Challenge boldly even away, and achieve the first victory in Nabisco!

　The second match of the Nabisco Cup qualifying league was played away against Júbilo Iwata. In the previous match against Shimizu, we were able to connect passes and attack until the opponent's goal, but we couldn't score. On the contrary, we suffered a defeat due to the opponent's skillful game management and their decisive power at crucial moments. As Coach Satoshi said, "I want to make the team unbeaten in the league matches. In that sense, we will approach the away game with a stronger determination." We want to challenge boldly and do whatever it takes to achieve our first victory in the Nabisco Cup.

　Iwata, on the other hand, suffered a defeat in the opening match, but has had two impressive victories in the last two matches. Under the guidance of coach Atsushi UCHIYAMA, the team's concept and individual roles have been well established, following last season. In the previous match, they achieved victory by launching quick attacks. It is important to pay close attention to the speed of new signings, forward Ban and midfielder Nishi. In addition, while we want to exploit the spaces on the sides against Iwata's 3-5-2 formation, coach Hiroshi JOFUKU is cautious, saying "Iwata has its own strengths, which is why they have chosen the 3-5-2 formation, so it won't be easy to create spaces."

　Tokyo changed the starting lineup from the Shimizu match. In particular, Otake started for Ishikawa, who injured his leg. Otake said, "There are players like Yamamoto from Iwata and rookies who are playing in the game, so I don't think it's surprising to start. However, if I start, I have to prioritize getting the team's rhythm. I want to play easily where I should and give my all from the beginning." Coach Jofuku said, "Players who have been given a chance and produced results have emerged, and everyone's motivation, including the substitutes, is high." We hope for the emergence of new members.

　In terms of game control, Iwata is as skillful as Shimizu, but they want to stay calm and extend "their own time" without rushing. In addition, they want to aim for victory by actively challenging to break through Iwata's strong midfield and solid defense. The match started exactly at 2:00 PM with the kickoff in Tokyo at Yamaha Stadium.

Despite creating scoring opportunities, both teams ended the first half without any goals

　The game progressed with a fast exchange of offense and defense from the start. Both teams quickly moved forward from focused defense, fiercely contested, but neither created decisive chances. However, as time passed, Tokyo launched side attacks to exploit the space of the Iwata DF and gained momentum. In the 21st minute, Cabore received a cross from Tokunaga on the right side, but Akamine's shot was offside. In the 24th minute, Kajiyama passed to Cabore in the center, who sprinted up the left side. He bypassed the opponent's DF and crossed, but it didn't reach Akamine who jumped in from the far side. Kajiyama picked up the ball that escaped to the opposite side and crossed again, but the opponent's DF cleared it.

　27 minutes, Kanazawa on the left side sends a long ball to the front line, and Akamine, who cleverly slipped behind the opponent's defense, receives it and shoots directly. He couldn't find the target. In the 33rd minute, Cabore drops the ball on the right side of the opponent's field, and Otake dribbles and passes it through to Cabore, who runs into the area again. Cabore stretches his leg to catch the pass from behind and shoots forward. It was a decisive chance, but it was blocked by the opponent's goalkeeper's great save.

　At the 38th minute, quickly transitioning from the opponent's corner kick, Tokunaga dribbles from their own half to the front of Iwata's goal. He takes a daring shot from just outside the box, but it is also blocked by the goalkeeper. On the contrary, at the 44th minute, Iwata launches a quick counterattack, with midfielder Ota drawing Tokyo's defenders towards the goal and providing a final pass to forward Bandai, who came in from the right. Bandai takes a decisive shot, but it is saved by Shioda, avoiding a dangerous situation. Throughout the match, both teams defended well and the first half ended scoreless.

With 2 goals from Akamine, they quickly pulled away and achieved their first victory away at Iwata

　The second half also saw intense exchanges of offense and defense, but the momentum was with Tokyo. In the 52nd minute, Akamine → Cabore → Otake made a dash into the right area from the right side. They bravely took a shot, but the goalkeeper made a save. Then, in the 53rd minute, Otake dribbled out of the right area from Emerson's pass and delivered a sharp ground cross in front of the goal. Cabore was unable to get past it, but it reached Akamine on the left side. Unable to shoot directly with his feet, he didn't give up and redirected the ball into the goal, taking the lead.

　In the 59th minute, Kawaguchi was substituted for Emerson. As Iwata chased after a goal and launched a fierce counterattack, Kawaguchi, with his abundant physicality, got involved in both offense and defense by getting involved with the ball. In the 65th minute, he tenaciously stole the opponent's ball and dribbled up, taking a shot. Although it narrowly missed above the frame, it brought momentum to the team. Then, in the 66th minute, he stole the ball on the left side, Kawaguchi dribbled up and crossed the ball in front of the goal, and Ohata dropped it to Cabore with a header on the opposite side. Cabore couldn't make a shot, but he persistently stretched his leg to connect while being surrounded and in an unstable position. Akamine reacted to this and kicked it into the unguarded goal, scoring the second goal.

　Iwata also started to counterattack. In the 74th minute, FW Nakayama and MF Namiha were simultaneously substituted. FW Nakayama energetically moved around the front line, while MF Namiha settled the ball in the midfield and spread effective passes to the left and right, leading the attack. With these two veteran players, the momentum began to shift towards Iwata. However, Tokyo also substituted Nagatomo and Hirayama for the visibly tired Cabore and Akamine. They maintained their attacking posture until the end. In the final stages, Iwata threw the ball into the goal area and tried to score, but the team remained united, concentrated, and suppressed the counterattack, securing a 2-0 victory! They achieved their first victory in the Nabisco Cup and obtained their first 3 points at Yamaha Stadium.

　【Player Comments】《Akamine》"We lost the first game, so it would have been tough if we had lost again. I really wanted to win. It was good that I was able to score and contribute to the team in my first start. For the first goal, I think the pass was too close to my feet and I couldn't shoot it directly... I don't really remember (laughs). For the second goal, the ball came to me in a good spot and there were no Iwata players around, so all I had to do was score. (Could you hear Coach Jofuku's instructions during the game?) The opponent was playing with a back three, so I was instructed to cover the defensive midfielder. That's why I was able to get loose. (The Nabisco Cup has been going well since last season, right?) That's just a coincidence. But I think that being able to respond with a goal when given the chance will lead to the next one. I cramped up at the end."《Otake》"I was nervous in my first start, and at the beginning I was out of breath and couldn't move my body. But I gradually got used to it and felt more relaxed. Today, I thought Iwata would play with a back three, so I was conscious of the space on the sides and making runs behind the defense, which our forwards are good at. For the first goal, Emerson gave me a good pass. In the play before that, I had taken a shot with my right foot, so the opponent must have thought I would shoot again... So I didn't shoot and instead saw Shingo-san in the middle, so I crossed it to him. In the second half, I was able to play calmly and see my surroundings better. I was able to think about how to move in a way that would make the opponent uncomfortable. (There were also plays where you won the ball without losing contact?) The opponent probably thought I was small and weak. So I thought I could win if I went in with all my might. I didn't think about pacing myself for the full 90 minutes. I thought I might have to be substituted because my legs were starting to cramp in the second half, but I was able to play until the end. The longer I play, the more I can do the things I want to do, so I was happy about that. But I still need to work on my stamina, and I couldn't get involved with the ball at the beginning and end of the game. I think it's important to get more involved and create a rhythm."

　[Summary of Manager Jofuku's Press Conference] "We were cautious of Iwata's passing game and quick movement, and we tried to prevent them from showing their strengths while showcasing our own strengths. At first, we became a bit rigid and kicked the ball too much. However, our team tends to have a poor start to the game, so we tried to play it safe and that's how it turned out. The game settled down in the middle and I think we had an even game in the first half. In the second half, the opponent may have had a slight advantage in midfield possession, but we were able to utilize the speed when we went forward, which was a lesson learned from the previous game. I felt that there was a possibility if we could bring the ball to the attacking third. It was good that we were able to score from such a development. In the second half, we were in a bit of a pinch when the ball was thrown in, but until then, we were able to play a solid game without being broken down. (What is your evaluation of starting player Otake?) Among the players who started for the first time today, I think he had a considerable presence, and among the players who were able to perform in daily practice, he did the same things that he does in practice. (First victory at Yamaha Stadium?) I just found out now. Anyway, we wanted to become a team that doesn't lose, and we sent the players out with a strong determination. I think the players fought with a strong mindset. I didn't know it was our first victory."

　[Summary of Iwata Uchiyama's press conference] "If we could create enough time around the midfield from the beginning, the game would have settled down, but we couldn't do that and ended up playing a back-and-forth game. Even in that situation, it would have been good if we could have scored the first goal, but in the end, we conceded a goal in that way. In the end, when Nabe entered and handled the ball in the midfield, we had time and the backline pushed up, allowing us to play compact football. I felt various things, and it was a game that created challenges for the future. Looking at the opponent's formation, if we quickly realized that we had three players in the midfield and the opponent had two, and if we calmly created time, we could have pushed up the backline and played compactly, allowing us to attack. However, the recipients didn't move or made mistakes, resulting in the opponent taking the ball away from us. There were many situations where we were caught off guard on the sides, but the way we lost the ball was bad before that. Because we lose the ball poorly and are not compact, we are unable to push up easily and the opponent targets the space behind the three-back. In terms of attacking and defending as one, if we can't create enough time in the midfield during the attack and we are not compact, it becomes like that in defense. If we move precisely 2 or 3 meters and get involved in the ball, the ball will move quickly. We need players who can embody that kind of football. Nabe and Nakayama were able to do that when they entered, but instead of relying on them indefinitely, we need to make it a challenge to bring Jubilo back to strength. Today, we felt that and it was a good material for reflection. If we can create enough time in the midfield, even if the opponent is pulling back, we can draw them out and break them down, but we need to enhance the composition power of the midfield, including the central midfield and the sides, and continue to create the game."