Approaching one-third of the league season, aiming for 4 consecutive home wins

Entering the 6th round of the league, which accounts for about one-third of the 1st stage, we will face Sanfrecce Hiroshima at home. In the previous round, we won 1-0 against Shonan, following our victory against Kofu. We have accumulated 11 points and are now tied for first place (with Urawa). However, the players unanimously say, "The result of each match is all that matters, and we are not conscious of our ranking at this stage." However, this round is a crucial match where we aim for a 4th consecutive victory, which we couldn't achieve even during last season's "14-game unbeaten" streak. Furthermore, we will have 7 consecutive matches with a 2-3 day interval, including the Nabisco Cup, but Massimo Tokyo's attitude remains unchanged: "We will only focus on the upcoming match and give our all."

Canini, who injured his right calf, will be absent. As a result, Yoshimoto will be deployed as a center-back. Takahashi will also make his first start in the league, with Takahashi as the anchor in midfield and Yonemoto and Kajiyama serving as inside halves. Nara will also make his first appearance on the bench. Higashi will be on the bench as a substitute, making his return since the Nabisco Matsumoto match on March 28.

Hiroshima, who are currently in 10th place with 7 points. In the league, they have lost to Kobe and Nagoya, and are on a 2-game losing streak. They have scored a total of 4 goals so far, and have also conceded 4 goals. However, they are a well-developed team with high individual skills. This season, they have been averaging 15 shots per game, and there is a possibility that they can gain momentum with just one "opportunity". The key point will be whether Tokyo can create a rhythm from defense and connect it to their attack without giving them that "opportunity". They want to surpass Hiroshima with balance and quick transitions, and take 3 points.

It was sunny but windy at Ajinomoto Stadium, and the match started with Hiroshima's kickoff at 16:03.

After Muto scored the opening goal right after the start... Hiroshima gained control of the rhythm

Immediately after the kickoff, Hiroshima stole the ball and pushed it in, connecting again with the opponent's clearance, and Kajiyama in the right area in front of the goal passed it to Ishikawa in the center. Ishikawa sent it directly to the right area. The opponent's defender tried to clear it with a header, but it hit the Hiroshima defender in front of him and spilled into the right area. Muto, who was in position, calmly shot the ball through the goalkeeper's legs and scored a goal! He skillfully took advantage of the opponent's vulnerability right after the start and scored the opening goal.

After that, there were many scenes where Hiroshima had the ball, but Tokyo also launched quick attacks. However, in the 11th minute, Hiroshima took the ball from Tokyo after Takahashi → Kajiyama passed it back in their own half. Right-side midfielder Douglas passed the ball to midfielder Mikic, then received the return pass and dribbled forward on the right side. Yonemoto chased from behind and Takahashi tried to trap him, but he was powerfully able to break through and move forward. From here, central midfielder Shibasaki received a negative pass and took a shot that grazed the crossbar and bounced down into the goal... Immediately, they were caught up and the score became tied.

In the 16th minute, the quick connection to the front line, with Ishikawa on the right crossing the ball to the left area. Muto attempts a direct volley but it goes wide to the left. However, Hiroshima gains momentum and in the 19th minute, Kashiwa from the left area cuts inside after a side change and takes a shot. The ball goes over the head of MF Douglas who jumped out in front of the goal and shakes the net, but MF Douglas is involved in the play and it is ruled offside. Although they avoided conceding a goal, Hiroshima has gained rhythm and continues to create chances from attacks initiated from both sides.

Therefore, Tokyo took care of the DF line with Takahashi, and in the midfield, they had a double pivot of Yonemoto and Kajiyama. They pushed up the fullbacks and tried to contain Hiroshima's side MFs. However, in the 33rd minute, Ishikawa on the right side sent a pass to the central space from a counterattack, and Muto's decisive shot hit Kono in front. Both teams tried to create chances with quick transitions, but they couldn't score another goal, and the first half ended with a 1-1 draw.

Unable to counterattack, first loss of the season with a come-from-behind defeat

In the first half, Yonemoto, who hit his head, was replaced by Hayu from the second half. Kajiyama is again the anchor, with Kono and Hayu serving as the sides in a 3-5-2 formation. Tokyo also attacks from the sides, and in the 55th minute, Ota receives a foul on the front line and earns a free kick from the left area outside. Mori Shige jumps in from a header to meet Ota's sharp kick and pushes the rebound from the bar again, but... the first play is judged as a foul, and it's no goal.

Afterwards, the game turned into a back-and-forth counterattack, but in the 69th minute, 東 (East) substituted 石川 (Ishikawa). Gradually, there were more attacking opportunities as they started to connect passes. In the 72nd minute, 武藤 (Muto) intercepted a loose ball in the midfield and dribbled towards the left side. From outside the left area, he delivered a precise cross towards the goal. 東 (East) leaped into the air with the defender on his back, but... he couldn't find the target.

In the final stage, we tried to break through the Hiroshima DF by pushing forward, but there were also scenes where we were counterattacked without being able to penetrate, and the tense development continued. However, in the 82nd minute, Kajiyama's pass to the left side was intercepted by Hiroshima MF Douglas, who passed it to the central FW Asano. FW Asano advanced through the center with a dribble. The Tokyo DF was in position, but they couldn't take the ball. Yoshimoto and Morishige stretched their legs as they entered the area, but they were evaded by sliding sideways and allowed the opponent to break through to the right area and score a sure shot... losing the second goal. In the 84th minute, Maeda was brought in. We launched a power play and earned a CK in additional time. Gonda went up to the front line, and Kajiyama floated the ball into the area from the clear of the left CK. Gonda headed it, but it was offside.

With a change in formation, player substitutions were also used, and they attacked while maintaining possession of the ball, but they were unable to stop Hiroshima's counterattack. They suffered a comeback defeat and experienced their first loss of the season.

[Player Comments]
《Kei ISHIKAWA》
"After scoring the opening goal, I wanted to have more control over the game. I wanted to settle down both in defense and attack, but..."
The team may have been well dealt with in Hiroshima than we have researched and prepared for. As a forward, I am ultimately seeking goals, but I don't think that's the only role. I want to work hard to contribute to the team not only in scoring but also in other aspects of play with a broad perspective. Although we were defeated, I have a strong desire to quickly make corrections and challenge in the next game. I want to make the Nabisco a good opportunity."

"Yoshimoto"
"I wanted to earn 3 points, but I couldn't, so I feel disappointed. The team's victory was more important than my own play, but in the end, I conceded 2 goals and couldn't fulfill my role, so I have regrets."

[Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's press conference]
　"We took the lead early on, but the flow of the game completely changed after conceding the equalizer. Despite that, the team continued to play without losing their spirit and regained their rhythm, but there were some imbalances, so we made some adjustments. Takahashi was responsible for both the midfield and the defense line, but we put him in the defense to bring stability. Yonemoto had a head injury in the first half, so we had no choice but to make a substitution. In the second half, Hiroshima created a defensive block and had a clear intention of counterattacking after winning the ball. We fell into their trap and conceded the second goal. Hiroshima is a strong team that has achieved results in the past. In a game like today's, several events can change the flow of the game. However, I want the players to 'lift their heads'. I have been telling the players to maintain a never-give-up attitude until the end, and they have responded to that. To create a true spirit, it is necessary to 'keep going'. It is because we have this frustrating feeling that we must never stop here."

[Hiroshima - Coach Hajime Moriyasu's Press Conference Summary]
"I was prepared for a tough away game against the top-ranked Tokyo. We conceded an early goal and it became a difficult situation, but the players fought until the end with a strong determination to win, even in a tough battle. There were some questionable decisions and stoppages in the game, but we focused on what we needed to do and secured the victory. In the end, we were pushed back by Tokyo, but the supporters who came to support us away from home gave us the extra push, and the players were able to fight with all their strength. We haven't been able to deliver the desired results so far, but I want to express my gratitude to the supporters. Also, despite the lack of results recently, the players have continued to prepare for each game. I believe that continuing what we have been doing, regardless of the results, led to today's victory."