Kobe's rematch, aiming for a comeback

　Tokyo, who won a big victory of 4-0 against Consadole Sapporo in the previous round, wants to use this as a starting point to make a comeback in the 2nd stage. However, they cannot afford to get carried away. This round, they will face a tough opponent, Vissel Kobe. In the past J1 league matches, they have only managed to draw once and lost four times against Kobe. Although they were able to get a win and a draw in the qualifying round of the Nabisco Cup this spring, they still struggle against this opponent in league matches. In the 2nd stage, both teams have a similar record of 4 wins and 4 losses. However, Kobe has strengthened their attacking power with the addition of FW Ozeas and MF Allison, and the team's morale is also on the rise. While they are currently in danger of relegation at 14th place due to their losses in the 1st stage, they will surely come out with determination and pride to take points from this match.

　In past matches, both teams have struggled to break through Kobe's powerful defense and have often been defeated by a narrow margin due to counterattacks. Therefore, it is expected to be a tough battle. However, both teams will aim for a victory and hope to overcome their previous losses.

　After returning from the Asian Games, Shigeki and Ishikawa showed their energetic figures and were named as starting members as center back and right MF, respectively. Although the lineup shows 3 defenders, they faced the match with a 4-5-1 formation, with Fujiyama placed as left fullback. The match started with a kickoff in the rain at the Japan National Stadium in Kobe.

A Beef With Kobe

Following the 4-0 thrashing of Consadole in the previous game TOKYO looked to have revitalised their season. Unfortunately the opponents for the 9th. game of the second stage were perennial bogeymen Vissel Kobe; in their five previous encounters TOKYO had recorded one draw and four losses for one point from a possible 15. TOKYO managed a win and a draw in the group stage of this year's Nabisco Cup but were still searching for a first League win over the men in black and white. Both sides had identical W4 L4 records going into the match but Vissel, boosted by the goals of Oseas and Harison, were definitely in better form.
TOKYO welcomed Moniwa and Ishikawa back from the Asian Games and both made the starting eleven; only three defenders were named but Fujiyama slotted in on the left in a 4-5-1 formation. Vissel started the ball rolling at a rain lashed National Stadium.

Despite conceding first, Amaral quickly equalizes with a PK!

　From the start, there was a back-and-forth battle. In the 1st minute, Tokyo's Miyazawa chased after a long pass from the left side and Ishikawa, who had moved up to support, took a shot. In the 3rd minute, Kobe's right back Sugawara attacked and took a shot. In the 5th minute, it was Tokyo's turn again. Ashizawa passed the ball to Kaji, who headed it to the right side space, and Ishikawa ran in and crossed it for Amaral to take a shot. In the 9th minute, Kobe's MF Mochizuki passed to FW Hato, who used his speed to break through and take a shot in front of the goal, but Doi made the save. Both teams defended well and created chances by quickly switching to attacking when they had the ball.

　In the 16th minute, Kobe expanded to the side from the midfielder Saeki, and MF Allison headed the cross from the right side of Mochizuki. Immediately after, Tokyo Ishikawa cuts in from the right side and shoots. In the 19th minute, Kobe's midfielder Shijikurei passed to FW Ozeas in the penalty area, who headed it down, and Hato entered a decisive shooting motion, but Jean and Mochida quickly closed in and avoided the danger.

　Tokyo had been responding to Kobe's attacks without panicking. However, in the 25th minute, Ozeas started the attack from the front for Kobe and passed to Saeki who had advanced from the right side through Allison. Saeki, who had entered the penalty area on the right, sent a ground cross to the front of the goal, threading the needle between Tokyo's center backs who were marking Kobe's two top players. This resulted in a goal, and Tokyo conceded the first point.

　Tokyo, who was struggling to dominate the ball against Kobe's solid defense of 4 backs and 2 defensive midfielders, had a moment in the 29th minute. Kelly received a pass from Kagawa on the right side, turned towards the penalty area and was immediately fouled by Kobe's defender, resulting in a penalty kick. Amaral calmly scored it in the bottom left corner, equalizing the score.

　Tokyo regained momentum with this goal. In the 31st minute, Ishikawa quickly dribbled up the field and made a sharp through pass into the space in front of the goal. Toda took advantage of the perfect timing and broke through to take a shot, but the opposing GK made a brave dive and saved it. However, in today's game, Tokyo's strategy was to have Toda run between the opposing GK and DF, and in the 34th minute, Toda broke free from a deep position in their own half and took a shot while unmarked. It was a decisive moment, but the ball hit the crossbar and the chance for a second goal was unfortunately missed. The game went into the second half.

Vissel takes the lead, but Amaral ties it.

Both teams began in a positive mood with TOKYO registering the first shot on goal in the very first minute through Ishikawa, Vissel responding through Sugawara soon after. In the 5th. minute Kaji nodded Asari's high ball into the path of Ishikawa who crossed for Amaral to shoot; Mochizuki released Bando with a smart through ball but TOKYO keeper Doi saved sharply. The passing was crisp, the tackles firm and the movement fluid. Chances came thick and fast: Mochizuki crossed for Harison to head wide, Ishikawa bore down the wing then cut inside and fired over and in the 19th. minute Bando seemed certain to score from Oseas's knock down but a double block by Moniwa and Jean averted the danger.
TOKYO's approach play was the more incisive but it was Vissel who took the lead in the 25th. minute. Oseas held the ball up in midfield and found Harison who fed the overlapping Saeki; Saeki rolled a low cross into the area for the surging Mochizuki to clip a right footed shot past Doi.
Parity was quickly restored, though, as Kelly had his heels clipped attempting to turn just inside the area following a sharp exchange of passes with Kaji and the referee unhesitatingly pointed to the spot. Amaral converted in his customary fashion.
Gaining the equaliser so quickly lifted TOKYO and a lightning fast counter attack in the 31st minute should have seen them take the lead but the Vissel keeper produced a superb save to deny Toda after a sublime through ball from Ishikawa had split the defence. The keeper was helpless in the 34th. minute as Toda again streaked onto a long ball over the visitors' defence but saw his firmly struck effort rebound off the cross bar and away. The highly entertaining first half ended 1-1.

Jean's first goal puts them ahead, but...

　After the second half, which was greeted with a 1-1 tie, Tokyo was the first to have a big chance. In the 49th minute, Ishikawa, who had a good trap on the ball from behind, cut inside and passed to the left side. Toda took a shot, but it was saved by the opponent's GK. However, the right CK ball they took was deflected by the GK, but Jean, who had jumped in almost at the same time, headed it in for a goal! It was Jean's first J-League goal and it gave them the lead.

　However, it was just two minutes later. A pass from SUGAWARA on the right side of Kobe to the center. When Allison sent the ball to the front of the goal, HANATO connected it while losing his balance, and OZEAS picked up the loose ball and took a shot. As coach HARA later regretted, KACHI couldn't clear the loose ball in their own half and was taken back, allowing the opponent to develop in the midfield. In the end, OZEAS, who had the finishing touch, scored the equalizer.

　In the second half, Tokyo was pushed back in a completely opposite direction. In the 58th minute, Hato took a pass from Shijikurei and took a shot. In the 60th minute, Allison picked up a clear ball from Tokyo's DF and connected it with a header shot. The game was dominated by the opposing team picking up clear balls.

　However, in the 62nd minute, Ishikawa successfully jumped out on Kaji's long pass and earned a corner kick. In the 63rd minute, Kaji once again pressed forward in the midfield and made a dribble to attack the front line, passing to Kelly in the left penalty area. However, the ball was cut off by the defender and they were unable to take a shot. In the 64th minute, Toda jumped in on Ishikawa's cross from the left side, but narrowly missed. They were able to create a chance by taking advantage of Kobe's gap, but were unable to score. In the 68th minute, Fukuda was substituted in for Toda.

　Amaral, Fukuda as the top two, Tokyo who raised Miyazawa in front, and tried to take an additional point. In the 77th minute, Kelly picked up Fujiyama's cross and sent a ground cross between the GK and DF from inside the right penalty area. Fukuda tried to score in front of the goal, but was blocked by the DF and unfortunately did not score. In the 79th minute, Kobe had a big chance when Sasaki ran in at the right side cross, but the shot went off target. In the 81st minute, Tokyo had another big chance. They counterattacked and looked for a chance, and in the end, Kelly jumped in front of the goal to take a direct shot from Kaji's cross. However, the ball hit the crossbar in disappointment. In the 84th minute, Kobe had a free header from a right side FK, but it narrowly missed the target.

　In the end, both teams were unable to score despite creating chances, and the game went into extra time.

Jean Strikes But.....

The first good chance of the second half fell to TOKYO in the 49th. minute.
Out on the right Ishikawa immaculately controlled a floated ball and crossed for Toda to strike first time; the Kobe keeper dived full length to tip the ball around the post. From the corner Jean rose imperiously to power a header down and over the line for his first goal for the club. TOKYO were ahead but it didn't last long. Just two minutes, to be precise, as Oseas reacted fastest to a deflected loose ball to fire home from ten metres.
TOKYO suddenly found themselves on the defensive as the pendulum swung back to Vissel Kobe. Bando latched on to Sidiclei's long ball in the 58th. minute and crashed in a shot while a poor clearance presented Harison with a free header soon after but he was unable to take advantage of some defensive generosity.
TOKYO fought back and fashioned a few half chances that came to naught; Toda made way for Fukuda in the 68th. minute as TOKYO switched to a twin striker formation with Miyazawa tucked in behind. Fukuda almost had the ball in the net in the 77th. minute from Ishikawa's low cross to the near post but a desperate lunge from a defender deflected the ball around the post. Saeki fired wide following a neat Kobe counter attack shortly after and Kelly struck the crossbar with a first time effort from Kaji's cross in the 81st. minute. Neither side proved capable of seizing any of the large number of chances created and the match moved into extra time.

Kobe sinks with Miyazawa's V goal, first extended victory of the season

　The game against Hiroshima in the third round went into extra time for the first time in six games. However, this season, Tokyo has not been able to win in extra time, with 2 draws and 3 losses. It seemed that whether they could hold on or not would be the key. However, the game ended anticlimactically.

　Tokyo, who connected the ball from the kick-off of the extension, picks up the opponent's clear ball well and passes it around, approaching the goal. And 40 seconds into the extension, the opponent DF clears Fujiyama's cross. However, this ball hits Kobe player and goes to the feet of Amaral who was in front of the goal. Before Amaral enters the shooting motion, Kobe DF Tsuchiya rushes in and clears it again, but this is weak and falls near the penalty arc. Miyazawa runs in there and swings his left foot, scoring in the lower right corner! As if the struggle so far was a lie, the V-goal victory was decided without any surprise.

　Although it was only 2 points, it can be said that achieving a consecutive victory with an extension win against the difficult Kobe team is a great accomplishment for this season.

[Summary of the press conference by former coach] "This season, we couldn't win in extra time and left an impression of losing with a V-goal. The flow through the stages was also starting to improve, but it didn't quite get there. However, I think we can aim higher with today's victory. I used Ishikawa and Shigeta as starters because they have gained various experiences in the Asian Games. Personally, they seemed to have some regrets and I could feel their desire to play in this game. I bet on their high motivation. They have been away from the team for a while, so there were some difficulties in getting into the rhythm of Tokyo, but I think they did a good job at crucial moments. We really wanted to get 3 points, but we were caught trying to connect and conceded a goal from a mistake. We need to work on those areas. However, even when we were behind, we were able to catch up and hold on to the V-goal for the win, which gives us confidence."

[Kobe Matsuda's press conference summary] "I don't think the performance was bad, so it's disappointing that we didn't get the results. I'm evaluating the fact that we scored two points and we didn't concede by being broken. However, in this world, we have to win, but the next game continues and the content was not dissatisfied."

Miyazawa Bags First "V Goal" Win

TOKYO's record in matches requiring extra time this season wasn't good: drawn two, lost three. The key seemed to lie in maintaining concentration in defence. However, they began the first period going forward and moved the ball around with Fujiyama then launching a cross into the area. A Vissel defender attempted a volleyed clearance but the ball struck a teammate and landed at Amaral's feet. As Amaral lined up his shot, Kobe defender Tsuchiya stretched to poke the ball away; the clearance was underhit and Miyazawa, from just outside the area, struck left footed, low and hard, just inside the right post. TOKYO had snatched a dramatic and well earned victory just 40 seconds into extra time. The triumph brought only two points but it marked the first League victory over bogey team Kobe, the first "V Goal" win this year and the second consecutive win.

TOKYO manager Hara:
"Given our record in extra time games this year I just have an impression of losing them. Today's win won't go a long way to alter the course of the season but should raise our sights a little. Ishikawa and Moniwa came back with some useful experience from playing in the Asian Games but, of course, they couldn't fit back in straight away after missing a few matches. We struggled to find our rhythm in places and made mistakes that led to goals but, after being behind and then being pegged back when we were ahead, the team fought well to earn a victory and that should be a confidence booster".

Kobe manager Matsuda:
"I don't think we played badly at all, we just didn't get the result today. We scored twice and lost but that's football."