Aiming for the first Best 4 advancement as FC Tokyo

　The Emperor's Cup Quarterfinal Round will be held at Kumamoto Prefectural Comprehensive Sports Park Stadium, where they will face Sanfrecce Hiroshima. In the 5th Round match against Tosu, they allowed the opponent to score first due to their momentum, but after that, they played a calm game and achieved a comeback victory. Although the performance was not particularly good, it can be said that they fought with a strong desire for victory. Kanazawa, who missed the Tosu match, has returned after getting back in shape. Lucas has been on a separate training regimen due to a cold, but he is included in the squad. In 1997, they reached the Semifinal Round as Tokyo Gas FC, and now they aim for the first Best 4 as FC Tokyo.

　Although Hiroshima has been confirmed to be relegated to J2 next season, they have won against Shonan and Iwata in the Emperor's Cup and have made it this far. FW Weslley has left the team, but in the match against Iwata, the young players played freely, and Hiroshi Morisaki scored two free kicks to secure the victory. Furthermore, the style of play in the Emperor's Cup remains unchanged, with a 3-5-2 formation where the full-backs maintain high positions, connecting passes from the defensive line, and aiming to utilize the speed of the forwards in their attacks. In particular, FW Hira Shige, who had fewer opportunities to play in the league, is currently maintaining good form and can be considered the most dangerous player.

　Coach Hara stated, "At this time of year, contract discussions arise for players, and their individual thoughts and motivations inevitably differ. Nevertheless, I will select players who can cut through their doubts and express their desire to win on the pitch." Among them, Kawaguchi, who will leave the team after this season, is in excellent form. He himself expressed his determination, saying, "I will do everything I can for the team to win. I am only thinking about contributing to victory."

　Moniwa said, "Hiroshima has a thorough strategy. While they are passing the ball around at the back, they are not scary, but their counterattacks when they steal the ball are a threat. It is important not to lose the ball halfway." Against Hiroshima, we want to apply pressure with a compact formation from the front, with Kawaguchi and both sides, Ishikawa and Noriyuki Suzuki, making aggressive movements to disrupt the Hiroshima defense and aim for the goal. The match started at 15:04 with Hiroshima's kickoff.

Conceded 2 goals from Hiroshima's strong play, ending the first half

　From the start, they displayed intense play. They pressed from the front, and after winning the ball, they attacked from the sides using Kajiyama as the starting point. In the 8th minute, Moniwa passed to Kawaguchi, who had drifted to the left side. Although the opposing defender cleared it, Kanazawa picked up the loose ball and shot, but it went over the goal. However, in the 13th minute, from a counterattack, Hiroshima's FW Hira Shige dropped the ball, and MF Morisaki Hiro sent a cross from the left. This was skillfully connected by FW Sato in the right area, who was free in the right area, to MF Kashiwagi. He converted it reliably, and they conceded the opening goal.

　Tokyo does not look down and quickly shifts to counterattack. In the 14th minute, from the left side, Kajiyama passes to Kanazawa in the center. This is played directly to the front line, Kawaguchi to Ishikawa, who takes a left-footed shot from outside the area, right at the opposing goalkeeper. In the 18th minute, from a counterattack, Kanazawa passes to Kurizawa, who takes a shot from a distance but misses over the goal. In the 26th minute, Kanazawa's cross from the left side is met by Kajiyama's header, but again the ball goes over the goal. Although the passes are connecting and they are pushing into the opponent's territory, they cannot break through for a goal.

　In the 29th minute, Kajiyama sent a cross from the right side to Konno, who found Norio SUZUKI free on the opposite side. He unleashed a powerful left-footed volley directly, but unfortunately hit the crossbar and went out of bounds. It was a decisive moment, but it did not result in a goal. In the 32nd minute, Norio SUZUKI dribbled into the left area and created a crucial opportunity for Kawaguchi, but the shot could not find the target. Then, in the 37th minute, a quick switch from the right to the left by Hiroshima saw MF Kashiwagi charge forward with a dribble. He drew in the Tokyo defense in the area and passed to MF Komano, who scored, allowing an additional goal.

　Hiroshima took a 2-point lead and, instead of forcing an attack, circulated the ball in their own half and solidified their defense. Tokyo also tried to win the ball from the front line, but they were skillfully evaded by the opponent, and time just kept passing. Even when they managed to win the ball, they struggled to penetrate the area and couldn't bring it to a finish. In the 44th minute, Konno took a low shot from outside the area, but it hit the opponent's defender and veered left. In the end, they went into halftime still trailing by 2 points.

Lacked finishing accuracy, did not advance to the Semifinal Round

　From the early stages, they did not lose in the pressing exchanges, persistently picking up loose balls and approaching the Hiroshima goal. In the 50th minute, they substituted Kawaguchi and Kurizawa for Hirayama and Asari. This formation moved Kajiyama up a line. With this, they gained momentum and completely controlled the ball. In the 52nd minute, Hirayama became the starting point, passing to Ishikawa on the right side. Although he sent in a cross, they could not connect inside. In the 55th minute, Kajiyama attempted a header from a line drive cross by Tokunaga from the right, but the opposing goalkeeper made a save. In the 60th minute, Suzuki Norio cut in from the left side with a dribble, trying to break into the area with a one-two with Hirayama, but he was unable to finish as the opposing defender blocked him.

　In the 63rd minute, Lucas was brought in to replace Kanazawa. Noriyuki SUZUKI moved to the side back position. In the 66th minute, on the right side, Kajiyama made a through pass to Ishikawa, who broke through and crossed from the sideline. Lucas competed with the Hiroshima defender, and Kajiyama rushed in for the loose ball, but his shot missed and went over the bar. In the 68th minute, Kajiyama's right corner kick was in front of Konno. He quickly turned and shot, but it went over the bar. In the 72nd minute, Lucas crossed to the right to Tokunaga. Hirayama headed the ball, but it did not hit the target.

　Tokyo outperformed in spirit, stealing the ball from Hiroshima, connecting passes to approach the goal, and creating chances with crosses from the sides. However, all the shots went wide of the target, and the opportunities from corner kicks were thwarted by Hiroshima's solid defense. As the remaining time gradually decreased, they showed their last resilience. In the 89th minute, Tokunaga on the right passed to Kajiyama in the center, who sent a through ball to Hirayama breaking into the area. However, the shot lacked power and was caught by the goalkeeper.

　In the end, Ishikawa made a move in the right area and took a dribble shot, but it went over the bar, ending all hopes. Despite taking 18 shots compared to Hiroshima's 9, the team lacked precision and lost without scoring. The season ended in the quarterfinals of the Emperor's Cup.　

　【Player Comments】<Konno> "We fought with all our might, but the frustration of losing remains. I wanted to avoid conceding first, but if I had kept closer to the player on the first goal... I was caught out of position where I should have been marking. In the second half, we pressed forward and I think we played our style of football, but we couldn't score even once. I don't think the first half was bad, but when Hiroshima was passing around at the back, I got frustrated. I regret not having the mindset to just let them pass. At halftime, we all agreed that we had to aggressively press from the front and overturn the score. We kept the distance close between the side and central players and created good chances, but the final execution was lacking. We couldn't score a single goal. I wanted to win for the supporters who came all the way to Kumamoto and cheered until the end. We never gave up, but there are no excuses. I think we lacked strength. (Looking back on this season) I still can't fully process it. Reflecting on each match brings many thoughts, but above all, I feel only the frustration of today's defeat. I, each player, and the team have many things to reflect on and consider. I believe we gained something this season, but there are still many areas where we feel insufficient. That is what concerns me most. I want to return to Tokyo, think carefully, and reflect slowly. To all the supporters, I am grateful for your constant support, whether away, home, near or far, from start to finish. You gave me courage and strength. I am truly full of gratitude." <Kawaguchi> "Today, even before the match in the locker room, we could hear the supporters singing, and everyone was in the mood of 'Alright, let's do this'... Our spirit was there, but we couldn't get the result, which is frustrating. My own performance was far from good. Hiroshima pressed quickly from the front, so maybe we needed to use space and attack simply. We couldn't get the ball to goal in a short time. As a team, we took shots but failed to score when it mattered. The opponent scored two goals from their first two shots in the first half. That was a big difference. However, even with that gap, we have to win in bad situations to advance in the tournament. This year was a frustrating season with no results. Not only today but also in the league, we often failed to win important matches, and I strongly felt that winning is not easy. We lacked the ability to finish. I personally must focus more on winning and grow, or I won't have good experiences as a football player. (Looking back on two years at FC Tokyo) I am sorry for not delivering results and not being able to contribute to the team. But I learned a lot fighting with new teammates in a new place. Also, I am only grateful to the supporters. I still remember the support at last year's opening match, and since then, you have given warm cheers until today. I am sorry I couldn't repay that feeling. I am leaving the team, but I hope you will continue to support Tokyo strictly yet warmly forever."

　[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "The Emperor's Cup is a tournament where losing means the season ends. I am very disappointed that we could not win today. In the second half, the players fought without giving up. I highly appreciate that attitude. Overall, the match reflected this season's characteristics. In the first half, although we attacked well, we couldn't finish properly and lost time, which allowed the opponent to counterattack quickly. Both of Hiroshima's two goals were exactly the patterns they aimed for. I am very proud to have led this team for a year. I want the players to trust their teammates more when playing. Even Kajiyama today seemed to have such a strong feeling that he had to do something that he ended up making it difficult for himself. He has grown significantly this season. The same goes for Shiota, and Tokunaga has even been called up as a Japan national team candidate. My time ends today, but I hope the players will continue to grow under different coaches. For the many fans who came to support us, I really wanted to win, but it is disappointing that we couldn't score. However, everyone fought until the very end without giving up."

　[Summary of Hiroshima Coach PETROVIC's Press Conference] "I think today was a wonderful victory. In terms of content, it was a match we deserved to win. We were able to endure firmly, control the game, and capitalize on our chances. Our current situation still carries the shock of relegation in our minds, but the team was able to play a great game and is gradually regaining the confidence we almost lost, one match at a time. We have taken another step forward toward Tokyo (Final Round at Japan National Stadium), and we want to secure a solid victory in the next match against Gamba as well. Hirashige is a young player. He performed very well in the recent Jubilo match, but seemed a bit tired today. As for Kazuki Morisaki, he has some tightness in his hip joint and was adjusting his training accordingly. Makino was injured in a challenge. Everyone knows that Gamba is a strong team. However, since our relegation was confirmed, we have been playing with the mindset of reaching the Emperor's Cup Final Round. Now, all that remains is to keep winning."