On the second day of the American expedition, we welcomed the first day of the tournament.

In the first match of the group stage of the "2016 Generation adidas Cup Premier Division," they faced off against the Mexican powerhouse PUMAS.

Before the match, Coach Tadashi NAKAMURA commented, "The Mexican team is technically skilled and tenacious. Let's not just play the game, but compete fiercely. Let's challenge ourselves in terms of ball control and quality."
The current tournament, which is played in 35-minute halves, kicked off at 12:00 local time. 【First Half】
The match begins with a shot from Kobayashi (Hiroshi). Tokyo, who aggressively applies pressure from the front line, is being targeted by PUMAS, who, despite being physically inferior, are aiming for the goal with strength and propulsion.
To respond to the PUMAS, who come flying in with even more power, especially during set plays, put your body on the line.
Tokyo, which has gradually been pushed back, is trying to find a way to attack by utilizing the space on the sides.
In the 14th minute, Tokyo was unable to put pressure on the ball holder and it was carried to the front of the goal, but the powerful volley shot narrowly missed the goal.
Tokyo continued to be pushed back, but in the 20th minute, Imamura and Kobayashi (Miki) combined to take a shot, and although Hara reacted to the rebound, it was ruled offside.
The game started moving in the 22nd minute, when Kobayashi (Miki) turned forward freely in the midfield and passed through to Hara, who was free due to the maneuvering with the opponent's defense line. Hara easily sank the one-on-one with the goalkeeper and scored the opening goal. It became a valuable goal in the time when we were being pushed in.
Tokyo, which gradually began to grasp the distance with the opponent, increases the number of ball retrievals and interceptions in each situation.
In the 28th minute, Kobayashi (Shin), who had repeatedly stolen the ball in the midfield, continued to attack and created opportunities, showing each player's characteristics.
Tokyo, who regained their rhythm from the middle of the game, goes into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

【Halftime】
Coach Nakamura reminded the team to "always think ahead when playing, focus on both attacking and defending, and be aware of Mexico's unique smart plays."

【Second Half】
Tokyo, who has taken control of the ball since the start of the second half, quickly neutralizes the PUMAS defense with strong pressure and power through quick decision-making and movement.
Tokyo, who strengthens the intensity of play as time passes, repeatedly approached the goal but did not allow PUMAS to take shots.
19 minutes and 21 minutes, PUMAS took decisive shots but GK Takase made a big save and prevented them from scoring.
◈However, in that flow, they were pushed back in a melee and had their equalizing goal taken away from a corner kick they were given.
In the 26th minute that followed, a free kick was given from the side position, and although it was initially blocked, the loose ball was picked up again, ultimately resulting in a reversal.
Tokyo, which had been threatened by consecutive goals from set plays, then saw the intensity increase and the match become tightly contested.
And in the 33rd minute, Arakawa earns a free kick in a position to the left of the goal, and Hitoda, who was entrusted with the captaincy for this tournament, scores a splendid free kick that hits the post and equalizes the score. Despite continuing to aim for a goal until the end, they were unable to score and ended the second half with a 2-2 draw.

In the event of a tie, according to the tournament regulations, the winner will be determined by a penalty shootout, and Tokyo will be the second to take the penalty.
Tokyo secured the victory as everyone scored and goalkeeper Takase saved the second and fourth shots from PUMAS. They earned 2 points in the group stage opener.
(※At the time of a draw, 1 point is awarded. In addition, the winner of the penalty shootout is given an additional 1 point.)

Coach Tadashi NAKAMURA's post-match comments
"(About the start of the match) I thought it would take some time for the players to get used to the field and the atmosphere. As the game went on, the players started to look forward and our attacking opportunities increased, resulting in one of them becoming a goal."
If we had made it 2-0 in the second half, I think it would have been Tokyo's game, but the opponent also had strength. Our legs stopped and we couldn't hold on, allowing them to come back. It was good that our attacking play, including substitutions, led to a goal from a free kick. I think it was also good that everyone confidently scored in the penalty shootout." Show F.C.TOKYO's uniqueness to the world and continue to compete seriously in the United States.
The next match will be against COLORADO RAPIDS on the 20th at 12:00. (Kickoff at 26:00 on the 21st Japan time)