Challenge with all our strength against the top-ranked Kashima

　Sec. 30 of the league will be a match against Kashima Antlers, played at home. In the previous section, we suffered a bitter defeat from Oita's FK goal. However, the team has not given up on anything yet. It goes without saying that every match is important towards the end, but first, we will bet everything on the upcoming match and gather our strength to fight.

　This section, Habu and Nagatomo will make a full comeback and start. Also, in reflection of only scoring one goal in the last two matches, Hirayama, who will start as the top player for the first time since the 26th section against Iwata, will be appointed. Nagatomo will be positioned as the left fullback, Tokunaga on the right, and Ishikawa will serve as the side player. Otake, who was carrying an injury, will also make a comeback and be on the bench.

　Kashima, who will face us, is currently in first place with no losses in the last 7 matches starting from Sec. 23. Their total of 51 goals scored so far is top class, along with Kawasaki. With only 27 goals conceded, their defensive balance is outstanding, second only to Oita. It won't be easy to contain the top scorer in the rankings, FW Marquinhos, and FW Okazaki, who also possess strong footwork and speedy movements to break through the defense, combined with their midfield dominance. However, Tokyo will respond by "taking the initiative to steal the ball, with an attacking defense (Shigetaka)". As the defensive balance has not been bad recently, we want to create a more compact formation to contain Kashima's powerful attacking lineup.

　In the attack, not only starting with Cabore but also targeting Hirayama should increase the variations. We want to push up the line and connect to the second attack by picking up the second ball. In the game held the day before, Nagoya, who is in 2nd place, drew, and Oita, who is in 3rd place, lost, and the top fight is still in a close battle. In order for Tokyo to continue the top fight, we aim for victory in a battle where we can exert our own power to the fullest! The weather was calm and sunny, and Ajinomoto Stadium, which gathered 33,596 spectators, the game started with Tokyo's kickoff.

Threatening Kashima from the side with a passionate play that takes control.

　Tokyo grasped the rhythm from the first half with a passionate battle. In the 1st minute, a quick restart from their own half. Hayashi connected the play and Ishikawa, who was drifting to the left, broke through the side. They showed an aggressive attack, but in the end, it was intercepted by the Kashima DF. In the 10th minute, Kashima FW Marquinhos aggressively dribbled through the center and passed to FW Okazaki, who entered the area. However, Mochizuki and Nagatomo defended and kept them out.

　11 minutes, Kashima launched a counterattack from a throw-in, Kashiwa dribbled and crossed to the right by Ishikawa. However, it did not reach Kabore in the center. Hayu ran in and tried to snatch it, but the timing was slightly off. In the 16th minute, Tokunaga crossed to Ishikawa, and Hirayama in front of the goal headed perfectly. It created a beautiful attacking shape, but the ball hit the goalkeeper's face. In the 19th minute, Kashima FW Okazaki made a powerful dribble and Sasaki stopped him with a foul. A free kick was given just before the left area. This free kick was directly aimed at Kashima MF Nakago, but it was off target.

　After that, Kashima's intense press was cut through with passing work, creating opportunities with Hanyu's bold movements, Cabore, and Ishikawa's daring side breakthroughs. In the 27th minute, Tokyo welcomed a great chance. Ishikawa entrusted the ball to Imamura and jumped into the area. Imamura then made a through pass, and Ishikawa faced the Kashima goalkeeper one-on-one. However, he was stopped by the goalkeeper's quick dive... In the final stages, Tokyo took control and gained the advantage, but Kashima also calmly responded. In the first half, Tokyo shot 10 times compared to Kashima's 5 shots, but Kashima showed no weaknesses and the score remained 0-0 as they entered the second half.

Seizing 3 goals and winning the battle for points, triumphing over the top-ranked Kashima!

　The second half also featured a battle on the sides. In the 49th minute, Kashima's right defender Uchida crossed the ball. It was initially cleared, but the ball was picked up on the opposite side, and another cross came from the left. The team attacked from both sides, but in the end, it resulted in a corner kick. In the 53rd minute, Kajiyama on the right connected with Hayashi on the left near the penalty area, and then passed it to Hirayama inside the box. He got into a shooting position but was unable to shoot due to the defense closing in.

　In the 56th minute, Cabore and Nagatomo's combination stole the left corner kick and Ishikawa kicked a fast trajectory corner kick. Cabore, who jumped near the goal, headed the ball and deflected the goalkeeper's hand into the net. The long-awaited opening goal was born from a set piece! However, in the immediate 59th minute, Cabore was robbed of the ball in the midfield and suffered a counterattack, and Kashima's defender Uchida passed the ball into the penalty area. Midfielder Marcinho, who received the ball, dribbled to the right side of the penalty area. Shioda jumped out here, but was evaded and passed the ball, and forward Okazaki, who jumped into the center, scored with a header, resulting in a goal... They were quickly caught up to a tie. In the 65th minute, Suzuki was substituted for Ishikawa. They aimed to take the lead by not letting Kashima gain momentum and continuing their own soccer.

　Creating chances from overlapping fullbacks, both teams quickly transitioned between attack and defense. In the 77th minute, Cabore dribbled in from the left side and passed the ball to the center. Hanyu jumped in and pushed the loose ball into the goal amidst a scramble with Kashima's defenders. Goal! In the 78th minute, Otake was substituted for Hanyu. Continuing to seek additional goals, in the following 81st minute, Kajiyama in the center passed to Cabore on the left, who played a through pass into the penalty area. Suzuki, who had jumped in from the far side, connected with a heel flick, and Otake dribbled and stretched his left foot while falling down, sending the ball rolling into the goal. Substituted just moments ago, Otake scored the third goal!!

　It seemed like they had pulled away from Kashima with this, but in the 84th minute right after that, Kashima passed the ball around from a throw-in on the right side. Long pass was cleared by Nagatomo, but the ball ended up with Kashima's central midfielder Aoki in the center. From here, left forward Koroki → forward Tashiro, who received the ball inside the area, moved forward to turn around and easily scored a shot, bringing the difference back to one point...

　After that, it became a back-and-forth between Kashima, who continued to aim for the goal without giving up until the end, and counterattacks. The intense offensive and defensive battle continued without any let-up, but in the 87th minute, Akamine was substituted for Cabore. They regained composure in a difficult period and managed to hold off any additional goals until the final whistle. With the support from the stands, they bravely competed against the top team and emerged victorious. As a result, their remaining in the J1 League for this season has also been confirmed.

　【Player Comments】《Cabore》"The marking was tough and it was a difficult game, but we were able to stay calm and fight in a tough situation and get a good result. I believed that a good ball would come from Ishikawa and I jumped in near the goal. The header hit well and there was also some luck, but I think it was the fact that I was able to get in front of the opponent's defender that led to the goal. We expected a difficult game and it turned out to be just that, but the strong support from the fans helped us. We had lost the previous game and were in a slump, but they conveyed to us that they were not giving up. I think we were able to respond with our play. We only have one more home game left, but in all the games including the Emperor's Cup, we want to play with the same passion as today and aim for the top."《Nagatomo》"In preparation for today, I trained as a left back for the past week. I was not without a sense of competition against Kashima's defender Uchida, and I personally and as a team, I definitely wanted to win. I believed that Cabore would be able to beat his opponent one-on-one, so I was conscious of jumping in front of the goal. The goal scene was also like that. I had plenty of energy and wanted to score. I thought Cabore would beat his opponent, so I jumped in boldly. I haven't been able to show a good performance lately and the team has been on a losing streak, but the supporters and those around me have been cheering for me, and I'm glad I was able to express my gratitude with a goal."

　[Summary of Coach Jofuku's Press Conference] "After suffering consecutive losses in the previous match, we found ourselves in a difficult situation and almost lost sight of our goal to compete for the top position. However, many fans came to the training ground and to the stadium today. It was truly great to be able to step onto the pitch with a strong feeling that we should not give up. I want to express my gratitude once again. When I first took on the role of coach, I communicated to the players and the club that my first goal was to 'fill Ajinomoto Stadium.' Looking at the J-League schedule, there was no doubt that by Sec. 30, Kashima would likely be at the top or near the top. Still, I thought that we could be close to that and that this would be the match to fill Ajinomoto Stadium. Although we faced today with a slight gap in rankings due to our lack of strength and were unable to fill the stadium, I believe we fought with the feeling of being on equal footing with the top team. Overall, the players showed a spirit of fighting on equal terms, and their awareness of attacking the goal was very strong. I think that was reflected in the result of scoring three goals against a strong defensive team like Kashima. Kashima has solid technical skills in every position, and their attacking strength from both full-backs is a powerful weapon. Considering our current strength, I thought that competing on the flanks would be the key to victory. We focused on attacking first, and the defensive risks that came with it were practiced by the team this past week. (Was the balance between connecting play and attacking from the sides as intended?) I think the balance was good. To compete on the flanks, we need to build up properly in the center; otherwise, the opponent won't compress. To utilize the sides, Kajiyama and Konno connected well in the middle, and Hanyu got involved there. I am not satisfied with the fact that we didn't force the opponent to compress and then compete on the outside. (Did you switch the left and right full-backs?) Based on the combination of the opponent and our players, I thought that today, Nagatomo on the left and Tokunaga on the right would bring out their characteristics better. Furthermore, Cabore not only aims for the back but also connects well when we build up in the center. If Nagatomo makes a run, he can neutralize Kashima's defender Uchida's attack. Alternatively, without using Nagatomo, Cabore can also go into the center. We aimed to use our left side as the starting point for attacks while neutralizing the opponent's right side, which also implies that attack is the best defense. (Regarding the remaining four matches) The more I analyze Kashima's strength, the more I feel its impact, and I have the same impression after actually competing against them. In terms of not being able to compete on equal terms unless we bring out all our strength, I think there was an aspect where Kashima raised our level. I believe we have turned many joys and frustrations into nourishment so far, but I want to use the joy of winning against the champions, Kashima, as further nourishment and show what we have built up over the last four matches."

　[Kashima Oliveira coach Q&A] "(Regarding the reason for the loss) I don't feel that we were passive at all. Tokyo was certainly aggressive, but we also created chances with the intention of winning. The difference was whether we could convert those chances or not. (Regarding the measures against Kabore and Nagatomo) We anticipated that they would target our right side. During the match, we reminded the team several times, but some teams also target Arai's left side instead. For us, both sides are important. We are balanced, but some teams excessively focus on one side and fail because of it. Regarding today's match, I think Tokyo's strategy worked well, but I don't think everything was our fault or that it was good. In football, there are times when things go well and times when they don't. I think it's a subtle difference. (Regarding the most important thing in the remaining 4 matches) First, we want to achieve overall stability and make the roles in each zone function efficiently. Until now, the efficiency aspect has been good, but we couldn't demonstrate it today. Every team tries to target one side, but the midfield battle is crucial for the ball to reach there. It requires competing for second balls and loose balls. Whether we can pick them up and build up play determines whether we can supply the sides or break through from the sides. Today, we couldn't pick up the second balls well. So the opponent created a rhythm in the center and spread the play to the sides, and their strategy worked. However, there is no need to be pessimistic. It is my job to emphasize and arrange things to pick up the second balls. I believe that if we do well, it will lead to controlling the midfield battle. (Both teams attacked each other from early on, but did you want to play with more composure?) It is true that going back and forth is not desirable. If we could have taken advantage of the opponent's defensive weaknesses and played with composure, I think we could have had more chances and efficiency. However, that is the final aspect of efficiency. It is a matter of whether we can convert chances while creating a similar number of opportunities as the opponent."