Aiming for a 3-game winning streak with the same momentum!

Sec. 3 of the league will be a match against Cerezo Osaka away. In the previous match against Kashiwa, we showed our strength in scoring crucial chances and did not let the opponent fully demonstrate their strengths, resulting in a comfortable victory. Both Watanabe and Hasegawa marked goals following the opening match, and the team's condition can be considered good. This match will be a difficult one away, as both teams are on a winning streak, but we want to aim for a third consecutive victory with the entire team, including the substitutes.

C Osaka, who will face them, won the opening match against Niigata with a score of 1-0, and won the previous match against Kofu with a score of 2-1, showing good form with two consecutive victories. In this match, they will have FW Edino and Kakitani as the two top players, with MF Minamino and Yamaguchi on both sides. The formation will have MF Simplício and Ogihara as the double defensive midfielders, and DF Shigenobu as the center back. It is important to pay attention to MF Kakitani, who leads the attacking line, as he has the ability to exploit the opponent's weaknesses, quick movement and breakthrough power. He has already scored in the last two matches and has become a driving force for victory.

Tokyo will face the same starting lineup as before. Coach Popovic said, "Under Coach Cerezo Osaka, they have already fought for more than 6 seasons, and their way of thinking has permeated. In addition, young players with potential have gained experience, and the balance with the middle-aged and veteran players is also good." He also asserted, "We don't intend to play soccer that suits the opponent." He continued, "It's not easy, but we want to proceed at Tokyo's pace from start to finish and turn it into a victory."

In addition, attention is also focused on C Osaka DF Murohara, who has been on loan since this season, as the point of contention on the side. Tokyo wants to take the initiative in both offense and defense with Tokyo-like coordination and passing work by not allowing the opponent to show their strengths, according to the changes and flow of the game. Both teams advocate attacking soccer, and "it should definitely be an interesting match," said Coach Popovic. The match started with Tokyo's kickoff at 15:04 at Osaka Nagai Stadium.

Unable to create scoring opportunities, the score remains 0-0 at halftime

Tokyo launches a wave attack from the start. In the 1st minute, after connecting from the kickoff, Watanabe picks up the loose ball from a long feed and takes the first shot from the right side, but it goes wide. In the following 2 minutes, Hasegawa -> Watanabe -> Higashi on the left side -> Ota's cross, Hasegawa in the left area tries to aim for the goal, but lacks power and the GK catches it. In the 4th minute, Tokunaga shoots from the right area but it goes over the bar.

Gradually, C Osaka regained its composure and the game became a stalemate. In the 21st minute, Ota made a lofted pass to the right area from a coordinated ball movement in the front line. East dropped the ball deep into the area, and Lucas in front beautifully volleyed it into the net, but... East was judged to have committed a handball foul, resulting in no goal. Tokyo was unable to make vertical passes against C Osaka's intense press. On the contrary, C Osaka launched quick counterattacks, creating a tense and intense development.

37 minutes, Tokyo's Hasegawa steals the opponent's lateral pass and dribbles into the area, passing to the right to Watanabe. His favorite cross from the area crosses in front of the goal, but the center forward Higashi fails to reach it. In the 43rd minute, Lucas passes to Tokunaga, who continues with his speed and crosses from the right. Higashi was running towards the goal, but it was cut off by the defender and resulted in a corner kick. As the shot count of 3 to 2 in the first half indicates, both teams were able to connect the ball until the midfield, but failed to break through until the end. The score remains 0-0 going into the second half.

Unable to break the opponent's goal until the end and suffered a defeat

C Osaka replaced DF Mutsuhara with MF Maruhashi from the second half and placed him on the left SB. Then, in the 47th minute, they were countered by C Osaka due to a midfield mistake, and MF Yamaguchi scored from MF Maruhashi's last pass from the left side, allowing the first goal. Tokyo immediately launched a counterattack in the 54th minute, with Lucas on the right side making a move inside the area and delivering a perfect ground cross in front of the goal. Tohga scored from afar and shook the net, but it was ruled offside. However, after that, C Osaka's counterattack continued as they suffered from mistakes and faced attacking situations.

In the 62nd minute, Hasegawa was substituted for Takahashi and Ishikawa was brought in on the right side. Immediately after, Watanabe headed the ball from Ishikawa's right corner kick, but the goalkeeper caught it. In the 66th minute, Lee was substituted for Watanabe. Then, in the 68th minute, Lee broke through the front line, following a long pass from Morishige. He faced the goalkeeper in the left area and took a left-footed shot, but the goalkeeper made a save. Lee reacted quickly to the rebound and took another shot, but this time it was blocked by a covering defender. It was a decisive opportunity, but they couldn't convert it.

C Osaka tightened their defense by pulling back to their own half, and in the 77th minute, Kono was substituted for Lucas to provide more attacking options. Immediately after, in the 78th minute, Ishikawa dribbled down the right side and made a last pass to the center. The ball was blocked by the opponent's defender and resulted in a right corner kick. From this corner kick by Ishikawa, Li made a perfect header, but it was saved by the goalkeeper in front of the goal. In stoppage time, Li unleashed a powerful shot from a left cross, but once again, the goalkeeper caught it. Despite continuous attacking efforts, they couldn't break through C Osaka's solid defense, and the game ended. It was their first loss of the season.

[Player Comments]
《East》"(I am conscious of) always challenging the opponent's center back when facing a team that tightens their defense. If I pull back too much, the defensive midfielder will take care of me. (Were there any moments when you entered the area multiple times?) It is important to keep repeating in order to score goals and make assists. I want to be able to do it more and more. We lost today, but I believe that as a team, we can improve. I want to constantly improve with a high level of play and game awareness in every match, without forgetting the fighting spirit."

"There were good chances, but I couldn't score. I think the timing and trajectory were good, and I was able to create good opportunities. However, this has been happening for three consecutive matches. I wonder why it's happening, but I don't want to dwell on it and I want to score goals somehow. (Was there any frustration towards the referee's decision on the field?) No, there were chances and I should have scored. It was a game that we could control with our own strength. So it's not about the referee's decision."

[Coach's Press Conference Summary]
《Coach Popovich》"(Was there a problem with the referee?) No comment. I don't think talking about the referee here will solve anything. However, I do have a desire for people to understand soccer more. It is necessary to continue thinking with everyone about what we can do to further advance the Japanese soccer world, not criticism. I think the team should play fair and clean to make it easier for the referee to blow the whistle, and conversely, the referee should control the game properly and proceed with the game smoothly."

I think we need to consider contributing to the Japanese football community. Another important thing is to continue showing the way we should be in our football. I think it is important to continue fighting with fair play, respect for the opponent, and respect for the referee. However, there were some parts today that I would like you to consider in terms of making judgments."

"In these three matches, we have been able to earn 100% of the points with 9 points. There is no doubt that it is the best result. Our aim is to be in first place. To achieve that, we have no choice but to keep winning. In that sense, it was an important victory. However, in terms of coordination, the level is still lacking. We must continue to polish the coordination as we play more matches. (What is the factor behind winning games by a one-point difference?) I don't think I can explain the factors behind the three consecutive victories in a few words. As I mentioned earlier, there are still parts that are lacking in terms of content. However, it is also true that plays worthy of victory are being made."

It was a wonderful goal like today, and although it didn't lead to a goal in these three matches, there were very good breakthroughs and dedicated defense. Another important thing is that we have used all the substitution slots throughout the three matches. It means that the player depth has increased. And when I looked back at the bench in the second half today, there was a time when I thought I should let Mr. Biliken in (laughs).