Key game to be involved in the championship race

　FC Tokyo's current ranking is 4th (as of the end of the 6th round). For FC Tokyo, which has set the goal of "winning at least one title" this season, the current situation in this 2nd stage represents a significant opportunity for achieving that goal. Before the match, news came in of the 3rd place Nagoya Grampus Eight's defeat, and winning against the Reds on this day would ensure a ranking of 3rd or higher, making it a crucial match for Tokyo, which wants to stay in the championship race.

　On the other hand, the Reds are currently struggling in 15th place with three consecutive losses, but in the last match, they played a close game against the top-ranked Antlers that went into extra time, and the team is on the rise. This is a crucial match that they cannot afford to lose, both to stop the losing streak and to achieve revenge against FC Tokyo for the first stage.

　The venue, Tokyo Stadium, was filled with Reds supporters in the away goal area, creating a sea of red, and they engaged in an intense cheering battle with Tokyo supporters even before kickoff. The unusually fervent atmosphere was so passionate that it evoked the feeling of a "real soccer stadium," filled with an exciting aroma, and it was anticipated that the match would be as heated and thrilling as the energy in the stands.

A difficult start with a stunning goal that allowed the first score.

　The match was intense, fueled by the excitement of the stands, just as expected. Shortly after the start, Miura was brought down, and a Reds player hit the ball, leading to a scuffle, creating a tense atmosphere early in the game. Both teams continued to display fierce determination with tough plays, resulting in a heated game.

　In the early stages, it was the Reds who first seized the pace. The Reds utilized the incredible speed of their top player, Emerson, to exploit the gaps behind the Tokyo defense line, or by drifting to the sides to create space in the center, where TUTO and Nagai surged forward with wall passes and dribbling to create chances. Last year, TUTO, who was with Tokyo, was undoubtedly 'fast,' but the secret weapon Emerson, acquired after the Reds released their former ace Ono (to Feyenoord), displayed such intense and astonishing speed that it overshadowed TUTO's speed. Tokyo, overly cautious of Emerson's speed, allowed their defense line to drop back, and the midfielders on both sides became more withdrawn, resulting in a longer period of being pressed and unable to win the ball in high positions.

　In the 13th minute, Emerson broke free from a vertical pass and took a looping shot, but it went over the bar. In the following 15th minute, Emerson drifted to the side, and a vertical pass entered the space he created in the center. DF Yamada ran into this space and was completely free, but Tokyo's Fukuda managed to clear it just in time before reaching the goal. Amidst the dangerous situations, in the 17th minute, from a left corner kick, Amaral cleared the ball, and Reds midfielder Suzuki scored a powerful long-range shot from about 30 meters, allowing Tokyo to finally concede the opening goal.

Yukihiko and Kelly succeeded in turning the game around with a goal, but...

　It was Tokyo that did not collapse under this bad flow. Tokyo's counterattack began immediately. Awakened by the Reds' powerful opening punch, Tokyo, just after the 21st minute, saw Amaral win a header in midfield, and the ball went through a scramble to Yuki-hiko in the center of the front line. Yuki-hiko did not trap the bouncing ball but instead took a sharp shot with his right foot, and the ball beautifully arced into the goal about 30 meters away, just like when the Reds scored first. With Yuki-hiko's magnificent equalizer, Tokyo quickly brought the match back to square one, and in the following 24th minute, they created another chance from DF Komine's interception, with a superb through pass from Yuki-hiko on the right to Amaral in the center, but it was cleared by the Reds' DF just a moment too soon.

　Although Tokyo caught up to a tie, they were still struggling against the Reds' speedy attacks, and their overall line remained low, looking for chances on the counter. In the 29th minute, Amaral stole the ball from Tuto with a tough chase on the right side and immediately passed it to Kelly, who accelerated with a dribble and cut straight towards the goal. After drawing in the Reds' defense, he delivered a superb pass to Fukuda, who was free on the left side. Fukuda took a shot with his signature cutback, which the Reds' goalkeeper initially saved, but Kelly, who was lurking for the rebound, pushed it in to successfully turn the game around. Although they were somewhat on the back foot, they effectively pulled away from Urawa with efficient soccer, scoring decisively on the counter.

　Meanwhile, the Reds did not remain silent. With Abe, who has strong ball retention skills, acting as the pivot at the base of midfield, the front line players TUTO and Nagai engaged actively with abundant stamina, and Emerson, playing as a lone forward, targeted the space behind with astonishing speed. Tokyo's defenders had no moment to relax. Especially stopping Emerson's charges became increasingly difficult, leading to more free kicks awarded near the penalty area. At the 40th minute, Abe took a superb free kick created by Emerson with his precise left foot aiming at the lower left corner of the goal, but goalkeeper Doi made a spectacular save! The danger continued, and at the 43rd minute, from a sharp wall pass between TUTO and Emerson, TUTO broke free and took a curling shot with his right foot from straight in front of the goal, but the ball went just to the right of the goalpost... As the first half neared its end with continuous pressure, entering stoppage time, it seemed the Reds would hold onto their one-goal lead. However, just then, TUTO dribbled in front of the goal and passed to Emerson, who had momentarily become free on the right side. Emerson powerfully struck the ball with his right foot, and the shot, as if mocking Doi's desperate save attempt, was drawn into the lower left corner of the goal. Ultimately, the first half ended with the score level again at the last moment, and the match was carried over to the second half.

Victory over Reds with Amaral's priceless final round goal!

　Just before the end of the first half, Tokyo equalized, and during halftime, they corrected the issue of both side midfielders retreating in fear of Emerson TUTO's advance. They instructed the players to support Kelly and Amaral from a higher position without fear, increasing the number of attackers as they approached the second half.

　In the 49th minute of the second half, the Reds connected closely in front of the goal, and finally, Emerson, who opened up at the corner of the penalty area on the left side, took a beautifully curved shot, but the ball hit the crossbar and did not result in a goal... For a moment, it was nerve-wracking, but after that, Tokyo regained their composure and began to create chances with Miura's effective movements in both defense and attack.

　The match was a fierce back-and-forth battle, but time passed without either side being able to make a decisive play. In the midst of this, it was Tokyo that took the initiative first. It already feels like Tokyo's "decisive move," as in the 13th minute of the second half, they substituted Kida for Asari. Then, ten minutes later, they brought in the well-performing Kagami for Fukuda. In particular, Kagami skillfully kept the ball on the left side and immediately delivered an exquisite cross from the left side right after entering the pitch, showcasing promising movements.

　The climax came in the 27th minute of the second half. Fujiyama dribbled in from the left side and passed to Kagami, who was positioned in front of the goal. Kagami then dribbled sideways before delivering a superb through ball to Yukihiko, who was making a run behind the opposing defense. Yukihiko, who had just barely stayed onside, reacted sharply to the ball, evaded the advancing opposing goalkeeper, and crossed it back to the center from the right goal line. Reds defender Ihara desperately tried to clear it, but the clearance was weak, and Kelly, who was following up, took a shot that flew in front of Amaral at the center of the goal. Amaral calmly volleyed the ball into the net. With the addition of Kinami and Kagami changing the rhythm, Tokyo succeeded in taking the lead once again with Amaral scoring a priceless goal, marking his third consecutive match with a goal, thanks to Kagami's decisive play.

　Although the Reds seemed disheartened by this decisive goal, the players continued to show fierce fighting spirit until the end, backed by supporters who kept cheering passionately. However, Tokyo also responded with all players putting their bodies on the line in defense, supported by their equally passionate fans. At the 30th minute, TUTO, as if repaying his former team, forcefully broke through the left side and delivered a fast grounded cross. Doi barely touched the ball, which crossed in front of the goal, and just before a Reds player closing in could shoot, Kagami and Fujiyama blocked it with their bodies. Both teams continued intense offense and defense until the end, but the match ultimately ended as it was. FC Tokyo celebrated a crucial victory in this important match they had to win to stay in the championship race, rising to sole possession of 3rd place. After a brief rest to refresh, the team will restart preparations for the next match against Nagoya, known as the decisive battle, followed by the match against Jubilo.

[Coach Okuma's Comment] The motivation of the Reds, who gained confidence from the last match against Kashima, is high, and I expected today's game to be a tough contest, including the content. Soccer cannot be won by just 11 players; the substitutes play a crucial role. In that sense, our substitutes have been delivering results recently, which is why we are winning. I want us to continue fighting with the mindset of all 29 players. There will be a bit of a break after this, so I want to work hard to be in good shape for the next match.