Tokyo on the attack, Yamagata on the defense

Yamagata, who have a record of 2 wins, 2 losses, and 5 draws so far, are currently in 6th place with 1 point behind Tokyo. This will be a highly competitive match for both teams. Tokyo started off aggressively, while Yamagata focused on defending and launching counterattacks. Tokyo's Amaral moved around the field, receiving the ball early and trying to establish a rhythm by attacking from both sides. On the other hand, Yamagata marked Amaral closely and played a defensive system, with Bautele, Hirama, and Mutairu leading the attack. Amaral's post play was stable as always, and he created rhythm with one-twos with Almir, as well as combinations with Umayama and Yukihiko.

PK Failure in Regret

15 minutes into the first half, Almir, who had been persistent on the right side, sent a sharp cross ball to the center, which was handled by Yamagata DF Washida. For Tokyo, who had been attacking since the start of the game but had not been able to create any real chances, this was the perfect time to earn a penalty kick. The kicker was Yukihiko SATO, who had played for Yamagata last year. Everyone was confident that Tokyo would take the lead, but the ball was saved by Yamagata GK Suzuki's excellent judgment. As Tokyo, disappointed for not being able to capitalize on their biggest chance, struggled to regain their composure, Yamagata, who had narrowly escaped death, regained their breath. In the 20th minute of the first half, Tokyo's key midfielder Asari was forced to leave the field due to injury, and Yamagata's playmaker Hirama, who had been marked by Asari until then, was given more freedom to shine, and the combination of Bautel, Hirama, and Mutail began to work well. On the other hand, Tokyo, still struggling to recover from the shock of the missed penalty, started to make more passing and coordination mistakes. This was the moment when everyone should have encouraged each other and come together as a team. However, Tokyo, who desperately wanted to regain their rhythm, could not create any decisive opportunities, despite trying to get the ball to Amaral, who was fighting alone up front.

First Defeat with V Goal of the Season

In the second half, "Fighter" Okamoto took the pitch in place of Kobayashi. With his intense play, he injected energy into the team and the game became more intense. On the other hand, Yamagata, who had been on the defensive in the first half, turned the tables and began to press from the front, taking control of the ball. As coach Ueki said in the post-match press conference, "I thought we could win if we could contain Amaral and Almir," in the second half, Almir was also marked tightly and Tokyo's rhythm was completely shut down. Due to the poor condition of the ground and Yamagata's intense press, Tokyo made many mistakes and was on the defensive. They were given several clear chances, but Sandro and Komine in the center, with Horiike at the core, were solid and did not allow any goals. In extra time, Tokyo tightened their focus and tried to counterattack, but the situation remained in Yamagata's control and they struggled through the difficult time. Then, in the 12th minute of the first half of extra time, the balance was finally broken. Yamagata's FW Mutailu held on to the ball on the right side and passed it to the center. Substitute Masashita calmly kicked it in, sealing the game. For Tokyo, it was their first loss with a V-goal this season, and on top of that, it was their second consecutive loss at home, a tough result. In the post-match press conference, coach Okuma said, "It was bad that we couldn't switch our mindset after missing the PK. It was also painful that Asari, who is a key player in the midfield defense, was absent. We will make adjustments to our balance for the Nabisco Cup on the 14th and prepare for the match against Oita on the 17th." Switching our mindset is crucial.