Break out of the melee!?

The fiercely changing J2 top race has been in a "clump state" where no team has pulled ahead, but recently, Niigata and Oita, who had greatly energized the first half of the season by consistently being in the top group, have somewhat slowed down. As a result, Tokyo and Kawasaki Frontale, who have always been at the top, seem to have pulled ahead a bit. Niigata wanted to ride the wave after achieving the best result of two wins and one draw in the crucial three-match direct confrontations against Tokyo, Sapporo, and Kawasaki Frontale at the start of the second half, but they could not extend their points due to a painful draw against the lower-ranked Kofu, remaining in third place (37 points). Additionally, Oita has also been unable to escape a five-game losing streak, gradually dropping in rank to fourth place (35 points), allowing Tokyo (42 points) and Kawasaki Frontale (44 points) to break away from the tight competition. If Tokyo wins the match on this day within 90 minutes, they can extend their points to 45 and maintain their top position, but if it goes to extra time and they win, they will have 44 points and fall to second place due to goal difference against Kawasaki Frontale. This match has become one they desperately want to win to widen the gap with teams below third place.

Unable to find a breakthrough in the attack...

The match developed slowly, with both teams cautiously observing each other's moves. Tokyo wanted to launch attacks from their strong wings (i.e., full-backs), but due to the accumulation of warnings, right full-back Umeyama was absent, resulting in a lack of depth in their offense, and there were hardly any opportunities for attacks on the right side. Almir, who was expected to be a key player in high positions alongside forward Amaral, struggled to perform as desired against Tosu's hard marking, frequently losing the ball in the front line and disrupting the rhythm. As Almir gradually dropped back (i.e., to the position of a defensive midfielder) to touch the ball, the burden on forward Amaral increased, and he was thoroughly marked, further limiting their attacking options. Just barely, the proactive involvement of left full-back Fujiyama created a few chances and even led to some decisive moments, but the difficult situation remained unchanged as they struggled to build attacks that flowed to the right side.

In contrast, Tosu showcased a simple style of football by winning the ball with intense pressing, then passing it to forward Takemoto (ranked first in the J2 scoring chart) to spread the play to the sides. They aimed for goals with early crosses from the flanks, but Tosu's attacks were often hindered by passing mistakes just before the final touch. Additionally, Takemoto was tightly marked by Kobayashi, and every cross was decisively cleared by Sandro, who boasts exceptional aerial strength, preventing any clear-cut chances. Meanwhile, Tokyo maintained a numerical advantage in defense due to the limited attacking participation from the right back, remaining stable without losing balance, but there were concerns about easy (horizontal) passing mistakes in midfield and defense that led to counterattacks.

Leading by two goals proved decisive, shaking off the fierce pursuit from Tosu!

As the second half began, Tosu attempted to break through Tokyo's solid defense with aggressive long-range shots from the center. In the 50th minute, a powerful shot from the center was saved by goalkeeper Suzuki with a fine save. Meanwhile, Tokyo, following the coach's instructions at halftime, confirmed their strategy to actively target the opponent's defense from behind. Substituted player Go KABURAKI started to make dynamic movements up front with speed, gradually causing the opponent's marking to slip, allowing Amaral, who had not been effective in the first half, to start functioning. In the 59th minute, both teams finally began to play as they normally would. Yuki Hiko, who had hardly delivered effective crosses in the first half, persisted on the right side and sent a pinpoint cross to the center. Almir, who was waiting for this, made a powerful diving header to score the opening goal, breaking the deadlock. Riding the momentum, Tokyo scored again in the 67th minute when Amaral, with a light step, evaded the defense and struck with his left foot for the second goal. However, just as they were pushing for a third goal in the 70th minute, KABURAKI received a careless second yellow card and was sent off, changing the situation dramatically. Tokyo, now in a position to defend their two-goal lead, inevitably became more defensive and began to face a fierce onslaught from Tosu, who attacked relentlessly. Amaral, who had been active in defense up front, started to tire, and Tokyo, already at a numerical disadvantage, lost control of the midfield to the momentum-driven Tosu. Although they were not completely broken down, they faced several powerful shots from the center, but on this day, goalkeeper Suzuki's reactions were perfect, making fine saves and denying Tosu any goals despite shots that could have easily resulted in two goals. In the 80th minute, Tokyo seized a decisive counterattack opportunity after capitalizing on a mistake by Tosu, but failed to score, leading to a defensive struggle for the remaining time. In the 85th minute, a careless sideways pass from Asari, which had shown signs of trouble since the first half, was intercepted, and they finally conceded a goal. There were nine minutes left (including four minutes of stoppage time), but they lost the ball due to half-hearted time-wasting tactics and faced more attacks. However, with Suzuki at the center, they maintained their concentration until the end, managing to hold on despite a challenging match with a shot count of 9 to 14, shaking off Tosu's fierce pursuit.

Director Okuma's Comments

While we were in a position to aim for a third goal, we found ourselves in a difficult situation due to our own mistake (red card), which we will reflect on and correct in the future. In our attack, Almir dropped too deep, and we failed to take the initiative to exploit the opponent's weaknesses, leading to a challenging situation where we couldn't establish our rhythm. However, our defense, centered around Suzuki, held up well, which was significant. Regarding our current position at the top of the league, I believe there is still a long way to go, and it is not something to celebrate too much. For now, we need to refocus and prepare for the upcoming matches against Sapporo and Kawasaki Frontale.