"Number 10" is back

Everyone was waiting for this moment. If you are a fan who has been supporting the team since the days of Tokyo Gas FC, the figure of the "number 10" of this team should be vividly remembered, and you also know how amazing he is. The man who returned to the official pitch after about 10 months since playing in the Bellmare match in last year's Emperor's Cup is... yes, "FC Tokyo's number 10", Takashi Okuhara. Speaking of Okuhara, since joining Tokyo Gas FC in 1995, he has always been the key player in the team's attack, leading the team to victory. He was also a key player when the team reached the top 4 in the Emperor's Cup two years ago. His playing style is to use direct passes, run behind the opponent's defense at top speed after passing, and do decisive work. On the other hand, he also uses his flexible technique to dribble and charge towards the opponent's goal, aiming for a goal. His return is undoubtedly a bright topic for the team, which is about to face the most difficult period. This season, Okuhara has been struggling with lower back pain since before the start of the season, and has missed more than half of the league matches. However, on this day, he made his first appearance in an official match, replacing Yukihiko who was absent due to accumulated warnings, and made his long-awaited "J2 debut".

The biggest match of the final round

Kickoff temperature 35.6℃. I didn't expect to play a game in the highest temperature of the season at this time, just before October. After this, we will face a grueling period of "5 games in 16 days" including cup matches, so we needed to settle the game in 90 minutes considering the players' exhaustion. The opponent in the first match of the final round is 3rd place Oita. If Tokyo (55 points) wins against 3rd place Oita (46 points), the gap between them will be "12" points and they will break away from the top group along with 2nd place Kawasaki F. On the other hand, if they lose, they will once again enter a close battle, so they definitely wanted to secure a victory in this match. This crucial match that will greatly affect the future was kicked off under the strong summer sun.

Almir's artistic FK takes the lead!

When the game started, Okuhara, who stood on the official pitch for the first time in about 10 months, showed off a light play that didn't feel the blank at all. Okuhara, who was given an attacking position on the right side, and Okamoto, who entered the left side, stirred up the front line with aggressive runs into the back space of the opponent's DF. In that space created by Okuhara and Okamoto, Amaral and Almir jumped in and bewildered the Oita DF with precise passes and dribble breakthroughs.

Oita, on the other hand, has a strong attacking force with the second highest scorer in the league, Terry, who is known for his game-making abilities and powerful shots from aggressive dribbling. He is supported by Edwin, a skilled technician who previously played in the midfield for Tokyo Gas, and together they create a destructive attacking force. In particular, Edwin's dynamic movements in the midfield often lead to ball possession, from which he supplies sharp passes to either side or to the center for Terry and Will to build their attacks.

Tokyo took the lead. In the 18th minute, Umayama, the right fullback, made a 60-meter dribble from a counterattack and the Oita defender couldn't help but foul him just outside the penalty area. On this free kick opportunity, Almir scored the first goal with a low, curved and sharp shot. Tokyo, riding on this momentum, had another chance in the 23rd minute when Amaral received the ball in front of the goal and skillfully evaded the defender with a sharp feint, but the goal was disallowed for offside. The beautiful goal became a mirage. Both teams continued to fiercely attack and defend. In the 30th minute, when Oita was dominating, Will took two powerful shots in a row, but goalkeeper Suzuki made a fine save. Although Edwin was beaten a few times on the right side, Tokyo's defense, led by Sandro and Komine, remained stable and did not allow any decisive opportunities. On the contrary, in the 39th minute, Tokyo finally scored a second goal. From a counterattack, Okuhara made a perfect pass to Okamoto in front of the goal. Okamoto and the Oita defender competed for the ball, but Amaral managed to steal it and skillfully evaded the defender with a feint before scoring a powerful second goal with his left foot.

From Okuhara & Okamoto to Kagamiki & Enomoto

Tokyo, who ended the first half with a 2-point lead, struggled in the second half due to the heat and a lack of focus (from the 2-point lead). In particular, their forward Amaral became fatigued and was unable to contribute to the defense, resulting in a more passive overall performance from Tokyo. Oita, who were able to comfortably control the ball in midfield, created numerous goal-scoring opportunities through their key player, Almir. In an attempt to change the momentum, Tokyo substituted Okuhara and Okamoto with Kaburaki and Enomoto, forming a "fresh duo". This proved to be effective as Oita, who were trailing by 2 points, were forced to push forward, creating space behind their defense. The fresh duo were able to take advantage of this space and launch quick counter-attacks. In the 40th minute of the second half, Almir received a pass from Kaburaki and took a powerful shot, which was saved by Oita's goalkeeper. However, left-back Fujiyama, who had joined the attack, was able to follow up and score the third goal. Just one minute later, Almir once again launched a counter-attack, passing to Enomoto who made a run down the left side. Enomoto then passed to Kaburaki, who had made a sharp turn to evade the defender, and scored the fourth goal with his left foot. In the first half, Okuhara and Okamoto, and in the second half, Kaburaki and Enomoto, both the starting and substitute attackers were able to showcase their strengths and pose a threat to the opponent. With a tough schedule ahead in both the cup and league matches, their performance gave the team confidence. Although there were some regrets, such as losing focus towards the end and conceding 2 goals, the most important thing at this stage is to get results. In the first big match of the final round, we were able to secure a victory. ＜Coach Okuma's comments＞ There were some unsatisfactory moments, such as losing focus towards the end, but at this stage, results are the most important. In that sense, it was good that we were able to secure 3 points. I am often asked about our goal of promotion to J1, but we are not thinking about it at the moment. Our focus is solely on getting results in the upcoming matches. We will regroup and strategize for the match against Kashima to achieve the best result.