Blow away the incomplete performance from the last match!

In the previous match, Tokyo was caught up and equalized just before victory, resulting in a draw. This time, determined to clear that frustration, they headed to the opponent's ground in Sapporo with the aim of a sure and decisive win. The venue for the showdown with Sapporo was the Sapporo Dome, the site for next year's World Cup and Japan's first dome-style soccer stadium, which has been a hot topic. Its rumored beauty and grand scale were truly impressive, but some may have felt a sense of discomfort as it somehow didn't feel like a typical soccer stadium due to being indoors. Another issue for the players was the "explosive noise" generated by the intense cheering, which made it impossible to hear instructions. The intensity of the noise might be compared to a Giants game at the Tokyo Dome; it was at a level where you couldn't hear the person next to you. This information had been obtained in advance, and Sapporo's coach Okada declared they would manage with "eye contact," while Tokyo's coach Okuma planned to use a "relay communication method." However, among the over 30,000 enthusiastic Dosanko supporters gathered that day, the "explosive noise" far exceeded expectations and undoubtedly left both players and coaches at a loss.

In an environment that is perfect except for the hard pitch and the inability to hear voices, Tokyo faced Sapporo with the aim of a decisive victory.

Tokyo woke up after conceding an early goal

Despite it being a clear day outside and still daytime, at 3:33 PM, the battle began with a feeling akin to a night game (due to being indoors).

Overwhelmed and confused by the intense away atmosphere, unlike anything they had experienced before, with thunderous sounds like a storm and a sense of pressure inside the dome, Tokyo Eleven faced Sapporo, who, buoyed by the loud cheers, showed an aggressive attack right from the start. Sapporo, which relied on counterattacks more than Tokyo, saw Yamase react to a vertical pass on the left side in the 4th minute, shaking off Asari, who was marking him, with speed and charging towards the goal. Sandro attempted to stop him in the penalty area, but as he was overtaken by the speeding Yamase, he ended up bringing him down and conceding a penalty kick. This was converted by Sapporo's ace, Will, allowing them to take the lead unexpectedly.

With an early opening goal, the Sapporo Dome heated up even more. Although they fell into an overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation on enemy ground from the start, this conceded goal instead awakened Tokyo. From the end of the 1st stage to the previous match, the Tokyo Eleven, who know from experience that results will surely follow if they play their own style of football, calmly continued to play their game even in this situation. Amaral and Kelly, despite being tightly marked, firmly positioned themselves as target players up front, repeatedly expanding play to the sides and gradually gaining control of the pace. On this day, Tokyo, focusing on quick attacks from the right side, saw the in-form Yukihiko break through the right side as expected and seize a chance. At the 10th minute, Yukihiko, who broke free from Kelly's pass on the right side, dribbled sharply down the flank and sent a perfect final pass between the opposing goalkeeper and defenders, which a Sapporo defender tried to clear but ended up scoring an own goal. Yukihiko's speed and precise cross forced the Sapporo defender into a mistake.

Having completely regained their pace, Tokyo continued to launch attacks from the sides and created chances. In the 13th minute, Kelly broke free from a through pass on the right side and delivered a cross, but Seigo KOBAYASHI's header narrowly went over the bar. Furthermore, Yukihiko and Miura actively surged into the space on the sides, repeatedly executing sharp attacks. On the other hand, Sapporo, centered around Will, connected passes intricately through Bando, Yamase, and Almir from the center, looking for opportunities. Just like the excitement in the dome, fierce battles unfolded on the pitch as well.

Tokyo Escapes, Sapporo Chases

The long-awaited additional goal for Tokyo came in the 27th minute. From the left side, Miura threw in a throw-in that Kelly controlled with his chest and sent an artistic overhead pass towards the goal. The surprised goalkeeper rushed out but couldn't touch the ball, and as Yukihiko followed up, a Sapporo defender, trying to cover, accidentally deflected it into their own goal. With an extremely rare consecutive own goal, Tokyo succeeded in turning the game around. Riding the momentum, Tokyo continued to attack, and in the 42nd minute, this time from the left side, Seigo KOBAYASHI sent in a cross that Amaral dove for, leading to a crucial handball by the Sapporo defender who was marking him inside the penalty area. Amaral calmly converted the penalty kick, and Tokyo went into halftime with a 3-1 lead, two goals ahead.

As the second half began, Sapporo.D went for broke. They cut one player from the left side of the midfield and brought in the speedy and powerful Kogawada to change to a three-top formation. This was what you would call a "power play," but Tokyo had anticipated this at halftime and responded by having left back Fujiyama focus on defense, increasing their numbers during defensive situations.

The match changed early in the second half. In the 2nd minute, a free kick taken slightly left of the goal was directly converted by Will, narrowing the gap to one goal. We had taken sufficient care against Will's left foot, but there was no way to stop this perfect free kick.

Amaral pulls away from Sapporo, Miura's furious two goals!

Sapporo came back to life with this goal and launched a series of attacks on the Tokyo goal. With just one more point needed to equalize, Sapporo's momentum was in top gear. Bijou, who had been focused on defense in the holding midfield position, also moved up front to chase the ball, stealing it and even taking a shot himself. Will's dribbling, Bando and Yamase's precise central breakthroughs, and Almir's long-range shot showcased their momentum, but Tokyo's defense, led by goalkeeper Doi, held firm at the last line and did not allow any additional goals. Tactically, they remained calm against the opponent's aggressive approach, defended solidly, and waited for opportunities to arise by stealing the ball and breaking sharply from the sides.

In the 11th minute of the second half, Yukihiko sent a large cross that was somewhat of a side change, which Fujiyama picked up on the opposite side. As he drew in the Sapporo defense, Amaral found himself free near the center just outside the penalty area. Amaral, seeing the position of the goalkeeper, took a shot with a soft curve using his right foot, and the ball grazed the hands of the Sapporo goalkeeper, who was desperately trying to save it, and shook the goal net.

With Amaral's perfect shot, they once again took a two-goal lead over Sapporo.D, but Sapporo.D was still not losing focus. The passionate support from the entire dome was heating up even more in this situation, and although the timing was such, the players probably couldn't afford to falter in front of such a large crowd of supporters.

The match intensified further. Sapporo.D showed their determination, launching an all-out attack with intense movement. On the other hand, Tokyo allowed their opponents to attack, and after regaining possession, Kelly and Miura burst into the open space, creating a chance with Yukiho's sharp breakthrough on the right side.

In the 21st minute of the second half, Amaral maintained possession in the center and spread the play to the right side. Yukihiko delivered a perfect cross with a curve, just as practiced, and Miura powerfully shook the goal net with a header from directly in front of the goal, scoring the decisive fifth goal and putting Sapporo three goals ahead. At this moment, the Sapporo Dome fell silent, and only the cheers of the Tokyo supporters could be heard.

A valuable victory that leads to the next

The match continued with Sapporo showing their fighting spirit, resulting in a good game with intense offense and defense until the end, but Tokyo ultimately won 5-2. We want to pay respect to the Sapporo supporters and players who never gave up despite conceding five goals, but Tokyo showed even greater concentration as the "away" team. Despite conceding an early goal in that atmosphere, they calmly played their own style of football and succeeded in a comeback victory with a season-high 5 goals. In the previous match, they also conceded a goal near the end but held on through extra time and played their own football. The victory against Sapporo was naturally a team effort with every player functioning well, but especially effective were Miura and Yukihiko. Miura defended as a defensive midfielder, blocking dangerous situations with his body, and on offense, not only delivered effective passes but also instantly found and boldly exploited the opponent’s spaces. His accurate situational judgment based on extensive experience made him do "good work" both offensively and defensively. Yukihiko also continued his good form, improving his breakthrough ability and crossing accuracy. Additionally, the overall improvement includes the stability of the defensive line, highlighted by Komine’s growth as a fullback, the absolute ace Amaral, and Kelly’s expected strong performance. This is the result of the whole team getting better, and it is significant to approach the next match against Shimizu S-Pulse with this momentum. We understand there are still many points to correct. However, the next game is an important home match. To maintain the current momentum, it is crucial to fight with a strong determination of "nothing but victory" rather than logic.

[Coach Okuma's Comments]

"In that atmosphere, it seemed like we would have a tough time after conceding a goal early on, but it was good that we equalized quickly and regained our balance. It was a very valuable victory, but the next match is an important home game, so I want to switch my mindset and approach it again."