A match that neither team can afford to lose in the first game after the league resumes!　

　In Sec. 26 of the league, we will face Vegalta Sendai away. After winning the Emperor's Cup match against Kitakyushu on 10/11, we achieved our second consecutive official match victory this season (following the Nabisco Cup qualifiers on June 6 against Kyoto and June 9 against C Osaka) alongside the league match against Shonan. While there are still challenges and areas for improvement, we cannot say we have completely overcome the difficulties in the league, but there must have been a sense of achievement and fulfillment that can only be gained through victory. The players uniformly expressed a strong determination, saying, "We will approach the next nine matches as if they are a tournament," and we want to build on the confidence gained from consecutive wins to accumulate points as a team. On the other hand, Sendai is currently in 13th place with 27 points. They were eliminated in the 2nd Round of the Emperor's Cup, so they seem to have been preparing for this Tokyo match by conducting a camp after Sec. 25. Depending on the result of this match, the rankings between Tokyo and Sendai could swap, making it undoubtedly a "must-win match" for Sendai. Coach Okuma analyzed, "Sendai's strength lies in their sharp and precise counters. They have height in the front line. They don't seem to take much time in their attacks, but their full-backs' advances are also powerful, and in some ways, they are similar to Tokyo." Tokyo has welcomed back Konno, Gonda, and Kim Yong-gun from national team activities, and Kajiwara and Hanyu have returned from injuries for the Emperor's Cup. Coach Okuma mentioned, "With injured players returning, the attitude of the other players has changed. A sense of competition has emerged, creating a tough but good atmosphere," reflecting the positive impact of the new stimuli. In attack, to prevent the opponent from countering, we need to avoid losing the ball carelessly while attacking and aim to finish as much as possible. We want to mix quick attacks with build-up play through passing, breaking down the opponent's defense with coordinated and powerful attacks. As Coach Okuma aims, "We want to resolve the lack of scoring ability not just as an individual issue but as a team," increasing the number of chances should lead to a higher probability of scoring. A tough game is expected, but we will enter the match focused from the start, aiming for victory with a fighting spirit without being overwhelmed by the momentum of the home team, Sendai! The match started at 14:04 with Sendai's kickoff at Yurtec Stadium Sendai.

Take the lead with Daikoku's goal, but get caught up and draw at halftime

　From the start, both teams showed intense play, leading to a back-and-forth battle. In the midst of this, Tokyo took the lead early on. In the 9th minute, from Ishikawa's right corner kick, Hirayama's powerful header was cleared by the Sendai DF who came in to cover, resulting in a throw-in. From this right throw-in, Ricardinho sent in a cross, and Daigoku, from a position almost like a back header, twisted his body to execute a header shot! With Daigoku's skillful shot, they took the lead. After that, they connected concentrated defense to offense. In the 18th minute, from Konno's right free kick, Mukuhara advanced with a low cross. Daigoku, who ran into the goal area, attempted a volley on the bouncing ball but missed the target... In the 26th minute, from Tokunaga to Mukuhara's cross, they earned a right corner kick. From Ishikawa's kick, Konno headed the ball forward, and Daigoku tried to shoot but lost his balance, sending the ball off target. However, Sendai quickly regained possession and sent the ball to forwards Akamine and Nakahara, gradually launching a more aggressive attack. Tokyo also advanced the ball from a counter, and as the intensity increased on both offense and defense, in the 30th minute, Sendai intercepted a clearance from Tokyo and Saito, the defensive midfielder, struck a powerful long-range shot. The ball grazed Gonda's hand and hit the right post, but the first to react to the rebound was Sendai MF Ryo. He dove into the left area and connected with a sliding shot... Tokyo's DF was a step slow to respond, and they were caught off guard, allowing Sendai to equalize.

Despite taking the lead with Hirayama's winning goal, they conceded consecutive goals in the final stages and suffered a comeback defeat.

　In the second half, which aimed to secure an additional goal first, Nakamura sent an early cross from midfield targeting behind the Sendai DF in the 52nd minute. Hayama skillfully slipped between the opposing DF and headed the pinpoint ball into the goal! Once again, they succeeded in taking the lead with the desired play early on. However, Sendai, undeterred, thoroughly gathered the ball to the front line and launched a counterattack. In the 59th minute, Sendai FW Akamine's strong hold-up play led to a decisive shot from MF Sekiguchi, but they escaped the danger with a great save from Gonda. In the 64th minute, they brought in Hanyu, but Sendai also introduced attacking players like MF Fernandinho and FW Hirase. Gradually, the lines stretched, and they could not stop Sendai's momentum. Still, Tokyo, centered around Gonda, was focused on defense, but in the late stages, in the 86th minute, they failed to maintain possession in the front line and were countered, conceding a free kick in their own half. Gonda rushed out to meet a sharp kick sent forward by Sendai MF Yang, but could not make contact. He was then pushed in by Sendai DF Elizeu, resulting in an equalizer. With Sendai gaining further momentum, Tokyo lost their composure. In the 90th minute, Sendai MF Saito's right cross was headed down by central FW Akamine, who was surrounded by Tokyo DF. They could not catch MF Fernandinho, who ran into the right area, allowing him to score freely... Although they had been leading the match and progressing favorably, they suffered a painful turnaround defeat with consecutive goals conceded just before the end. 【Player Comments】《Hayama》 "I wanted to end with a victory. (Is it a commemorative goal for 100 appearances in J1?) It was a shape I aimed for. I was glad to score, but... I think the third goal could have been prevented. I should have been able to defend throughout the 90 minutes, including set pieces. However, when the second goal was conceded, everyone was really down. At that point, we couldn't mentally settle for just one point. I also felt that I wanted three points, which led to a situation where we were counterattacking in the front and pulling back in the back. I regret that I should have created more time to connect the ball..." 《Ooguro》 "I think it was good that we were able to manage the game while always being in the lead. After Saito scored the second goal, there were times we could circulate the ball, and we played good soccer. We had chances to score the third goal and finish it off, but we couldn't capitalize on that, including myself, and in the end, it resulted in this outcome. But we can only move forward positively. We want to unite and keep our spirits up for the next match." 【Coach Okuma's Press Conference Summary】 "Regarding how to manage the game, I think both myself and the team were heading in a good direction. I mentioned before the match that soccer is unpredictable, and mistakes can lead to such goals. We couldn't compensate for that as a team. We need to examine why we lacked the ability to endure until the end and want to improve our team strength to fight in the remaining matches." 【Sendai Coach Teguramori's Press Conference Summary】 "This was a battle between teams fighting for survival. When we welcomed Tokyo at home, it was a crucial match under pressure. As a plan, although they are below us, they are by no means a weak team. We aimed to exploit gaps from solid and reliable defense. We wanted to score the first goal while being particular about not conceding. We started with that approach. I thought that scores wouldn't change easily between teams in the same situation, but we conceded early, which changed everything. At that point, Tokyo prioritized defending by forming blocks every time they took the lead. This allowed us to move the ball, regain our rhythm in the first half, and equalize. When we reset in the second half, we again conceded a goal we gave away ourselves. However, the players did not lose heart, maintained their focus, and fought until the end for three points. The supporters at home believed in our three points and backed us up. I think that led to the miraculous situation at the end. I want to carry this victory into the remaining eight matches."