Challenging Kashima in pursuit of the first appearance in the Emperor's Cup Final Round

　On December 29 (Wed), the Emperor's Cup Semifinal Round will be held. They will face Kashima Antlers at the Japan National Stadium. In the quarterfinal match against Fukuoka, despite facing difficulties, Ishikawa scored a crucial equalizer in stoppage time of the second half to save the team. They pulled ahead in extra time, achieving a semifinal appearance for the first time since 2008. By maintaining balance and tenaciously turning the game around, they are building momentum.

　We want to approach the Semifinal Round with that momentum. Coach Okuma said, "Kashima has a deep player pool even without foreign players, and they have a solid tradition and foundation. While respecting them, we want to overcome that barrier," and this is a match where we will once again stick to our style of football, aiming for our first Emperor's Cup Final Round.

　Kashima finished the league in 4th place and could not achieve a 4th consecutive title. Therefore, their determination to win the title in this tournament and secure a spot in the ACL must be quite high. FW Marquinhos and DF Jouton have already left the team, and DF Iwamasa will also be absent due to injury, but the high abilities of each player are recognized by everyone.

　Especially, "The press from Kashima's midfield to the front line is outstanding in the J-League. If we can't respond to that, we will be overwhelmed. We want to start with solid defense, not passively, and connect it to our attack," said Coach Okuma. If Kashima takes the lead, they have both the strength and confidence to solidify their defense, so they would like to score the first goal if possible.

　As Coach Okuma aims, players like Ishikawa and Otake, who can change the flow of the game, are also well-prepared, and they seek victory through a total team effort. Tokyo has GK Gonda, Mukuhara as the right side back, and Yonggun on the left. In the midfield, Tokunaga and Yonemoto will pair up, with Kajiwara on the right and Ricardinho on the left, forming a two-top lineup with Suzuki and Hirayama. The match started at 15:03 with Tokyo's kickoff at their home ground, National Stadium, under a clear winter sky.

Hayama's magnificent goal opens the scoring! Seizing the momentum with our own style of football

　In the early stages, Kashima created a chance. In the 2nd minute, Kashima's left side allowed FW Kōraku to enter the area. A free-running MF Nozawa received a negative pass and took a shot, but it went over the bar, avoiding a crisis. In the 12th minute, FW Kōraku broke through into the left area, but the shot was saved by Gonda, overcoming the danger. After that, they picked up the second balls well and circulated the ball, pressing towards the Kashima goal.

　In the 22nd minute, Tokunaga fought hard to win the ball in midfield and fed it to the right flank. Suzuki skillfully maintained possession and aimed for a bold shot as he entered the right area. In the 24th minute, Ricardinho persisted, passing from Tokunaga to the center to Yonemoto. Yonemoto took a grounded shot from the middle. Neither of these attempts hit the target, and there was a moment when they faced a sharp counterattack from Kashima, but they quickly transitioned to attack from their resilient defense, creating a scoring opportunity through Kim Yong-gun's offensive participation and the clever movements of Kajiwara and Suzuki in the front line after the 30th minute.

　In the 33rd minute, Young Gwon KIM sent a through pass into the area, and Kajiyama skillfully connected with it as he moved from right to left, delivering a short backward pass. In response, Ricardinho broke through between the left area and the opposing defender to take a decisive shot, but it went wide... In the 38th minute, Young Gwon KIM won a tussle with an opponent in the front line and advanced into the left area. He sent a crucial last pass to the center, but the ball slipped between Hirayama and Kajiyama...

　However, in the 39th minute, Hirayama passed to Suzuki at the front line, who connected directly, and Ricardinho delivered a left cross. Hirayama, with his back to the goal inside the area, executed a powerful overhead kick with his left foot! The ball hit the crossbar and bounced back inside, and Mukuara was right there to follow up, but it was offside! Hirayama scored a stunning goal to take the lead, setting up an ideal scenario as they headed into the second half.

Unable to score additional points, we were equalized by Kashima who read the flow of the game...

　Kashima brought in MF Aoki as a defensive midfielder in place of DF Oiwa in the second half. MF Nakata shifted to center back in the formation. However, in the early part of the second half, Tokyo initiated attacks from the sides and gained momentum. In the 50th minute, a ball sent forward by Morishige was cleared by the Kashima DF. This ball reached Kim Yong-gun on the left side of midfield, who took a shot from distance. In the 59th minute, Suzuki launched a counterattack, passing to Hirayama up front and spreading the play to the right. Mukuara, who overlapped, sent a sharp pinpoint cross, and Hirayama made a perfect header, but... the shot went straight to the goalkeeper...

　Unable to score additional points in a decisive moment. Kashima brought in MF Motoyama in the 61st minute. With a player substitution that read the flow of the game, they aimed to counterattack. Taking this opportunity, Kashima attacked with their passing work, leading to a quick transition. Then, in the 67th minute, once again on the right side of Tokyo, Kashima connected, and from MF Nozawa's heel pass, left back Miyazaki, who overlapped, delivered a cross. And then, FW Osako at the far post struck a high header... allowing the equalizing goal.

　In the 72nd minute, Tokyo substituted Ishikawa for Suzuki, positioning Hirayama at the front line and Kajiyama in the center. Both teams launched speedy attacks from tight defenses, resulting in an intense match. In the 84th minute, Ishikawa broke through on the right front line and created a chance from a cross, but both Ricardinho on the left and Yonemoto, who moved to the center, were unable to finish.

　In the 89th minute, Daiguro was brought on for Mukuahara. The formation changed to a two-top with Hiyama and Daiguro, Kajiyama moved to the defensive midfield, and Tokunaga switched to right side back. In the 90th minute +3, they launched a quick attack, trying to connect from Kim Yong-gun to Hiyama in front of the goal and then to Daiguro, but the Kashima defense held firm, and the match ended at 90 minutes with the score still tied. Following the quarterfinals, the match will go into extra time.

Unable to overcome the numerical disadvantage, conceded a goal in the last play... ended in the top 4

　In the 92nd minute of the first half of extra time, Morishige sent a long pass from his own half, Hirayama took it forward, and Daigoku in the right area crossed to Ishikawa outside. Hirayama attempted a header shot, but it went wide. Unable to score, in the 95th minute, Yamamoto committed a foul against Kashima MF Nozawa's breakthrough, received a second warning, and was sent off. They were forced to fight with 10 men.

　In the 110th minute, Ohtake was brought in to replace Ricardinho, aiming to take advantage of an opening to regain the lead, but they were unable to overcome the numerical disadvantage and could not launch an attack. Nevertheless, they remained resilient and focused, managing to withstand Kashima's fierce onslaught, and it seemed they were heading for a penalty shootout, but…

　With just a few seconds left in the 1 minute of stoppage time, a pass is sent from Kashima MF Motoyama to FW Osako, who breaks through behind Tokyo DF. In the midst of the scramble, the ball is passed to FW Kuroki, who scores with a shot from the right area... Moments later, the time is up. They allowed a last-minute goal and lost the match. They could not advance to the Final Round and finished this tournament in the BEST-STA.

　　[Player Comments] {Hirayama} "The overhead kick was a reflex action. After that, we were equalized against and had a player sent off, but I should have returned to defense properly to take it to a penalty shootout... I feel it was a huge waste to concede a goal in the last play. I want to refresh both mentally and physically for next season and work hard so the team can win."

　Ishikawa: "We created a rhythm and took the lead, and I thought we could carry that momentum from the bench, but we struggled to score additional goals, and we were equalized in that manner, which I believe symbolized our battles this season. Kashima showed resilience, and we need to understand why we are competing and what we are fighting for... We must feel the flow on the pitch. Kashima is said to be skilled at managing matches, and I wonder if that is why we are not getting results. It was a very short time to show our supporters our performance throughout the year. I am truly grateful, but we couldn't repay that gratitude even in the Emperor's Cup. Next year, I want to repay that while fighting together."

　[Summary of Coach Okuma's Press Conference] "The result was disappointing, but we fought through a tough season, and under this demanding schedule, the players prepared well and fought hard. Although we had a player sent off, if possible, I wanted to keep 11 players on the field until the end. We overturned the semifinal round by our own strength, but today it went the other way. (Regarding Kajiyama's role) First, we aimed to utilize Suzuki's speed behind the defense and movements that the opponent dislikes, and also wanted to push down Kashima's defensive line, so we wanted to use Kajiyama in a high position. We changed him to the center midway because Tokyo's stamina dropped and Kashima's midfield control slightly increased, so I wanted him to calm the team down. Also, to make use of Ishikawa's breakthrough ability, we positioned him on the right. Each player fulfilled their role very well, but as we build the team considering future competition in J2, I want to improve the quality of passes and final plays in the attacking third to pose a greater threat to opponents."

　(What do you think is the reason for being relegated to J2 with this member and match content?) A team is a living entity. With a limited transfer period, the club and team must humbly consider what needs to be invested as part of long-term preparation. For example, having attacking power that poses a threat to the opponent creates time and stabilizes defense. A strong defensive feed increases attacking power. It is simple yet complex and multifaceted. It is not necessarily the defense that lacks resilience; even today, with 10 players, if there were more threatening players... it can also be considered. We must prepare to have the power of a team that can surpass the opponent, not just relying on 11 players.

　Each will face next season on their own path, but we must not forget this year and each must take this as the starting line. There are players who can no longer fight together, but I hope we can prepare well like today's match and play football that brings good moments and emotions. With that in our hearts, we will fight in the next season.

　[Summary of Coach Oliveira's Press Conference] "The match was tough and challenging, but I think it was good that the players approached it with all their heart and continued to fight until the end without giving up. Even with just three days of recovery, they fought through to the end. MF Motoyama was able to change the flow of the game when he came on, and ultimately, the goal came from him. MF Motoyama has both good and bad aspects, but when utilized, he can make decisive plays that lead the team to victory and change the momentum of the game. The issue is that he cannot consistently perform throughout the year; even with such talent and ability, if he can only be used a few times a year, it is a huge waste for the club. I believe it is necessary for the club to utilize him more and keep him active."