Aiming for three consecutive victories with all our might

After a two-week interval, the J1 League resumes. We will face Shonan Bellmare at home in the 14th round of the 2nd stage. In the previous round, we defeated Hiroshima, who were leading the 2nd stage, and climbed to 3rd place in this stage, keeping our chances for the title alive. As we approach the end, Coach Massimo emphasizes the importance of everyone moving in the same direction, emphasizing the importance of the team coming together as one. Our team stance will not waver, and we will continue to approach each match calmly and with focus.

Shonan, who will face them, is currently in 9th place in the 2nd stage. Their annual points are 39, and they are only "1" point away from securing their spot in J1. In the league matches, they have not won any of the 5 games since the Kawasaki match on August 22nd, and in the 3rd round of the Emperor's Cup held on October 10th, they lost to Matsumoto. It seems that their original "momentum" has somewhat diminished. However, like Tokyo, they have a preparation period for this match, and it is not difficult to imagine that they will display their "Shonan-like" spirit of "having nothing to lose" and aim for victory.

This time, the formation is set with FW Kirino at the forefront, and FW Takayama and FW Furubayashi as shadows. Kono is absent from Tokyo. Therefore, Higashi is appointed as the attacking midfielder. Nathan Burns and Maeda will form a two-top in a 4-3-1-2 formation and start the game.

In this match, we want to take control in the midfield and exploit the opponent's weaknesses by pressing and being aggressive against Shonan's frontline. It is also worth noting that we are approaching Tokyo's 700th goal in J1, and there is anticipation as to who will score this milestone goal. However, the most important thing is the battle at home. We want to enhance the unity with the stands and give our all to secure the victory.

It was chilly and occasionally drizzling, but just before the start, the sun began to peek through. The match kicked off in Tokyo at 14:04.

A devastating goal in the first half additional time

3 minutes into the game, Shonan's right wide MF Fujita Masashi dribbles down the side. Kirino, the central FW, threads a pass through. High mountain, who has moved up from the far side, takes the first shot of the game. However, it misses the target, and Tokyo retains possession of the ball afterwards. In the 5th minute, Maeda drops Mori's feed, and Nathan Burns enters the left area. Although he faces off against Shonan's DF in a one-on-one situation, they manage to recover and prevent him from breaking through. In the following 9th minute, they pass the ball around the defense line, Maruyama -> Ota -> Yonemoto in the center, towards the left front line. Ota crosses the ball, but it is cut off near the goal. Just before that, Shonan's DF Andre Baia suffers an injury accident. In the 10th minute, he is forced to be substituted with DF Shimamura.

12 minutes, Nathan BURNS broke through on the right front line and sent a ground ball into the central space. This pass slipped between Maeda and Yonehara, but Nathan BURNS tenaciously won the second ball and crossed from the right again. East contested this and Maeda struck it with a header in the left goal area corner, but the angle was not good and it went straight to the opponent's goalkeeper. After 23 minutes, Hashimoto chased Shonan's MF Kikuchi on a counterattack, but Morishige, who had entered to cover, injured his leg in a collision. He fell to the ground on the spot, but quickly returned and it didn't seem to be a serious injury.

In the 26th minute, Nathan BURNS in the center slid around the area and expanded to the left. He received a left corner kick from Ota's cross. In the 31st minute, he changed sides from the center to the right, and Maeda jumped in from the cross sent by Higashi from the right side, but it slightly hit the Shonan DF first and became a right corner kick. However, all the corner kicks were caught by the Shonan GK and they couldn't make a shot.

In the midst of not being able to seize the pace and attack, Shonan gradually began to create rhythm from intense defense, and the game unfolded with back and forth. In the 35th minute, Shonan changed sides from the right and sent the ball to MF Kikuchi on the left, resulting in a one-on-one situation with Maruyama in the penalty area. However, Maruyama defended persistently and Tokyo regained possession of the ball. Just before the end of the first half, they were pushed back from a set piece, although they had been defending well until then, giving away a free kick from the right side in the 45th minute. The goal was about 35 meters away, but Shonan MF Nagaki aimed for a low trajectory sharp shot. Vlada Avramov made a save in the bottom right corner, but the rebound was picked up by Shonan MF Takayama on the left side, who made a final pass with a shooting intention towards the center. Shonan MF Furukawa easily pushed the ball into the goal from a free position in front of the goal... and unfortunately conceded a crucial goal in the first half additional time. Immediately after this, Morishige was unable to continue playing and went off the pitch. Yoshimoto was quickly substituted, but the first half ended with a series of accidents.

Higashi marked his 700th goal and caught up with the tie, but...

Still aiming for a comeback, in the second half, Nathan BURNS was replaced by Nakajima in the front line. Higashi and Hashimoto on both sides. Takahashi and Yonemoto launched a counterattack with a double pivot of 4-4-2. This immediately paid off, in the 50th minute, they pushed forward in front of the Shonan goal, snatched the opponent's clearance and persistently attacked, Yonemoto in the left side → center → Tokunaga in the right area near the goal sent a floating ball into the penalty area. Higashi trapped the loose ball from the competition with Nakajima and his well-aimed shot was sucked into the top right corner! Higashi marked Tokyo's 700th goal in J1 and equalized the score.

In the 54th minute, Ota's cross flowed to the far side, but Nakajima chased after it and made it my ball, entering the right area. He took a powerful shot from an angleless position, but it was saved by the opponent's goalkeeper. The atmosphere of a comeback increased, but in the 50th minute, Shonan FW Takayama dribbled towards the center-right. The through pass played into the area was attempted to be controlled by Maruyama, but the clearance ball spilled to where Shonan FW Takayama and Yonemoto were competing, flowing to Shonan's right side. In response to MF Fujita's liner-like cross, MF Kikuchi jumped in from the far side... and was pushed in by Tokunaga, losing the second goal as Shonan scored the first shot of the second half.

Still, in the 63rd minute, Higashi ran into the left front line, Ota received the return and controlled the left cross. Nakajima in the area reacted to this. He shot with his right heel, but... it was blocked by the goalkeeper's great save, resulting in a corner kick. In the 70th minute, the third substitution card was used, and Mita was brought in to replace Hashimoto.

In the 75th minute, after persistently connecting the opponent's clearance ball, Mita ran from the right to switch with Higashi, who brought the ball inside from the east to the left. Mita, riding on speed, aimed for the goal but was blocked, resulting in a left corner kick. In the 79th minute, the ball entered the left area in front of Higashi, and Maeda was on the left front line. Nakajima blocked the opponent's defender in front of the goal. A pass was then made into the space created, and Mita ran into it, but the shot was blocked and resulted in a corner kick. Unable to break through the defense that Shonan had set up in front of their goal and unable to bring the ball to a shot, a period of time continued where they couldn't score. However, Mita, along with Nakajima, revitalized the attack and provided rhythm and momentum.

In the final stage, there were repeated scoring opportunities. In the 89th minute, Nakajima passed to Mita on the left side, who dribbled and brought the ball close to the goal, shifting the opponent's timing and making a final pass to the far side. Takahashi, who was free, stretched his right foot but the shot went wide. In additional time, Yonemoto was fouled and a free kick was awarded on the left side. This was followed by a corner kick on the left side. Goalkeeper Vlada AVRAMOV also moved up to the front line, and Ota's low kick slipped through the space in front of the goal, but... Maruyama and Nakajima in the penalty area were unable to connect, and the time was up. Despite having 8 corner kick opportunities in the second half, they were unable to capitalize on any decisive chances. They suffered their first home defeat in the 2nd stage.

[Player Comments]
《East》
I think the second half was really good. We were able to play our game. However, this season we have been focused on the results, and it doesn't mean anything if we don't have them. Even if the content is good, if we can't win... So I'm really frustrated. For the goal, the ball fell in a good position, so I calmly trapped it and aimed for a calm shot. We were able to equalize early in the second half and create an atmosphere for a comeback... However, no one has given up on the desire to win the title. We will prepare for the next game and fight to win by playing the best game.

"Maruyama"
"Against Shonan's pressing and momentum, we tried to connect passes firmly and take advantage of their movements. We expected a tough match, but we didn't give the opponent many chances. However, they made the most of those chances. On the other hand, we created several scoring opportunities with our intended style of play, but we couldn't convert them and couldn't defend well either. It's a frustrating defeat, but there are still chances. It's important not to dwell on this loss and to regroup firmly."

[Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's press conference]
"It was a good performance, but Shonan took advantage of their few chances and scored. I think the second goal was the only chance for the opponent in the second half. We knew it would be a difficult game against a team that runs so much, but we created many chances in the final stages. Of course, it was a game where mistakes were not allowed, but if we don't convert our chances, it becomes a difficult game like this. However, we kept running aggressively until the end and our condition is undoubtedly good. We fought until the very end without giving up. In the second half, it was clear to everyone that we were dictating the pace and we were able to handle the opponent's counterattacks that we should be wary of. We lacked composure in the final pass in front of the goal, but I think today was just one of those days when things didn't go well. We understand that these kind of days happen in football. Ultimately, the result is important and we have to accept it, but we have no choice but to move forward. We want to keep looking ahead."

[Shonan・Coach Eunsu Cho's Press Conference Summary]
"Ajinomoto Stadium is a place where we had a bitter and sad experience two years ago, and it is a stadium that became the J2 champion last season. We have been working hard to not be left behind as a rival team of FC Tokyo in the Kanto region. Tokyo has achieved the highest number of points in the club's history, but in order for us to win against that team, I think there is no other way than to fight like this, so I instructed the players. In terms of content, I wanted to create more opportunities by passing and breaking from the sides, and there were scenes where we lost the ball by choosing a sideways pass in counter-attack chances. However, our players cannot survive without giving 100% in practice and in games. We must always have that mindset, not as a feeling of being pushed into a corner, but rather as a joy of enjoying playing soccer. I have always said that we should give our all even if we fail, and I think this was a game where we were able to express that. We have been building up to play this kind of game in every match. I sincerely congratulate the players for earning the right to play in J1 next season with their own strength. In soccer, it may be true that big players are good and small players are not, or that fast legs are good and slow legs are bad, but they have overcome the wall with their own strength, and I think they are strong."