"Win all remaining 4 matches!"

After a “raging 4-game winning streak” from Sec. 25 (9/10, vs Kofu) to Sec. 28 (9/25, vs Oita), Tokyo suffered a “muddy 4-game losing streak” following the Nabisco Cup (9/29, 10/6). In the Nabisco Cup, they fought valiantly against J1 powerhouse Kashima, gaining confidence, but the ultra-demanding schedule of “5 matches in 2 weeks” caused both physical and mental fatigue to accumulate. Furthermore, their main scorer Amaral was forced to leave the lineup due to a left ankle sprain (10/6, vs Kashima). “At the peak of fatigue, the absence of the absolute ace…” Whether this was the cause or the “pressure of aiming for J1 promotion(?)”, Tokyo suddenly hit the brakes at this point. However, the quality of play was not bad. In the Tosu match (Sec. 30, 10/11) and the Sapporo match (Sec. 31, 10/17), they dominated in play but lost by a single moment, and even in the crucial previous match against top-ranked Kawasaki F (Sec. 32, 10/24), they delivered their best game. There was no need to be pessimistic. Certainly, the goal of being the “first J2 champion (= winner)” became somewhat difficult, but the “J1 promotion (= top 2 finish)” is still within their own power to achieve. They are closely pursued by 3rd place Oita by just 1 point, but the key is to win all the remaining 4 matches including this day’s game. It doesn’t matter if Oita wins 4 straight after this; if we win 4 straight, it’s decided. No looking back now, only 4 straight wins!!

Amaral's return energizes the team!

On this day, ace Amaral returned to the field. He had just started running cautiously from the 22nd, but this week he showed remarkable recovery by participating in practice matches, making it in time for this day's game. Although he was not a starter, the revival of the reliable ace is undoubtedly a bright topic. In the locker room, he lifted spirits with his natural brightness and the rhythm of samba, and when it was time to set out, he tightened the team with an intimidating presence. Just having a 'fighting professional' like him gives the team confidence and puts pressure on the opposing team. The preparations are complete for a fourth consecutive victory.

On this day, the home opponent at Komazawa Athletics Stadium was the bottom-ranked Kofu. In the match before last, they played a close game against Oita that went into extra time, and in the previous match, they secured a 3-0 shutout victory over Yamagata, so they were on a roll and could not be underestimated. Once the match started, Tokyo fiercely attacked Kofu. Early on, Yukihiko on the right side made a sharp breakthrough and sent in a cross. In the 2nd minute, a brilliant series of one-touch passes from Umeyama to Yukihiko to Kagami and back to Umeyama broke down the right side, and when Umeyama made a breakthrough and delivered a perfect cross, Okuhara jumped to head it but narrowly missed over the bar. Tokyo's relentless attacks continued, and in the 9th minute, Okuhara forcefully shot from the right side, with Almir following up, but it just missed. Following the previous match, Kagami acted as a target forward, and with Okuhara and Kaburagi moving widely, passing lanes increased, making Yukihiko's short and long passes from the right side effective. On the left side, Fujiyama advanced with his specialty dribbling and took a powerful shot after a wall pass with Almir. The opening goal seemed only a matter of time.

On the other hand, Kofu has been playing compact football, keeping their defensive line shallow and applying intense pressure in midfield. Knowing that Tokyo, eager for victory, will push forward, they actively set up offside traps and aimed for sharp counterattacks once they regained possession. The ball was gathered by midfielder Dobashi, who distributed passes to forwards Yoshida and Horii. Yoshida entered into a post play, while Horii utilized his speed to target the backline. On this day, Sandro also occasionally joined the attack, but in that moment, Horii broke free from a vertical pass and had a dangerous one-on-one confrontation with Komine. Komine cannot be said to be completely stable either, causing a moment of anxiety.

Sandro's strike gives the lead!

At the 23rd minute, Tokyo scored the long-awaited opening goal. The scorer was Sandro, who just became a father the day before yesterday (10/28) with the birth of his beloved first daughter. Sandro, who had moved up for a corner kick, leapt to meet a cross from Fujiyama on the left side in front of the goal and headed the ball just in front of the advancing Kofu goalkeeper! The ball was swallowed by the net. This goal intensified the battle between the two teams. Kofu, having conceded first, began to regain possession, with their defensive midfielders becoming the starting point of attacks and pushing forward. They launched not only direct vertical attacks but also thick attacks using the flanks. At the 37th minute, there were dangerous moments such as a free header from a free kick on the left side. Unpleasant memories resurfaced of the previous 3rd round when they had taken the lead but were instantly overturned. Tokyo also created good attacking chances near the end of the first half, with Kagami hitting the crossbar with a long left-footed shot from about 30 meters in a scramble. However, their defense from the front line was weak, allowing Kofu several attacks, making the situation far from secure.

Yukihiko's spectacular goal pulls away from Kofu, who are holding on!

At halftime, Tokyo was instructed to reaffirm their defense from the front line and repeatedly attack from the sides, regaining momentum in the second half. With intense chasing from the front line making it easier to narrow passing lanes, Tokyo increased their opportunities to steal the ball through interceptions, and the attacking participation of both fullbacks became more noticeable. Go KABURAKI, Kagami, Okuhara, and Yukihiko freely switched positions, with Yukihiko unusually playing on the left side, making runs to receive passes from Fujiyama and delivering crosses. At the 17th minute of the second half, KABURAKI received the ball deep on the right side, challenged the opponent with a sharp cutback feint to break through vertically, and delivered a perfect final pass to Yukihiko, who was sprinting fiercely in front of the goal. Yukihiko, who had been actively shooting from distance that day, powerfully kicked the ball into the goal, breaking the spirit of the resilient Kofu team. Tokyo continued to attack afterward, creating chances mainly from the sides with KABURAKI and Yukihiko. However, perhaps feeling secure after scoring two goals, even when breaking through the sides with momentum, they hesitated to shoot themselves and first thought about passing, which reduced their impact. Despite creating good opportunities, a lack of additional aggressiveness prevented further goals. In the end, the match finished 2-0 with Tokyo overwhelmingly pressing but unable to score more. Considering the opponent was the bottom-ranked team, a larger margin was hoped for, but stopping the 'four-game losing streak in the mud' was significant. Since this is a period where results are demanded more than content, securing the full three points finally allowed them to emerge from a long tunnel. In the next match (11/8, vs Omiya), Amaral's condition is expected to improve significantly. Awakened from slumber, Tokyo will sprint down the path of winning all remaining three matches!!

[Manager's Comment]

<Katsumata, Kofu Manager>

We have been improving our performance in the last two matches, and we were able to do what we aimed for today. However, Tokyo was desperate to stop their losing streak and came at us united. Their determination was incredible and surpassed our fighting spirit.

<Okuma, Tokyo Manager>

The midfield's creativity and ability to transition are still insufficient. (Due to Amaral not being present) There was no additional focal point in the forward line. However, the quality and quantity of the attacking contributions from both full-backs, as well as the covering in defense, have improved compared to before. Moreover, securing a win at this time, when results are more important than content, is significant. I want to work hard to achieve three more victories.