A match aiming for 3 points away, while maintaining the momentum from the previous section

In the 32nd round of the league, we will play against Sagan Tosu away. In the previous round, in the midst of intense attacking and defending, Ishikawa scored a superb goal in the final moments and we won. We calmly defended and achieved our first 7-game winning streak by keeping a clean sheet for the 6th consecutive game. In this round, which is the middle of a 5-game stretch and an away game, we will have a direct confrontation with the 2nd place team. Although it is still just one game out of 38 league games, it is truly a crucial match. It is expected that the importance of each point will increase with every game as we aim for promotion.

Sagan Tosu, on the other hand, is currently in 2nd place with 53 points. They have not lost in their last 11 matches and are on a 4-game winning streak, showing excellent form. They have scored a total of 52 goals and conceded 23, resulting in a goal difference of +29, which is the second highest after Tokyo. Forward Toyoda, who excels in height, currently leads the rankings with 15 goals. In terms of the lineup, midfielder Ikeda is paired up front with Toyoda, while forward Kim and midfielder Hayasaka play on the wings. The team also relies on midfielder Fujita's long throws and aggressive dribbling from the sides, so it is important to prevent them from gaining momentum.

Tokyo will face the match without changing the members, maintaining their winning streak. Takahashi said, "We aim for the championship, so we want to prove our strength by firmly defeating teams below us. However, Tosu has also matured since our last match. While respecting that, it is most important to calmly fight as usual." Coach Okuma also stated his aim, saying, "In consecutive matches, the difference is made by our mindset, physical effort, and determination. We want to surpass them and create a gap." The key is to not lose to the opponent in terms of physical effort and perseverance.

Mukuhara said, "Our defense is focused on keeping a clean sheet, but there may be times when we concede goals. It is important how we feel and how we fight when that happens. We want to fight for victory without panic and without losing our proactive attitude." Everyone, including substitute players, can score, which is Tokyo's current strength. With an increasing variety of attacking options, they will attack and confront Tosu with a full team effort in defense and attack. The match started at 17:04 with Tosu's kickoff at Best Amenity Stadium.

Tokyo Aim To Maintain Momentum In Tosu

FC Tokyo traveled south to the island of Kyushu to take on Sagan Tosu in the 32nd game of the season. In the previous outing, the side had won a tense match against Yokohama FC with a last-gasp wonder strike from Ishikawa to earn a sixth straight clean sheet and a club record seventh successive victory. The midpoint of a demanding schedule of five games in two weeks saw Tokyo take on the side ranked second in the league; only one game out of 38 but one laden with importance as Tokyo geared up for the final push towards promotion.
Opponents Tosu sat six points behind Tokyo at kick-off. The side was in superb form: unbeaten in eleven games, on a four-match winning run and boasting statistics second only to Tokyo, having scored 52 and conceded only 23 goals so far. Chief weapon in the Tosu arsenal was towering forward Toyoda, top scorer in the league to date with 15 goals. Despite being registered as a midfielder, Ikeda played alongside Toyoda in a twin-striker formation, with the pair supplied by wide men Kim and Hayasaka. The long throws of defensive midfielder Fujita added another dimension to the imposing attack. Tokyo's task would be to prevent them from gaining any kind of momentum in the match.
Tokyo were unchanged from the team that beat Yokohama. Midfielder Takahashi commented, "Beyond winning the championship, we want to perform against the teams below us to show our strength as the league leaders. However, Tosu have matured rapidly as a team since we met last time. The most important thing is to respect them as opponents while trying to play our usual steady game," while Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma emphasized the need for Tokyo to surpass the hard-working, dynamic Tosu team in terms of effort and tenacity.
Mukuhara commented, "We defenders are aiming to keep a clean sheet but there's always the possibility that we can concede. If it happens then our response and reaction is important. We have to keep our composure and remain positive." Tokyo's current strength lay in the ability of any player, including the substitutes, to score. With that variation in attack and a commitment of all to both defense and attack, Tokyo faced up to the challenge of Tosu.
The home side kicked off shortly after 7pm at the Best Amenity Stadium.

Unable to create opportunities against the opponent's intense press, they go into the second half

Both teams pressed each other with compact formations from the start, engaging in a battle for possession. However, Sagan Tosu's intense pressing caused difficulties. In the 15th minute, Tanizawa quickly sent a free kick to Hayabusa from the right side. Takenaga, who had moved up from the inside after the pass exchange, received the ball and took a long shot, but it went wide. In the 24th minute, from a throw-in on the right, Hayabusa and Kajiyama exchanged passes, and then sent a through pass to Tanabe in the right area, but the timing was off.

However, without panicking, they tried to build up from the defensive line. But even though they were able to pass the ball around in the back, they were consistently blocked from making vertical passes, leading to counterattacks. In particular, Tosu forward Toyoda was creating chances with his sharp movements up front. In the 31st minute, there was a dynamic attacking run from Tokunaga, followed by a right cross. Lucas brought the ball down, and Kajiyama hit a shot from the middle, but it was blocked by the defense.

In the 34th minute, Tosu accelerated from the right side and MF Kim sent the ball to the center, where FW Ikeda skillfully controlled it and attracted Tokyo DF, then passed it to FW Toyoda who was free on the left. The DF's marking was shifted, and a decisive shot was taken, but... it went over the bar and avoided conceding a goal. After that, there were several instances where Tosu faced sharp counters, but they fought tenaciously and ended the first half with a scoreless draw.

Tokyo Attack Blunted

Both sides adopted a compact formation and pressed hard from the kick off, with possession changing hands frequently. Tokyo suffered under Tosu's hard pressing and had to wait until the 15th minute for their first attempt on goal. Yazawa took a quick free kick down the left to Hanyu and after an exchange of passes the ball reached Tokunaga, pushing forward into the inside right channel. Tokunaga shot from long range but failed to trouble Akahoshi in the Tosu goal. In the 24th minute Hanyu and Kajiyama exchanged passes from a throw in on the right, the latter sliding the ball through into the Tosu area but Tanabe was slow off the mark and failed to reach the pass.
Nevertheless, Tokyo continued to build carefully from the back but straight balls played up the field were invariably picked off, allowing Tosu to counter attack. Forward Toyoda looked sharp and his darting runs created chances. In the 34th minute Tokunaga charged forward and crossed, Lucas nodded the ball down and Kajiyama let fly from middle range. The ball struck a defender and rebounded to safety.
Tokyo survived a major scare in the 34th minute as Tosu sped up the play down the right, midfielder Kim moving the ball inside to midfielder Ikeda. Ikeda controlled the ball skillfully, then drew the Tokyo defence towards him before slipping the ball out to Toyoda on his left. Toyoda had escaped his marker but crashed his shot over the bar. Although Tosu continued to hit on the counter attack the Tokyo defence held firm and the first period ended 0-0.

Unable to score until the end against opponents who defend the goal, resulting in a draw

In the second half, Tokyo dominated the ball against a defensive Sagan Tosu. Kajiyama, Lucas, and Taniyama connected passes to keep pushing Sagan Tosu back. However, they struggled to create any decisive opportunities against Sagan Tosu's organized defense. In the 55th minute, Kajiyama dribbled up the left side from a counterattack, cut inside, and took a shot from the middle, but it went over the crossbar. In the 56th minute, Ishikawa was substituted for Tanabe. Morishige also increased his involvement in the attack, trying to create chances.

　In the 63rd minute, Morishige received a pass after advancing and expanded to the right. Ishikawa crossed the ball, but it hit the opponent's defender and changed direction. Kajiyama tried to follow up with a sliding tackle, but couldn't connect. In the 72nd minute, Roberto CESAR was substituted for Hayu, aiming for a goal with his speed. In the 86th minute, a counterattack was launched, Lucas -> Cesar brought the ball inside and timed a last pass to Lucas in the center. However, Lucas' shot curved to the left...

　After that, Nishizawa was replaced by Nagatomo and continued to launch fierce attacks without easing the pressure. In stoppage time, they tried to take advantage of multiple chances from corner kicks and free kicks, but they were unable to score a shot on target against the opponents who pulled everyone back to defend near the goal. The time was up. They concentrated on defense and managed to keep a clean sheet, but they couldn't break down the solid Tosu defenders who defended with a well-organized block until the end. The tough game ended in a draw.

　[Player Comment] [Kajiyama] "I think I received the ball and stopped more often, especially in the first half, I felt that the attacking power was insufficient. In the second half, the opponent's movements also decreased, and on the contrary, our side back became open, so we were able to create a numerical advantage by shaking the side two or three times... However, we are not losing in terms of running. Even in this situation, I want to create a form that can be captured. By taking 3 points firmly next time, I think today's 1 point will have meaning."

　"Mukuhara: "From the beginning, Tosu pressed us so much that I thought, 'This won't continue.' As expected, their energy dropped in the second half, and we dominated. That's why we wanted to win, but I think being able to keep a clean sheet will lead to the next game. There was almost only one chance from my pass mistake, and we were able to attack that much. Of course, it's a challenge that we couldn't break through, but it's not bad in terms of content. We were able to achieve the minimum result and return home. (The clean sheet record is still ongoing, right?) It will continue! I don't want to concede a single goal." "　

　[Summary of Coach Okuma's Press Conference] "In the first half, the opponent had momentum and high concentration, so we couldn't create a starting point in a high position. We couldn't get behind the defense either. We knew that the momentum would drop a little in the second half. We had possession of the ball, but there were a lot of opponents in front of the goal, including their substitutions, so we couldn't break through. We were able to create a starting point on the sides more than in the first half, but if we had better decision-making in terms of ideas from there or when the opponent had a lot of players in the center, we could have created more decisive opportunities. There's no point in dwelling on today's game, so we want to make use of it in the next game. We want to concentrate on the next game while instilling a broad perspective that allows us to effectively use numerical superiority as an organization."

　[Summary of Tosu Yoon Jong Hwan's Press Conference] "First of all, I didn't expect so many people to come to the stadium to support us against the top-ranked FC Tokyo today, but I think we played a very good game. I told the players to not concede any goals today and sent them out onto the field. Although we couldn't win in the end, I think we should be satisfied with earning 1 point, and I believe it's a wonderful thing that the players fought hard and stayed focused until the end despite the tough circumstances."

Solid Defence Dominates In Scoreless Draw

Tokyo enjoyed more of the ball in the second half as Tosu began to play deeper. Yazawa, Lucas and Kajiyama linked up, forcing the home side onto the defensive. Tosu defended systematically, denying Tokyo any clear-cut openings. In the 55th minute, Tokyo broke, Kajiyama finding Mukuhara on the left. Mukuhara raced forward and shot but his effort sailed over the crossbar. Ishikawa replaced Tanabe in the 56th minute. Morishige began to venture forward in support of the attack as Tokyo created an increasing number of chances.
In the 63rd minute, Morishige pushed up, received the ball and switched play out to the right, where Ishikawa launched a cross into the Tosu area. The ball struck a defender, altering its course; Kajiyama flung himself at the ball as it slid across the turf but narrowly failed to make contact. Roberto Cesar entered the fray for Hanyu in the 72nd minute as Tokyo sought to make use of his speed to create a goal. Tokyo burst forward in the 86th minute, Lucas shifting the ball inside to Cesar and continuing his run. Cesar took the ball forward, then measured a pass back inside to Lucas. Lucas shot but directed his effort wide of the post.
Yazawa made way for Nagasato as Tokyo continued to storm forward. The game entered additional time with Tosu almost entirely camped in defence, hacking away a stream of corners and free kicks into the box. The final whistle blew on a 0-0 draw. Tokyo had successfully neutralized Tosu's attacking threat but, in turn, had been frustrated by the home side's massed defence.


Players' comments
Kajiyama
"We were receiving the ball at a standing start quite a lot, particularly in the first half, which showed a lack of punch in the attack. The opposition workrate slackened in the second half allowing our sidebacks freedom to push forward and a couple of times we outnumbered them on the flanks but couldn't make anything of it. We certainly didn't lose in terms of workrate, though. We want to be able to find ways of breaking the deadlock in games like these. Looking ahead, we want to take all three points in the next match, which will give some meaning to the point we got today, I think".

Mukuhara
"Tosu pressed very hard from the off but we felt that they wouldn't be able to keep it up. Sure enough, the pressure slackened in the second half allowing us to control the possession. Although we had wanted to win, keeping another clean sheet will stand us in good stead for the next game. They rarely put us under any real pressure, only once and that came from my own poor pass, and we created plenty in attack. Not being able to find a way through their defence remains an issue but the performance today wasn't bad at all. A point was the minimum required and now we get to go back home again.
What about the clean sheet record? We're not finished yet! We don't want to let in even one goal".


FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"Our opponents played with a lot of energy and concentration in the first half. We couldn't put moves together high up the field or get in behind their defence. We knew they would lose some of that momentum in the second half. We enjoyed a lot more of the ball in the second half but couldn't open them up. Although we created more down the flanks we needed more ideas and better decision-making to create better chances. It can't be helped that today's game was a stalemate and we aim to make the best of the next match. We need to organize ourselves so that we can take advantage of situations where we have numerical superiority and maintain our concentration in the next game".

Sagan Tosu manager Jong
"First of all I'd like to say I didn't expect so many people to attend the game today and it was a good game for them to watch. We sent the team out telling them to avoid conceding. Although we couldn't get the win we must be satisfied with the point we earned. The way the players kept their concentration and fought to the bitter end was magnificent, I felt".