"KOKURITSU" is filled!

The second leg of the Nabisco Cup Semifinal Round, hosting the mighty J1 team Kashima Antlers at home, saw the Japan National Stadium filled with a huge crowd of 40,885. Even looking at recent J1 league matches, has there ever been a game where "KOKURITSU" was this packed? Additionally, the number of media personnel was extraordinary. Although there is no exact figure, it would not be an exaggeration to say that almost all media representatives from TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc., gathered in one place. The number of cameras and TV cameras surrounding the field was also incredible. Naturally, the excitement at the venue was on a completely different level than usual. Tokyo's "Blue-Red Army behind the goal" took their place in the center of the back stand for the first time this season, raising their voices with high tension before the match, and hand claps erupted from the entire venue except the Antlers' area. The Antlers supporters who came as away fans, though fewer in number, did not lose out. They repeatedly cheered fiercely with their familiar unique style. The stage for the decisive battle was set!

Defensive Antlers

After losing the first match 0-2 on September 29, Tokyo needed to win this game by a margin of three goals or more to advance to the Final Round. Tokyo absolutely needed to score first. If they scored first, the total score's goal difference would become one point, creating the possibility of a tie and then a comeback. Conversely, if they conceded the first goal, the goal difference would widen to three points, making it very difficult. Therefore, on this day, they had to play a style of football that prioritized scoring while ensuring they did not concede any goals.

The match developed at a fast pace with quick transitions between offense and defense from the very start. Tokyo, eager to score the opening goal, replaced Okamoto with the speedy Wada in the starting lineup. Wada had started in the first leg of the quarterfinal against F. Marinos (7/20), showing the expected performance and contributing to a major victory. With Amaral as the lone striker, Tokyo lined up three speedy players underneath him: Yuki on the right, Kaburagi in the center, and Wada on the left. After withstanding the Antlers' fierce attacks, Tokyo waited for counterattack opportunities. However, the Antlers were resilient that day. Having highly evaluated Tokyo's strength and tactics from the first leg, the Antlers chose to maximize their two-goal advantage. They focused on defense and refrained from attacking with their strong fullbacks. Notably, the offensively minded right-back Narahashi was assigned to defense only, likely a lesson learned from Fujiyama disrupting that side in the first match. In attack, Bismarck and Abe controlled the ball in midfield, delivering crosses targeting the strong-headed Hasegawa to score. Because Bismarck could deliver precise free kicks, there were dangerous moments from set pieces aimed at Hasegawa, but Sandro and Yamao maintained high concentration to cover and prevent goals. Meanwhile, Tokyo's offense, as in the first leg, showed excellent fighting spirit, concentrating the ball with Almir who controlled the team both offensively and defensively, then spreading play to both flanks. The left side, where Wada could not show his strengths, remained quiet, but on the right side, Yuki repeatedly made aggressive breakthroughs creating chances. Also, because Yuki could hold the ball well, right-back Umeyama was able to join attacks actively, launching a strong offensive. Kaburagi and Amaral each demonstrated their strengths, moving freely up front. At the 26th minute, Kaburagi broke free from a scramble and faced the goalkeeper one-on-one but was denied by a fine save. Amaral was closely marked by Japan national team stopper Akita but showed stable hold-up play and took a shot in combination with Almir. The match was truly evenly contested, and the first half ended 0-0.

Kabaraki scores the long-awaited opening goal! After that, Tokyo's pace continued, but...

Whether crying or laughing, Tokyo must score at least two goals in the remaining 45 minutes to keep their ticket to the Final Round. In the second half, Tokyo began to show more aggressive football. Following the coach's instructions, Tokyo, strengthening attacks from the right side with the in-form Yukihiko as the focal point, boldly pressed the Antlers' defense. Yukihiko, who had the ball on the right side, bravely challenged Japan national team's left side back Soma! Showing superior sharpness, Yukihiko won almost every one-on-one battle, broke through, and delivered sharp crosses in front of the goal. Perhaps due to his star quality, among both teams and this large crowd, Yukihiko was the most fired up and shining player. At the 9th minute of the second half, after persistent attacks on the right side, Amaral was fouled and earned a free kick. Almir sent the ball in front of the goal, and Amaral executed an overhead kick. Kaburagi, who was following up on the rebound, powerfully struck with his right foot to score the long-awaited opening goal! With this, Tokyo caught up to within one goal on aggregate and gained even more momentum. Even when occasionally facing decisive shots, goalkeeper Suzuki made a series of super fine saves, denying any goals. Tokyo, needing one more goal, saw Yukihiko again dribble past opponents on the right side at the 20th minute of the second half and cross to the center, where Almir received the ball free and shot from close range! However, the opposing goalkeeper's fine play blocked it. Then at the 25th minute of the second half, Almir dribbled about 30 meters from his own half and made a through pass to Kaburagi, who timed his run perfectly. When Kaburagi was about to receive the ball, he was fouled, earning a free kick in an excellent position in front of the goal. Almir, who had scored free kicks in two consecutive J2 matches on 9/25 and 10/3, aimed for the goal but was blocked by the wall. Tokyo continued to dominate, with Yukihiko creating chances from the right and Kaburagi from the left, but they could not score an additional goal. Instead, at the 36th minute of the second half, from a corner kick, Akita headed in a free ball, restoring the two-goal difference. With no margin left, Tokyo pushed defender Sandro forward and brought in midfielder Kobayashi in a "super offensive formation," relentlessly attacking the Antlers' goal until the end. However, they ultimately failed to score again, and the cruel final whistle blew with a 1-1 draw, losing 1-3 on aggregate. Tokyo, participating in the Nabisco Cup for the first time, defeated three J1 teams in a row and gave last year's J League champions, the Antlers, a tough fight until the very end, but could not advance to the Final Round.

Manager's Comment

ZICO Antlers General Manager Comments

It was a good game worthy of a semi-final. Both teams had a good balance of offense and defense, making it an engaging and well-matched game. Tokyo is a team that has defeated three J1 teams, so it's impressive. I expected them to struggle more in the second half, but I was surprised by their physical strength, which exceeded my expectations. I believe they will be a team that can compete well in J1 next season.

Director Okuma's Comments

The players did well. There was a match three days ago, and despite such a tough schedule, being able to play football today confirmed their potential and I believe it will lead to increased confidence. Both individually and as a team, they must have grasped something. The speed of switching between offense and defense was equal, but the difference was made in the accuracy of crosses and concentration at critical moments. I want to quickly shift my mindset and prepare for the next game (on the 11th vs. Tosu).