Defeating F. Marinos as a turning point for resurgence

　Sec. 6 is an away game following the previous match, facing Yokohama F.Marinos at the Yokohama International Stadium. In the 1st stage, they are competing for the championship until the final match, with the strong contender F.Marinos in 2nd place. However, in the 2nd stage, they have suffered three consecutive losses since the start. After that, they have managed one win and one draw, gradually regaining their form, but it seems they are still unable to fully demonstrate their strength. Additionally, for Tokyo, their past record against this opponent in the J1 League is three wins and two draws, boasting a favorable matchup. Coach Hara tightened his focus, stating, "While the matchup can be a factor, it doesn't guarantee a win." This is a crucial match where they want to strike decisively and create an opportunity for resurgence.

　U-21 representatives Moniwa and Ishikawa have left the team for the Asian Games, with Fujiyama starting at left back and Sato starting at right midfield. This marks Sato's return to the starting lineup in a league match for the first time in five months since April 21, raising high expectations as the kickoff approaches.

Mangle Marinos! Move Up!

F.C.TOKYO made the short journey to Yokohama International Stadium for a second consecutive away game, the sixth match of the second stage. Their opponents, the Yokohama F Marinos, had lost out on the first stage title on the final day and, as if stunned by their failure, opened the second stage with three straight losses. A win and a draw in their previous games had seen them slowly regaining their form. F.C.TOKYO boast a W3 D2 L0 record against them in J.League play but, as manager Hara observed, "That doesn't guarantee a win". With Moniwa and Ishikawa playing for the Japan U-21 side in the Asian games, Fujiyama moved to left side back and Yukihiko Sato returned to the starting line up for the first time since April 21st. The game kicked off in wet, overcast conditions.

Sato and Kaji break through on the right side, and Amaral scores the opening goal!

　Following the heavy defeat against Jubilo, Coach Hara stated, "It's important to switch our mindset for today's game. Let's not press too high at the start and play simply." As per his instructions, the team started calmly in the first half. In the 2nd minute, Sato made a cross after going around Kaji, who had moved in from the right side, resulting in a corner kick from a clearance by the defense. The corner taken by Sato was caught by the opposing goalkeeper, but in the 5th minute, Sato again created a chance from the right side after receiving a pass from Kaji.

　The opposing F. Marinos did not apply extreme pressure and aimed to build up slow attacks through passing work. In the 5th minute, MF Ueno attempted to advance from the center of the field, but Miyazawa was stopped by a foul. Miyazawa received a warning for rough play, and F. Marinos aimed for a direct free kick taken by DF NAZRI, but it went over the bar. In the 7th minute, MF Hato connected with central FW Shimizu from the back, and Hato shot freely from the right side, but it missed over the goal.

　In the 10th minute, Tokyo, who had been controlling the ball, saw Kaji receive a pass from Kelly in the center, and he delivered an early cross from the right side. Amaral, who made a perfect timed run to the near side, executed a header that struck the far side of the goal, scoring in the lower left corner! They took the lead with a perfectly executed play.

　The team's momentum increased with the ace's goal. In the 15th minute, Amaral connected with Kelly in midfield, and finally, Amaral surged forward again to head a cross from Sato. However, this time he could not find the goal. In the 18th minute, Miyazawa aimed for the goal from a free kick, and shortly after, a through pass from Amaral's hold-up play in the front line reached Toda, who had slipped behind the defensive line, but unfortunately, it was offside. In the 26th minute, Jean headed a free kick from Sato on the right side, but it went over the bar.

Sato, Kaji Set Up Amaral

Regarding the mauling at Jubilo manager Hara commented " It's important for the team to bounce back today and not get caught out early on. Simple is best ". Following his instructions TOKYO began in a composed manner. In the 2nd. minute Kaji moved infield and found Sato out on the wing. His cross was cleared for a corner which he took himself but the Marinos keeper held the ball cleanly. The pattern repeated itself three minutes later with the same result. The Marinos were looking to run the ball at TOKYO; in the 5th. minute midfielder Ueno surged forward only to be stopped, illegally according to the referee, by Miyazawa. Miyazawa received a yellow card and Naza blazed the free kick over the bar. Some neat interplay between Oku and Shimizu created an opportunity for Hato soon after but he shot high. In the 10th. minute Kelly found Kaji out on the right. Kaji launched an early cross to the near post where Amaral, with exquisite timing, rose to nod the ball inside the far post and give TOKYO a perfect start. 
Emboldened, TOKYO pushed forward. A similar move to the one that produced the goal ended with Amaral heading Sato's cross just over the bar in the 15th. minute. Miyazawa belted a free kick wide in the 18th. minute and Toda was given offside in a marginal decision soon after as a delicate through ball from Amaral split the Marinos defence. Jean lent his weight to the attack from set pieces and went close with a header from another fine Sato centre in the 26th. minute. 

Dramatic Turn of Events with the Ejection

　Tokyo, winning the battles for the ball, repeatedly intercepts with tight marking even while defending. In the 28th minute, Nazar's long-range shot and the subsequent shot from FW Will are both cut off just outside the penalty area, and the advance of left MF Dutra is also surrounded, preventing a finish.

　However, here F. Marinos wins a corner kick. From Dutra's left corner kick, Will makes a particularly high jump and heads the ball into the goal. The Tokyo defense had been focused until then, but in the 29th minute, they were equalized by a strike from the set piece.

　It was just a return to the starting point, and without panicking, they were about to calmly move on to the next phase. In the 31st minute, F. Marinos' dribble near the center circle was charged from behind by Miyazawa. A second yellow card was issued for this play, and Miyazawa was sent off. Tokyo was forced to fight with 10 players.

　Even so, in the 32nd minute, from Jean's interception, Kelly connected a quick pass to Sato, and finally, Jean unleashed a powerful header from Sato's cross. The goal went wide, but he never hesitated to push forward. However, from this point on, F. Marinos' passing game improved significantly, gradually creating chances. In the 38th minute, a controlled lob pass from Ueno in the center reached the left penalty area, and Shimizu attempted a header, but Doi caught it. Conversely, in the 39th minute, Tokyo launched a counterattack, with Sato dribbling down the right side, delivering a precise cross in front of the goal, and Toda jumped in from the left side, but collided with the GK just in time. The shot went off target, missing a precious big chance.

　In the 42nd minute, Marinos picked up the cleared ball from Will's free kick, and Dutrã sent in a cross from the right side. Although Hato, who was at the far side, attempted a header, Doi made a one-handed save to deflect it for a corner kick. In stoppage time, Dutrã retrieved a rebound from a shot and set it up in front of the goal, but Will's attempt was also saved brilliantly by Doi. The focused defense from everyone prevented any goals.

Miyazawa Sees Red

At the other end the TOKYO defence coped ably with the Marinos attack; some tight marking and sharp interceptions prevented any clear cut attempts on goal. One such blocked attempt earned the Marinos a corner in the 29th minute and Will leapt prodigiously to head home. A simple set play saw their early good work undone. As if to rub salt into the wound Miyazawa upended Oku shortly after and was sent off. From a promising position TOKYO suddenly found themselves a man down and pegged back.
In the 32nd minute TOKYO nearly reclaimed the lead as Jean cut out a Marinos through ball, laid it off to Kelly and hared forward. He met Sato's cross with a powerful downward header but failed to hit the target. From around this time the home side began to exert themselves and their pass work improved as did the number of chances. TOKYO keeper Doi made a fine save from Shimizu's looping header in the 38th minute. TOKYO were not to be denied and with Sato the instigator once more Toda beat the Marinos keeper to a fine cross but directed it wide of the post.
As the first half drew to a close the Marinos turned up the pressure on the TOKYO goal: Doi produced a superb one-handed save to deny Hato and in injury time foiled Will to preserve the status quo.

Despite a brilliant effort, they ran out of steam in stoppage time

　However, as the second half began, F. Marinos took control of the match, and Tokyo's disadvantage of playing with ten men was undeniable. Early in the match, F. Marinos received a cross from Dutrã, who received a side change pass from Ueno on the left side, and Will's volley shot in front of the goal was cut off by Ito. In the 47th minute, Dutrã again sprinted down the left side, unleashing a sharp shot parallel to the goal. Naz's header from a left corner kick and Will's shot from another corner kick were all denied by Doi's fine play, preventing any goals. Despite being in a dominant position, F. Marinos, unable to score additional points, substituted Kohnara for right MF Kuninaga in the 55th minute. In the 57th minute, Kuninaga picked up a cleared ball from a free kick and sent a shot-like ball in front of the goal. Will rushed in but missed the target.

　In the 60th minute, Tokyo counterattacked, with Amaral crossing to Kaji, and Toda made a run to earn a corner kick. However, Sato's left corner kick flowed to the far side, just missing Amaral. Instead, they were hit by a counterattack. In the 63rd minute, Dutra broke through on the left side, and Will, free, took a header shot from the cross, but Doih's miraculous one-handed save avoided the crisis.

　In the 67th minute, Tokyo, struggling against Dutra on the left side, substituted Sato for Komine as a left center-back. They changed to a three-back formation with Komine, Ito, and Jean, prioritizing defensive stability. However, in the 69th minute, F. Marinos also substituted the injured midfielder Nagayama for forward Sakata, bringing fresh strength to the front line and going for the win.

　F. Marinos pressed forward while Tokyo defended fiercely. In the 76th minute, a loose ball cleared by F. Marinos' DF saw Komine sprinting across the center line for a long shot. Kelly aimed for the rebound after the DF deflected it, but the shot went over the bar. In the 78th minute, Fukuda was brought on to replace the visibly tired Toda, looking for any slight chance amidst the defensive struggle.

　However, in the 80th minute, F. Marinos made a through pass from Will to the left penalty area. Dutra broke free and took a shot, but Doi made the save. Shimizu and Oku followed up with shots, but the Tokyo defense blocked them. The Tokyo defense did well to prevent a goal, but there was a tension that suggested they could be caught off guard at any moment as the game progressed. In the 87th minute, Oku took a mid-range shot from a cleared ball after Sakata's cross from the left side. The ball narrowly missed to the left, and it seemed they had escaped the biggest crisis.

　However, it was just after the display of "3 minutes of stoppage time" appeared. F. Marinos connected from a throw-in on the left side through Dutrã to Will, who floated a pass into the left penalty area. Dutrã ran in, delivering a grounded cross. The ball shot by Oku in front of the goal was well cut by Komine, but the loose ball rolled back in front of Oku, who, while falling, pushed it into the goal with his right foot, sealing the deal. They showed a commendable effort that dispelled the bad image from the previous heavy defeat, but ultimately ran out of steam at the very end.

[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "We suffered a heavy defeat in the last match against Jubilo, so we talked about starting well. From the beginning, we had a good rhythm, and we felt we were in control after scoring the first goal at a good time. I thought Miyazawa's first yellow card was too harsh, and the second one seemed just like he was touching the ball. Ultimately, he was sent off, and the timing was too early, which affected us. Instead of becoming defensive right away, we aimed to keep speedy players like Kyo SATO and Toda on the field to steal the ball and counterattack. We created several good opportunities in the first half, but at the very end, we lost our marking on a throw-in and were broken down. Even with one player less, the players showed a fighting spirit, but I wanted us to hold on there and at least take it to extra time. I believe that conceding a goal right before the end is one reason the team can't move up to the next level."

[Summary of Coach Lazaroni's Press Conference] "At the start, we were confused by Tokyo's speed and struggled to create our own rhythm. During that time, Amaral broke free due to Tokyo's excellent interception, and we allowed the first goal with a well-timed header. There were moments when we were out of sync, but after that, the team gained momentum, and I believe our aggressive offensive approach drew warnings and a red card from the opponent's defensive midfielder. Our momentum did not stop, and we equalized; we even had a chance to take the lead in the first half. In the second half, we dominated and set our pace, but despite creating many chances, we couldn't convert them, leading to frustrating moments. I think this was due to anxiety near the goal. We lacked a bit of precision in decisive scenes and finishing, which prevented us from scoring. However, in the end, Oku made a brave and solid finish, allowing us to turn the game around. I think it was very good."

TOKYO Battle But...

Aware that an early goal could settle the match the Marinos bombarded the TOKYO goal as the second half began. Dutra, making headway down the left, crossed for Will to smash a first time volley goalward. Ito blocked bravely but TOKYO were on the rack. Two minutes later Dutra again cut inside and fired but Doi was equal to the task, turning the ball around for a corner. 
Doi blocked Naza's header for another corner which reached Will and again the TOKYO No.1 denied the Marinos' striker. Midfielder Hisanaga replaced defender Kobara in the 55th minute for the Marinos and immediately set up Will whose shot drifted just wide of the post. 
TOKYO launched a counter attack in the 60th minute with Toda winning a corner. Sato struck the ball to the far post where it evaded Amaral by a whisker. The Marinos countered through Dutra but Doi again pulled off a stunning save to deny the unmarked Will. 
In the 60th minute Komine replaced Sato and TOKYO switched to a three back formation of Komine, Ito and Jean in an attempt to subdue the rampant Dutra. 
In response the Marinos replaced the injured Nagayama with forward Sakata and renewed their efforts. A long range blast from Komine deflected into the path of Kelly in the 76th minute but his snap shot flew just over the bar. 
The clearly exhausted Toda then made way for Fukuda. 
A fine through ball from Will released Dutra inside the TOKYO area in the 80th minute; Doi somehow parried his shot and an almighty scramble ensued as first Shimizu and then Oku were denied by some frenzied defending. TOKYO escaped by the skin of their teeth in the 87th minute as Oku latched on to a loose clearance and blasted the ball fractionally wide. 
The fourth official had just signaled for three minutes of injury time when TOKYO finally had their concentration broken. A throw in on the left from Dutra to Will saw the latter float a pass toward the by-line for the former to pull back into the centre. Oku fired first time but straight at Komine; he made no mistake from the rebound and the game was up for F.C.TOKYO. 
A brave display from TOKYO had erased the nightmare of the previous week but they were unable to hold out for extra time and finished with nothing to show for their effort. 


F.C.TOKYO manager Hara:
" After last week's defeat I asked for a good start and the team responded very well. We quickly found our rhythm, took the lead and were on top. Miyazawa's sending off was very harsh but we knew we couldn't go straight into defensive mode so early in the game. With Sato and Toda we felt we had a chance to grab something on the break and had some chances in the first half. I felt we could take the game into extra time but poor marking at the throw in let us down and cost us the match. We really have to improve in such situations ".

F Marinos manager Lazaroni:
" We had no answer to TOKYO's speed in the first half and were struggling. They took the lead with a great goal and were on top but our team showed their character and fought back. Oku's attacking instincts resulted in the sending off, I think. We had a host of chances in the second half but just couldn't take them and the players became frustrated. Still, Oku took the goal very well and it was an excellent victory ".