Did Edogawa shake!?

Many people were likely surprised by the unexpected large margin of victory, 3-0, in the first match of the quarterfinals against Marinos (Yokohama International). Although there is a difference in the situation between Tokyo, which is in the midst of league play, and Marinos, which is in a league break and has not regained their game sense, the news of a J2 team achieving a big win against a J1 team filled with star players was indeed "shocking." As a result, for Tokyo to advance to the Semifinal Round, they only need to keep Marinos within a two-goal difference (in the case of a three-goal difference: the match will go to extra time and be decided by a golden goal; if the difference is four goals or more: Marinos will advance to the Semifinal Round) in this second match of the quarterfinals held at Edogawa (Edogawa Athletic Stadium). The number of spectators gathered to watch this crucial match reached 5,208, and even before the match, the backstands were filled with intense cheering battles from both teams' supporters. There has never been a match with this many spectators at Edogawa, and the atmosphere was filled with excitement, as if the venue was shaking with the tension and fervor of the pre-match support.

Desperate Marinos!

Fueled by revenge, Marinos held an unusual 90-minute emergency meeting the day after their heavy defeat in the first match (20th), boldly declaring their adoption of an ultra-offensive "unconventional four forwards" formation. While they seem to have lost their composure, the determination of Coach DE LA CRUZ to "make up the three-goal deficit no matter what" is palpable. Although a three-goal advantage is significant, when weighing the defensive capabilities of Tokyo without Sandro against the attacking power of Marinos, it cannot be considered a safe lead, and upon reflection, it even raises some concerns.

As expected, the match started with Marinos launching a desperate attack right from the beginning. Marinos placed the "young ace striker of the Japan national team" Jo at the top, with Baubel on the right, "the playmaker of the Olympic team" Jun Nakamura in the center, and the South Korean representative Yang Sang-te in the left position, focusing on offense. The "super offensive formation" actively involved both full-backs, Nagayama on the right and Hato on the left, in the attack as a desperate tactic to recover the three-goal deficit within 90 minutes. However, learning from the first match, they addressed the counterattacks from Tokyo by dropping Atsuhiro MIURA, a member of the Japan national team, back to a defensive midfield role. Atsuhiro MIURA not only became the starting point for the attack but also effectively fulfilled his role with intense pressing, preventing Wada and Kaburaki, who had troubled them in the first match, from making any impact.

Withstanding the fierce pursuit of Marinos!

Marinos stole the ball with intense pressing that resulted in repeated fouls in midfield, creating chances with Baubel attacking from the right and Yanagi from the left with aggressive dribbling. Nakamura added variations in pace, setting up a one-two breakthrough with Jo in the center and orchestrating side attacks with both full-backs making runs. In response, Tokyo paired Kube, who returned from injury, and Yamao, who performed well in the first match, to replace Sandro, who was suspended due to accumulated warnings. Their combination play was decent, and they calmly dealt with Marinos' fierce attacks, but in the 21st minute, Jo, who had been perfectly contained until then, scored a skillful goal, finally breaking the deadlock. This left them two goals away from equalizing. Marinos ramped up their intensity even more. Tokyo's Almir and Amaral occasionally broke through the center with good rhythm, but their efforts were disrupted by Marinos' aggressive play. Overwhelmed by Marinos' spirit, Tokyo dropped their line overall and found themselves completely on the defensive, but with Amaral even cutting off the opponent's attacks at the defensive line, they managed to limit themselves to just one goal conceded in the first half through everyone's high defensive awareness and concentration.

Race Against Time

With 45 minutes remaining in the second half, if they do not concede two goals here, Tokyo will secure their advancement to the Semifinal Round. However, the determination of Marinos has intensified even further. Marinos had no pride left. They were focused solely on scoring two more goals, resorting to intense fouls without hesitation. The fact that Tokyo had 33 direct free kicks tells the story. In the 8th minute of the second half, Tokyo was breached on the left side, and once again, Shiro scored from the center, bringing the score to just one goal difference. With 37 minutes remaining, despite conceding a goal, Tokyo moved forward as Koike stabilized the midfield balance, improving their defense and the shape of their attacks after regaining possession. In the 14th minute of the second half, Yukiho, returning from injury, was brought on. This action was taken in anticipation of Marinos attacking more in the remaining time, allowing for a counterattack. This proved to be a brilliant decision. In the 21st minute of the second half, during a counterattack, Yukiho attempted to break free, but Marinos defender Ihara tackled him head-on, resulting in a red card. With Marinos down to 10 men, their momentum decreased. Conversely, Tokyo, now at a numerical and psychological advantage, increased their attacking opportunities.

After this, Marinos showed their powerful offensive until the end, but with goalkeeper Suzuki at the center, they endured without losing focus, finishing the match with only 2 goals conceded. As a result, they narrowly defeated Marinos with a total score of 3-2 over the first and second matches, advancing to the Semifinal Round as the only J2 team to defeat J1 three times in a row. Next, they will face Kashima Antlers on 9/29 (away) and 10/6 (home).

<Coach Okuma's Comment> Regardless of the content, the team fought well without Sandro. The introduction of Koike improved the balance significantly. Being able to compete seriously against a J1 team is very beneficial for the players, but today's game also revealed some issues. I want to do my best next time.