Defeat Gamba!

Three games, three losses... This is the record against Gamba Osaka (hereafter G Osaka) so far. Since FC Tokyo was promoted to J1 last year, the only teams they have not won against in league matches are G Osaka and Kobe. While I don't believe there is a significant skill gap, for some reason, they have not been able to win against these two teams. They are certainly not a favorable opponent, but holding the image of them as a "difficult opponent" is dangerous. For that reason, it was essential to win today's match at all costs. Additionally, the team is currently maintaining good form, and to stay competitive at the top, they cannot afford to lose here. There is only one thing to do: "Win against Gamba and return to Tokyo."

Fukuda Debut! Amaral, Kelly, and Yukihiko are also in great form!

On this day, it was the debut match of the promising striker Fukuda, who transferred from Nagoya. Fukuda had only joined the team ten days prior and was positioned as an unfamiliar left-sided midfielder, raising concerns about his combination play with teammates. However, once the match began, he quickly showcased his sharp runs and powerful drives, making his presence felt. With Fukuda's inclusion, the overall balance of the team shifted to an "attacking style," and although there were some lingering concerns about defense, the intensity of the attack after regaining possession significantly improved.

The match started with Tokyo applying pressure on G Osaka with sharp attacks utilizing the speed of Yukihiko on the right. The fast attacks from Yukihiko on the right have been a recent pattern for Tokyo, and on this day, Yukihiko actively initiated plays, providing decisive crosses multiple times through solo dribbles and combinations with Kelly and Miura. Additionally, both Kelly and Amaral were in good form, with the attacks consistently being built around Kelly as the focal point, while Amaral showcased stable hold-up play in the forward position, becoming a key player in the attack.

On the other hand, G Osaka responded with an attack led by the defensive midfielder Vitau, involving the strong ball holder Nikawa and the playmaker Endo, aiming for the forward Nino Boule or sending through passes to the speedy Yoshihara. However, overall, their attacks lacked speed once they gained possession, and there were few attacks utilizing the space on the sides, causing the ball to unintentionally gather in the center and be intercepted, resulting in almost no decisive moments created. Originally, G Osaka is characterized by a slow passing game, with the top player Yoshihara and both full-backs making sharp runs, but on this day, they were always a step behind Tokyo in the battles on the flanks, and although they were passing in the attacking zone, they were unable to break through Tokyo's defensive line.

Kelly scores a beautiful goal to take the lead!

The match progressed at Tokyo's pace. G Osaka created dangerous situations twice by exploiting the right side with quick restarts in the 7th and 9th minutes, but aside from that, Tokyo's sharp attacks stood out in the match.

In the 18th minute, Kelly aimed for the goal with a looping shot from a scramble in front of the goal, but unfortunately missed. In the 28th minute, Amaral showcased a powerful header from a left corner kick, but it went over the bar. Furthermore, in the 32nd minute, Amaral dove in with a header from a cross by Fujiyama on the left, but this also went over the bar. Tokyo, creating chances one after another with Kelly's flexible ball control and exquisite distribution, took the lead in the 37th minute when Kelly received a pass in the center just outside the penalty area and scored a magnificent goal from a perfect wall pass with Amaral. This goal came from Kelly's momentary situational judgment that caught the opponent off guard, shifting from the thorough side attacks until then.

Tokyo wanted another goal in the first half. In the 44th minute, Fujiyama made a superb pass to Amaral from the left, and Amaral became the post, dropping the ball for Kelly, who took a powerful shot, but unfortunately, it went over the bar. Despite their attacks, Tokyo could not secure an additional goal and ended the first half.

Oshima's strategy is on point! Kagawa's first league goal of the season crushes Gamba!

As the second half began, G Osaka launched a counterattack. Desperate to equalize, G Osaka pushed forward Endo, who had been playing defensively in the first half, and left back Arai also began to participate actively in the attack. In the 9th minute, G Osaka sent a ball from midfield to the front, which Nino Bule headed down. Endo received it and broke through with a wall pass with Yoshihara, unleashing a powerful shot with his left foot. This was deflected by goalkeeper Doi, who managed to send it out for a corner kick, but G Osaka continued to assault the Tokyo goal. In the 14th minute of the second half, G Osaka's Nikawa sent a ball forward that goalkeeper Doi came out to catch, but Sandro half-heartedly cleared it. The ball rolled in front of Yoshihara, who was waiting in front of the goal, and was easily kicked into the empty Tokyo goal, leveling the score unexpectedly.

Tokyo, which had a bad flow and atmosphere, is moving here. In the 19th minute of the second half, Fukuda, who had shown aggressive play since the first half but struggled with combinations and couldn't get involved in chances, was replaced by Kagami. Then, in the 25th minute of the second half, Miura, who showed signs of fatigue, was replaced by Shimohira. Both players had not participated for a while, but Kagami added an accent to the front line with dynamic movements and stable ball control, while Shimohira led the team with intense play, showing his fighting spirit.

In the 32nd minute of the second half, G Osaka launched a counterattack, and Komine and Shimohira put their bodies on the line to intercept the pass in midfield. Shimohira quickly passed to Kelly at the front line. Kelly received the ball on the right side and sent a cross to Amaral, who outjumped the opposing defender and headed it back to the center, where Kagami dove in with a header to score a valuable additional goal. Coach Okuma's quick decision-making based on the flow of the match proved to be a brilliant success.

After the match, G Osaka, showing their determination at home, launched a fierce attack. In the 37th minute, Arai brought the ball in from the left and took a powerful shot from the center. In the 39th minute, Vitau unleashed a strong shot from a combination with Yoshihara. Then, in the 40th minute, Yoshihara struck a powerful volley directly at the Tokyo goal. However, the defense, led by goalkeeper Doi, held firm and managed to withstand G Osaka's onslaught, ultimately leading to the end of the match. This was a crucial match that could not be lost to maintain their position in the upper ranks, and securing their first victory against G Osaka holds significant meaning. Fukuda's addition undoubtedly strengthens the team, and the confidence gained by the substitute players is also a major achievement. Next, they will seek revenge against Hiroshima at home, at Tokyo Stadium!

[Coach Okuma's Comment] As I expected, the match turned out to be a closely contested one in terms of content and the number of scoring opportunities. In that context, the players who came on as substitutes changed the flow of the game, and scoring was a positive outcome. Moving forward, we cannot rely solely on the eleven players on the field; the efforts of the substitutes will be necessary. Today was a confidence booster for both the players and the team. Regarding Fukuda, it seems he has finally started to remember all the players' names, and it was his first time in that position, so I think he did well today in that regard. I believe we can look forward to the future.