Approaching the milestone game with a winning attitude

　The J1 League First Stage will temporarily pause after this match for the World Cup. Tokyo, which fell to 8th place after losing what was the worst game of the season in the previous round, is determined to win this milestone game and head into the Nabisco Cup in a week and the league matches resuming in July with a good feeling. The opponent is Sendai, which achieved five consecutive wins after being promoted to J1 this season and is currently in 3rd place after the 6th round, bringing a strong wave to J1. The enthusiasm of the local Sendai fans is incredible, with the home Sendai Stadium being sold out for every match, and their passionate support is already said to be among the best in J1. On this day, Tokyo headed to the Sendai Stadium.

　Tokyo made significant changes to their lineup from the previous match, forcing MF Kelly and DF Jean, who are not fully recovered from injuries, to play. They started Kaji, who is making his debut as a right side back, Fujiyama as a left side back, Hoshi as a right side midfielder, and Toda as a left side midfielder. On the other hand, Sendai is without their ace Marcos due to accumulated warnings, but they brought their best lineup led by active national team FW Yamashita, along with veterans from the former national team: MF Iwamoto, MF Yamada, MF Moriyasu, and DF Komura.

　In a difficult team situation with multiple injuries, Tokyo forced Kelly and Jean, who are not fully recovered, to play, did not include a goalkeeper on the bench, and fielded all substitutes as field players, truly committing to a total war to win this match. In the enthusiastic Sendai Stadium, where the stands shook with cheers from both teams before the match, the Tokyo eleven charged fiercely into the enemy territory as the kickoff whistle blew.

F.C.TOKYO Ready To Roll

Following the seventh round of games the J-League takes a two month break for the World Cup. After producing their worst performance of the year last Saturday, falling to 8th. in the league, F.C.TOKYO were hoping to bounce back in style ahead of the upcoming Nabisco Cup matches. Today's opponents, Vegalta Sendai, were promoted from J2 last year and have taken J1 by storm, winning their first five matches of the season and currently lie third. The fans have played no small part in this success, packing out Sendai stadium and roaring their team on in exemplary fashion. 
TOKYO were able to welcome back Kelly and Jean, while Kaji made his first team debut at right back. Fujiyama started on the left with Hoshi and Toda as side backs. Ace striker Marcos was suspended for Vegalta but Japan forward Yamashita and veteran midfielders Iwamoto, Yamada, Moriyasu and defender Omura ( all former internationals ) made the starting eleven. 
F.C.TOKYO started the game with five outfield players on the bench, an indication of Manager Hara's attacking intentions. A barrage of noise from the sell out crowd greeted the teams as they entered the field.

Full-on attacking football! Overwhelming Sendai from the start!

　With the sound of the kickoff whistle, Todah on the left side fiercely chased after Sendai's ball. The ball was pushed from left to right by Todah's intensity. Todah continued to apply pressure all the way to the opposite side of his position, that is, Sendai's left back. While thinking, "Isn't that a bit much?" I realized that this intense pressure from the front line was exactly the style of football Tokyo was aiming for this season. As if being pulled by Todah's momentum, Amaral, Hoshi, Kelly, and Miyazawa charged fiercely at the opponent's ball one after another. The Sendai eleven faltered, and Tokyo seized the ball and attacked sharply, completely taking control of the rhythm from the early stages.

　At 2 minutes, Kelly broke free near the penalty area after a one-two with Amaral and rushed toward the goal, but was cleared by the opposing DF, resulting in a corner kick. From this left-side corner, Jean connected with a header, but narrowly missed. At 8 minutes, Hoshi made a low cross after breaking behind the opposing DF on the right side and receiving a pass from Kaji, and Amaral rushed in, but the opposing DF cleared it just in time. At 11 minutes, Toda fiercely charged near the goal, stole the ball from the opponent, and rushed toward the goal, but his shot was blocked and no goal was scored. The highlight came at 12 minutes when Fujiyama intercepted the ball, sharply broke through a narrow space with a one-two with Kelly, then dribbled 40 meters and powerfully shot with his left foot. Although the GK saved it and it did not result in a goal, this move confirmed Fujiyama's comeback, and he continued to create many chances with his characteristic sharp interceptions and dribbling.

　The defense line was also stable. Indeed, Jean's presence was significant, as he cleared every ball coming in from the sides with his head and feet. What sets him apart from other players is that his clearances are substantial. For the opponent, attacks are consistently thwarted at Jean's position, preventing them from launching consecutive waves of attacks. The balance with Ito was exquisite, not allowing the opponent to find openings. Additionally, not only Fujiyama but also Kaji, who made his debut, fully demonstrated his high potential. He made an impression with his strength in one-on-one situations and frequent participation in attacks.

　On the other hand, Sendai lacked a target in the front line due to the absence of Marcos, and Jean completely shut down substitute FW Fujiyoshi, resulting in a lack of attacking power. Occasionally, they aimed for sharp central breakthroughs through the post play of MF Silvinho to FW Yamashita, but the central defense of Tokyo, including Miyazawa and Asari, was solid and not easily broken down.

TOKYO Take The Initiative

TOKYO began the game in aggressive fashion with Toda switching sides to harry the Vegalta left back, while the front line closed down their opponents, denying them any time on the ball. Vegalta were forced onto the back foot as the visitors seized control of the midfield and found their rhythm. 
In the 2nd. minute Kelly and Amaral played a neat one-two on the edge of the area; a defender cleared the ball for a corner which Jean headed narrowly wide. In the 8th. minute a fine through pass from Kaji put Hoshiin behind the defence but a defender whipped his low cross off Amaral's toe. Three minutes later Toda robbed a defender and bore down on the goal only to see his shot blocked. In the 12th. minute Fujiyama intercepted a pass, played a sharp one-two with Kelly and embarked on a 40 yard run. His powerful shot failed to beat the keeper but, emboldened, he looked to get forward at every opportunity. 
The TOKYO defence held firm: Jean dealt comfortably with everything Vegalta threw at him, while Ito's superb game reading ability allowed him to nip attacks in the bud. Debutant Kaji showed his potential; strong in one-on-one situations and ready to lend his weight to the attack. 
With striker Marcos missing and Fujiyoshi effectively shackled by Jean Vegalta offered little in attack.

Fierce attack fails, ending the first half with no goals

　In the first half, Sendai had only one clear chance. In the 23rd minute, Iwamoto on the left side delivered a cross, and a shot was taken from the center unmarked. The ball bounced back once and was about to be pushed in again, but it went over the bar. Once again, it reminded us that if you give Iwamoto space, he delivers accurate crosses.

　Tokyo continued to press aggressively. It was truly a "different team" compared to the previous match, with both offense and defense functioning well. Fujiyama's interceptions were sharp; after taking the ball, he temporarily passed it to Kelly, from where they combined with Amaral in one-twos and advanced the ball to the sides, threatening the goal. Also, when the ball reached the broad-visioned Miyazawa, he repeatedly sent long passes to Toda, who made runs behind Sendai's defenders. At the 39th minute, Jean cleared the ball, and Hoshi advanced with a dribble on the right side, perfectly switching the play to Amaral running free on the opposite side. Amaral feinted and took a shot, but it went straight to the goalkeeper. At the 43rd minute, Amaral picked up an opponent's pass mistake and passed to Kelly and then Toda, who charged toward the goal, but his shot was blocked by a tackle just a step too late. The decisive moment came at the 44th minute when Fujiyama intercepted in midfield and dribbled up the right side, then crossed the ball. Toda contested and knocked the ball down, and Kelly unleashed a powerful volley from the front, but it was parried by Sendai's goalkeeper with a super save, resulting in a corner kick. Furthermore, Jean headed the corner kick perfectly, but this too was stopped by the goalkeeper. Tokyo took nine shots in the first half, three times as many as Sendai, but ended the half scoreless.

All Square

In fact, they managed only one serious attempt on goal in the first half; a cross from Iwamoto led to a free shot on goal, and the resulting loose ball was blasted over the bar. TOKYO escaped but the danger posed by Iwamoto's centering ability was clear. 
TOKYO continued to attack with abandon, hitting long balls over the Vegalta defence to Toda. In the 39th minute a quick break from the back saw Hoshi rake a pin point cross field ball to Amaral. The big Brazilian feinted around a defender and fired in a shot but the keeper was equal to the task. 
As the half drew to a close TOKYO turned up the heat—Fujiyama intercepted a loose pass and set off down the wing, his cross aimed at Toda fell invitingly for Kelly whose powerful volley was somehow deflected around the post by the keeper. Jean made solid contact with the resultant corner, but the keeper again denied TOKYO. 
The first period ended soon after with TOKYO having outshot the home side by 9 to 3. Unfortunately they had nothing to show for a commanding performance. 

Although they dominated the match, they conceded a goal from just one corner kick.

　Even in the second half, Tokyo's momentum did not wane. After Asari was injured and left the field midway through the first half, Shimohira entered the pitch and created rhythm in the midfield with precise distribution. In the 2nd minute, from a narrow space on the right side, Kelly to Shimohira to Hoshi to Kelly to Shimohira, a flowing series of direct passes allowed Shimohira to break free and deliver a through pass to Toda, who made a chance without hesitation. Furthermore, in the 10th minute, a soft cross from Kelly on the right was contested by Amaral, who headed it forward, but Toda's shot was delayed and blocked by the opposing defender.

　As the second half began, Sendai started to create chances from the left through Iwamoto. In the 5th minute, a clearance mistake by Tokyo fell to Iwamoto's feet, and he charged towards the goal. He passed to Silvinho, who broke free from the scramble and found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Doi, but his shot was blocked by Doi's foot. Tokyo had been controlling the match, but after a series of attacks, they increasingly faced counterattacks from Sendai. In particular, Iwamoto, who was waiting on the left side, became the focal point. In the 15th minute, a pass found the unmarked Iwamoto, who surged in from the left, evaded Kaji, and unleashed a powerful shot. The ball deflected off a DF, but somehow Doi managed to touch it for a corner kick. However, from this corner, Sendai's DF Komura scored with a header, allowing them to take the lead.

One Corner, One Goal

Shimotaira had replaced the injured Asari towards the end of the first half and he assumed the role of midfield distributor as TOKYO began the second half where they had left off. Some slick direct passing opened the Vegalta defense twice but Toda was unable to finish off the moves.
From around the 50 minute mark Vegalta started to claw their way back into the match as Iwamoto finally found some room in which to work. He set up Silvinho with a neat through ball but Doi blocked the shot with his feet. In the 60th minute he received the ball unmarked on the left, beat Kaji and fired in a shot. The ball was deflected by a defender and Doi did well to scramble it around the post. From the corner Omura rose to head Vegalta into the lead.

Kelly's goal brings one back, but succumbs to Sendai due to a difference in finishing ability

　Tokyo had no choice but to attack even more aggressively. In the 16th minute, a decisive through pass from Miyazawa reached Amaral, but Amaral did not shoot and instead tried to dribble past, only to be cleared. Perhaps due to fatigue, Amaral was clearly heavier than in the first half, losing the ball to Sendai defenders Komura and Lins, missing out on opportunities.

　In the 30th minute, on the left side, Amaral was dispossessed by ZE RICARDO, who quickly passed the ball to Yamashita up front. As the entire team pushed forward, ZE RICARDO made a brilliant decision and delivered an exquisite pass behind Tokyo's defense, which Yamashita sharply reacted to, breaking free and charging towards the goal. From top speed, he unleashed a powerful shot with his right foot, shaking the Tokyo goal net.

　It was certainly tough to be two goals behind with only 15 minutes left in an away game, but Tokyo Eleven did not give up. In the 32nd minute, Jean connected with a header from a left corner kick, and it seemed like a goal, but once again, Sendai's goalkeeper Kobari made an incredible super save to deny it. However, in the 39th minute of the second half, Fujiyama dribbled into the left side of the penalty area and made a heel kick to Kelly, who was supporting from behind. Kelly then unleashed a powerful right-footed shot in full stride, and Kobari's save could not reach it, resulting in the long-awaited goal.

　There are 6 minutes remaining, and with added time, there are about 10 minutes left, making it possible to equalize. Just when it seemed like it was time to push forward, in the 41st minute, we allowed Iwamoto on the left side to break through again, and Yamashita dove in to score the third goal effortlessly, sealing our fate. In added time, Kelly lifted the ball, which Amaral headed forward, and Fukuda further sent it behind, where Jean ran in and took a volley shot, but it went over the bar. In the end, the match finished this way, and while Tokyo played some of the best football of the season, they suffered from a lack of finishing and lost an important milestone game.

　Although there were dark stories such as Asari getting injured after losing the match, there were also bright topics. Fujiyama's comeback. His sharp interceptions and participation in attacks will definitely become a significant weapon in the future. The Nabisco Cup is just a week away, and what is required from the current team is to produce results, no matter what. Tokyo is entering the battle of Golden Week, betting on advancing through the Nabisco Cup qualifying league.

[Head Coach's Press Conference Summary] Today was a match we absolutely wanted to win. We used Kelly and Jean, who are not fully recovered, and intentionally did not include a goalkeeper on the bench. It is very disappointing because we wanted to win with a full offensive effort. There are many challenges, but I believe the performance today was significantly better compared to the last match. After all, even if we create good opportunities, we cannot win if we don't score. Conversely, despite our care, the opponent managed to score from a set piece with very few chances. Moving forward, we must improve our precision in various aspects to win important matches. There are many injuries and challenges, but we want to prepare adequately for the Nabisco Cup and the resumption of league matches after the World Cup.

Kelly Pulls One Back

F.C.TOKYO poured forward in search of an equaliser, but Amaral was guilty of over elaboration after a superb through ball from Miyazawa had sent him clear of the defence, and the chance was lost. Amaral seemed to be tiring following his first half exertions and the Vegalta defensive pair of Omura and Ricardo stole the ball from him repeatedly. In the 75th minute Ricardo robbed Amaral on the left and placed a perfectly timed ball into the path of Yamashita as he sped through the TOKYO back
line. Yamashita lashed the ball past Doi for a 2-0 lead.
F.C.TOKYO were down but not out, and nearly pulled a goal back two minutes later but Jean's powerful header from a right side corner was again miraculously stopped by the Sendai keeper. TOKYO were not to be denied however and in the 84th minute Fujiyama burst into the penalty area, backheeled the ball to Kelly and Kobari was beaten at last.
With about 10 minutes remaining TOKYO felt they were back in the match but only two minutes later that hope was extinguished. Once again Iwamoto was the instigator as he raced clear down the left wing and Yamashita flung himself forward to turn in a hard, low cross at the far post. Jean nearly made it 3-2 in the dying seconds with a close range volley, but fired over the bar. The final whistle blew and TOKYO had lost a game they dominated for nearly the entire 90 minutes. A lack of accuracy in front of goal let them down.
Despite the loss and the injury to Asari something positive can be taken from the game: the excellent performance of Fujiyama. The qualifying group league stage of the Nabisco Cup starts next week; hopefully TOKYO can build on the improvement they showed here and post some positive results.

Manager Hara : " Today was a game we wanted to win at any cost-I didn't even name a goalkeeper on the bench. We played well so it's very disappointing. The performance was far better than last week, which is an improvement, but we didn't make the most of our chances and they did. We have many injuries and other things to deal with but we're looking forward to the Nabisco Cup games and the resumption of the J-League. "