Seek results and calmly achieve victory with our football!

　In the 4th Round of the Emperor's Cup, we will face Vegalta Sendai. In the 3rd Round, we struggled against the tenacity of Kusatsu, but the players who participated fulfilled their respective roles and secured a solid victory. This match comes three days after the last one and will be a back-to-back game in a distant location, making it difficult for the players to adjust their condition. However, we want to give our all in the upcoming match and advance towards the final with a united effort.

　Sendai faced Zweigen Kanazawa in the 2nd Round of the Emperor's Cup and Omiya Ardija in the 3rd Round, winning both matches in extra time. At the same time, they are currently in 2nd place in J2 League. They have already secured promotion to J1 for next season and are expected to challenge with high motivation against J1's Tokyo. In particular, regarding the attacking lineup centered around forwards Nakahara, Nakajima, and midfielders Yang and Sekiguchi, Coach Jofuku has heightened his caution, stating, "They can break through with passing plays and are sharp on counterattacks. There is also participation from the full-backs in the attack while connecting the ball."

　Tokyo has changed its lineup from the match against Kusatsu. Gonda and Kajiyama return to the starting lineup, and Suzuki, who has been carefully preparing after injuring his foot, is also ready for this match. The key will be how to contain Sendai's attacking lineup. Hiramatsu stated, "There were some half-hearted moments in the Kusatsu match. First, we want to focus on defense, especially being cautious at the start of the game," emphasizing the importance of not conceding the first goal. We want to thoroughly maintain our marking and covering without being confused by Sendai's fluid positioning in attack.

　In attack, the key will be how to break through Sendai's solid defense, which boasts the fewest goals conceded in the J2 League with a total of 38. We will continue to play football characteristic of Tokyo, staying calm even in a stalemate, and aim to create chances through movements that shake off the opponent's marks, like those of Hanyu and Suzuki, as well as participation in attacks from the defensive midfield. We will not lose to Sendai's momentum in spirit, and above all, we seek 'results' and aim for victory with our calm style of football! The match started at 1:00 PM with Sendai's kickoff at Kagawa Prefectural Marugame Stadium.

Unable to create a shooting chance, allowed the opening goal and ended the first half.

　Tokyo, looking for the timing to attack while carefully connecting the ball, and Sendai, aiming for the goal with a quick counter after regaining possession. From the start, there was a strong will from both teams to showcase their strengths. In the 12th minute, Kondo was fouled just outside the area, earning a free kick. Suzuki aimed directly, but the ball went just slightly to the right. In the 15th minute, Sendai's FW Nakahara received the ball in front of the goal and, while falling, made a back pass to FW Nakajima behind him. He aimed for the goal directly, but Gonda made the save!

　In the 22nd minute, Hirama overlapped after exchanging passes with Hirayama on the left side and delivered a cross. Although it was cleared once, Yonemoto picked up the loose ball and aimed for a mid-range shot from the left outside the area, but it went to the left of the goal. In the 24th minute, Mukuara on the right side sent a low early cross, and Hirayama in the center shot the ball directly after it was dropped. The ball hit the opposing defender, and Sendai countered by picking up the loose ball.

　Then, in the 25th minute, Sendai's DF Sugai allowed a central breakthrough, and although FW Nakajima's shot, received from a pass in the center, was blocked by Yonemoto, the loose ball was kicked in by FW Nakahara, resulting in the opening goal. After that, Tokyo tried to attack patiently while circulating the ball without panicking, but they could not break down the opponent who was defending deep. Even when they advanced the ball to the attacking third, they continued to face situations where they were rebuffed and unable to take a shot. In the end, the first half ended with a one-goal deficit.

Attacked recklessly but lost without scoring

　At the start of the second half, Nagatomo was brought in as a left MF to replace Kondo. Hayu moved to the right MF, forming a two-top lineup with Hirayama and Suzuki. Early in the second half, Nagatomo quickly dribbled deep down the left side and connected a pass to the center, but they couldn't get a shot off. They continued to bring the ball to the front of the goal like in the first half, but were blocked by Sendai's solid defense and couldn't take a shot. Conversely, when they lost the ball, they suffered a short counterattack, creating a vicious cycle that prevented them from gaining momentum.

　In the 59th minute, Gonda touched the ball during a counterattack, which was picked up by MF Tomita and passed to FW Nakajima in the center for a shot. This struck the back of the net, allowing an additional goal. In the 63rd minute, Hirayama competed with the opposing goalkeeper for a cross in front of the goal, and although Hanyu picked up the loose ball and sent it into the goal, a foul was called during the contest, resulting in no goal. Gradually, perhaps due to anxiety, the typical Tokyo-style ball movement was absent, and mistakes continued. In the 67th minute, Akamine was brought in to replace Hanyu. Although they tried to invigorate the front line, the rhythm remained unchanged.

　As the remaining time dropped below 15 minutes, the center-backs Bruno QUADROS and Muku Hara, along with the left and right full-backs Nagatomo and Nakamura, who came on as a substitute, attempted to implement a power play by pushing Sahara forward. However, the long balls did not connect well with the front line, failing to lead to effective attacks. In the 41st minute, Muku Hara sent a long ball forward. It was deflected in front of the goal, but Suzuki picked it up and immediately took a shot, which was blocked by the opposing defender who threw himself in the way. In stoppage time, a decisive third goal was conceded, sealing their fate. They ended the Emperor's Cup without advancing to the Semifinal Round.

　[Player Comments] {Yonemoto} "I couldn't show what I've been working on. I feel really sorry for Mr. Sari, Mr. Fuji, and all the supporters. Even Naoh, who said he would be back on New Year's Day despite being injured... I'm truly sorry for losing in a situation like this. (Three goals conceded?) The way we conceded was poor, and in many aspects, the opponent was running harder, and I think we lost in terms of mentality. (How to regroup?) We need to switch our focus to the league matches. With three matches remaining, starting from the next practice, I want to properly prepare for the league while reflecting on today's performance. (Couldn't bring it to our pace?) I think there are various aspects to consider, and there were many accidents. We are a team that has overcome such challenges, so we want to win all three remaining matches, and since there is still a possibility for ACL, I want all the players to work together."

　"Gonda": "Since it's the Emperor's Cup, the result is everything. When we lose, it's like this, and when we win, we can win even by defending. Today, I think something was probably lacking to win. (What was lacking?) If I had realized it during the match, we could have improved more... Throughout the 90 minutes, we hardly created chances and were often in danger from counters, so it went on like that. I think it would have been better if we had noticed it earlier... or rather, during the game. (Did the change in members prevent you from playing your style of football?) I think that is the reason we lost today. No matter the opponent or which members we have, we have to play the same football and win. From an outside perspective, people might say we lost because the members were different, or because we didn't have national team players, or because of consecutive matches, but for us, those are just excuses. To win the Emperor's Cup, we knew national team players would be absent, and there were many injuries and various issues, but it is natural that the players who took the field give their best. I've heard people say we were "worn out," but doing what we can with the members we have now and winning with the current squad was the most important thing. The fact that we couldn't do that is the most frustrating. For example, even if a player who is not good at ball possession plays, that player must have other good points to be on the field. To bring out that player's strengths, the others have to cover for them. I think playing to the strengths of the players on the field while playing our own football is what Tokyo needs to become stronger."

　[Summary of Coach Jofuku's Press Conference] "I did not expect to hold a press conference first. It is very disappointing. I believe the players had strong feelings about this match, and they also had the mindset not to make excuses regarding their condition. I think everyone tried to demonstrate their full potential. The loss is entirely my responsibility, and it was due to my lack of ability; the players did well. What has become clear is that we can only compete in three matches with this lineup. I want to gather the strength of all the players who are fighting with various feelings in their hearts and continue to battle in the league for the next three matches." [Note: The press conference for the Emperor's Cup is held first by the coach of the losing team.]

　[Summary of the press conference by Sendai's coach Makoto TEGURAMORI] "The opponent is the champion of the Nabisco Cup, and we are a team that has secured promotion to J1, so we approached the match with the mindset of competing in the J1 league. We focused on making quick decisions and playing fast, as J1 soccer is known for its speed. Scoring the first goal and winning 3-0 in a back-and-forth game reflects the style of play we have developed in J2, and I believe it worked today. I felt that FC Tokyo lacked speed, possibly due to their recent matches, which played to our advantage. However, we want to maintain our confidence from this victory and not become complacent; we aim to do our best in this Emperor's Cup as well. I hope today's win will give us momentum for the direct confrontation with Cerezo Osaka in the league."