A match where we want to take the advantage on the side and win a tough game

　Sec. 11 will be a match against Nagoya Grampus. In the previous match against Omiya, we were able to convert our chances into goals as planned and achieved a consecutive victory. This match will also be a tough battle against the 3rd place Nagoya, but it will be played at Ajinomoto Stadium, our home ground where we are still undefeated this season. In addition, we have kept clean sheets in the last 2 matches and have been able to maintain defensive stability. We will aim for a third consecutive victory with a persistent fight, taking into account the flow of the match and the situation.

　This round, which we will face just 2 days after the previous round, Kajiyama will be suspended due to accumulated warnings. On the other hand, Ishikawa and Hanyu have returned from their injuries, and Hanyu will start for the first time since the Tokyo V match in the 6th round on April 12th. Sasaki and Fujiyama will form the center-back duo, with Imano and Kanazawa as the double defensive midfielders, Hanyu on the left side of the midfield, and Kurizawa as the right midfielder. They will face the match with a 4-4-2 formation.

　Nagoya, on the other hand, is currently in 3rd place with 6 wins, 1 draw, and 3 losses. They have suffered three consecutive defeats in the last three matches, but they were all close losses. Under the new coach Stojkovic, their momentum from the beginning of the season has not diminished. Especially with FW Jansen as the focal point, their attacking play from the full-back positions and the wings is powerful. Although FW Tamada is absent in this match, FW Sugimoto, who is making his first league start, has speed and should be watched closely. In addition, DF Masukawa has been deployed as a center-back, and Bayarritz has been used as a right full-back. In midfield, Maginun has been positioned centrally, with Ogawa and Sugimoto on the left and right wings, respectively.

　In response to this, Tokyo wants to endure firmly and take advantage in the attacking and defending on the sides. They want to take the initiative and aim for goals and victory by utilizing Cabore and Akamine's quick movements. On the final day of Golden Week, the match started at 15:04 with Nagoya's kickoff, gathering 30,825 spectators at the sunny Ajinomoto Stadium.

Nagatomo has an accident and allows the opponent to take advantage and score first

　In the early stages, both teams tried to make the most of their strengths from tough defense. In the 2nd minute, Nagoya's Nagatomo intercepted a loose ball in midfield and connected with Cabore, who took a shot from outside the box. Shortly after, Nagoya's midfielder Ogawa also attempted a shot from outside the box. In the 3rd minute, Nagoya's forward Yonson entered the box from a post pass, but the final pass went out of bounds. In the 9th minute, Nagoya's defender Imakano intercepted the opponent's clearance and passed it to Akamine, who then passed it to Cabore. Cabore chased after the loose ball that Nagoya's defenders tried to clear and took a shot from just outside the box, but it went wide.

　In the midst of a back-and-forth battle, in the 13th minute, Nagoya left-back Nagatomo, who made a move on the left side, injured his right arm in a contest with the opponent and left the pitch for treatment. In the meantime, in the 17th minute, a pass from Nagoya left-back Abe to midfielder Ogawa, who ran from left to center. Unable to apply pressure here, a through pass was played behind Saitoh. Fujiyama couldn't catch up to forward Sugimoto, who ran into this space from the right. In a situation with one less player, they were caught off guard and allowed the opening goal to forward Sugimoto, who they were cautious of.

　After that, Nagatomo returned to the pitch and launched a counterattack, but struggled to keep the ball in the front line against Nagoya's tough press. In the 23rd minute, Nagatomo was fouled on the left side and won a free kick, which was cleared by Nagoya's defense. In the 24th minute, they won another free kick on the right side, and Kurisawa -> Hanyu quickly crossed the ball, but it was blocked by the wall. In the 25th minute, Imakano broke through on the left side and crossed the ball, but Akamine's header shot went over the bar.

　Nagoya also tries to create chances from the side with MF Maginun and DF Abe as the starting point, but Tokyo also concentrates and does not allow additional points. In the 30th minute, the feed aimed at the back of Nagoya DF Sato is cleared, but Cabore picks up the ball outside the area and takes it to the right corner of the area to shoot, but misses widely. In the 35th minute, the loose ball in the midfield is taken away, and Nagoya MF Nakamura runs alone with the dribble. He is given a through pass to FW Jonson, but it is offside. In the 36th minute, they attack from the left corner kick, but Cabore's cross does not reach Akamine. They receive Nagoya's counterattack and end the first half without creating any clear chances.

Unable to take advantage of late opportunities, first home defeat of the season...

　In the second half, Otake was substituted for Hanyu and placed as the right midfielder in an attempt to find a rhythm. Shortly after the start, a pass was connected on the left side, and Kurisawa sent a sharp cross to the far side. Cabore jumped in with his head, but couldn't make contact. In the 48th minute, Nagoya was awarded a free kick from the left side of the midfield. Midfielder Nakamura aimed directly for a shot that narrowly missed the goal, but Shioda's excellent save prevented a dangerous situation. In the 14th minute, Nagoya midfielder Maginun delivered a long cross from the left, which was skillfully collected by forward Yonsen on the far side. In the end, Tokyo's defense surrounded and took the ball, but Nagoya continued to put pressure on them.

　In the 60th minute, Kondo was substituted for Akamine, Kurisawa took a defensive position, thickened the midfield, and tried to counterattack by passing the ball. However, in the 69th minute, Nagoya also strengthened the center by replacing FW Sugimoto with DF Yoneyama as a defensive midfielder. In the 69th minute, Kondo took a powerful shot from the right side, but it was saved by the goalkeeper. In the 71st minute, Nagatomo caught up with a pass to the left front line and skillfully won a corner kick. However, Otake's left corner kick was cleared by the defender and they couldn't finish. In the 72nd minute, Nagatomo entered the penalty area but couldn't connect with Cabore in the center.

　In the 76th minute, Ishikawa was substituted for Kurizawa. With this, they began to grasp the rhythm and in the 79th minute, they obtained a free kick for a foul against Kondo in the opponent's territory. Kondo quickly restarted and sent a ground pass to the front line. Cabore reacted to this and broke through into the area, earning a penalty kick by being brought down by the opponent's goalkeeper. However, Kondo's kick, which was struck with great force in the middle, hit the bar...

　Despite continuing to chase after a goal, Nagoya made a defensive strategy by substituting DF Takeuchi for MF Maginun in the 85th minute. In the 87th minute, Ishikawa picked up a clearance from the opponent's DF and was fouled near the right area, earning a free kick, but Ishikawa's kick went over the bar. Afterwards, as the offense and defense quickly switched, they created another chance from a free kick in the 3 minutes of stoppage time. Fujiyama sent the ball forward, Kabore connected with the loose ball from the opponent's DF, and Kondo took two decisive shots from close range in the left area, but the goalkeeper made consecutive saves and time was up... Despite having a chance to equalize, they were hindered by Nagoya's focused defense and suffered their first home defeat of the season.

　【Player Comments】《Hanyu》"I couldn't create a good rhythm and brought that flow into the second half. I feel responsible for the 0-1 defeat. Nagoya also aimed to secure 3 points without forcefully pursuing additional goals. I think I owe it to the young team. However, I want to continue to enhance our play as an organized unit without wavering."《Sahara》"Nagoya targeted FW Yong-sun and created space, which made it difficult for us. The scene of conceding a goal was also because we were one player short, so we couldn't press MF Ogawa and were caught running behind the defense. We didn't concede any other goals, but we still have to defend for the full 90 minutes."

　[Summary of Manager Jofuku's Press Conference] "Nagoya had lost three consecutive games, so we expected them to come into this match with a strong determination. We were missing Kajiyama due to suspension, which slightly affected the balance of our formation, but the players who played gave their best and showcased their individual strengths. However, there were communication issues and a lack of coordination in the scene where we conceded a goal, partly because Nagatomo was off the pitch for treatment. We need to be more cautious in such situations. Conceding a goal while playing with 10 men is a moment that should be engraved in our hearts. In the second half, we confirmed our approach to be patient and look for opportunities by connecting passes instead of playing long balls, but we couldn't surprise the opponent with any unexpected changes. If we could have added more unpredictability and increased the pace... Connecting passes in the defensive line means being connected, but it is crucial to make decisive passes to the top from the midfield and speed up the game. For that, we need stable possession. Furthermore, it requires solid technique and decision-making. The absence of Kajiyama may have been one factor, but it was also a combination of factors such as condition and Nagoya's pressure. However, these are not easy things to achieve. They take time, so we will continue to work patiently."

　[Nagoya Stojkovic coach's summary of the press conference] "I am very satisfied with today's game. We approached it with a focus on the result, especially after three consecutive losses, and we were able to secure 3 points. The players played a game worthy of victory with organized play. As for the system, the back four remains the same, but we made some changes to the lineup. FC Tokyo has good strikers, so we considered it dangerous to be kicked long balls and positioned defenders Yoshida and Mashikawa in the center of the backline, while allowing Bayaritza to take care of the sides. Not only the defensive players, but also the other players provided good support."