A match where we want to accumulate 3 points away from home based on a stable defense

　Sec. 23 of the league will be playing against Giravanz Kitakyushu away. After finishing two consecutive home games, there will be two away games from here. In the previous match against Kumamoto, we took advantage of the numerical advantage and scored 5 goals, achieving a resounding victory. However, in the first half, we struggled to convert our chances into goals. In order to consistently convert chances into goals, we need to increase our power and decisiveness, and aim for another victory.

　Kita-Kyushu, on the other hand, is currently in 5th place with 8 wins, 3 draws, and 6 losses. Last season, when they were promoted to J2, they only managed to win one game and finished in last place. However, this season they have welcomed Yasutoshi MIURA as their coach and have added new players such as Taiga MAEKAWA (formerly of Kawasaki), Yudai KIMURA (formerly of G Osaka), and MF Mori (on loan from Tokyo). So far, they have scored a total of 17 goals and conceded 19 goals, which is not outstanding, but they seem to be making progress with a well-balanced game. In this match, MF Mori and anchor MF Kuwahara will be suspended. The absence of these two players, who are key in passing, will undoubtedly be a blow to Kita-Kyushu.

　Tokyo, in the previous match, Nakamura injured his right ankle and was replaced by Abe in the starting lineup. Currently, the team has kept a clean sheet for 5 consecutive matches, but Coach Okuma said, "The defensive line, centered around Shioda, with Morishige and Konno also communicating, has cohesion and stability. Furthermore, we want to compact the backline and keep the players close together, so that we can handle any opponent's pressure and continue to progress."

　Furthermore, as Coach Kiyoshi OKUMA says, "Lately, we have been able to make adjustments during the game. There are moments where we improve in the next scene even after making a bad play. The key is how well we can adapt to the situation." We will utilize our decision-making skills according to the circumstances and strive for victory against a formidable opponent! The match started at 18:03 in Tokyo with a kickoff at the Kitakyushu Municipal Honjo Athletics Stadium.

Defensive Stability The Base As Tokyo Aim For The Points In Kyushu

For the 23rd game of the season, FC Tokyo made the long journey south to Kyushu to take on Giravanz Kitakyushu. After taking maximum points from two consecutive home games, Tokyo now faced two away games in succession. The previous outing had been a comprehensive 5-0 drubbing of ten-man Kumamoto, a final result that partially overshadowed Tokyo's struggle to convert their chances until the final minute of the first half. In order to extend the winning streak, Tokyo would need to increase the intensity of their play and improve their finishing.
Opponents Kitakyushu lay in 5th place in the league at kick-off with a W8 D3 L6 record. The club had made its J2 debut in 2010 but struggled throughout the season, winning only a single game and finishing bottom of the league. New manager Yasutoshi Miura had sparked a dramatic turnaround, however, aided by the signings of midfielders Yasuda from Gamba Osaka, Kimura from Kawasaki Frontale, and the arrival of Morimura on loan from Tokyo. With 17 goals scored and 19 conceded, the side was neither free-scoring nor parsimonious in defense but was well-balanced and making real progress. Both Morimura and midfield anchor Kuwabara were suspended for the game, and the absence of the pivotal pair was expected to have a major impact on the team's chances.
For Tokyo, an ankle injury suffered in the last match sidelined Nakamura, with Abe returning to the starting eleven at right back. The side had kept five straight clean sheets, and as manager Kiyoshi Okuma commented, "With Shiota at the heart of the defense and Konno and Morishige very vocal in front of him, we have a settled feeling and a sense of stability. We're compact at the back and the players keep a close distance from each other; whoever we're up against, we want to continue to hold off their pressure." Further, "Recently we've been making corrections during the games; if we make a poor move, then it's amended in the next such situation. Being able to adapt to the situation like that is the key to winning games."
With the manager's comments on adapting their decision-making to the situation in mind, Tokyo kicked off shortly after 6pm at the Honjo Athletic Stadium.

There was also Kajiyama's missed penalty kick, and the first half ended scoreless.

　Both teams utilized their strengths from the start and engaged in an attacking match. Among them, Tokyo gradually bypassed Kitakyushu's organized press and created more opportunities to move the ball forward. In the 6th minute, Tanabe jumped into the center to meet Tokunaga's cross directly, but it didn't hit the target. In the 8th minute, Roberto CESAR on the left side, who received a counter pass from Takahashi, accelerated in the center and took a shot from a one-two with Yazuwa, but it went wide of the goal.

　In the 11th minute, they created a rhythm from a pass exchange, connected from a loose ball, and Kajiyama unleashed a middle shot that hit the course when attacking. However, it only resulted in a corner kick due to the goalkeeper's excellent save. In the 20th minute, Kajiyama's middle shot was avoided by a corner kick, but in this corner kick situation, Morishige in the area was fouled and awarded a penalty kick. However, Kajiyama's kick was blocked by the goalkeeper's save, and they couldn't take advantage of the first chance.

　Still, Tokyo has the initiative in the game. In the 31st minute, Tanabe dribbled past the defenders on the left side after Morishige's interception and took a shot. In the 43rd minute, Takahashi took a shot from the combination of Roberto CESAR and Tanabe, but both were off target. The defense of Kitakyushu is also strong, and Tokyo was unable to break through, resulting in a scoreless first half.

Kajiyama Misses Penalty In Scoreless First Half

The game began in an open, attacking manner with both sides playing to their strengths but Tokyo slowly began to sidestep the Kitakyushu pressure and move the ball forward. In the 6th minute, Tokunaga raced forward and crossed, the ball narrowly escaping Tanabe's lunge. In the 8th minute, Tokyo counter-attacked, Takahashi finding Roberto Cesar on the left wing. Cesar played a one-two with the on-rushing Yazawa and fired in a shot that drifted wide of the home goal.
In the 11th minute, Tokyo found some rhythm with a neat passing move and when the ball fell loose to Kajiyama he let fly with a scorching drive that deflected off a defender and drew a fine save from Sato, who turned the ball around the post for a corner. Kajiyama essayed another attempt on goal from middle range in the 20th minute, earning a corner. As the ball came into the penalty area a foul was called on Morishige, giving Tokyo the opportunity to take the lead from the penalty spot; Sato blocked Kajiyama's spot kick and a golden chance to break the deadlock was wasted.
Despite the miss, Tokyo continued to enjoy the upper hand. In the 31st minute, Morishige cut out a pass and sent Tanabe away down the left, where the young midfielder slid past a defender and fired an attempt on goal. As the first half drew to a close in the 43rd minute, Cesar and Tanabe combined neatly to set up Takahashi but his shot sailed wide. The first period ended scoreless.

Unable to score despite counterattacking until the end after conceding the first goal, resulting in a defeat

　In the beginning of the second half, Hokkaido Kyushu put pressure on the goal and Takahashi tried to break free from Roberto CESAR's pass. Tanabe was in shooting position from the loose ball. In the 53rd minute, Tokunaga dribbled up from the right side and crossed the ball low for Yuzawa to jump in. However, both attempts were blocked by the Hokkaido Kyushu defenders, and the situation remained unresolved. They were unable to capitalize on the consecutive corner kick opportunities and instead faced a counterattack from Hokkaido Kyushu.

　In the 59th minute, following an attacking run from Kitakyushu's left back Seki, the ball is passed to FW Ikemoto who runs inside. From near the right corner of the area, he unleashes a powerful shot that goes over the outstretched hand of Shibata and into the top left... Despite pushing the game forward, Tokyo conceded a goal for the first time in 6 matches from a counterattack. Tokyo prepares to counterattack and in the 61st minute, Lucas is substituted in for Tanabe.

　Furthermore, in the 72nd minute, Daichi was substituted for Takahashi. In the 74th minute, Lucas cut off the ball from the opponent's goalkeeper and immediately aimed for a shot, but it went wide. In the 78th minute, opportunities were created from the passing play of Hayu, Lucas, and Daichi, but lacked precision in the final play... In the 80th minute, Uesato was substituted as the left fullback. Despite striving for a goal in a total team effort, they were unable to overcome the solid defense of Kitakyushu that never wavered, and suffered their third defeat of the season since the Kusatsu match on May 14.

　【Player Comment】《ABE》"Since the result is everything... It's important to focus on the content, but it's more important to win even if the content is bad in order to stay in the top. I've been in a good flow lately, so I have to reflect calmly on the fact that I played and got this result in an away game. Personally, it's a plus that I've been able to bring the ball into the box more often. However, it's a fact that there is a lack of precision in assisting goals by just a few centimeters. I want to work on that in practice. I think the way we play away games is extremely important. I want to think about that."

　《Konno》"When we lose, it becomes this kind of typical game... If we had taken even one chance in the first half, it would have been a problem-free match. But the opponent also worked hard, and the time went on with a 0-0 score, which made us think 'we can do it'. Kitakyushu's concentration increased, and they thoroughly played a game of defending and counterattacking after scoring. We also need to reflect on the scenes where we conceded goals, but they scored an amazing shot from a counterattack... Personally, I want to pursue scoring goals by the first half or the beginning of the second half. Of course, I made efforts to score goals, and there were attacks from the sides and fullbacks pushing forward. I think we were just a little short. There may be more games like this in the future. We need to turn today's defeat into a positive, but there is no need to look down here."

　[Summary of Coach Ookuma's Press Conference] "I think it's the fear of soccer. The counterattacks and their concentration in the midst of not being able to make decisions. We couldn't break through that and couldn't make decisions. It's painful to miss a penalty kick, but I think things like that happen, so it's necessary to make decisions in the flow. We need more courage and bold moves to get involved in the attacking third and to pose more of a threat to the opponent. They had a high level of concentration, so we need to reflect on that. As a team, we will switch gears and continue to do our best."

　[Summary of Manager Miura's Press Conference in Kitakyushu] "The environment, individual player skills, stadiums, training grounds, supporters, media, everything is at the J1 level, and I think the players worked very hard to be able to compete against FC Tokyo and ultimately achieve victory. We were prepared for tough and challenging matches, as well as difficult periods where we couldn't possess the ball. We conveyed to them that they would find something within themselves that would surpass FC Tokyo within the 90 minutes. I feel a great sense of the team's growth in their ability to make the most of the limited chances and maintain an attacking attitude even after scoring one goal."

　I think there are supporters who will create it in this Honjo, and I think that the players are surely rewarded for their efforts to concentrate on each day's training. There are still some parts that have not been organized well, so we need to analyze ourselves carefully and firmly keep our feet on the ground so that we do not make mistakes in our self-evaluation. We must face the next match with confidence that we have fought against such a big team, not that we have become a big team ourselves. I would like to face the next Tokushima match with confidence."

Tokyo Frustrated By Kitakyushu Defence In 1-0 Loss

Tokyo pushed men forward from the second half kick off and Roberto Cesar nearly succeeded in putting Takahashi clear on goal. The ball deflected to Tanabe who wound up to make an attempt on goal. In the 53rd minute Tokunaga swept down the right flank and rolled a low cross into the box, aimed for Yazawa as the midfielder burst forward. Once again the Kitakyushu defence interceded and prevented Yazawa from making contact with the ball. Tokyo won consecutive corners which came to nothing, and then Kitakyushu suddenly struck back.
In the 59th minute left back Seki made a sharp burst upfield, then moved the ball on to forward Ikemoto in the inside right channel. From the corner of the Tokyo penalty area Ikemoto unleashed a thunderous drive that flashed beyond Shiota's outstretched hands and found the far corner of the net to give the home side the lead. After applying pressure for most of the game Tokyo had been caught out on a counter attack and conceded their first goal in six games. The visitors made their first change in the 61st minute, replacing Tanabe with Lucas.
Otake replaced Takahashi in the 72nd minute. In the 74th minute Lucas intercepted a clearance by the Kitakyushu goalkeeper and shot immediately but failed to hit the target. In the 78th minute Hanyu, Lucas and Otake combined to fashion a fine move although the accuracy of the final ball was missing. Uesato made an appearance at left back in the 80th minute. Tokyo fought to the bitter end but were unable to breach the solid Kitakyushu defence and the final whistle blew on a 1-0 defeat, the first since the loss to Kusatsu on May 14th and the third of the season.


Players' comments
Abe
"The result is everything. Of course the performance is important but to stay at the top it's important to win even if we play badly. Things have been going well for us recently so for me to make an appearance in a game that ends with this kind of result means that I have to take a calm look and reflect on my performance. On a personal level I was able to increase the number of crosses I put into the danger area; on the other hand they were a few centimeters from being accurate enough to result in a goal, and that's the fact of the matter. I want to put these things together in training. More than anything though I feel that our approach to away games is the most important thing and I want to consider that as much as possible".

Konno
"When we lose this is the way we lose and it became a stereotypical game, unfortunately. If we could have taken just one of the chances we created in the first half the match would have been no problem. But our opponents were playing tenaciously and the longer it stayed at 0-0 the more confidence they had that they could actually get a result. They increased their concentration and after they scored they did a complete job of defending in depth and attempting to hit us on the counter attack. Although we have to hold our hands up after conceding it was an astonishing shot from a counter attack. Personally I think we have to score within the first half and the beginning of the second. Of course we're trying various tactics to score, using the wings and having the sidebacks push forward, but we need a little more. I think there are going to be many more games like today's from now on. Still, there's no need to be downhearted; we have to take what we've learned from today's match and move on".


FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"That's the scary thing about football I think. The concentration needed for counter attacks when you can't put your chances away. We couldn't break that and we couldn't take our chances. Missing a penalty hurt us but that happens sometimes and we need to be able to score from open play. We should have been a little bolder and more determined and taken the ball deeper along the wings in the attacking third to carry more of a threat as our opponents were looking confident. I’m sure the team will bounce back, though".

Kitakyushu manager Miura
"Everything about FC Tokyo is J1 class - the players, the stadium, the training facilities, the supporters and the media so for us to win a game such as this means the players have performed extremely well. We expected an intense and difficult game where we would be suffering for stretches and I envisaged the worst possibilities that could occur in various situations such as when we didn't have the ball. I told the players that they would have to find something inside themselves that would allow them to surpass Tokyo for the 90 minutes. We decisively finished one of the few chances we made and I felt very strongly the development of the teams as one that has real penetration in attack. That comes from the support of our fans here at Honjo Stadium and is a just reward for the hard work the players put into training day after day. There are a few issues we need to sort out and we have to assess ourselves in a realistic way to keep our feet on the ground in preparation for the next game. It isn't that we've become a big team, but beating a big team in the way we did today will give us confidence as we look forward to the game against Tokushima next week".