Heading into the last 4 matches with a full victory!

　Since winning against Urawa Reds on September 29, FC Tokyo has not secured a victory for over a month. On this day, they welcomed Cerezo Osaka, who are facing relegation, to their home ground, Tokyo Stadium. It was anticipated that Cerezo Osaka would launch a desperate all-out attack from the start, as they needed to win by a V-goal or more to avoid relegation to J2. However, FC Tokyo also had their reliable veterans, Amaral, who was suspended in the previous match, and Miura, who returned from injury, back on the pitch, raising expectations for an exciting match.

　Although FC Tokyo has lost the goal of winning the championship, it is important to secure a solid victory in this match in order to achieve better results than last year and to aim for the first title in the Emperor's Cup. The stage is set to showcase Tokyo's true strength. It's time to march forward towards "Winning all of the last four matches!"

"Solid Defense, Quick Counterattack" Explodes! Scored 2 Goals in Quick Succession!

　At 4:04 PM, a whistle sounded loudly at Tokyo Stadium, announcing the start of FC Tokyo's challenge to win all of their last four matches, as rain fell intermittently.

　From the very start of the match, FC Tokyo faced relentless all-out attacks from C Osaka, but with solid defense, they regained possession and created big chances through sharp counterattacks. The first decisive chance for FC Tokyo came in the 9th minute when Yukihiko, who had dropped back to defend after intercepting C Osaka's attack, received the ball and passed it to Seigo KOBAYASHI positioned on the left side, then dashed forward. Seigo KOBAYASHI delivered a perfectly timed through pass behind C Osaka's shallow defensive line, allowing Yukihiko to break free and face the goalkeeper one-on-one. Yukihiko dribbled past the rushing goalkeeper but couldn't take a shot, and barely managed to lay the ball off to Amaral running into the center, but the defender cleared it just in time. Although it didn't result in a goal, it was a big chance born from Yukihiko's excellent situational judgment. Unlike the previous match where they struggled to build attacks due to a lack of a forward pivot and no hold-up play in midfield, FC Tokyo on this day saw Miura create hold-up play in midfield, feeding wedges to forwards Amaral and Toda, then expanding the play to the sides to establish attacking rhythm. Up front, Amaral served as a stable pivot with his hold-up play, and Toda, starting his first match of the 2nd stage, disrupted C Osaka's defensive line with his abundant energy and aggressive movements, while Yukihiko on the right side created chances with sharp runs into space.

　In the 15th minute, Komine stole the ball on the right side and quickly fed it forward, allowing Yukihiko to time his run perfectly. He crossed the ball from deep on the right side to Miura, who charged in and powerfully kicked it in with his right foot to score the opening goal. Riding the momentum, Tokyo struck again in the 19th minute, as Yukihiko broke through the right side once more, bringing the ball close to the goal before passing it to Amaral in the center with a ground pass. Amaral lifted the ball with a single touch and then smashed a volley into the net with his right foot for the second goal. C Osaka, needing to win at all costs, became too aggressive and lost balance in defense, allowing FC Tokyo to exploit the space behind their shallow three-man backline, with Yukihiko leading the charge to quickly secure two goals early on.

Decisive Own Goal

　C Osaka, having conceded two goals early on, made a move immediately after. In the 21st minute of the first half, they brought in the Korean genius playmaker Yoon, and C Osaka's attack transformed from a monotonous rush forward into a more layered offense utilizing the ball retention and intricate passing skills of Yoon and Morishima. However, Tokyo's defensive line was more focused than usual that day, with Sandro man-marking FW Okayama, the target man of C Osaka's two forwards, and Komine and Fujiyama tightly checking FW Oshima, who used his speed to exploit the side spaces, preventing any decisive chances. At the 30th minute, Yoon exploited the right side behind the defense, and FW Okayama leapt for a header from the cross that came to the opposite side, but Sandro barely cleared it. At the 38th minute, Yoon unleashed a powerful middle-range shot from the center, which Doi caught squarely. Furthermore, in stoppage time near the end, a critical final pass was played inside the penalty area after a series of short connections, but Yamauo slid in just in time to clear it. Immediately after, Doi managed to punch away a middle-range shot, and the first half ended with C Osaka maintaining the momentum.

　One minute into the second half, C Osaka's Yoon kept the ball on the left side and played a wedge pass to the top, but FC Tokyo's defender intercepted it. However, the clearance was weak, and Yoon recovered the ball again and took a shot from the center. The ball hit the defender's foot (changing its course) and went into the goal. Since Coach Okuma had said at halftime, "The next goal is crucial," this was a regrettable concession. But the sadness was short-lived. Recently, Tokyo has been gaining confidence that "even if we concede, we can recover." They were not shaken at all by the goal and calmly continued their style of play. At 4 minutes, Yukihiko dribbled inside from the right side, and Miura timed his run perfectly to get behind the defense. Yukihiko then delivered a perfect through pass. Miura crossed the ball back from the very edge of the goal line toward the center, but it hit a C Osaka defender's chest and resulted in an own goal. This completely eased Tokyo's situation, but for C Osaka, who had just thought, "Now, let's counterattack!", conceding an own goal was undoubtedly an immeasurable shock.

King is alive! Amaral achieves his first hat-trick of the season! Extending the 'undefeated myth'

　C Osaka found themselves two goals behind again in a shockingly short period and manner, but their fighting spirit (= soul) was not yet broken. After conceding, they replaced the defensive midfielder Marcelo with 19-year-old attacking midfielder Yu OKUBO, who, despite being in his first professional year, was becoming a key player for the team. Shifting to a more offensive stance, C Osaka launched a strong all-out attack through the combination of Yoon, Morishima, and OKUBO. At the 7th and 9th minutes, FC Tokyo’s goalkeeper Doi barely managed to punch away dangerous mid-range shots, and Tokyo’s defenders cleared the ball just a moment before the opponents could close in, creating tense moments. Then at the 11th minute, a free kick from Yoon straight in front of the goal hit the post. At the 13th minute, Okayama attempted a jumping volley from a cross delivered by Yoon from the left, but it went off target. C Osaka’s desperate attacks only grew stronger, but the highly focused Tokyo calmly waited for the “opportunity to come.”

　The long-awaited chance came at the 14th minute. Until then, C Osaka had been showing fierce attacks, and with defenders fully committed forward mentally, at the 14th minute Fujiyama intercepted the ball. Amaral and Seigo KOBAYASHI broke through with wall passes, creating a clear numerical advantage for FC Tokyo inside C Osaka's territory. Seigo KOBAYASHI sent a long pass to Miura, who had burst into space on the right side. Miura passed directly to Amaral running into the center. By drawing defenders out to the side, Miura created a one-on-one situation for Amaral against the C Osaka defender in the center. Betting on the duel, Amaral made a big feint to the left and shot with his left foot. The sharp ground shot slipped through a narrow space on the same side and shook the goal net. From then on, Amaral was unstoppable. At the 18th minute, Yukihiko delivered a cross from the right side, and Amaral scored a powerful header in front of the goal, jumping a head above the opponent, achieving his first hat-trick of the season. The score became 5-1, putting a large gap between FC Tokyo and C Osaka.

　The decisive goal by Amaral determined the match, but C Osaka continued to fight back until the end, responding to the passionate support of their fans. Yu OKUBO created rhythm with his fresh movements, while Tokyo's defense, including Shimozono, maintained high concentration to fend off the threats. The intense back-and-forth continued, and in the 41st minute, a floated ball from In was dropped by Morishima off the post, allowing Oshima to score. C Osaka showed their determination until the final whistle, but ultimately, the match ended as it was, confirming C Osaka's relegation to J2.

　FC Tokyo savored victory for the first time in about a month, taking a steady step towards "winning all of the last four matches." Although they conceded an unnecessary goal at the end, overall, with Amaral and Miura returning, the team has tightened up significantly compared to the previous match. Additionally, players like Toru KABURAGI, who joined the squad from the last match, have definitely raised their level through real match experience. While they are still far from their best lineup, someone reliable is expected to return to the pitch in the next match. Amaral's record of not losing when he scores has now extended to 9 wins and 2 draws this season (counting from last year's second stage, it totals 15 wins and 2 draws). With Amaral in excellent form, this record is certainly reassuring. The next match will be a "big game" for both us and our opponent, Kashima. To achieve "winning all of the last three matches," we will defeat the champions, Kashima, on their home ground!

[Coach Okuma's Comment] Given that Kelly is absent and the current situation of C Osaka, we knew that the opponent would come at us aggressively from the start. Today, with Toda coming in, the movement in the front line increased, and his runs into areas that the opponent dislikes and his breakthroughs were effective, allowing us to score at a good time, making it an easier game for us after a long time. If Toda can perform like this in matches against other teams, he will be a significant asset. I have high expectations and hope he aims even higher and works harder.

[Joao CARLOS Coach Comment] The situation was tough even before the match, but with the defeat on this day, it was decided that we would be relegated to J2. In terms of the match content, we properly built the game and scored goals. However, FC Tokyo also played well and showed football worthy of winning. I think it was a good game. The record of 2 wins and 8 losses since I took over means that I couldn’t change the team. The front office gave their maximum support, and the players did well. Although we struggled with injuries, I don’t want to use that as an excuse. The team has many excellent players. It’s just that I couldn’t make the changes. I am a professional and I have responsibility. I will not run away from this result. I will take responsibility for the team not being able to stay up, but as long as I have a contract, I want to fight. The current situation, the situation the players are facing, is severe. I myself am facing the biggest wall in my career. I understand that the players are the ones suffering the most. However, for the supporters who cheer for us, and for family and friends, we must do our best.