Hoping for the first victory at the National Stadium in the first home game

"I want you to lend me your strength this season as well. I want to fight together and show more than enough performance to match the support." The first J1 home game started with the voice of Coach Okuma directed to all the people in the stands. It is a message that represents the feelings of all players and staff. And before the kickoff, Mr. Haruichiban's "1, 2, 3, Da!" Even if we can't do anything fancy, we will fight with courage and wisdom. The stadium became one with the opening event that truly represents the team's colors, and the curtain was dropped on the battle.

Avispa Fukuoka won the opening match against Frontale 2-1. They would want to gain momentum by beating the two newly promoted teams, but they cannot afford to ride the wave here. They fought together in the JFL during the Brooks era and were promoted to the J-League in the 97 season. They are a formidable opponent that cannot be defeated for the sake of showing their determination.

All for defense, all for attack

The starting lineup is the same as in the first match. In the Yokohama game, we played defensively, but can we play with even more intensity today...?

Shortly after the start, TUTO snatched the ball from Fukuoka DF's attempt to cut it in the middle, and Kobayashi, who connected it, made an exquisite through pass. TUTO ran in and had a chance with a powerful shot, but it was blocked by GK Kojima, and the game started with a good start. While Fukuoka struggled to create attacking opportunities, Tokyo pushed forward with a clear role and their own style of soccer.

Amaral keeps the ball in post-play, TUTO runs using his vertical speed, and Kobayashi and Yukihiko actively participate in both offense and defense. Naito and Fujiyama, the two fullbacks, defend tightly and attack when necessary. In the 12th minute, Naito cuts off a ball on the right side and TUTO dribbles it in, with Naito reacting to his movement and crossing it into the middle. TUTO and Asari show a good combination with a wave-like attack in front of the goal, but they are unable to score due to a great save by GK Kojima. In the 17th minute, Fukuoka's Miura takes a free kick and Montoja heads it down for Fujisaki to shoot. However, the shot hits the crossbar, resulting in an unlucky outcome for Fukuoka. But in the 25th minute, Montoja takes a shot from a ball that was crossed from the left side and dropped by GK Doi and DF Komine, but it misses the target. Fukuoka gradually takes advantage of Tokyo's mistakes and starts to counterattack.

In the first half, as coach Ohkuma says, "There were many situations where we couldn't connect the ball well because the wind was against us and the other team was kicking the ball," and after 30 minutes, both teams made mistakes and the game turned into an exchange of attacks and defenses. In the 41st minute, a long ball from a free kick behind the center line was connected and a free shot was taken in the penalty area. Although Doi avoided danger in front of him, he was caught off guard.

Yukihiko scores first goal of the season! TUTO, Amaral also involved in 2 goals for a comfortable victory

Even in the second half, Tokyo takes control of the game with their abundant physicality. However, their attempts to break through the opponent's defense are constantly caught offside, resulting in a scoreless match.

Manager Okuma said, "At this point, I also considered putting in Kamiya and making it a 3-top formation if it stayed 0-0," but in the 61st minute, TUTO passed to Amaral on the front line. Despite receiving a tough challenge, Amaral quickly passed back to TUTO. He broke through beautifully with a one-two and charged towards the goal while competing with the opposing defender. Although Fukuoka GK Kojima almost stopped him, he passed to Yukihiko who had come up from behind. Yukihiko calmly observed the keeper's movement and took a shot!! A brilliant counterattack for the first home goal! In the 70th minute, TUTO received a long ball from Sandro's free kick and faced the defenders.

Amaral scores with a header to the back! In the first half, there was a slight difference in finishing and concentration between Fukuoka, who couldn't score in a similar way, and the goal made it clear.

There were also parts where we were helped by the opponent's mistakes. As the numbers show, Fukuoka had 8 shots while Tokyo had 16 goal kicks, indicating that they often failed to reach the Tokyo goal line. On the other hand, Tokyo still had room for improvement in terms of the accuracy of their last passes and crosses, but their intention to end with a shot was visible. There was a common awareness among the players to break through from behind or the sides of the defense, and their speed in transitioning between offense and defense was outstanding.

Sole Leader! Can't we dream too!?

While the team, considered to be a candidate for the championship, crushes stars, they have won consecutive victories without conceding any goals. Tokyo has taken the top spot with a goal difference of +3. It is a long season and there is no reason to celebrate, but it is also a fact that they are living up to their pre-season slogan of "creating a whirlwind in J1". Standing on the field of the top league means having the right to continue winning, even if it is a team in their first year of promotion. It is meaningless if they do not fight with all their might in every game, dreaming of victory and connecting those dreams. ------

There is not a single game that can be calculated by stars, and the Tokyo battles in the last two games have made us realize that this is the crucial moment. This victory, obtained through a different style of play from the Yokohama game, should be a big step towards expanding Tokyo's potential.

Coach's Comment

"PICCOLI Coach's Comment"

"There wasn't much difference in ability and it was a close game. In that, FC Tokyo was able to take advantage of their chances. Our goal was stopped by the bar, but if the situation had been a little different, the result might have been different as well. I think that's something that can happen in the world of soccer. I don't think the goals we conceded in that situation were a big mistake, especially from the defense. We did become very nervous after conceding the first goal and there were some small mistakes, but it wasn't a way of playing that left us with tasks for the future. This year, I think the J-League will be tough for every team, whether they were constantly competing at the top, in danger of relegation until last year, or just promoted. I think the number 9 player for FC Tokyo is a fantastic player. I think he will attract a lot of attention this year."

"Coach Ooguma's comment"

"There were few players who could make decisive passes, so it was easy for the opponent to defend in the first half. However, we didn't want to become impatient and have our defense become unbalanced, so we avoided pushing up to create a numerical advantage. I think we were able to maintain a good balance between offense and defense. When the opponent's pressure is effective, there are times when we can't make passes in tight spaces between the passer and receiver, which can be frustrating. However, I think we were able to showcase Tokyo's characteristic style of fast vertical football. If we can supply passes to tight spaces like we did in the second half, I believe we will have more chances. Winning two games in our first J1 season is a confidence boost for the players, but as we play more games, we will be studied by our opponents. Each team has their own tactics and systems, so we want to approach each game as if it were our first match against that team."