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!

There is no way the players wouldn't be excited by this huge crowd. From the very start of the match, both teams launched fierce attacks without holding back. At 2 minutes in, Tokyo, under pressure near their own goal, had Almir intercept the ball, then he sprinted solo about 50 meters with high-speed dribbling and delivered a perfect through pass to Kobayashi, who timed his run perfectly. Kobayashi scored the opening goal with a direct finish. However, the joy was short-lived, as five minutes later, the center was easily broken down, and the equalizer was conceded without resistance. The game developed into an exciting back-and-forth battle. Tokyo built their play around Almir, who ran tirelessly across the pitch again that day. Almir became the focal point of the attack with his sharp dribbling, ball retention in midfield, and precise passing. Joining him were Kobayashi on the right side with his unique rhythm and Fujiyama on the left side showing sharp overlaps, creating a layered attack. Up front, Okamoto worked hard with fierce fighting spirit and physical play, while Kaburagi used his speed to time runs behind the opponent's shallow defensive line, creating chances. On the other hand, Sapporo.D relied on new foreign player Assis and veteran Tanada to keep possession in midfield and set the rhythm, while young ace Yoshihara and powerful Fukagawa formed a two-top attack threatening the goal.

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

At the 25th minute, Go KABURAKI broke through behind the opposing defenders from Komine's vertical pass and unleashed a powerful shot from about 20 meters after a brilliant feint with light steps. This goal put Tokyo ahead by one point again. Go KABURAKI, who is originally very talented, has not yet shown his true ability this season, and if he returns to his usual form, the team's strength will significantly improve, so we hope this goal will be the trigger.The game continued with both teams creating decisive chances, but the defenders blocked the threats with their bodies and did not allow any goals. Sandro cleared with overwhelming strength and height, and Komine also cleared a shot that was "almost a goal" with an overhead kick. Sapporo.D, led by former Japan national team player Nazuka, did not concede any additional goals.In the second half, Sapporo.D showed determination, outperformed Tokyo in stamina, and took control of the game. However, despite being heavily pressed, Tokyo maintained their balance until the end and did not concede any goals. In the post-match press conference, Coach Okuma said, "In the past few games, we often conceded goals in the second half after taking the lead, but today the team held their balance well and endured until the end." This was the first home victory since the opening match and the first back-to-back wins in a while, and they hope to ride the real wave from here.