Stop the losing streak and aim for the championship

After winning their first five games of the second stage, Tokyo suffered an unexpected three-game losing streak. In the first game of the losing streak against Hiroshima (7/26), defensive midfielder Asari was injured. In the following game against G Osaka (7/29), star player Amaral and key midfielder Kina, who has become an indispensable presence, were both injured. This has resulted in key players being sidelined at a crucial time for the team. As a result, the team's performance has also declined.

And, the Nagoya match on this day. In order to not match the "4 consecutive losses (10/3-10/24)" worst record that Tokyo made last year, and also to stay in the championship race, we wanted to win this match. The opponent is Nagoya, who has been improving lately (although they lost in extra time to Fukuoka in the previous match, they had 4 consecutive wins before that), but actually Nagoya is a good match for Tokyo. In past matches, we have won 2 out of 2 games, the 1997 Emperor's Cup (3-1) and this year's 1st Stage (2-1). Also, the venue for this day, Nagoya Mizuho Athletic Stadium, has been used twice and won twice in the 1997 Emperor's Cup 3rd round (Nagoya match) and quarterfinals (Hiratsuka match). It was a perfect match to stop the losing streak.

Nagoya with an astonishing attacking power

When they faced each other in the 1st stage, Nagoya, led by Stojkovic, Rofisu, Hirano, and Mochizuki, played an attacking style of soccer, but lacked cohesion as a team. They fell behind but managed to equalize and eventually won with Amaral's winning goal in extra time. However, the Nagoya team they will face this time is different.

Despite losing two "Hinomaru-level" players, Hirano and Mochizuki, the team's direction was unified under coach Carlos and as a result, motivation remained high. In addition, the midfield was strengthened by the technical and physical prowess of Urida, as well as the addition of last season's top scorer from Brazil/Bahia state, Weslley, and the "fairy (pixie)" Stojkovic, making their attacking force formidable.

The match unfolded at Nagoya's pace, as expected, with Stojkovic collecting the ball. Stojkovic has a wide playing area and is usually positioned at the top, but sometimes drops deep into the midfield to receive the ball. When he enters the post-play position at the top, Komine marks him tightly, but Stojkovic easily shakes off the mark with his precise dribbling and exquisite body balance, and sends accurate passes that "pull the strings" to the front line.

At 8 minutes, Stojkovic passed to Okoyama in the center. Okoyama floated it directly to Weslley in front of the goal, who then shot past Sandro's mark. In the following 20 minutes, Stojkovic stole a pass in the midfield and sent a pinpoint through pass to the front of the goal, but it was blocked by GK Doi's sharp jump. And at 25 minutes, he created a scoring opportunity with an artistic bicycle kick that made it seem like he had eyes in the back of his head, showing off his overwhelming attacking power and threatening Tokyo's goal.

It's not Stojkovic. Yamaguchi, Urida's accurate and stable passing work and dribbling, as well as the breakthrough power, and Okayama who jumps out from the second row, and Wesley who pushes Robisu to the bench even though he is a new addition, and shoots forcefully with a unique rhythm, the thick attack is even amazing.

Seize the one chance and take the lead with TUTO's goal!

On the other hand, Tokyo did not lose focus and responded well to Nagoya's strong attacks. "Defend well and then counter." This phrase was often used to describe Tokyo's soccer style when they were first promoted to J1. And on this day, they played with that "Tokyo-like soccer" and fought well. The ball may have been kept by Nagoya 3:7 or even 2:8, but it was not necessarily "Nagoya's pace". Rather, it was a completely equal match considering that Tokyo intentionally played their own style of soccer, and either team could have taken the lead.

In the 21st minute, Fujiyama dribbled up the right side (due to his position being on the right side during the corner kick) after a mistake from the opponent's corner kick, and connected a pass to Yukihiro ⇒ Seigo Kobayashi to threaten the goal. Then in the 26th minute, they stole the opponent's pass and passed it to TUTO, who ran to the front line from the right side. TUTO skillfully avoided the opponent with a chest trap and took a powerful shot, but was unable to score due to the goalkeeper's fine save.

After a fierce back-and-forth battle, a big chance comes to Tokyo. In the 41st minute, Tokyo steals the ball in midfield and Koike dribbles forward, passing to the free TUTO on the left side. TUTO challenges the opponent's defender in a one-on-one battle, faking to go inside before switching to a powerful left-footed shot from a difficult angle, scoring the opening goal. Then, in the 44th minute, Yukihiro intercepts another opponent's pass and dribbles up to the center, passing to Seigo on the left side. Seigo once again finds the free TUTO on the left side, but his right-footed shot is caught by the goalkeeper.

Defeated by Stojkovic's amazing skills... First 4 goals conceded this season

Tokyo, who took advantage of few chances in the first half, maintained the same rhythm in the second half. The key was "first of all, everyone concentrated on defending the opponent's attack." The return of Asari in this match was also significant. Although not noticeable, Asari's return made it possible to maintain the "balance of defense" that had been forgotten in the past few matches, and disrupted Nagoya's thick attack. However, this "Tokyo-like soccer" will also lose balance after conceding a goal.

In the 4th minute of the second half, Yuki and Stojkovic competed for a loose ball, but Yuki easily gave the opponent a corner kick. Stojkovic then perfectly placed the corner kick to Okayama on the near side, resulting in a tied goal.

Furthermore, Stojkovic did not miss the opportunity to take advantage of Tokyo's disarray caused by this unexpected goal. In the 8th minute of the second half, Stojkovic received the ball in the center and made a pinpoint pass to Yamaguchi, who had run into the open space in the front line. Yamaguchi then dropped the ball directly to Weslley, who ran in and kicked it into the goal with great force, resulting in a sudden turnaround.

Tokyo replaced Kamiya with ace Amaral here. Although Amaral is not yet 100%, he gave the team morale with his spirited chasing. With Amaral's entry, the foundation in the front line stabilized and right back Fujiyama also began to show active and effective attacking participation.

However, Tokyo's momentum was only up to this point. Tokyo had to go for goals as they were reversed, and the fullbacks were also actively participating in the attack, naturally disrupting the defensive balance. In addition, whether intentional or due to stamina issues, Stojkovic neglected defense and stayed up front, resulting in Tokyo always having Stojkovic in the worst possible position to receive a counterattack after their own attack.

It was already a "one-man show" for Stojkovic. In the 15th minute of the second half, Weslley broke through the right side and crossed to the center, where Stojkovic kept the ball in the penalty area and turned to face Yamaguchi in front of the goal. Yamaguchi received the pass and skillfully turned past the defender with his right foot, scoring the third goal for Tokyo. And in the 28th minute of the second half, Stojkovic, who had been keeping the ball on the left side, sent a perfect cross to the blind spot where neither the defender nor the goalkeeper could reach, and Weslley ran in to head the ball into the goal, sealing the victory. In the end, all four goals for Nagoya involved Stojkovic. His passes were a perfect example of strength, accuracy, and timing, and he also showed world-class plays throughout the game.

Switch your mindset and move on

4 consecutive losses... It would be a lie to say it doesn't hurt. However, the experience of realizing that J1 is at such a high level will surely come in handy in the future. The losing streak that started with the Hiroshima game was a series of matches where Tokyo's strengths were shown, and many of them were close games where it wouldn't be strange to win. However, the players are experiencing firsthand that even a small difference can make a big impact in J1. The corner kick that Yukihiro gave to the opponent on this day is one example. If you leave an opening, they will hit it with pinpoint accuracy, and even a small mistake can be fatal... This applies to the entire team as well. Did the team's focus waver after conceding a goal? In J1, even a momentary lapse in concentration can lead to the opponent breaking through. The players should know this well. In order to not let these 4 consecutive losses go to waste, it is necessary to quickly switch gears and increase our focus for the next match. Until the next match, let's come together as a team once again and believe in victory with the motto "Defeat Kashima!" And let's switch to battle mode right now!!

[Coach Okuma's Comment]

The first half was good with our persistent defense. Asari came back and the balance improved, and the concentration was high. Even though Nagoya dominated the ball, that rhythm was ours.

The early goal conceded in the second half, in hindsight, was triggered by (Sato's) play that gave away the corner kick. That was a play that should not have been done. Also, after that goal, we had to go for goals and it disrupted our defensive balance, leading to a large number of goals conceded.

I want to think about how to fight with this team in the future and prepare for the next match in this week.