Aim for the semifinal round by surpassing the opponent in spirit.

　The Emperor's Cup 5th Round will be held at Marugame Stadium, facing off against Sagan Tosu. In the final round of the league, we were struggling against the opponent's momentum, but the team came together and endured, taking home the victory. The Emperor's Cup is a one-shot tournament, so the result is more important than the performance. We will strive for victory, surpassing the opponent with our determination, and aim for the semifinal round.

　Their opponent, Tosu, finished 8th in J2 this year. However, they have not lost in 5 matches since the 48th round on October 28th. In the Emperor's Cup, they defeated Tsukuba University in the 3rd round and then beat Albirex Niigata 3-2 in the 4th round to advance this far. Their momentum is on the rise and their speedy attacks from a solid defense cannot be underestimated. Additionally, Tosu's ace, FW Fujita, who scored 24 goals in J2 this season and is the top Japanese scorer, is out due to injury. On the other hand, their other FW, Kim, has been in excellent form recently, constantly aiming for the goal and even scoring sharp "one-shot" goals. They require careful attention.

　Tokyo will face the game without Baba, who injured his leg in the Kofu game, as well as Kanazawa and Inonami, whose leg conditions are not perfect. Norio Suzuki will play as left back, Kurizawa as left midfielder, and Lucas and Kawaguchi as the two top players. Coach Hara said, "The motivation of Tosu to 'defeat J1' should be high. It's a different stage from J2, and it will attract attention and have momentum. Even if we try to win with skill, it won't work. Each play, such as competing for the ball and who will get the second ball, will determine the outcome, so the most important thing is not to lose there."

　Kurisawa aims to "take control, of course, but even if there are times when things don't go well, I want to patiently adjust the balance and create our own rhythm." With the season on the line, he wants to continue winning with a strong determination and an unyielding spirit. The match started at 1:04 PM in Tokyo.

Despite being scored on first, Kajiyama's powerful middle shot ties the game.

　A fierce battle has been going on since the start of the match. However, gradually, Tosu sends the ball to the front line at a fast timing and gains momentum. In the 8th minute, a one-two from the left side sends FW Kin offside and a shot is taken, but it is saved by Shioda, avoiding danger. However, just after in the 9th minute, a scramble occurs in front of the goal from a counter attack and FW Jojoe's shot is deflected, which is then kicked in by MF Eto, resulting in an early goal. Unable to create a good rhythm, they have already conceded a goal.

　However, without ever losing their spirit, they fought back. In the 11th minute, Kurizawa brought the ball into the right area and passed it to Lucas, who was waiting in the opposite area. Lucas tried to connect with Kawaguchi with a header, but the goalkeeper jumped out and caught the ball. In the 16th minute, Kawaguchi crossed from the right side goal line. Tokunaga picked up the ball that was deflected by Tosu's defender and made a strong advance. He sent a cross from the right side, but it was slightly off timing for Lucas in the center and he couldn't finish the shot. Kajiyama followed up with the ball that went to the far side, but he couldn't get to the shot in time.

　Then, in the 19th minute, Tokunaga → Ishikawa cuts in from the right side and shoots. The ball rolls without hitting, but Lucas quickly snatches it and drops it back. Kajiyama, who was closing in on it, swings his right foot with determination. The beautiful shot flies past the goalkeeper's fingertips and into the upper right corner of the goal, equalizing the score. In the 23rd minute, the opponent's defender clears Kajiyama's side change to the right with a header. Lucas picks up the loose ball and passes it to Suzuki Nori, who charges up and aims for the goal, but misses widely. It seemed like they regained their momentum, but Tosu still launches a quick attack from the base of their midfield.

　In the midst of a back-and-forth battle, Lucas was placed in the center and Kawaguchi on the left, with the aim of controlling the source of passes. In the 40th minute, Lucas dropped a cross from Ishikawa and Kajiyama pretended to shoot from the edge of the area, but instead passed to the left. Kuriyama then took a shot from mid-range, but it narrowly missed the top left corner. In the 44th minute, Imakawa headed a cross from Tokunaga on the right, but it went straight to the goalkeeper. In the end, both teams lacked accuracy in their final plays and the first half ended in a 1-1 tie.

Tosu secures a come-from-behind victory with Hirayama's goal

　In the second half, Tokyo took control of the ball and dominated the game. In the 47th minute, Konno → Norio Suzuki advanced forward from the left side and crossed from near the goal line. Kurisawa jumped in from the center and took a perfect shot, but it was saved by the GK. In the 53rd minute, Tosu's MF Leonardo took a direct free kick that flew into the bottom right corner of the goal, but Shibata made a great save. However, after that, both teams struggled to create chances and time passed. In the 63rd minute, Asari was substituted in. Kajiyama moved up one line and Konno also attacked in search of a goal.

　66 minutes, Kajiyama dribbles from the left and passes to Konno in front of the goal. He gets into shooting position, but the ball hits a DF and goes straight to the GK. In the 75th minute, Ishikawa on the right passes to Lucas in the center, who then passes to Kawaguchi in the area for a shot. However, the DF blocks it and the GK catches it. On the other hand, in the 76th minute, Leonardo, the MF on the left, sprints into the area. He makes a final pass to Eto from the right, who jumps in for a shot. It was a crucial moment, but Norio Suzuki firmly blocks the ball with his body, causing it to slightly miss to the left and avoiding a dangerous situation. In the 77th minute, Hirayama comes in. In the end, this substitution proves to be successful.

　At the 80th minute, after a battle for the ball on the right side, Hirayama passed it to Kajiyama in the center. Kajiyama then sent a high ball towards Ishikawa, who was running towards the goal. Despite being challenged by a defender, Ishikawa persistently passed it to Hirayama, who was waiting on the right. Hirayama took one step and shot the ball with his left foot, scoring a brilliant goal to take the lead. Despite a shot from Tosu in retaliation, Shioda made a great save and secured the win. With this victory in the 5th round, they have advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since the 2004 season. The opponent will be determined by the winner of the Iwata vs. Hiroshima match on the 15th.

　【Player Comments】《Sota Hirayama》"I thought I would score because Nao-san connected well. Before, Coach Hara told me to 'move well in front of the goal and create chances. Also, defend well.' So I think I was well prepared today. In a game where losing means the end, I had the desire to play longer, which led to the goal. I will continue to contribute to the team with goals and defense."《Kajiyama》"I could only see the position of the goal when I shot. I couldn't see the goalkeeper. I was always told to 'shoot more', so I'm glad I was able to score. My biggest motivation is to keep being used by Coach Hara and to respond to that. There are only a few games left with this team. I didn't want to lose with that in mind. (About Hirayama's goal?) Sota was talked to by Coach Hara the other day. And Moni-san told him, 'Hara-san is expecting a lot from you.' It seems like his mindset changed. He may not look like it (laughs)."

　[Summary of Manager's Press Conference] "After the Kofu match, I have been watching videos of the Tosu matches. They have been on a winning streak and they are a team that plays good football when the opponent is strong, so I knew today's match would be difficult. Before the match, I told the players to focus on loose balls, compete firmly in duels, and not lose. However, we were unable to do all of that in the first half and were overwhelmed by the opponent's quick reactions. However, it was good that we conceded early. After that, we were able to calm down and play our own football. As for Asari's substitution, we were being exposed by the opponent's two strikers and our balance was disrupted, so we put him in front of our defensive line to maintain balance. We also clarified Inokoshi's role and stabilized the backline to make use of the attacking abilities of Kajiyama and Inokoshi. Hirayama has been coming on as a substitute recently, but there were times when he didn't seem motivated. We didn't want him to have a negative impact on the rest of the team, so we left him out of the squad for the Kofu match. After that, we talked and he has been playing with more passion for the past few days. During the match, when I asked him if he was ready to go on, he clearly answered "I'm ready!" so I thought he would be fine. As everyone knows, he has the ability, so we want him to consistently show that. I am very happy with his goal. Tosu is a very good team. Everyone works hard and there are many things we can learn from them. Next, we will face the winner of the Iwata and Hiroshima match in Kumamoto. We will fight each match with determination."

　【Sagan Tosu Manager Kishino's Press Conference Summary】"Regardless of F. Fujita's absence, the most important thing is for everyone to attack together and defend together. When we took the lead, everyone showed the attitude of going forward. We had other chances in the first half, but we needed to make a decisive move there. Although it turned out to be an interesting game (with a close score of 1-0), we still needed to score a second goal. As a game, we were able to do enough today, and the players who played today showed a lot of fight. We are full of regret now, but Sagan Tosu is a very good team. I think we can have confidence. In terms of conceding a goal, we were not able to do what we always say, which is to close in on the opponent. Even after scoring a goal, we did not have the consciousness to defend. However, from the middle of the first half, we ended up with one extra player in our final line, which led to the opponent pushing us back. The second half was about what we could do in a tough situation. In terms of individual accuracy, there was definitely a difference. But soccer is not just about that. In that sense, I don't think there was any difference between the two teams. The result was a loss, and it may be seen as an excuse, but I think Sagan Tosu and Tokyo are almost the same. The whole team, including the supporters and club staff who supported us, has improved. We can feel a lot of growth. I am not completely satisfied with the results, but this season was a very enjoyable time for me, and I think we have become a good team."