Revenge Match...

The J2 League, which has already entered its second round since the last matchday, saw FC Tokyo reclaim the top spot with an unstoppable four-game winning streak. However, the top three teams are all tied with 20 points, maintaining a fiercely competitive situation. The opponent on this day was Niigata, who achieved an impressive seven consecutive wins at the start of the season, stirring up a whirlwind in the J2 League. Although they have since suffered three straight losses and currently dropped to second place, their solid defense and sharp counterattacks are well regarded, making for a tough battle ahead. In their previous encounter (March 28), FC Tokyo narrowly lost due to a penalty kick that could only be described as a "nightmare," so this rematch was approached with determination to secure a victory. Additionally, on this day, over 80 fans joined the season's first bus tour to the "away" venue in Niigata, and combined with the number of supporters gathered behind the goal locally, they formed a large cheering squad of about 130 people, repeatedly chanting "Tokyo! Tokyo!" Meanwhile, Niigata also drew their season-high crowd of over 9,000 fans, and with temperatures reaching a summer-like 25 degrees Celsius, the Niigata City Athletics Stadium was enveloped in an extraordinary atmosphere of excitement.

Unable to create any real chances...

In the first half, Tokyo gathered the ball to Almir as usual to build their attack, but Niigata was wary of Almir's vertical passes to the front line and cut off every ball with thorough pressing. As a result, Tokyo was unable to create points up front and could not find a way to attack. Occasionally, Fujiyama on the left and Yukihiko on the right attempted to break through with dribbles and deliver the final pass, but they could not create any real chances against Niigata's determined and physical play. On the contrary, Niigata quickly transitioned after winning the ball and created chances with sharp counterattacks.

Once again, we cry over a penalty kick...

Entering the second half, Tokyo aimed to reorganize by assigning Koike, who has been active as a link between offense and defense in recent matches, to the defensive midfield position, and pushing Almir forward to create the attacking rhythm. Koike faithfully and simply distributed the ball, allowing Almir to move freely up front. As planned, Almir functioned as the focal point in the attack, and gradually Tokyo began to regain its original rhythm. However, at that moment, Tokyo was caught off guard. At the 3rd minute of the second half, when everyone was focused on the attack, the ball was stolen on the left side, and a precise long pass was played behind Tokyo's weakened defense. A speedy Niigata forward broke free and seemed to be on a solo run, but defender Komine caught up and fiercely contested. Both players tangled and fell inside the penalty area. The referee surprisingly judged it as a foul by Tokyo and awarded a penalty kick. In the previous match (3/28), a similar penalty was given, which ended up being the winning goal, so the “nightmare” replayed in their minds. The kicker’s shot was initially saved by Horiike, but a Niigata player who followed up pushed it in, conceding the opening goal. Since the goal came relatively early, Tokyo wanted to regain composure and attack, bringing in forward Wada, who could be a game-changer. At the 30th minute of the second half, defender Furube was brought in, and Sandro was pushed up to forward, launching an all-out power play to score one goal. However, the monotonous attack could not break Niigata’s spirited defense, and near the end, Niigata scored another quick counterattack goal, sealing the game. In the end, once again, the “penalty kick” was the cause of defeat, and Tokyo suffered a humiliating second consecutive loss against Niigata...