Expressing a strong desire for victory in the crucial 10th match

The league match resumes, and Sec. 10 of the 2nd stage will be held. Vissel Kobe will be welcomed and confronted at home.
In the second leg of the Nabisco Cup quarterfinals, we lost to Kashima, and our recent official matches have resulted in 3 draws and 1 loss. After the victory against G Osaka on August 16th, we haven't been able to secure 3 points, but Maeda says, "Everyone should be thinking about changing this momentum. I myself strongly believe in that." This is a match where we aim for victory by regaining the momentum and showing a strong determination in our play in the second half of the 2nd stage.

This round, Nakajima is suspended. On the other hand, Morishige, Maruyama, and Nathan BURNS, who have just joined the team after participating in the World Cup qualifiers as representatives of their respective countries, are in good condition and have been named as starters. In addition, Vlada AVRAMOV will make his first start as the goalkeeper.

Kobe, on the other hand, is currently in 10th place with 13 points. They have advanced to the semi-finals of the Emperor's Cup. Despite the consecutive matches, they did not make significant changes to their lineup in the Emperor's Cup match held on the 9th, where they achieved a 5-0 victory against AC Nagano Parceiro (J3). Above all, in the Sec. 9 match against Tosu, they achieved a huge 7-1 victory. In particular, FW Leandro and MF Watanabe each scored 2 goals in the Tosu match. MF Watanabe also scored 2 goals in the Emperor's Cup. The attacking lineup, with FW Leandro leading the front line and MF Watanabe and MF Ishizu as shadows, can be said to be in excellent form.

This time, MF Morioka will be used as a shadow. MF Mihara and MF Maeda in a double pivot. DF Takahashi and Soma on both sides. MF Cho Un-yong in the center of the defensive line, DF Iwanami on the right, and DF Masukawa on the left, forming a 3-4-3 formation. Tokyo wants to nullify the midfield space and secure the goal by doing so. On the other hand, Kobe's defenders boast height and strength, so simply kicking long balls will be difficult. They want to increase the time they possess the ball and create chances from careful build-up play.

If we lose this match, not only will our position be swapped with Kobe, but our ranking could also plummet. This is truly a "make-or-break" moment, but our record at home in the 2nd stage at Ajinomoto Stadium is still undefeated with 3 wins and 1 draw. The support of the fans and supporters is also a positive factor, and we will strive to secure victory.

The match started at 19:03 with a kickoff in Tokyo, under clear skies and a sense of autumn in the air.

Allowed Kobe's domination, but Maeda scored the first goal with Yonemoto's ball recovery and Takahashi's pass

The first half was dominated by Kobe. In the 4th minute, Kobe MF Morioka played a through pass behind Tokyo DF, but GK Vlada AVRAMOV came out and stopped it. However, the ball fell to Kobe's left side and MF Soma, who was free, closed in and took a shot. In the 9th minute, a cross from both sides of Kobe was cleared and passed to Nathan BURNS in the front line from Kono in their own half. However, the overall push was not enough and they couldn't bring it into a counterattack. In the 18th minute, Nathan BURNS broke through on the left front line, but there weren't enough players to support him. Maeda tried to close in on the low cross into the goal area, but couldn't make it in time. Then, Nathan BURNS sent a left cross, and in the 23rd minute, Hanyu sent a right cross, but neither of them could bring it to a finish from a counterattack.

However, the defensive tenacity was not lost, and in the 27th minute, GK Vlada AVRAMOV punched the cross from Kobe's CK scene. The subsequent clearance was short, and they were pushed into the goal area, but they concentrated and managed to prevent any decisive shots. By the time 30 minutes had passed, they had consecutive chances for FK, but they couldn't capitalize on them as time passed.

However, in the 38th minute, Kobe DF → Pass to the midfielder, Yonemoto aims and tries to steal it with a spirited sliding tackle. Takahashi follows up and successfully steals it, carries it up the center, and unfolds it to Maeda on the right near the area. Maeda flashes his right foot from the trap in the right area immediately! The powerful shot grazes the bar and pierces the near side! They have taken the lead.

In the 43rd minute, Kobe's attack was held back in their own half, and a feed was sent to the front line. From Nathan BURNS, Kono broke through the opponent's defense and took a decisive shot, but... it was saved by the goalkeeper... Immediately after, a similar situation occurred again in their own half. Takahashi -> Kono made a run, but it was judged offside. In the 45th minute, a pass was also sent to the front line to Nathan BURNS, but it was called offside when he tried to dribble.

On the other hand, in the first half additional time, Kobe MF Morioka → central FW Leandro, passed through the back of Tokyo DF with a through pass. From the left side, MF Watanabe broke through and Mori Shige chased after him, but GK Vlada Avramov came out and cut off the course, the ball narrowly missed to the right and avoided a crisis, and the first half ended. The game changed from a cautious start to a late game, leading by one point and heading into the second half.

Maeda scores a hat-trick from an assist by Higashi! Achieves 200th win in J1

In the second half, Tokyo gained momentum and the game became intense with frequent changes between offense and defense. Both teams had chances to score. In the 55th minute, after a pass exchange on the left side, Kono made a dash into the penalty area. He had a great shooting opportunity, but the ball bounced awkwardly and he lost control. Immediately after, Kobe had a chance. Morioka, just outside the left area, took a sharp shot on goal, but GK Vlada AVRAMOV made a one-handed save and the ball went out for a corner kick.

57 minutes, here Tokyo substitutes Kono with Higashi on the left side. Hayu moves to the right, and as a double pivot with Takahashi and Yonemoto, they try to grasp the rhythm both in attack and defense. In the 62nd minute, Kobe also brings forward FW Ishizu. In the 67th minute, Kobe's FW Leandro enters the right area. From there, central MF Morioka expands to the left. Shaken wide, and further forward, FW Ishizu makes the final pass in front of the goal. It was met with a heel by MF Watanabe at close range, but... it goes wide to the left, avoiding a goal. In the 68th minute, Higashi sticks to the left front line and connects with Higashi, swinging his right foot from just outside the left area... but it goes wide to the upper right.

While the game was going back and forth, in the 69th minute, we earned a free kick on the right side of the midfield. Tokunaga took the free kick and sent it to the left front line. East received the ball and brought it back to the center, then sent a liner-like cross into the penalty area. Maeda, who had run behind the opponent's defender from the far side, stretched out his right foot and pushed it in for a GOAL! We scored an additional point from a good flow of play.

75 minutes, Tokyo substitutes Hashimoto for Hanyu. Kobe also substitutes Bueno for DF Masukawa. However, the flow of Tokyo remains unchanged. In the 78th minute, Nathan Burns in the center midfield passes directly to Takahashi in the back, who feeds the ball to the front line. In response, Higashi skillfully traps the ball and charges into the area! Although he is intercepted by Kobe's defense and taken care of, he momentarily stops his foot and calmly adjusts the timing to shift to the right area for the final pass. Maeda, who had penetrated between the opponent's defense and goalkeeper, traps the ball into the net while losing his balance! In a counterattack that counters Kobe's attempt to counterattack, Maeda marks Tokyo's first hat-trick and extends the lead to three points.

Kobe tries to score a goal, but Tokyo defends calmly and prevents them from doing so. In the 90th minute, Kobe is pressed by Tokyo's precise and quick passing in front of the goal, but Tokyo defends without panicking. In additional time, Kobe starts an attack from the right side and a ground cross is passed through by forward Ishizu. Midfielder Morioka runs into the box and creates a decisive opportunity, but Maruyama touches the ball with a sliding tackle, avoiding a corner kick, and the game ends.

Maeda scored multiple goals from an assist by Higashi, who came on as a substitute, and Kobe's counterattack was held without conceding a goal, resulting in the team's first victory in three league matches. At the same time, the team achieved its 200th win in J1.

[Player Comments]
《Maeda》
"I haven't been able to win lately and haven't been able to contribute to the team myself. I'm happy that I was able to produce a result with a goal today and that I was able to achieve a hat-trick, but that's because my teammates gave me good passes. I'm really grateful to my teammates. Even if I score three goals today, it doesn't mean anything if I can't score for a while. I want to continue fighting for each game, for the sake of the team, and contribute to the victory in the next game. And I want to keep winning."

"Vlada AVRAMOV"
"In my first start, I paid attention to reading the flow of the game above all. In the first half, the opponent broke through our defensive line, but we managed to respond somehow. What I feel in J-League matches is the speed. The speed of the ball and the players' movements are fast. As I get used to this style and game, I also need to gradually adapt to the changes in the environment. However, being able to win in an unknown place like this is thanks to the support and warm support of the fans, the coach and teammates who have cheered for me, and the staff. I sincerely appreciate it."

[Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's press conference]
"It was a difficult match as expected. Kobe Univ is a team with strong abilities and a wonderful coach. I think it was the result of good preparation in terms of tactics. The match was difficult in the first 20 minutes as Kobe Univ had possession of the ball, but we defended well and kept a clean sheet. After enduring, we gradually improved and scored a goal, and were able to seize the momentum. We had a chance to score a second goal in the first half. After that, we effectively used the space and were able to implement what we had planned. I think it was a victory where we scored the second and third goals and read the flow of the match."
(GK Vlada AVRAMOV made his first start?)
Regarding Vlada, he played well and made some amazing saves. He has experience playing in Italy for many years and possesses great skills. However, I would like to talk about GK Enomoto. Although things didn't go well in the Nabisco Cup, he showed outstanding performance in the league matches. Today, he also behaved for the sake of the team, a great, true professional. He has shown wonderful character."

[Kobe NELSINHO coach's press conference summary]
"We were able to proceed according to the plan in the first half. We were able to defend well to regain possession of the ball and had good developments by effectively utilizing attacks from the center and side changes. However, we conceded a goal from a counterattack due to a pass mistake while dominating the midfield. It was decided in a bad way. What was lacking in the first half was the forward movement as soon as we regained possession of the ball. There were no players speeding up, which gave the opponent time to recover. We made adjustments at halftime, but Tokyo showed their ability to score on the counterattack. We were unable to capitalize on our chances. I think that made the difference."