tuto, took his place. "Ardija are very skilled at selecting a team depending on their opponents and have the results to prove it," commented Hiromi Hara. Midfielder Fujimoto was on the bench while Ando made his season debut.
The J.League 10,000th Goal Campaign was nearing its climax as only 8 more tallies were needed to reach that figure at kick off. The match was a hugely important one for TOKYO as the team struggled desperately to break out of the recent slump. The roar of the crowd reached a crescendo as Ardija kicked off on an overcast afternoon.

Despite conceding the first goal from a PK, Ishikawa and Yusuke Kondo's fine goals put us ahead.

　In the early stages, there was intense competition in the midfield, and both teams struggled to create scoring opportunities. Tokyo was trying to establish a rhythm by winning the ball through aggressive pressing and spreading it to the wings. In the 7th minute, Toda advanced deep into the right side and sent a cross. In the 9th minute, Omiya FW TUTO entered the right area. He tried to forcefully shoot, but Shigeki responded well and prevented the ball from meeting the target. However, in the 11th minute, during a free kick situation from the left area for Omiya. Jean was judged to have fouled an opponent player in the battle in front of the goal, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded. In the 12th minute, FW TUTO converted the penalty kick, giving the opposing team an early lead.

　Tokyo today did not get discouraged here, despite conceding a goal that disrupted their rhythm. They quickly regained possession and launched attacks, putting pressure on Omiya's goal. In the 15th minute, Toda received a through pass from Kurisawa and took a powerful shot from a difficult angle on the right side, but the opponent's goalkeeper made a save. In the 18th minute, there was a free kick from the right side. Miyazawa took a sharp kick and Toda tried to connect with a header in the area, but it was called offside. In the following 24 minutes, there were three consecutive corner kicks.

　And it was the 28th minute. On the left side, there was a continued struggle within the Omiya team, but Imakano picked up the loose ball and made a fierce dash towards the goal. He then sent a last pass to Ishikawa, who had moved up to the center. With the approaching defenders, Ishikawa took a direct shot with his right foot. The ball drew a beautiful arc and went into the goal! A wonderful shot from Ishikawa, in combination with Imakano, equalized the score. By the way, this goal was the 9999th goal in J1 history.

　Tokyo, who continued to play with passion, pushed Omiya back with set plays. In the 34th minute, Miyazawa aimed directly for the goal from a distant FK position. In the 36th minute, Ishikawa was brought down in the right area corner, resulting in another FK. However, both of Miyazawa's kicks were blocked by the opposing DF. In the 42nd minute, Toda persisted in the front line and earned a left CK. However, once again, the Omiya DF cut it off. Despite earning many set plays, they were unable to convert them into goals.

　In the 44th minute, when it seemed like the first half was about to end, there was a scramble on the opponent's left side, and Konno, who had taken possession of the ball, passed it to the front line. The ball hit the opponent's DF and rolled to the left end line. Kondo Yusuke rushed out and turned the opponent's DF at a deep position. He boldly shot from the left corner of the goal area and pierced the net on the opposite side, scoring a goal. The score was now 2-1, and they headed into the second half.

TOKYO Bounce Back In Style

The game began as a furious midfield battle with neither side able to seize the initiative. TOKYO looked to win the ball and hit the flanks. Toda made headway down the left and centered in the 7th minute. Tuto then burst into the TOKYO area but a thunderous block from Moniwa denied the former TOKYO man. In the 11th minute, Ardija won a free kick outside the area and when the cross came in, a player went down under pressure from Jean and the referee awarded a penalty. Tuto netted decisively and TOKYO were behind.
TOKYO were unfazed by the cruel blow and redoubled their efforts. In the 15th minute, Kurisawa rolled a perfectly weighted through ball into the path of Toda, bursting into the area. Toda lashed a drive goalward from an acute angle that Aratani parried away. The same player then made contact with Miyazawa's free kick but was given offside. TOKYO turned the screw, winning a succession of corners in the 24th minute.
The pressure told in the 28th minute. Konno rampaged forward, shrugging off challenges, before slipping the ball to Ishikawa on the edge of the Ardija penalty area. Ishikawa struck first time with the outside of his right boot and the ball described a perfect arc through the air and inside the right post. Ishikawa's exquisite goal tied the scores and became the 9,999 goal since the inception of the J.League.
TOKYO set about Ardija with renewed vigor. The visitors were stretched and resorted to a series of fouls and desperate clearances to maintain parity. They seemed to have weathered the storm but another fine goal put TOKYO ahead in the 44th minute. Konno again won the ball in midfield and launched it forward towards Kondo. Kondo managed to reach the ball just short of the byline but with no support in sight and a gaggle of orange shirts between him and the goal, little seemed available. He deftly cut the ball back and accelerated into the area before hammering a low drive that ripped across the face of the goal and nestled inside the far post. TOKYO left the field to tumultuous applause with a 2-1 lead.

Despite breaking the losing streak, victory slips away at the last moment...

　Omiya brought in MF Fujimoto in the second half and went for the win. Tokyo also maintained their aggressive stance and immediately after the start of the second half, Yusuke Kondo took a powerful shot from the left area. The opponent's GK managed to escape with a CK. From this CK, Imakawa headed a shot but it went over the bar. In the 52nd minute, Kondo and Toda broke through Omiya's right side and Kondo took the final shot but it was cut off by a defender. Then Ishikawa broke through the right side and earned a CK. Kondo competed for Ishikawa's kick but was unable to capitalize on the chance.

　Omiya made a substitution in the 56th minute, replacing DF Mikami with MF Hashimoto on the left. Left MF Hisanaga moved to defensive midfielder, and defensive midfielder Nishimura dropped to right SB, as they tried to mount a comeback. From this point on, Tokyo gradually lost control of the ball and Omiya took control of the midfield. In the 66th minute, Kondo Yusuke received a side change from Miyazawa on the left and dribbled into the middle for a shot. It had power, but it went just wide to the right. In the 69th minute, Omiya made another substitution, bringing on FW Yokoyama for MF Davidson Marcus, to strengthen their attack. Tokyo also made substitutions, bringing on Kobayashi for Toda in the 71st minute, and Lucas for a tired Kondo Yusuke in the 73rd minute.

　In the 76th minute, a scene of a FK from the right area inside the Omiya team. The opponent DF committed a foul against Lucas in front of the goal, and they got a PK. Lucas himself scored it perfectly and pushed Omiya to 3-1... or so it seemed. However, in the 77th minute, Omiya gave a left CK and DF Toninho fell near the ball and headed it in. The floating ball was sucked into the goal, and in no time, the gap was reduced to one point. Ultimately, this goal would have a big impact on the game afterwards.

　As the momentum of the counterattack increased, Omiya launched a power play, making the remaining 15 minutes a tough battle. In the 81st minute, a decisive cross was sent to Hashimoto from Omiya's right corner kick, creating a dangerous situation in front of the goal, but it was cleared by Lucas. In the 86th minute, a wave of attacks was allowed, and Hisanaga made a decisive cross from the right area. TUTO, who was free in the far area, aimed for a header, but it went over the bar and nothing came of it.

　Time entered into stoppage time for 3 minutes. Immediately after that, the opponent's free kick was cut off, Miyazawa sent a pass to Ishikawa, who quickly ran to the front line, and Ishikawa rushed to the left area and took a shot, but it was saved by the opponent's goalkeeper with one foot. And there were only a few tens of seconds left. Kobayashi was robbed of the ball in the left area and thrown into the Omiya front line. Inoue's clearance hit the opponent and bounced back in front of TUTO, who was in front of his own goal. And the pass went to FW Morita, who ran in from the left, and he was finally scored. It was a frustrating turn of events to be caught up in a tie when victory was within reach. Although they escaped from consecutive losses, they only gained 1 point.

　【Player Comments】《Yusuke KONDO》"(On the scoring scene) The ball came loose and I thought I wouldn't lose in a one-on-one situation, so I cut back on the opposing defender. Usually I would choose to pass here, but today I thought I could take a chance and hit it with all my might. It went into the far side net, but that was the only option. I didn't touch the ball much outside of the goal scene. I wish I could have been more involved..."《Ishikawa》"We wanted to win. But we got one point and I think the momentum will change. It wasn't a good game, but we were able to score in a way we haven't before by connecting on second balls. The scoring opportunity was created by Konno's aggressive play. Personally, I had been trying to do the same thing before that, but the opponent was able to take it away. It's important to keep repeating it. We need to switch gears and do our best next time."《Lucas》"I wasn't fully recovered from my injury, but I wanted to play even if it meant pushing myself. It's disappointing to end in a draw. The whole team is feeling frustrated. But it's important to think positively. I think we were able to show our fighting spirit today. We need to make the necessary adjustments and move in a good direction."

　[Summary of Manager Hara's Press Conference] "We were hoping to hold on and escape with a win by managing the time well... but we couldn't endure for a few seconds and ended up being caught up, which is very disappointing. However, amidst these tough matches, the supporters have been giving us warm support. I think the players showed a fighting spirit and looked forward. Of course, we wanted 3 points. The result remained at 1 point, but we must continue to show the same attitude as today. The problem was not the goal we conceded in injury time, but the goal we conceded from a corner kick after it became 3-1. If that didn't happen, the situation would have changed. As for the last goal, we wanted to use a little more time, but it was easily taken and thrown in. We need to fix that, but the players are lifting their heads in a tough situation. We must turn this into 1 point that leads to the next match."

　[Omiya Miura's press conference summary] "It was a game where we were losing for a long time and the 90 minutes felt long. The last 15 minutes were good, but the overall performance was very unsatisfactory. One key point was getting a penalty kick and taking the lead, but it ended up becoming a negative factor. We went into a defensive mode and clearly felt Tokyo's momentum. I thought we would eventually be overtaken. We were already behind in the first half, so at halftime I told the players, 'I don't want to see this kind of game. Let's start over.' We went back on the attack and had several chances to equalize through set pieces. Even when we were down by 2 points, the players didn't give up and managed to tie the game. I think we did well with the substitutions we made in the second half. In football, even if you try to start over in the second half after a bad first half, it's difficult to change the flow of the game. I want to take this game as a lesson. If we continue like this, we won't be able to maintain our current ranking."

TOKYO Break Losing Streak 

Ardija sent on Fujimoto for the second half but it was TOKYO who nearly extended their lead as Kondo skillfully controlled a long ball and produced a rasping drive that Aratani fingertipped over the bar. Konno made contact with the resulting corner but failed to hit the target. TOKYO maintained the pressure with Ishikawa and Kondo looking dangerous but were unable to repeat their earlier heroics.
In the 56th minute Ardija replaced defender Mikami with midfielder Hashimoto and revamped their formation. Hashimoto moved onto the left of midfield, Hisanaga moved into a defensive midfield role and defensive midfielder Nishimura moved to right side back. The changes proved effective; TOKYO suddenly were struggling as Ardija wrested midfield domination away from them. Kondo curled a shot narrowly wide of the far post in the 66th minute. Ardija then beefed up their attack by replacing Davidson with striker Yokoyama. TOKYO responded by bringing on Kobayashi for Toda and Lucas for Kondo.
The changes paid off almost immediately. Jean lofted a free kick forward, Lucas tumbled and the referee pointed to the spot. Lucas smashed the penalty past Aratani and TOKYO seemed home and dry.
Less than a minute later Ardija won a corner on the right. Defender Toninho made contact with Fujimoto's well struck effort as he fell backwards and the ball sailed back across goal and under the bar to reduce the lead to a single goal. The pendulum swung back to Ardija and the visitors pushed forward in search of an equaliser. TOKYO defended desperately and seemed to have won the game when disaster struck in the third minute of injury time. Ishikawa raced free on goal only to see Aratani save with his feet; Kobayashi then lost possession on the left allowing Ardija to pump the ball forward. Konno's attempted clearance struck an opponent and landed in the path of Tuto. Tuto slipped the ball inside to Morita who clipped it past Doi to tie the score. TOKYO saw victory snatched from them with the penultimate kick of the match but had finally snapped the losing streak.


Players' comments
Kondo:
"I pulled the ball back and went for the far post. There was nothing else to aim at. Usually I would pass in that situation but I just decided to go for it. Apart from the goal I hardly touched the ball though. I really wanted to get into the game more".

Ishikawa:
"We really wanted to win today. It wasn't great football but we got a point and hopefully things will start to turn around now. We'll give it everything in the next game".

Lucas:
"I'm not 100% fit but I was desperate to get on the field and help the side today. It's very disappointing we couldn't win. Things are tough right now but we've got to stay positive. If we can do that we'll be going in the right direction".


F.C.TOKYO manager Hara:
"It's a real shame we couldn't run the clock down and hang on for the win. The fans were absolutely superb again today. The team showed great character and determination. The second goal we conceded, from the corner, really changed the game. If that hadn't gone in, the result would have been very different. Still, we have a point and the players' heads are up. We want to show the same commitment in the next game."

Ardija manager Miura:
"That felt like a very long 90 minutes today as we were losing for most of it. We played well in the last 15 minutes but the performance was lacking in many ways. For example, after we got the penalty we became quite negative and that allowed TOKYO back into the game. I wasn't surprised at all when they scored twice in the first half. I gave the players a rocket at half time and it worked; we could easily have scored earlier in the second half. After we fell two behind the substitutions worked well and the players never gave up. That's why we could take a point from this game. We learned a good lesson today though: if we play like this we won't maintain our league position".