Facing Kumamoto at home in the second round of matches

　Sec. 22 of the league is being held. Playing at the Japan National Stadium for the first time this season, we will face Roasso Kumamoto. We had a great victory in the previous match against Gifu. We have accumulated points without losing for 10 consecutive matches and have taken the top position. However, there is a fierce battle with four teams closely following us with a difference of 2 points. Due to changes in the league schedule, we are now entering the second round of matches starting from this round. We want to focus on the upcoming battle and only think about accumulating more points.

　Kumamoto, the opponent, is currently in 5th place. They have not lost in the last 6 matches, but the last 3 matches all ended in draws and they have not been able to win. However, although the total number of goals is not high at 15, their attacks targeting FW Nagasawa are sharp. In the away match on June 12th, I felt their boldness, and in defense, the key will be how to suppress their momentum with pressing from the front line.

　On the other hand, Kumamoto's total goals conceded is 11, second only to Tokyo, and the focus is on breaking their solid defense. In the away game, they narrowly won with Roberto CESAR's goal, but coach Okuma said, "We had chances, but Kumamoto's midfielders Edmilson and goalkeeper Min's coordination and their individual abilities made it difficult for us to break through." They want to further enhance their passing game in the midfield against Kumamoto's well-organized defense, creating space by shaking them left and right, and front and back.

　Tokyo will face the match with the same lineup as before, without the injured Tokunaga. Kumamoto will aim to make use of their height, including the tall defender Chosonjin, who is starting for the first time since May 14th. Despite the return of the hot and humid weather in the daytime, a refreshing breeze occasionally blows in the evening. The match started with Tokyo's kickoff at 18:34.

Tokyo Take On Kumamoto At The National Stadium

FC Tokyo made their first visit to the National Stadium this year to face Roasso Kumamoto in the 22nd game of the season. The comfortable 4-0 win over Gifu in the last outing saw Tokyo extend their unbeaten run to ten games and leap to the top of the standings. Four teams were jostling for position within two points of the leaders, however. Due to the rearranged schedule, the fixture was the second meeting between the sides this season, a game Tokyo needed to win to retain their place at the top.
Opponents Kumamoto lay in 5th place at kick-off. The side was unbeaten in six but had struggled to finish off opponents in drawing the last three games. Despite not being a high-scoring team with only 15 goals so far, the attack, led by lanky striker Nagasawa, was sharp, and to what extent Tokyo could blunt their forward pressing would be key to victory. The visitors also possessed the second-best defensive record, behind Tokyo, having conceded only 11 goals, and prising open that miserly defense would be the focal point of the match.
Tokyo had ground out a narrow victory in the reverse fixture on June 12th, thanks to a Roberto Cesar goal, a game that prompted Tokyo manager Okuma to comment, "Although we had chances, the connection between defensive midfielder Edmilson and goalkeeper Minami, together with the high level of individual ability, left me with the strong impression that they had kept us out." In order to pull the tight Kumamoto defense out of position to create space, Tokyo would need to further enhance the quality of their midfield passing.
The leg injury Tokunaga suffered in the previous game had healed, allowing Tokyo to name an unchanged team. For Kumamoto, towering defender Cho made his first appearance since May 14th, while the selection of equally tall strikers Nagasawa and Fabio indicated the visitors' tactical intentions.
Following several days of cool and refreshing weather, Sunday afternoon saw the return of sultry humidity, but an occasional breeze was blowing through the stadium as Tokyo kicked off shortly after 6:30 pm.

Despite missing opportunities in front of Kumamoto's defense, they took the lead just before the end of the first half.

　The start of the game saw Kumamoto showing an aggressive attitude and launching strong attacks. However, Tokyo's defense calmly held their ground and quickly took control of the ball, finding their rhythm. In the 3rd minute, starting with Tanabe's shot, and in the 7th minute, they connected from their own half, with Kajiyama passing to Roberto CESAR on the left side, who dribbled inside and forcefully took a shot from between the defenders. In the 10th minute, Cesar broke free in front of the goal, receiving a pass from Hayu, creating a decisive opportunity, but the shot went wide...

　After that, we continued to pass the ball quickly and create chances. In the 20th minute, Hayashi dribbled up the left area and took a shot from just in front of the goal. In the 37th minute, Tanabe dribbled powerfully from our own half, evading the opponent, and advanced with Cesar and Hayashi to the front line. We launched a dynamic counterattack, and Cesar, who ran down the left side, brought the ball into the area and took a powerful shot. However, both attempts were stopped by the excellent save of Kumamoto GK Minami, and we couldn't find the back of the net for a while.

　But in the 43rd minute, a counterattack was launched, and Hayu delivered a precise right cross into the area. Cesar, who had run into the area first, was unable to finish due to a collision with a defender, but the ball was passed to Taniyama, who provided support from behind. Taniyama was fouled from behind and brought down. As a result of this play, Kumamoto MF Nejimi received a red card and was sent off. Tokyo took advantage of the penalty kick obtained from this play, which Cesar converted perfectly, finally taking the lead! They went into the second half with a one-goal advantage.

熊本は、無駄になる東京をイライラさせ、ゲームを変える出来事まで持ち込む

Kumamoto came out fighting from the kick off, throwing men forward into attack. The Tokyo defence held firm and the side quickly slipped into a passing rhythm. In the 3rd minute, Tanabe let fly with a thumping volley, while in the 7th minute, Cesar barged inside from the left and cracked a low drive to the near post. In the 10th minute, Cesar raced down the inside-right channel, stroked the ball infield to Hanyu and burst through the Kumamoto defence to meet Hanyu's clipped return pass. With Minami sprinting out to narrow the angle, Cesar shot low across the Kumamoto keeper but also wide of the far post.
Tokyo maintained the high tempo passing and continued to create chances. Hanyu raced half the length of the field on a fast break in the 20th minute and attempted to curl a looping shot beyond Minami while another lightning-fast counter attack in the 37th minute ended with Cesar hammering a low drive on target; on both occasions, the Kumamoto goalkeeper produced superb saves to deny Tokyo the opening goal.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 43rd minute. Tokyo countered and from the right wing, Hanyu took careful aim before crossing towards Cesar as the striker burst into the Kumamoto area. Cesar and a defender jockeyed for the ball which evaded them both, falling in front of Yazawa as the midfielder raced forward in support. Yazawa seemed certain to score until he was flattened from behind by a clumsy challenge; the perpetrator, Kumamoto midfielder Nejime, was sent off and Tokyo awarded a penalty. Cesar wrong-footed Minami from the spot and Tokyo took a 1-0 lead into half time.

A furious goal rush! Lucas also scored his first goal, and we won with 5 goals.

　Tokyo took advantage of Kumamoto's numerical disadvantage in the second half and turned it into a goal rush. In the 48th minute, they continued to play after bypassing the offside, and Tanabe passed to Cesar, who then passed to the right side where Inokano went up and crossed from the right. Hayu in front of the goal connected with it and scored with his left foot!

　Kumamoto made two substitutions in the 55th minute. With FW Matsubashi and Nagasawa as the two top players, Harada and Fabio formed a double pivot in midfield, and MF Edmilson dropped back to defense, forming a formation that is close to a back three with Yano and Fukuo. Tokyo, after extending their lead, also had moments where they slowed down their attack without pushing too hard. However, they switched gears at crucial moments and accelerated their attack in the 67th minute. They made a move from the right side, and Tanizawa, who received a pass in the center of the area, earned another penalty kick. Tanizawa himself converted it, increasing the lead to three goals.

　In the 72nd minute, Lucas replaced Hayu! Without easing the attack, in the immediate 73rd minute, Tokunaga, who received a cross pass from Tanabe, dribbled up and unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the right area, piercing the upper right corner of the goal, marking his second consecutive goal.

　In the 76th minute, Morihara was replaced by Mukuhara, and in the 85th minute, Nakamura was replaced by Yagura, who made his debut as a left back. The defensive line was changed, but Kumamoto's counterattack was shut out. Then, in the 87th minute, substitute Lucas broke through the opponent's defense, received a lob pass from Kajiyama, calmly dribbled with his right foot, and scored a goal! Lucas scored his first goal since his return and secured the decisive goal, leading to a convincing victory with a season-high 5 goals.

　【Player Comment】《Yasu Coach》"The team as a whole has a good balance between offense and defense, and our intentions are clear, so I think everyone can move easily. I am conscious of getting into the goal area, and that was evident in the situation where we got a penalty kick. I am focused and able to enjoy playing. I asked to take the penalty kick myself. In the future, I want to be able to score even in the flow of the game. We want to cherish this momentum, continue winning, and keep pushing forward as the top team."

　"Lucas" "I was able to score a goal in my second game back. I wanted to score myself, and I felt the support and expectations from everyone, so I'm really happy that I was able to score early on. However, my first goal after returning is already over. Our goal is to return to J1. I want to do my best to contribute to that. The next game will be difficult away, and there will also be the difficulty of being in first place. But I want to continue playing the attacking football that we are currently working on and keep winning."

　[Summary of Coach Okuma's Press Conference] "From the first half, our players were active and were able to continuously steal the ball at a high position, which was our aim as the starting point of our attacks, throughout the 90 minutes. However, if the first half had ended 0-0 or if the opponent hadn't been reduced to 10 players, the outcome could have been different. It's not about who... but as a team, we need to increase our scoring ability and play in a way that is dangerous for the opponent. Lucas showed a good example, and I hope that young players can learn from his composure in crucial moments. And we want to develop the ability to score from the first half. Today's victory is for the National Stadium, and we will continue to prepare for each match one by one."

　(Is the team's progress up to this point as expected?) Despite the continuous injuries to the FW, Cesar has adapted to Japanese soccer. He has shown a strong ability to learn, especially in terms of defense and dealing with the tenacity of opposing defenders. Lately, he has been coming up with new ideas, such as cutting to the left when being cut off on the right, making it difficult for opponents to predict his dribbling. Another significant factor is that the team has been able to establish a consistent lineup. Tanabe has gained confidence and has been improving rapidly. He has even surpassed expectations in both offense and defense. The acceleration of young talent has created competition within the team, while veterans like Hayu have been working hard, resulting in a synergistic effect. Currently, there is a good balance between competition and unity. We hope that everyone will continue to make efforts to further accelerate.

　(About Lucas) As he plays more games, he will become accustomed to the fast pace of Japanese football and his game sense will also return. There are still some parts that he is not completely used to, but his strong point is being able to stop the ball and score in those situations. I want him to inject that into the team and make it work together."

　[Kumamoto Takagi Coach's Press Conference Summary] "I thought it would be the most difficult game of the season, but it far exceeded my expectations. The players and supporters worked hard, but against an opponent who could barely manage with 11 players... we couldn't control the game as we wanted with one less player. It was impossible to take it in the direction we aimed for. I think both teams have improved in terms of team strength since the last match, but we still lack in terms of quality. We want to train hard to improve the quality."

　Regarding the referee, I think the decision was fair. I think it was a consolation for us, but after the game, they said, "You played a very good game." The players fought hard until the end. (What specific qualities do you want to improve?) Stopping and kicking. Or, how much distance is needed to put pressure on the opponent when they approach... There are too many things to mention."

Lucas' First Goal On Return Completes Second-half Rout

The hosts exploited their numerical advantage ruthlessly as the second half unfolded. In the 48th minute, Tokyo moved the ball quickly via Tanabe and Cesar to Konno, overlapping down the right. Konno crossed and Hanyu darted between two defenders to slam the ball high past Minami and double the lead.
In response, the visitors made a double substitution in the 55th minute and altered their formation; Matsuhashi and Nagasawa played as twin strikers, Harada and Fabio as defensive midfielders while Edmilson dropped back into a three-man defense. With a two-goal cushion and a man advantage, Tokyo had no need to maintain the high tempo and slowed the pace down somewhat, suddenly speeding up when an opening presented itself. In the 67th minute, they quickened the tempo, moved the ball down the right and then played it infield to meet Yazawa's run into the Kumamoto area. Yazawa's pace took him away from a defender and a desperate late challenge earned Tokyo another penalty. Yazawa took the spot kick himself, blasting the ball high into the net beyond Minami to stretch the lead to three.
Lucas replaced Hanyu in the 72nd minute. Tokyo continued to push forward and were rewarded with a fourth goal in the 73rd minute as Tanabe played a quick free kick sideways to Tokunaga who dribbled forward unchallenged to the edge of the Kumamoto area before unleashing a fierce drive that fizzed past Minami at his near post. Flush from scoring in two consecutive games, Tokunaga was shortly replaced by Mukuhara, while Nagira made his first team debut in the 85th minute as substitute for Nakamura at right back. Despite the changes, the Tokyo defense dealt comfortably with the Kumamoto attack. In the 87th minute, Kajiyama spotted Lucas' forward run and chipped a delicate pass over the Kumamoto defense; Lucas took the ball down with a sublime first touch and then coolly flicked it past Minami with the outside of his right boot. Lucas' first goal since rejoining the club was the icing on the cake of a decisive 5-0 scoreline.


Players' comments
Yazawa
"The team balance is good both front and back, we fully understand our roles and it's easy to move, I think. I was aiming to get into positions in front of goal and earning the penalty was a result of that. We were very focused from the start and enjoyed the game. I asked to be allowed to take the penalty and I want to be able to score from open play in the future. It's important we keep this momentum going and maintain our position at the top of the table".

Lucas
"I was able to score in my second game back at the club. I wanted to score for myself but I'm really happy that I could repay everyone's support and live up to their expectations by scoring so soon. However, scoring that first goal is done with now and our aim is to get back into J1. I want to do my best to achieve that. We're away in what looks like being a tough game next and then there's the difficulty of keeping hold of first place but we want to keep on winning with the kind of attacking football we're playing right now".

FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"Our movement was good from the start and we managed to achieve our aim of winning the ball high up the field for the whole 90 minutes. However, if the first half had finished 0-0 and our opponents hadn't had a man sent off the outcome could have been very different. We have to improve the finishing of the team as a whole and carry more of a threat to our opponents. Lucas sets a great example and I want the younger players to learn from his coolness at the decisive moments. We need to add the power to score goals in the first half of games as well. Now we have to put today's game aside and prepare as best as we can for the next match.
Am I satisfied with the team's development so far? We've suffered injuries to our strikers but now Roberto Cesar has become used to Japanese football. In defense and in terms of the tenacity of opposing defenses he's shown a much faster aptitude to learn than we expected. He's become able to shift his positioning from right to left and his dribbling has become harder for opponents to read. Also, having a settled team has been very important. Tanabe is growing in confidence and his development is really accelerating. The improvement of the younger players creates competition within the team and draws performances from the senior players like Hanyu. There's a kind of synergy at work that creates team unity from that competition. We want everyone to contribute to that acceleration.
Regarding Lucas, as the games mount up he's getting used to the speed of Japanese football again and his sense of the game is coming back. He's not there completely yet but he showed his strengths today with the way he trapped the ball and then finished it off. We want to integrate that into the team".

Roasso Kumamoto manager Takuya Takagi
"We thought it would be the most difficult game of the season but it exceeded our expectations. The players and supporters did their best but even with eleven men against such opposition it was going to be tough, never mind playing with a man short. We controlled even less of the game than we had envisaged. It was impossible to do what we had wanted. I think both teams have improved since we last played each other but we're still lacking in quality in many areas. We want to work harder in training to improve our ability. I thought the referee today was very fair. Maybe it was meant to comfort us but after the match he said we had played a good game. The team fought very hard until the final whistle.
In particular what do I think we need to improve? Stopping and kicking. Also, what kind of distance is needed to put pressure on an opponent when they approach. I can't really give a full explanation".