Emperor's Cup Quarterfinal Round, a new start begins

　On December 25th (Saturday), we will face Avispa Fukuoka in the Emperor's Cup Quarterfinals at Kumagaya Athletic Stadium. This will be the final tournament of the season, but winning this Emperor's Cup has become a new goal, and the team has already taken a new start. We will fight to connect to the next season and climb step by step towards the Final Round.

　Fukuoka finished 3rd in this season's J2 League and has secured promotion to J1. The last encounters in J1 date back to 2006, but today should be a 'test stone' for both teams as they look ahead to next season. Coach Okuma stated, "Fukuoka will come with a strong mentality to challenge. If we approach it with the mindset of just receiving their challenge, we will be defeated," and vowed to fight without losing their aggressive spirit on the mental front.

　Fukuoka will also use a 4-4-2 formation, with FW Jogo at the front line and 190cm FW Yu OKUBO taking a deeper position, using that as a starting point for their attacks. At the same time, they will utilize the speed of left MF Eifuku for dribbling and the forward runs of the holding midfielder Nakamachi, making their counterattacks a strong point. Even if they concede a goal, they want to prioritize staying calm and creating their own time.

　Endure the challenging moments. If we can continue to pose a threat in the attacking third, we can find our chance to win. From a calm battle, we will identify the critical moments and boldly take action, aiming for the Semifinal Round. Tokyo has GK Shiota starting. Additionally, Kajiwara and Nakamura, who had been adjusting with a different training regimen, are not seriously injured and are included in the starting lineup, with Nakamura playing right back and Tokunaga on the left. On the bench, Ishikawa, who has returned from injury, is also available. Although it was a clear day, a cold and strong wind blew as the match started at 15:04 with Tokyo's kickoff.

Although we controlled the ball, we conceded a goal from a counterattack...

　From the start, they dominated the ball and launched an attack. In the 3rd minute, Ohtake, and in the 5th minute, Ricardinho broke through the opponent's defense with dribbling and took a shot. In the 8th minute, starting from a pass from Morishige to Kajiyama, Ohkuro and Hirayama connected, and Kajiyama broke free in front of the goal and took a shot. In the 9th minute, Hirayama also took a shot inside the area. It seemed like it was only a matter of time before they scored first, but they couldn't capitalize on these early chances, and in the 13th minute, they were hit by a sharp counterattack from Fukuoka.

　Fukuoka DF Yamagata to MF Sueyoshi made a right cross. Nakamura tried to clear it, but the ball spilled to the far side, and Fukuoka FW Yu OKUBO scored from a tight angle, resulting in a goal conceded. They allowed the opponent to take the lead with a single chance... In the 17th minute, Nakamura was forced to substitute due to injury, but Kim Yong-gun was brought in as the left back. Tokunaga was positioned on the right, and they calmly connected passes to launch a counterattack with their own style of football.

　However, they moved the ball forward with side changes and direct passes, but lacked precision and intensity in front of the goal, finishing the first half allowing a one-point lead without creating any decisive chances.

Ishikawa scores a dramatic goal to save the team just before the end!! The match goes into extra time

　Just after the start of the second half, in the 59th minute, Ohtake made a dynamic dribble from the right side towards the center. He was blocked by the Fukuoka defense, but he persistently picked up the loose ball and approached the Fukuoka goal with crosses from Tokunaga and passes from Kajiyama. Ohtake entered the area but couldn't take a shot, but in the end, Kajiyama did not give up and followed up to the end line, earning a right corner kick. Ohtake connected this with a short corner, and Tokunaga, who moved inside, struck a powerful shot that pierced the net, but it was ruled offside...

　In the 60th minute, Suzuki was substituted for Ohkuro as a forward, and in the 73rd minute, Ishikawa, who had just returned from injury, was brought in on the right side in place of Yonemoto. Ohtake moved to the center, launching a counterattack. This led to a more dynamic attack, and the game was mostly played in Fukuoka's half. However, in the 74th minute, Ishikawa caught up to a pass from Kajiyama on the right flank and passed it to Tokunaga, who moved into the area. Tokunaga advanced into the box and connected with Suzuki to Hirayama in the center, but Hirayama couldn't turn properly and was unable to take a shot.

　In the 78th minute, Hirayama on the left side passed to Suzuki in the area, and Ricardinho took a shot. In the 84th minute, Ricardinho received a pass from Konno and dashed past the opposing DF at high speed, charging into the center. He took a shot but was thwarted by the goalkeeper's save... Hirayama, Ricardinho, and others failed to capitalize on their chances. In the closing stages, Konno was moved up a line, and Kajiyama followed the DF line to launch a fierce attack, but in the 86th minute, Konno contested for a loose ball on the right front line, which Ishikawa chased down and sent a cross in front of the goal, but it was cleared by the Fukuoka DF, and they just couldn't break through for a goal.

　Entering 3 minutes of stoppage time. It seemed like it would end this way... but no one on the pitch had given up. In the 90th minute +3, Tokunaga's right cross was initially deflected, but they persistently connected the loose ball, and Kajiyama moved it forward. Konno contested for it, and Ishikawa seized the loose ball from the Fukuoka defense and pierced it into the left side of the net, goal!! Just before the end, Ishikawa scored a precious goal that saved the team, equalizing the score! The match will go into extra time.

Hirayama and Ishikawa scored additional points in quick succession, pulling away from Fukuoka and advancing to the Semifinal Round!

　Tokyo, having seized momentum and rhythm, saw Ohtake deliver a clever lob pass from midfield behind the opposing defenders in the 94th minute of the first half of extra time. Hayama, who broke free to meet the pass, confidently scored from the right area into the opposite side of the net, successfully taking the lead. In the following 98th minute, after a pass exchange between Ishikawa and Ohtake, Ishikawa received Ohtake's through ball in the center of the area, evaded the opposing goalkeeper, and scored his second goal! They quickly scored two goals, extending their lead.

　Nevertheless, Fukuoka did not give up, and in the 116th minute of extra time, they scored a header from a corner kick by DF Niwa, narrowing the gap to one goal. However, the subsequent counterattack was successfully contained by the entire team, leading to the end of the match. There were still issues with precision in front of the goal and how to close out the game, making it a tough match, but they persevered with their style of football for 120 minutes and secured victory, advancing to the Semifinal Round. They will face Kashima Antlers at the Japan National Stadium on the 29th.

　[Player Comments] {Ishikawa} "I didn't want this to be the end. I joined the practice the day before yesterday, and I still had some concerns about my leg. But if I'm needed, I wanted to respond by delivering results. I also feel refreshed after resting due to my injury, and I believe I was able to express that feeling, along with my sense of responsibility, in a positive way through my play."

　(The goal in the second half stoppage time) I thought this play might end it, and that's why I felt I absolutely didn't want to miss the chance. I believed the loose ball would come to me, and it actually did. I was able to make good contact and take a controlled shot. (About my goal in the first half of extra time) When I calmly trapped the ball, the opposing goalkeeper came out, so I didn't forget to head towards the goal and pushed inside. I think I was able to respond flexibly. As Tokyo, I have a strong desire to become stronger from here... and I'm glad we were able to secure the victory as a team. Personally, I will focus on improving my condition for the match against Kashima.

　"Shioda" said, "I think not allowing Fukuoka to score an additional goal led to our victory. We were down by one goal, but during halftime, we all discussed it, and Mr. Ooguro also said, 'If we concede a second goal here, it will become really tough, and the damage will be significant. So please hold the defense. Then the forwards will score.' I believed that what was required of me was to communicate the fighting style suited to the situation and the direction of the team to everyone. If the vectors don't align, the team becomes disjointed, and for example, whether to push the line up or drop it, I repeatedly emphasized the details in each situation. I think it was good that everyone was able to fight with a common understanding."

　[Summary of Coach Okuma's Press Conference] "It was a match that encapsulated this season. After Ishikawa came on, both flanks became a threat to the opponent, allowing us to draw them out and break through the center. When only Ricardinho is on the side, the ball circulates, but it was difficult to draw out the opponent's defensive midfielders and stoppers. Additionally, after the opponent scored first, there were periods where we couldn't exploit that. We need the ability to not only circulate the ball but also to provide threats in the attacking third with through passes, and to finish with decisive actions, not just bypassing the opponent."

　I felt that the accumulation of individual efforts directly connects to the team's strength, but today that was lacking. There are many things we need to do, and I reaffirmed that we must create a team that utilizes the players' individuality while being difficult for opponents to face. In that sense, Ishikawa changed the flow of the game, scored, and saved the team. While there is regret about allowing one goal, I believe that winning and scoring two or three goals will build confidence in the team. There are points to reflect on, but I want to take a positive approach. The schedule is tough, but first, I want to do my best in the next Semifinal Round.

　【Summary of Coach Shinoda's Press Conference】 "First of all, I want to thank everyone who supported us over the past year. I am truly grateful to the supporters who came from far away and those who waited for us in Hakata. I feel disappointed that we couldn't secure a win. FC Tokyo has very high individual abilities, and it was a battle to see how far we could go... The players ran well and fought until the end without giving up. I can only express my gratitude to the players. Some players will be leaving the team, and I approached today's game wanting to play as many matches as possible with them, but I feel responsible for not being able to secure a win. Looking back at the game, we were able to enter the match calmly from the start.

　However, gradually the pace shifted to FC Tokyo, and we allowed some dangerous scenes. Indeed, there were still areas where individual abilities and team aspects were lacking. After taking the lead, FC Tokyo had the ball for a longer time, but we defended patiently and managed to launch effective counters from there. However, we have no words for not being able to score the second goal and for conceding an equalizer in the last 30 seconds. Losing the game may lead us to reflect once again. I want to head into next season with a new goal.