"Win all remaining 4 games!"

Sec. 25 (9/10, vs Kofu) to Sec. 28 (9/25, vs Oita) After a "dominant 4-game winning streak", Tokyo suffered a complete turnaround with a "disastrous 4-game losing streak" sandwiched between the Nabisco Cup (9/29, 10/6). While they showed great resilience against J1 powerhouse Kashima in the Nabisco Cup, they were faced with a grueling schedule of "5 games in 2 weeks" and accumulated physical and mental fatigue. To make matters worse, their top scorer Amaral was forced to withdraw from the front line due to a left ankle sprain (10/6, vs Kashima). "The absence of our absolute ace during the peak of fatigue..." Whether this was the cause or the pressure of aiming for J1 promotion, Tokyo has hit the brakes at this point. However, their performance was not poor. They were dominant in games against Tosu (Sec. 30, 10/11) and Sapporo (Sec. 31, 10/17), but were unlucky with their finishing, and in the crucial match against league leaders Kawasaki (Sec. 32, 10/24), they played their best game yet. There is no need to be pessimistic. While their goal of becoming the first J2 champion (i.e. winning the league) may have become more difficult, they are in a position to secure promotion to J1 (i.e. finishing in the top 2) on their own. They are only one point behind 3rd place Oita, and all they need to do is win all remaining 4 games, including this one. It doesn't matter if Oita wins all 4 games after this, as long as we win all 4. We won't look back, we will only focus on winning 4 in a row!!

Amaral's return brings new life to the team!

On this day, ace Amaral returned to the ground. He had just started running fearfully from the 22nd, but showed a miraculous recovery this week and was able to make it to the game on this day. Of course, he was not a starter, but the reliable ace's comeback is definitely a bright topic. In the dressing room, he lifts the team's spirits with his natural brightness and samba rhythm, and when it's time to go out, he tightens the team with an intimidating determination. Just having a "fighting professional" on the team gives them confidence and puts pressure on the opposing team. The preparations are complete for the 4th consecutive victory.

On this day, the opponent we welcomed at our home Komazawa Athletics Stadium was the bottom-ranked Kofu. In the previous match, we had a close game that went into extra time against Oita, and in the last match, we had a 3-0 shutout victory against Yamagata, so we cannot let our guard down. As soon as the game started, Tokyo fiercely attacked Kofu. In the early stages, Yukihiro on the right side made a sharp breakthrough and sent a centering pass. In the 2nd minute, Uemura → Yukihiro → Kagami → Uemura broke through the right side with a brilliant direct pass, and Uemura made an exquisite centering pass, but Okuhara's header went just above the bar. After that, Tokyo continued their fierce attacks, and in the 9th minute, Okuhara took a strong shot from the right side and Almir followed up, but it didn't go in. Kagami continued to be a post on the front line, and Okuhara and Kaburagi moved a lot, increasing the passing routes, and the long and short passes from Yukihiro on the right side were effective. On the left side, Fujiyama also made a strong shot from his favorite dribble, and a wall pass with Almir. The opening goal seemed to be a matter of time.

On the other hand, Kofu has been playing a compact style of soccer, keeping their defense line shallow and aggressively pressing in the midfield. Knowing that Tokyo is eager for a win and will push forward, they have actively set up an offside trap and looked to counterattack quickly after winning the ball. The ball is often collected by midfielder Tsuchihashi, who then distributes passes to forwards Yoshida and Hori. Yoshida plays as a target man, while Hori uses his speed to make runs behind the defense. On this day, Thales also occasionally joined the attack, creating dangerous situations where Hori could break through from a vertical pass and go one-on-one against goalkeeper Komine, who has not been completely stable and has caused some tense moments.

Papa Sandro's one-shot takes the lead!

23 minutes into the game, Tokyo finally scores the long-awaited opening goal. It was scored by Sandro, who just became a father to a beautiful daughter two days ago (10/28). Sandro, who had moved up for a corner kick, jumped onto a cross from Fujiyama on the left side and headed it in, just in front of the Kashima GK who had come out to challenge. The ball was sucked into the goal. This one goal only intensifies the battle between the two teams. After being scored on, Kashima started to use their defensive midfielder as an attacking playmaker, pushing up to the front line and launching not only long balls but also attacks with width using the sides. In the 37th minute, they had a dangerous moment with a free kick from the left that was headed in freely. It brings back unpleasant memories of the previous 3rd round, where they took the lead but were quickly turned around. Tokyo also created good chances in the first half, with Kagami hitting the crossbar with a long shot from about 30 meters, but their defense from the front line was weak and they were attacked by Kashima several times. It was a tense and unpredictable game.

Yukihiko's powerful goal puts Kofu in the lead, leaving them behind!

At halftime, Tokyo was instructed to reaffirm their defense from the front line and repeat side attacks, and they regained momentum in the second half. With intense chasing from the front line, Tokyo was able to narrow down the passing lanes and increase their chances of intercepting the ball, and the participation of both side backs in the attack became more noticeable. Go KABURAKI, Kaga MI, Okuhara, and Yukihiko freely changed positions, and in particular, Yukihiko played on the left side, and he flew out to receive a pass from Fujiyama and put in a cross. In the 17th minute of the second half, KABURAKI, who received the ball deep on the right side, made a move and made a sharp cutback feint to break through vertically, and made an exquisite last pass to Yukihiko, who was running fiercely into the goal. On this day, Yukihiko, who had been actively shooting from a distance, kicked the ball into the goal with great force and stopped Kofu's resistance. Tokyo continued to attack, creating chances from the side with KABURAKI and Yukihiko at the center. However, perhaps feeling relieved after scoring two goals, they lacked the aggressiveness to shoot themselves when breaking through the side with great momentum, and instead thought about passing first, resulting in a decrease in power. Despite creating good opportunities, they lacked the aggressiveness to score another goal. In the end, the game ended 2-0 with Tokyo overwhelmingly pushing forward but unable to score another goal. Considering that the opponent was the last place team, we would have hoped for more goals, but stopping the "four consecutive losses in the quagmire" was a big achievement. In a time where results are more important than performance, getting three points was crucial, and we were finally able to break out of the long tunnel. In the next match (11/8, vs Omiya), Amaral's condition will surely improve. Tokyo, who has woken up from their slumber, will charge towards a perfect record in the remaining three matches!!

[Coach's Comment]

<Coach Katsumata Kofu>

We have been improving in the last two games and were able to do what we wanted to do today. However, Tokyo was desperate to stop their losing streak and came together as one to face us. Their determination was incredible and surpassed our fighting spirit.

<Coach Okuma Tokyo>

Insufficient midfield organization and attacking ability. (Due to Amaral not playing) We were unable to create another focal point in the front line. However, the quality and quantity of the attacking participation from both fullbacks, as well as their covering in defense, have improved compared to before. Also, winning at this crucial time when results are more important than performance is significant. We will continue to strive for three more wins in a row.