First match of the Nabisco quarterfinals, want to take advantage by demonstrating overall strength

　The first match of the Nabisco quarterfinals will be held, welcoming Oita Trinita at home. In order to advance to the semifinals, it is not only important to aim for victory in this match, but also to expand the goal difference based on the total number of victories in the first and second matches. However, if the goal difference is the same, the number of away goals also matters, so "1-0 is a better condition than 2-1," says Coach Jofuku. Therefore, today's game will first and foremost be about "not conceding goals."

　However, due to the red card in the previous match against Chiba, Imano is suspended. Considering the consecutive matches, the team will face this match with a fresh lineup. In the defensive line, Tokunaga will be placed on the left side as a side back, and Mukuhara on the right. In the center back position, Shigeno and Yoshimoto will partner up for the first time since the Kyoto match on March 30th. Ashizaki and Kajiyama will be the defensive midfielders. Ishikawa and Kurisawa will play on the sides, and in the forward line, Hiraoka and Akamine will form the top two, marking the first appearance of the season for Hiraoka. Coach Jofuku said, "I have chosen the lineup to win against Oita," and the team is fully prepared for the match.

　Oita, who will face them, will play the 11th round of the league on an irregular date of June 25th, making it their third consecutive match. However, they have conceded the fewest goals in the league with a total of 12. In the previous match against Kobe, they defended their one goal scored from a set piece and secured a victory. They will approach the tournament with strong determination as it is their first time advancing to the Nabisco Final Round. In particular, FW Weslley, who was absent in the first half of the league, has been in good form. He holds the ball firmly in the front line, while MF Kanazaki in the attacking midfield and MF Suzuki on the wings aggressively push forward. With a talented attacking lineup, it is necessary to be cautious of their counterattacks from the midfield. At the same time, the key to breaking Oita's solid defense lies in how to exploit the spaces.

　Clear skies and a refreshing breeze blow at Ajinomoto Stadium. The crucial match, which cannot be lost in order to advance to the semifinals, started exactly at 19:00 with the kickoff in Oita.

Despite conceding the first goal, we equalized just before the end of the first half with Ishikawa's first goal of the season!

　1 minute into the game, Akamine starts on the left side and passes to Hirayama in the center. Hirayama tries to aim for the goal as he sees an opening, but it hits the face of the Oita GK. After the initial aggressive shot, both teams become cautious and the game becomes a back and forth battle. In the 5th minute, Mukuhara advances and passes with Ishikawa, but it is cut off by the defense and results in a throw-in. In the 10th minute, Kajiyama moves up on the right side and passes into the box. Kurizawa runs in and sends a negative pass, and Mukuhara in the center tries to aim for the goal, but it is blocked by the defense and the ball is loose. Tokyo tries to create chances starting from the right side with Ishikawa and Mukuhara while maintaining a solid defensive line, but they were unable to break through.

　In the 20th minute, MF Kanazaki, who had drifted to the left side of Oita, played a through pass into the area. In response, LM Suzuki made a run, but Shigeki cut it off with a sliding tackle. However, in the 28th minute, Oita's DF Fukaya, who had moved up the right side, sent a ground pass to the front of the goal from FW Weslley. Shigeki cut it off, but the ball floated over his head. He tried to handle it with a header, but Oita's FW Maeda took advantage of the loose ball, quickly took a shot while off balance. The ball was sucked into the upper left corner of the goal, and we ended up conceding the opening goal that we absolutely didn't want to give away...

　However, they calmly counterattacked and in the 39th minute, Hirayama from a early cross by Mukuhara, headed the ball with a high contact point, but the angle was not good and the opponent's goalkeeper caught it. In the 40th minute, they threatened the Oita goal in succession from set plays, but Kajiyama and Hirayama's direct shots were defended. However, in the first half injury time, from Kurihara's keep, Asari sent a vertical pass to Kajiyama in the center, who then made a one-touch pass to the left side where Hirayama was. At the perfect timing, Ishikawa broke through and scored a goal! With Ishikawa's first goal of the season, they equalized just before the end of the first half.

Unable to grasp the rhythm, lost the second goal, a tough defeat...

　In the second half, Fujiyama was substituted for Shigenobu in an attempt to take the lead. Early in the game, Mokuhara advanced to a high position, attracting the opponent's defenders and crossing from just outside the area. The perfect ball was sent to Hirayama in the center, but his headed shot was saved by the goalkeeper. In the 46th minute, Hirayama took a shot from Fujiyama's attacking play. In the 47th minute, Hirayama moved up the center and passed to Akamine, who was free in the left area. Kurizawa, who had come out from the second row, closed in on the pass that went through the opponent's defenders' legs and skillfully shook the net, but unfortunately, it was offside... We created a big chance, but couldn't convert it.

　Substitute Emerson for Ishikawa in the 53rd minute. In the 58th minute, Kurizawa pretended to go left from the center and passed the ball through to the left area. Akamine skillfully evaded the opponent's defender with a clever control and sent the ball to the center from the goal line, but it was caught by the goalkeeper. Oita, who was pressed in this period, also attempted a counterattack by attacking the back of Tokyo's defense with a strong defensive effort. In the 63rd minute, Oita substituted Takamatsu for Maeda. Immediately after, Tokyo substituted Cabore for Hirayama. They tried boldly to score a second goal, but they couldn't maintain the rhythm at this point.

　In the 67th minute, Kajiyama in the center sent a long through pass to the left area. Emerson rushed out and skillfully turned the opponent's defender, but the final pass was cut off by the defender. In the 69th minute, Emerson dribbled up from the left and sent a through pass into the area, but Kabore ran in from the right and the ball was too long. Oita managed to steal the ball in the middle of trying to connect the pass and also troubled Tokyo with a long ball. In the 70th minute, Wesley ran in from the right with a pass from Oita, but Shioda managed to snatch it just before Tokyo's goal. In the 71st minute, Tokyo suffered a counterattack from Oita after clearing Tokunaga's left cross. Yoshimoto was beaten by Wesley who came up from the left, and Shioda made a save from the shot in the area. It resulted in a corner kick.

　Immediately after, while attacking, it was stolen, and Oita MF Edmilson's right cross, FW Takamatsu in front of the goal took a shot. It was a decisive shot but it went over the bar. It became a chaotic development as they faced consecutive pinches. And in the 83rd minute, Emerson tried to pick up the loose ball in the midfield, but Oita DF stole it and made a long feed. Fujiyama cleared it once, but it passed to Oita MF Edmilson again, and MF Suzuki made a vertical pass. MF Kanazaki on the right side dribbled inside and passed behind Fujiyama who had intercepted. Neither Tokunaga nor Kurizawa, who had covered, could catch up with MF Edmilson, who had attacked from the left, and they conceded the second goal.

　Despite not giving up, they threw in crosses towards the end, but they were repelled by Oita's solid defense, and time was up. Unable to ride the rhythm they had almost grasped, the first match of the quarterfinals ended in a painful defeat.

　【Player Comments】《Ishikawa》"It was difficult to grasp the rhythm. There was a vague atmosphere overall, and we couldn't fix that. We conceded a goal during that time, so it's disappointing both personally and as a team. I tried to bring out my own strengths and characteristics while valuing the team's concept and contributing to the organization of the game, but finding that balance was difficult. I had the motivation, but I think I couldn't do what I had been working on in practice against Oita. We needed to move the ball more. (Regarding the injury) I bruised my right calf and thigh. I don't know the details, but there is some pain. However, we must not lose sight of what we need to do. Let's go back to basics and start from scratch. The league matches will start soon, and the competition in Kodaira will continue. We want to make the most of the few opportunities we have."《Yoshimoto》"Since it was a home game, I wanted to win without conceding a goal, so I'm really frustrated with this result. We focused on the outcome, but we couldn't meet the coach's expectations. In the first half, we couldn't handle the opponent's two forwards well, and they were able to create opportunities from there. In the second half, we were stronger against the two forwards. The area where I still have room for improvement is connecting the play. I was able to do it in recent practices and practice matches, but if I can't do it in official matches, it's meaningless, and I think that's the true measure of my ability. I want to achieve results in official matches."

　[Summary of Manager Shirofuku's Press Conference] "Despite it being a weekday, many fans came to support us. We wanted to win and approach the second match, but unfortunately, we couldn't. In the first half, the enthusiasm of the new members sometimes went off track, and there were moments when the ball didn't stick to their feet. Our defense was also weak, leading to conceding goals, but we managed to recover midway through the game. It was good that we were able to equalize just before the end of the first half, and the start of the second half was not bad either. We were able to play our game for a longer period of time, and although there were mistakes, we were trying to play the soccer we aspire to. Considering the players' condition and the fact that we have a J-League match in two days, we challenged the lineup today as a catalyst. However, the substitute players didn't function well after coming on. We wanted them to regain their form, but they couldn't ride the wave smoothly, and I take responsibility for that as I made those decisions. In the last five minutes before conceding the second goal, there were fewer players who could reposition themselves and show up in the front line. There were also easy mistakes, including the passers. When such things continue, the soccer we are trying to play becomes more of a risk. When we were directly shot at that moment, I also reflect on allowing the opponent to enter our territory, but in the five minutes leading up to that, there were several easy mistakes that each of us must reflect on. We need to improve our accuracy to avoid risks. It was a moment that reminded us that easy mistakes can strangle us."

　[Summary of Oita Chamusca's Press Conference] "Today's game was undoubtedly a fifty-fifty battle, and it was a tough fight. As for the content, our work was reflected in the result. We always tried to take the initiative, and I think that's why we got this result. In the first half, there wasn't much space, but in the second half, we were able to take control of the game and use the space effectively. The reason why the content was evenly matched is that, for example, in the second half, we moved dynamically and created chances, which we were able to convert into goals. On the other hand, Tokyo showed fantastic movement in the first half. Tokyo was better in the first half, and we were better in the second half. Overall, I think it was a game where we continued to fight on equal terms in both halves. There were two reasons why we were able to take control in the second half. One is that Tokyo defended by dropping back and didn't press us much during the build-up. That made it easier for us to move forward. And the other reason is that when we came to this stadium, we had the determination to get results no matter what. I think the desire to aim high in the Nabisco Cup led to today's victory."