We will take on the challenge head-on with our own style of football, aiming for the Semifinal Round!

　The Emperor's Cup Semifinal Round will be against Urawa Reds. Although the 4th Round match against Mito ended with a single own goal, we demonstrated resilience and won without conceding any goals. Despite being troubled by Mito's ball possession, Gonda stated, "The development was not something we experienced much in the league matches so far, but we were able to endure it well. This has also served as good preparation for the match against Urawa," viewing the challenges as a positive learning experience as we aim for a return to the Semifinal Round following last year's success.

　Against Urawa, they finished 15th in the J1 League with 36 points. They narrowly escaped relegation, but in the 2nd Round of the Emperor's Cup, they faced Verdy, and in the 3rd Round, they faced Ehime FC. They have demonstrated their J1 strength against both J2 teams and have advanced this far. Moreover, to shake off the bitter memories of the league matches, their motivation for this tournament must be high. Above all, as Coach Okuma and the Tokyo players have repeatedly warned, "The individual abilities of Urawa's players are high," their attacking power is also a significant threat.

　Tokyo will approach with the same members as the 4th Round. Coach Okuma stated, "Kajiyama gained confidence by playing without anxiety for 90 minutes. Including Nao, we can see freshness and fulfillment." He emphasized the need to first create a solid block for defense and then switch to aggressively reclaiming possession, wanting to compete with quick transitions. In particular, if they lose out in physical battles and work rate, they may find themselves at a disadvantage. Therefore, they want to emphasize their "recklessness" more than ever before.

　Tokyo has not won against Urawa since the 2004 Nabisco Final Round. However, there is no need to be intimidated or lament the poor past record. As Konno stated, "We want to continue trying to maintain our rhythm, not easily lose the ball, move as a team, and exploit the opponent's weaknesses to break through," we will evolve our approach this season and take them on head-to-head. We will fight with our current style of soccer and aim for victory. The match started at 13:04 with Urawa's kickoff at Kumagaya Athletic Stadium.

Ishikawa scored the opening goal, but after that, the team lacked precision and could not secure any additional goals before the end of the first half.

　Urawa tried to take control from the start, but we entered the match calmly. We applied intense pressure to win the ball and connected passes to move forward. In the 7th minute, Hanyu intercepted in midfield and passed into the area. Lucas got into shooting position, but lacked momentum while competing with the opponent, resulting in a save by the goalkeeper. Following this play, Urawa's left-back Yamada Nobu was substituted due to injury, and we created rhythm starting from the right side with Ishikawa and Tokunaga.

　In the 11th minute, Lucas made a move in the center, and Hanyu took a shot from just outside the area after a deflection from the defender. However, it went just over the bar. In the 13th minute, from a right throw-in in our own half, Lucas made a one-touch pass behind the opposing defender. Ishikawa broke free, advanced with a dribble, and took a shot at an early timing, but it went just to the left... In the 16th minute, Tokunaga advanced powerfully with a dribble. After exchanging passes with Ishikawa on the outside, he delivered a cross, but it couldn't be connected inside.

　In the 20th minute, this time attacking from the left side, Lucas passed to Tanizawa, and Ishikawa received the ball directly in front of the goal, taking a step forward and boldly shooting from distance. The controlled shot went into the top left corner! Ishikawa, who scored a crucial goal in last year's Emperor's Cup Quarterfinal Round, opened the scoring with a beautiful long-range shot. After that, they tried to attack while connecting passes, but the coordination and precision in the front line were slightly lacking. They ended the first half with a one-goal lead.

With high concentration, we withstand the opponent's fierce attack and achieve victory against Urawa for the first time since 2004!

　In the 48th minute of the second half, from a quick restart, Ishikawa's cross was dropped by Lucas to the far side for Tanizawa, but the pass was slightly off, missing a great opportunity. In the 51st minute, they launched a counterattack from the opponent's mistake, with Takahashi to Hanyu to Ishikawa's cross, and Lucas timed his shot perfectly, but it went wide. In the 54th minute, Hanyu initiated a play from a right throw-in, earning a right corner kick. Ishikawa's kick was cleared once, but then a right cross came again. Morishige headed the ball, but it went straight to the goalkeeper.

　However, after missing the chance, they were dominated by Urawa, and pushed back. In the 67th minute, a big switch to the right flank allowed right midfielder Umezak to break through and take a shot from near the goal line, but Gonda made a solid catch. In the 71st minute, Marcio Richardes skillfully evaded the Tokyo defense's press and made a through pass to the front line. Substitute forward Takasaki broke free and took a shot, but Gonda quickly reacted and caught it.

　Although there were periods of pressure, we did not allow any goals thanks to our well-coordinated defense. Furthermore, after the 75th minute, Urawa created consecutive scoring opportunities in the penalty area, but Gonda's quick rush and the efforts of Miku, Konno, and Takahashi prevented the crisis. In the final stages, we faced Urawa's fierce attacks, but we maintained our focus and successfully defended Ishikawa's precious goal, advancing to the Semifinal Round! We will face Cerezo Osaka at Nagai Stadium in Osaka on the 29th (Thursday) at 1 PM.

　[Player Comments] {Ishikawa} "There was an incident with Urawa's left back, and I felt that the balance was a bit off from there. So first, I made sure to run behind more than usual, and since the ball was coming to that area, I kept aiming for it. Regarding the goal, I received the ball in the center... but I think I was able to play with a good balance, having options in the center, on the sides, and behind. I had the image of shooting from the first touch. Before that, when I received the ball from Rucon, I thought about turning and aiming... but I had the image that if I returned the ball once, it would lead to another chance."

　It was a shape that we had been trying repeatedly in practice, and everyone was able to visualize that play, resulting in good combinations. Usually, I often use the inside while playing on the side, but I thought it was also important for me to continue entering that area. As for the shot, I didn't have the luxury to aim for the target, but I could see the position of the goal, so I thought about guiding it in and kicking it. I was able to strike calmly and with a good sense of relaxation.

　Gonda: "As for the way we entered the match, it felt like we were pushing too hard. Nyuu-san and Ruukon, both sides were pressing from the front, and Kaji-kun was moving vigorously back and forth... I was a bit worried about the amount of energy we were expending, but being able to maintain that in the first half was significant. So, in the second half, being pushed back by Urawa was somewhat expected. The fact that we managed to defend together and secure the win, overcoming tough moments, I believe there is value in having overcome that both in terms of play and mentally."

　(There were several good saves, but?) That was because the defensive players were closing in from angles where there were no options. We shouldn't have faced shots that were completely free from the front with many open lanes. After that, it was my job. I just feel like I fulfilled that. But we want to aim to continue that style of soccer from the first half for 90 minutes. I believe that if we can do it for as long as possible, our chances of winning will increase.

　[Summary of Coach Okuma's Press Conference] "Regarding the first half, including the intention of bringing in Nao, it was almost too good to be true; there was a lot of movement and we were able to circulate the ball well. If we can maintain that level for 90 minutes, it really shows that the team has developed. In the second half, I was certain that it wouldn't go as smoothly as the first half. However, we were able to demonstrate the tenacious defense we cultivated in J2, but I felt that improving our common understanding as a team, such as quickly providing calm support and making precise passes in the midfield to secure a second goal from a counterattack, will be necessary for the upcoming two matches in the Emperor's Cup and when we move to J1."

　You did well in terms of patience, but it will be difficult to maintain that situation in the remaining Emperor's Cup and J1 matches. Time is short, but I want to address the issues I mentioned and fight in the remaining two matches in a way that shows results as a team. FC Tokyo does not have a history of playing on January 1st, so I want to switch gears and focus on the next match to ensure we can play soccer on January 1st.

　[Urawa Coach Hori's Press Conference Summary] "Both the players and I really wanted to win this game, but it ended up this way. FC Tokyo has been through tough times in J2, so they were a very tough team. I would like to congratulate them on their victory and hope they continue to do well in future matches. Regarding the game, the players expressed what we have been communicating and intending in training, but it did not lead to the desired result."

　I am grateful that the players ran well. Despite doing what we aimed for, we ended up with this result, and I feel my own lack of ability. (What was the reason for the first half not going well?) In the first half, I think we felt some pressure at the start of our attack, which made it difficult to move the ball to where we were aiming. I believe that is the biggest issue. We felt pressure. I think that is the problem.