A crucial match that we cannot afford to lose!

　In the 4th round of the 2nd stage, Tokyo Verdy 1969 will face off against each other. Verdy, currently in 3rd place and in good form. With 2 wins and 1 loss, they have 6 points and are tied for 6th place with Tokyo, but their 9 goals and goal difference of +6 in 3 games are the best in the league. In the previous round, they were leading by 2 goals against Kashima, but were forced to play with 10 men in the first half and ended up losing. However, their soccer centered around Edmundo, who was placed in the attacking midfield, is functioning organically. Their attacking power has become a major threat.

　But today's game is a must-win match regardless of rankings or star calculations. It may have been the same feeling for both the manager Hara, the players, and the fans of Verdy. The match between clubs based in Tokyo, with a sense of autumn in the air, kicked off at Tokyo Stadium.

Defeat Verdy!

The opponents for the fourth game of the second stage were Tokyo Verdy 1969.
Leading scorers Verdy, lying third in the table at kick off, were unfortunate to lose to Kashima Antlers in their previous match by the odd goal in five after being reduced to ten men. Paced by Brazilian Edmundo playing just behind the forwards, their attacking prowess was expected to prove a menace to the TOKYO defence.
With Verdy now based in the capital as well this is a fixture neither side wants to lose; from manager Hara to the players and the fans, the determination on the F.C.TOKYO side was palpable as the game kicked off in an electric atmosphere on a cool autumn evening.

Despite dominating, Verdy concedes the first goal on a counterattack.

　Both teams showed aggressive attitudes from the start, and a fierce back-and-forth battle unfolded on the field. In the 4th minute, Amaral, who received a pass from Ishikawa on the right side, made a dash towards the center and was brought down near the penalty area on the right. The ball fell to Ishikawa, who had moved up to support, and he had a great chance to shoot, but the whistle for a foul on Amaral was blown a split second earlier. From the resulting free kick, Miyazawa aimed for goal, but it narrowly missed to the bottom left.

　Verdy had a chance in the 6th minute when Edmundo stole the ball in the midfield and noticed Tokyo's defensive line pushing up. He quickly passed the ball to the front line with one touch. FW Hiramoto caught up to it and took a shot, but it missed above the goal and the danger was averted. Shortly after, Amaral took a shot from Toda's post-play. In the 8th minute, Edmundo attempted a direct goal from a left side FK, but the GK caught it.

　Tokyo dominated by pressing hard and taking control of the ball. Gradually, Verdy was unable to move forward. In the 16th minute, Shige connected a set piece ball and took a shot. Verdy's DF blocked it and resulted in a corner kick. However, right after this corner kick, something happened. Verdy connected a clearance ball and DF Lopez, who had advanced from the back line, picked it up and passed it to Hiramoto on the left side. Hiramoto ran down the left side, drew the attention of Tokyo's DF, and sent a final pass to the free "most dangerous man" = Edmundo, who took a one-touch shot. The ball shook the net in a spectacular counter attack, and in no time, Tokyo was scored against with a stunning goal.

Verdy Take The Lead

Both sides began the match in aggressive fashion but the best chance of the opening exchanges fell to F.C.TOKYO in the 4th minute. Amaral received the ball from Ishikawa in a central position and embarked on a surging run at the heart of the Verdy defence until being clattered to the ground just outside the area. Following up, Ishikawa retrieved the loose ball and had only the keeper to beat, but the referee had blown for the foul. Miyazawa curled the free kick around the Verdy wall but narrowly missed the post.
In the 6th minute, Edmundo won the ball in midfield, spotted that the TOKYO defence line had moved too far upfield, and launched a pass into the empty space. Forward Hiramoto raced onto the ball and floated a shot over the charging TOKYO keeper Doi; fortunately, the ball cleared the bar as well.
Edmundo fired a free kick straight at Doi in the 8th minute.
Although TOKYO were pressing hard in midfield and playing the ball around stylishly, Verdy threatened on the break. Moniwa had a shot blocked for a corner in the 16th minute; the ball was cleared to Lopes who hared forward and found Hiramoto in space on the right. Hiramoto drew the defence towards him and squared the ball for the unmarked Edmundo to lash a shot into the roof of the net for the opening goal. A lightning-fast counter-attack and world-class finish gave Verdy the lead.

Amaral, who shows determination towards the ball, equalizes with a PK!

　Tokyo had to make a substitution in the 10th minute when Ishikawa injured his leg, and Kina came on in the 20th minute to replace him on the right side. However, Tokyo continued to press and dominate the game, even after conceding the first goal. In the 22nd minute, Kina's cross found Amaral who won a corner kick. From that corner, Jean had a header shot but it was caught by the GK. In the 29th minute, when Verdy's defense was holding onto the ball, Toda and Miyazawa aggressively closed in. Then, in the 30th minute, Doi's goal kick was cleared by Verdy's DF, but Amaral bravely chased after the loose ball and was fouled in the penalty area, earning a penalty kick. In the 31st minute, Amaral himself confidently converted the penalty kick, bringing the game back to a tie.

　After that, Kina from the right and Shigeki from the left were the key players for Tokyo as they approached Verdy's goal, but the accuracy of the final pass and the lack of determination from the receivers resulted in a period where they were unable to take shots, and the first half ended.

Tenacious Amaral Ties It!

Ishikawa, who was injured early in the match, bravely continued to play but was unable to continue. Kina replaced him after 20 minutes. TOKYO continued to press forward with Kina making an immediate impact, bursting down the right and crossing to Amaral. The Verdy defence conceded a corner but the keeper held Jean's header. A period of sustained pressure from the home side followed and a typical piece of opportunism from Amaral earned the equaliser. Doi punted the ball downfield and a loose defensive header fell invitingly for Amaral who was upended as he raced into the area. The "King of Tokyo" picked himself up, bamboozled the Verdy keeper and tied the score from the spot.
Buoyed by the goal, TOKYO began to dominate proceedings but failed to take advantage of several half chances and the first half finished 1-1.

Kelly scores the go-ahead goal from a perfectly executed play!

　The second half, which was greeted with a 1-1 score. Coach Hara's halftime instructions were "Don't let Edmundo get free. Let's shoot more. Let's thoroughly put crosses in from the side, starting with Kina." Following those instructions, Kina sometimes kept the ball, sometimes shook it up with passes, and became the starting point for Tokyo's attacking advances, giving them the upper hand in the game.

　At 48 minutes, Kelly received a cross from Kina on the right side and took a shot in the center. They won a corner kick. Kina once again attempted a middle shot from the loose ball from the corner kick. As they kept attacking, they were hit by Verdy's counterattack at 53 minutes. They stole the ball near their own end line and Edmundo connected it, then Hiramoto attacked with speed from the left side. In the end, FW Sakurai was left free in front of the right goal area and took a shot. It was almost a goal, but Jean blocked it at the last minute and avoided any danger.

　In the scenario of Tokyo dominating, Verdy on the counter, Tokyo continues to focus on the goal without losing concentration. In the 55th minute, Toda heads in a cross from Kaji, but it goes just wide of the goal. However, the strategy of placing Toda in the center and creating opportunities from the side pays off. In the 57th minute, Amaral, who was keeping the ball on the left side, sends a cross into the box, which hits a competing defender and falls in front of the goal. Miyazawa and Kelly are both there to follow up on the ball, and Kelly finishes it off with his right foot for a goal! A valuable additional point is secured.

　Tokyo, who never let their guard down, substituted Toda for Fukuda in the 61st minute and aimed for "another goal". On the other hand, Verdy moved Edmundo to the top and "tried to create space in the midfield by pushing the DF line forward" (Coach Lori). However, with Tokyo's DF marking tightly, Edmundo was no longer left free. And Tokyo, who dominated the game, received a powerful shot from Amaral in the 63rd minute after receiving a through pass from Kaji in the right penalty area. From the resulting corner kick, Miyazawa took a shot from the loose ball, but it narrowly missed to the right. In the 75th minute, Amaral dribbled up the left side and sent a cross, but Fukuda collided with the opposing DF. Although they couldn't score another goal, they instead substituted Asari for Amaral in the 85th minute. They showed even more determination to win and held on until the final whistle. They not only achieved a victory in this crucial match, but also rose to 3rd place in the 2nd stage rankings. In the next match, they will challenge the top team, Júbilo Iwata.

[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "I always had the desire to win more than usual. In the previous match against Kashima, Verdy's play was centered around Edmundo, and when the ball was passed to him, the movement of the surrounding players was fast, creating a rhythm from there. We knew their style of play, so we made sure not to let Edmundo easily turn and play forward. However, Ishikawa was affected by a bruise on his right thigh, and he was unable to catch up to the ball as he normally would, ultimately allowing Edmundo to score the first goal. It was a bad feeling, but when Kina came on as a substitute, he used his unique strengths to create a good rhythm while making good use of his time. We have only been able to score one goal in recent matches, but even today, we had several chances to score a third goal after scoring two. In the future, we need to improve the quality of our crosses, traps, and shots in order to score in those situations. There were some dangerous moments, but we were able to beat a strong rival team, and I think we have prepared well for the next match against Jubilo."

[Summary of Verdy Lori's press conference] "I want to talk about the technical aspect of the game in this press conference, but it's been very difficult. Unfortunately, there have been things happening in the game that directly affect the result. I want to congratulate FC Tokyo."

Kelly Bags The Winner

TOKYO manager Hara's half time instructions were terse:" Mark Edmundo. Shoot more. Kina, get forward and cross". The team followed his direction to the letter as Kina broke down the right in the 48th. minute and centred to Kelly, whose shot was deflected for a corner. The corner was cleared to Kina who tested the Verdy keeper with an awkwardly bouncing volley. TOKYO kept possession and probed for an opening, simultaneously maintaining a watch on dangerman Edmundo. Jean made a vital block to deny Sakurai in the 50th. minute as another length-of-the-pitch counter attack from Verdy, sparked by Edmundo, threatened the TOKYO goal.
Toda had moved infield as TOKYO sought to make headway along the flanks and his header from a Kaji cross sailed narrowly over the bar in the 55th. minute. Amaral, out on the left wing, aimed a cross at Toda soon after; his knock down fell in front of Miyazawa and Kelly but it was the latter who extended a leg to prod the ball home and put TOKYO in front.
Manager Hara then replaced Toda with forward Fukuda as TOKYO pressed for a third and decisive goal. Verdy responded by pushing Edmundo further forward to " tie up the TOKYO defence line and create some space in midfield", according to manager Lori. The TOKYO defence smothered Edmundo, denying him any time or space on the ball. At the other end Amaral fizzed a shot on target in the 63rd. minute which the keeper did well to beat away for a corner. Miyazawa latched onto a weak clearance but fired fractionally wide.
Fukuda nearly had the ball in the net in the 75th. minute from an Amaral cross but a desperate far post block denied him a chance to kill off the game. When a third goal wasn't forthcoming Asari replaced Amaral and TOKYO comfortably saw out the remaining few minutes for a well deserved victory that moved them up to third in the table, and set up a clash with league leaders Jubilo in the next game.

F.C.TOKYO manager Hara:
"We wanted to win tonight even more than usual. We knew what we had to do: stop Edmundo from going forward. Due to Ishikawa's injury, Edmundo managed to evade a marker and score. It was disappointing, but Kina came on and played very well and we found our rhythm. We are only averaging one goal per game, so we were pleased to score two tonight and were looking for more. Still, it's good to beat rivals like this and great preparation for the Jubilo game on Sunday".

Verdy manager Lori:
"At a press conference, I should talk about the players' skills, but it's difficult. Many things happened tonight that affected the result. I would like to congratulate TOKYO."