絶対に負けられない東京ダービー、5連戦のラストを勝利で！

　リーグ第33節、東京ヴェルディ戦が開催。ホームゲームとして行われるダービーだ。前節は終了間際に逆転を許し、痛い敗戦を喫した。また、直近の2試合で得た勝ち点は「1」のみ。そこから中3日で迎える今節だが、大熊監督は「敗戦の直後の試合であり、5連戦のラストゲームでもあるが、今日はここからの6試合のスタートとなるようなゲームにしたい」ともくろみ、「攻守に一体感をもって戦う」と、気持ちを新たに首都決戦に挑む。 　対するヴェルディは、現在勝ち点48で6位につける。前節は栃木に大勝。まだ昇格の可能性を残し、意気込みは相当なものだろう。特にその攻撃力を誇り、ここまでの総得点61はリーグナンバーワンだ。中でもシーズン途中に加入したFW巻がフィット。同時にFW阿部、両サイドのMF菊岡、河野らには機動力があり、連動した攻めや、個々に仕掛けることのできる選手が揃う。 　それに対して「コンパクトな陣形を続けないと、ヴェルディからはボールを奪えない」と大熊監督は話し、東京は全員守備で対抗する。全体の運動量が必要になるのはもちろんだが、中盤と前線、DFラインが一体感をもち、連動した守備で奪いたい。その上で主導権を握り、セカンドの争いや切り替えの早さでまさることができれば、相手のバランスを崩すチャンスは作れるはず。 　ヴェルディは前節セットプレーで3得点を挙げていることもあり、勢いこそありそうだが、ここ4試合では2勝1分1敗と勝負どころでの波があることも事実。その勢いを出させないためにも、落ち着いて試合の流れを読むことで勝機を見出す。おだやかに晴れ、3万5911人の観客で青赤に染められた味スタ。試合は13時4分にヴェルディのキックオフでスタートした。

Tokyo Derby Marks End Of Demanding Programme 

F.C.Tokyo hosted Tokyo Verdy at Ajinomoto Stadium in the 33rd.game of the season. In their previous outing Tokyo had conceded a late goal in a painful defeat to Oita, leaving the side with only a single point from the last two games. Manager Kiyoshi Okuma commented, "Today's match comes straight after that defeat, it's the final one of this tough stretch and we want to set ourselves up for the six games that start now. We want to play with a sense of unity in both attack and defence". 
Opponents Verdy sat in 6th.place with 48 points at kick off. Coming off a 4-2 away win over Tochigi in the previous round and still harbouring hopes of promotion themselves, the side was expected to provide fierce competition. Verdy boasted the top-scoring attack in the league with 61 goals and had been further strengthened by the arrival of forward Maki, who had quickly fitted into the team. Forward Abe together with wide midfielders Kikuoka and Kawano possessed both speed and mobility, equally capable of combining or going it alone in attack. 
To counter that threat manager Okuma recognized the need to, "Keep a compact shape or we won't be able to get the ball off Verdy". The manager stressed the importance of the team defending as a whole and the need for co-operation to win the ball. Seizing the initiative and winning the second balls, then quickly turning defence into attack to stretch the Verdy defence would be the key. 
A bumper crowd of 35,911 flocked to Ajinomoto Stadium on a cool autumn afternoon, turning the stands into a sea of blue and red. Verdy kicked off shortly after 1pm. 

粘り強い戦いから相手の隙を抜け目なく突き、ルーカスのゴールで先制！

　立ち上がりからヴェルディは激しいプレスをかけ、勢いと迫力のある攻撃を仕掛けようとする。それに対して東京も布陣をコンパクトにして、きっちりと対応。シュートには持ち込ませず、反対に切り替えの早い攻撃を仕掛ける。シンプルに前線に送り、ルーカスを起点にチャンスを作ろうとした。8分には全体を押し上げ、森重が右寄りから相手DFの裏を狙ってロングパス。巧みな動きでDFをかわしたルーカスにピタリと渡る。ルーカスはヘッドを振り抜いたが、わずかに左に外れた。 　この後は決定的な場面が作れない時間が続き、ヴェルディのカウンターをくらう場面も。だが、拮抗した展開の中で粘り強く戦い、徐々に主導権を握ることに成功。羽生を中心に前に運ぶ場面が増え出した。34分には田邉が右前線で相手DFを中に切り返してシュートしたが、GK正面に。38分には左エリア手前からのFKを得て、谷澤のキックから森重がオーバーヘッド気味にシュートしたが、CKを得るにとどまる。 　45分にはパスを回してチャンスを伺い、梶山がルーカスに縦パス。これはつなぎきれなかったが、再びセカンドを拾って、中央の谷澤がファールを受けて倒される。これで得たFKを谷澤自身がクイックリスタート。左の田邉につなぎ、田邉はゴール前にクロスを送る。このボールに合わせて、ルーカスが相手DFの間に抜け出し、打点の高いヘディングシュート！　ボールは相手GKの手をはじいて決まり、前半終了間際に抜け目なく相手の隙を突いて先制点を奪った。 　前半ロスタイムにはヴェルディMF菊岡が狙った直接FKがバーを叩くピンチもあったが、失点は許さず、1点をリードして後半へと折り返した。

Tokyo Grab Late Lead In Intense First Half 

The game began at a furious tempo, with the visitors showing force and dynamism in the early exchanges. Tokyo maintained a compact shape and successfully denied Verdy any attempts on goal. The home side kept it simple in attack, winning the ball and then quickly moving it forward to Lucas. In the 8th.minute Tokyo pushed forward, Morishige battled hard to get behind a defender on the right and curled a pin-point cross to Lucas near the penalty spot. Lucas met the ball with a firm header that sailed narrowly wide of the far post. 
Following that effort clear-cut chances were few and far between, while Verdy threatened occasionally on the counter attack. The bruising struggle to gain the upper hand continued, and as the half wore on it was Tokyo that slowly began to assert themselves. Hanyu became increasingly influential, repeatedly carrying the ball forward into dangerous areas. In the 34th.minute Tanabe cut inside from the right, dribbled forward and shot while Morishige's attempted overhead kick from a Yazawa free kick in the 38th.minute clipped a defender and went behind for a corner. 
The game had entered the final minute of the first half when Kajiyama played a pass straight up the field to Lucas. The Brazilian striker was unable to pick out a teammate but pounced on the loose ball to regain possession, then found Yazawa in a central position. Yazawa was fouled, then showed acute awareness to pick himself up and take a quick free kick, moving the ball out to Tanabe on the right wing. 
Tanabe curled a superb cross into the penalty area where Lucas outjumped a defender and directed a header at full stretch towards the top corner of the goal. Shibasaki managed to make contact with the ball but was unable to prevent it hitting the back of the net. Tokyo had exploited the slightest chink in the Verdy defensive armour to take a well-timed lead. 
As the game moved into additional time Tokyo were saved by the woodwork as Verdy midfielder Kikuoka crashed a free kick against the bar. That was the final action of the half; the teams left the field with Tokyo 1-0 ahead. 

セットプレーから同点弾を許し……激しいゲームの勝ち越しはならず、ドローに

　後半からヴェルディは、スピードとドリブルにキレのあるMF河野を投入してきた。だが47分には、田邉が谷澤とのワンツーからゴール前に抜け出し、シュートを放ったが……勢いがなく、絶好の追加点のチャンスを逃してしまう。53分には相手陣内で羽生と梶山が強さを活かしてボール奪取。羽生がエリア内に突破するが、しかしヴェルディの守備も激しく、守り切られてしまった。

　ヴェルディは57分にはFWマラニョンを投入し、前線の勢いを増してくる。60分すぎには右前線への突破を許し、CKに逃れる場面が続いた。そして61分、ヴェルディMF河野が蹴った低い右CKに対して、ニアに飛び込んだDF土屋と森重が競り合い、ボールは森重の足をかすめてコースが変わり、ニアの上にイン…。セットプレーからオウンゴールで同点に追いつかれてしまった…。

　勝ち越しを狙って65分には田邉に代えて石川を投入。ヴェルディもあきらめず、ここからは激しく奪い合い、カウンターの応酬となった。67分、スピーディに前線に運び、椋原のクロスに対してニアの羽生がバックヘッドで合わせたが、GKがキャッチ。71分には右CKを石川がショートで羽生につなぎ、そこからのクロスがヴェルディ選手の手に当たったかに見えたが、再びCKに。このCKを、高橋がヘッドで叩き、ファーにこぼれたボールに今野が詰めたが、至近距離でGKのセーブに阻まれ、チャンスは活かせず。

　78分には羽生に代えて坂田を、87分にはルーカスに代えてロベルト セザーを投入。その直後には、セザーがスピードを活かして右サイドから仕掛け、一瞬タメを作って、左エリアの石川に絶好のパス。だが決定的なシュートはGKセーブに阻まれ…。ともに最後まであきらめず仕掛け合い、ロスタイムには両者に警告が飛び交い、立て続けに高橋、坂田、梶山がイエローカードを受けるほど激しい展開となった。だが結局ネットを揺らすことはできず、1対1でタイムアップ。意地と闘志を前面に打ち出して戦ったダービーは、ドローに終わった。

　【選手コメント】《今野》「昇格のためにも、ましてやダービーでしっかりと勝ち点3を取りたかった。すごく残念。(ここ3試合勝利がないが、焦りがあるか？)焦りという言葉で片づけてはいけないと思う。まだまだチーム力が足りないということ。そこを見つめなければいけない。ただし先のことを考えず、一試合ずつ内容を求め、同時に勝つことだけを考えている。よい内容で勝利できれば、おのずと昇格はついてくるはずだと思っているので」

　《石川》「後半は試合を見ないでアップをしていた。よい意味で自分のプレーに集中しようとしたが…。結果的に、リズムや流れを変えるプレーができていたような、いないような……もどかしさが残る。出場時間にかかわらず、与えられたチャンスの中で結果を残さなければいけない。勝てなかった反省を活かして、次につながる戦いをしたい」

　【大熊監督の会見要旨】「前半は、ヴェルディの勢いに押された部分もあったが、先制点のころから徐々にリズムを作って攻撃をすることができた。後半も流れは悪くなかったが、セットプレーからやられてしまった。我々がどう…と言うことではなく、相手が同点にしたことでメンタルも充実度を増してきた。我々もメンバー交代をして勢いを取り戻すことはできたが、やはり何本かのチャンスを決め切れなかった。ただ、カウンターをケアしながら得点を狙いにいくことに関しては、まずまずできたと思う。もう少し落ち着いて、交代選手がサイドを突くことができれば、もっと攻撃の厚みや充実度が増したと思う」

　【ヴェルディ・川勝監督の会見要旨】「ヴェルディなので選手のモチベーションは十分だった。東京は、羽生たちのボールがないところでの動きが厄介だと考え、4-1-4-1の布陣でサイドは少し下がるようにした。前半、ボールを奪うところまでは狙い通りだったが少し気持ちが先に行き過ぎて、いつものようにボールを動かせず、ドリブルからのスタートが多くなった。攻撃ではプレーの冷静さが少なかった。後半は少しボールを動かせた。終盤にもう1回ギアチェンジをして流れを変えたかったが、我々は攻撃陣の交代カードがない。MF菊岡とMF高橋はケガのための交代。MF河野も30～45分程度とメディカルから言われていて、現状のメンバーでやるしかない。だから意図的な交代はほとんどできなかった。選手はいっぱいいっぱいのところで良く耐え、勝たせてあげたかった。悔しい。しかし昇格の可能性はまだあるので、残りの5試合を今日ぐらいのモチベーションで戦えるように準備したい」

Tokyo Concede From Set Play 

Verdy sent on speedy, dribbling midfielder Kawano for the second half. However, it was Tokyo that created the best chance of the second period. Yazawa played a defence-splitting through ball that Tanabe ran onto with perfect timing, leaving the young midfielder clear of the Verdy defence with only Shibasaki to beat. Tanabe snatched at his shot though, a weak effort that Shibasaki comfortably saved low to his left. Hanyu and Kajiyama combined to wrestle the ball away from a Verdy player in the 53rd.minute, the former then racing forward and into the visitors' penalty area. The Verdy defence was able to regroup and crowd Hanyu out before he could inflict any damage. 
Verdy introduced striker Maranhao in the 57th.minute, adding further strength to their attack. The visitors increased their pressure on the Tokyo goal, winning consecutive corners in the 60th.minute. In the 61st.minute midfielder Kawano drove a low corner to the near post, where Morishige and Verdy defender Tsuchiya fought hard to reach the ball first. The ball clipped Morishige's boot and deflected past Gonda, squeezing narrowly inside the post. Tokyo had conceded an own goal from a set play and the match was all square again. 
Tokyo replaced Tanabe with Ishikawa in the 65th.minute. Emboldened by their goal Verdy continued to threaten and the game evolved into a tempestuous, counter attacking affair. In the 67th.minute Mukuhara drove a cross into the Verdy area and Hanyu back-headed the ball towards the far corner, an unexpected effort that nearly caught Shibasaki out of position. Ishikawa cracked a shot from a right-wing corner in the 71st.minute, the ball reaching Hanyu who again crossed into the danger area; Hanyu's effort seemed to strike the arm of a Verdy player but the referee waved away appeals for a penalty and awarded a corner instead. Takahashi outjumped the Verdy defence and directed the ball to the far post, where it fell kindly for Konno whose run around the back of the Verdy defence had gone unnoticed. Konno smashed the ball hard and low but Shibasaki flung himself to block the danger at point-blank range. 
Tokyo replaced Hanyu with Sakata in the 78th.minute and Lucas with Roberto Cesar in the 87th. Moments later Cesar raced away down the left and drove a perfect ball across the Verdy area to Ishikawa on the right; it was a golden opportunity to grab a late winner but Shibasaki produced a fine save to deny Ishikawa. Neither side was prepared to give an inch and as the 90 minute mark approached the intensity ratcheted up even further, with a plethora of yellow cards being handed out. The fighting spirit and gritty obstinacy continued to the very end, with the final whistle blowing on a hard-fought 1-1 draw. 


Players' comments 
Konno 
"For our promotion prospects and to say nothing of it being the derby, we had wanted to win so it's very disappointing. 
With no wins in three are we getting impatient? We have to forget about the word 'impatience', I think. We're still lacking in overall team strength. That's what we have to focus on. We're not thinking about what lies in the future, just concentrating on the performance in each game as it comes and trying to take the points at the same time. If we can play well and win games then promotion will come, I think". 

Ishikawa 
"I didn't watch the second half as I was warming up. I was wanting to concentrate on my own play. I'm not really sure if I was able to contribute to the result or to changing the flow of the game. Regardless of when I get on the field I have to take the chances that come to get the result. We have to reflect on not winning today while we look ahead to the next game". 


F.C.Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma 
"We were pushed back by Verdy in the first half but after taking the lead we found a rhythm and were able to create in attack. We didn't play badly at all in the second half but then conceded from a set play. It wasn't so much about what we were doing as the mental strength the equaliser gave to the opposition. We made various changes to regain the momentum but weren't able to put away the chances we created. However, I felt we were suffiiciently careful about leaving ourselves open to the counter attack while we were pushing forward to find another goal. If we could be a little more composed and the substitutes could find more space down the flanks then we will be able to attack more fully and in greater numbers". 

Tokyo Verdy manager Kawakatsu 
"The players were highly motivated today. We were concerned about the off-the-ball movement of Hanyu and the others so we went with a 4-1-4-1 formation, and withdrew the two wide midfielders slightly. In the first half things were going pretty much according to plan until we won the ball, when we tended to get a little ahead of ourselves and didn't play the ball around as much as usual, starting more moves with a dribble instead. We needed a little more composure in attack, I felt. We enjoyed less of the ball in the second half. As the game wore on we had wanted to change up a gear but couldn't as we were forced to take off Kikuoka and Takahashi because of injuries. The medical staff told us that Kawano was fit for only 30 to 45 minutes so we had no choice but to go with the players we had available. We couldn't make any tactical substitutions. We played very well today so it's disappointing that we couldn't win. We still have a chance of promotion though so we'll give it everything we have in the remaining games to show the kind of motivation we displayed today".