Packed West Gaoka

After losing in last year's J1 promotion playoff, they started this season in J2, and the "New Okada Sapporo" aiming for a long-awaited return to J1 finally appeared in Tokyo. The number of spectators who gathered to catch a glimpse of the much-talked-about team exceeded 6,000, and the stands were nearly at capacity with standing room only. Additionally, the number of media personnel, including those for television broadcasts, reached a season high, with cameras overflowing on the field, pushing Nishigaoka to its limits. Naturally, the "support battle behind the goal" heated up more than usual. Tokyo's "supporters behind the goal" had overwhelmed away teams with their numbers and sense in previous home games, but the Sapporo supporters gathered for this match matched Tokyo in numbers, and their well-coordinated support made it clear they were seasoned J-League veterans, creating a powerful and evenly matched support battle. The venue reached its peak excitement, and at 1 PM, the kickoff whistle blew.

2 minutes in, Kobayashi scores the opening goal!

The players cannot help but be excited by this large crowd. Right from the start of the match, both teams launched fierce attacks without waiting to gauge each other's movements. In the 2nd minute, Tokyo was under pressure when Almir cut the ball in front of their own goal, then made a high-speed solo run of about 50 meters, delivering a superb through pass to Kobayashi, who timed his run perfectly. Kobayashi then scored the opening goal with a direct shot. However, just five minutes later, they were easily broken down in the center and allowed an equalizing goal. The game developed into a thrilling back-and-forth contest. Tokyo built their game around Almir, who was running all over the field that day. Almir became the focal point of the attack with his sharp dribbling, ball retention in midfield, and accurate passing. On the right side, Kobayashi brought a unique rhythm, while Fujiyama showed sharp overlaps on the left side, creating a robust attack. Up front, Okamoto fought hard with fierce determination and physical play, while Kaburaki utilized his speed to time his runs behind the opponent's shallow defensive line, creating chances. On the other hand, Sapporo's new foreign player Asis and veteran Tanada maintained possession in midfield to create rhythm, while the young ace Yoshihara and powerful Fukagawa formed a two-top that threatened the goal.

Kaburaki's first official match goal becomes the winning point!

In the 25th minute, Go KABURAKI broke through the opponent's defense after receiving a vertical pass from Komine, and unleashed a powerful shot from about 20 meters following a brilliant feint with agile steps. This goal put Tokyo back in the lead by one point. Go KABURAKI, who is originally a highly skilled player, has not yet shown his true abilities this season, and if he returns to his original form, the team's strength will significantly increase, so we hope this goal will be a turning point. After that, both teams created decisive chances, but the defense held firm and prevented any goals. Tokyo's Sandro repelled attacks with overwhelming strength and height, while Komine cleared a shot that was almost a goal with an overhead kick. Sapporo, led by former Japan national team player Natsuka, also did not allow any additional goals. In the second half, Sapporo showed their determination, outpacing Tokyo in terms of movement and taking control of the game. However, despite being pushed back significantly, Tokyo maintained their balance until the end and did not concede any goals. In the post-match press conference, Coach Okuma stated, "In the last few matches, we often conceded goals in the second half after taking the lead, but today we maintained our balance until the end and held on well." This victory at home since the opening match marks a long-awaited second consecutive win, and we hope to ride this momentum into a real wave of success.