Achieving revenge for the first stage, the first three consecutive wins of the season

　Following the previous match against Kobe, this is the second installment of the revenge series. Today's opponent is Kyoto Purple Sanga, with whom we faced off in Sec. 13 of the 1st stage, where our dream of three consecutive wins at home in Tokyo Stadium was shattered. At that time, we took the lead in the first half with Amaral's penalty, but in the second half, we conceded three goals, suffering a humiliating comeback loss of 1-3. This defeat marked the beginning of FC Tokyo's first three consecutive losses of the season, hitting rock bottom.

　About two and a half months later, FC Tokyo, facing Kyoto again, has come to Nishikyogoku away, betting on the same three consecutive wins as last time. The difference this time is that Kyoto is on a losing streak. However, they cannot let their guard down. Kyoto's ace, FW Matsui, who performed well in the recent Asian Games, has returned, and the scoring source, FW Kurobe, who was suspended in the previous match, is back as well. The three-top lineup, which includes these two and the young Korean representative, FW Park, is formidable, and it can be said that they have almost their best members assembled.

　FC Tokyo will continue its revenge matches against opponents that caused them to suffer in the 1st stage, starting from the match against Kobe in the last round, followed by Kyoto this round, and then Sendai, Nagoya, and Shimizu. To ensure that they achieve a clean sweep in this 'Revenge Series' and rejoin the title race, they must secure a victory in today's match against Kyoto. Additionally, achieving their first three consecutive wins of the season will help restore the players' confidence and bring significant momentum to the team.

　Before the match, Coach Hara strongly stated, "The opponent has been on a losing streak, and I believe they will come out to score from the start, which is just what we want. We will also fight with the mindset to attack and win. Last time, we let them have their moment, but this time we will definitely win." FC Tokyo approached the tense showdown with the same starting lineup as the previous match against Kobe.

Three In A Row?

Following last weekend's first ever League win over perennial bogeymen Vissel Kobe, F.C.TOKYO sought to lay another ghost as they traveled to Kyoto for the 9th game of the second stage, against Purple Sanga. In the 13th game of the first stage at Tokyo Stadium, against the same opposition, TOKYO surrendered a first half lead to crash 1-3, a result that triggered a three game losing streak, the worst of the season.
As in the first stage TOKYO entered the game looking for a third consecutive victory; unlike the first stage Kyoto were not on the crest of a wave.
However, boosted by the return of ace striker Matsui from the Asian Games, leading scorer Kurobe from suspension and Korean World Cup hero Park, Kyoto were at full strength.
TOKYO are in the middle of a series of fixtures against teams at whose hands they suffered in the first stage: next up are Vegalta Sendai, followed by Grampus and S-Pulse. A win in Kyoto would mean another great morale boost and a chance to re-enter the battle for the second stage title.
Before the match F.C.TOKYO manager Hara commented "Kyoto are on a losing streak now so we know they are going to come straight at us from the kick off. Hopefully this should play into our hands...They turned us over in the first stage but absolutely we are going to win tonight". TOKYO, fielding the same starting eleven as the Vissel game, kicked off on a chilly, rainy evening in Kyoto.

Amaral scores in three consecutive matches to take the lead!

　As predicted by Coach Hara, Kyoto showed intense attacks right from the start of the match. Their fast attacks, which relied heavily on direct passes, put pressure on Tokyo, who were struggling to find their rhythm. However, just 2 minutes in, Tokyo seized an opportunity on the left side and launched a counterattack. DF Fujiyama delivered a cross that Amaral headed towards the goal, but unfortunately, it went just left of the goal. Although this shot missed the target, the powerful header, executed at the right moment to win against the opponent, suggested that Amaral held a significant key to today's match.

　Kyoto's lone striker FW Kurobe, left FW Matsui, and right FW Park are all technicians capable of holding and breaking through in the front line, and with both full-backs joining the attack utilizing their speed, they launched a thick offensive. In the 11th minute, they broke through the right side on a counterattack and delivered a grounded cross to the center, but GK Doi caught it amidst a scramble with opposing players. After that, they continued to attack with Kurobe's stable hold-up play as a focal point in the front line, moving the ball quickly, but when they lost possession, everyone quickly returned to their own half to defend, preventing Tokyo from finding space to attack, and time passed with Kyoto maintaining the advantage.

　In Tokyo, Kelly relayed the ball with abundant movement, while Amaral played as a post, combining with Ishikawa and Kaji on the right side, and Toda made movements to exploit the opponent's defense. Although Miyazawa mainly drifted to the left side and attempted to combine with Fujiyama, the lack of space and tight marking from the opponents made it easy for their intricate passes to be intercepted, resulting in a rhythm that did not develop as desired.

　However, in the 19th minute, Ishikawa, who was playing on the right side, moved to the left side and quickly delivered a cross. Amaral, who was waiting in front of the goal, unleashed a powerful header with great elevation, which pierced the Kyoto goal net, scoring the opening goal. This significant movement changed Ishikawa's position, disrupting the balance of the opposing defense, and combined with Amaral's finishing ability on the precise cross, resulted in the goal.

Three In A Row For Amaral

Exactly as Hiromi Hara had predicted, Kyoto began the game in aggressive fashion, throwing men forward straight from the kick-off. TOKYO wobbled slightly, but in the second minute, a lightning-fast counter-attack ended with Fujiyama cantering for the in-form Amaral to outjump the home defense; his header flashed wide but served as a warning to the home team.
Kyoto, with Kurobe as lone striker and Matsui and Park on the right and left respectively, called on their wing backs to support the attack; as soon as an attack broke down, they rapidly backtracked to deny TOKYO space to counter. Despite the prodigious efforts of the rejuvenated Kelly in midfield, space was at a premium and efficient man marking by the Kyoto defense prevented TOKYO from finding any kind of rhythm.
Suddenly in the 19th minute, however, a chink opened in the Kyoto defensive armor. Ishikawa, from his usual position on the right, drifted cross-field and whipped a cross into the box where Amaral leapt to imperiously power the ball beyond the keeper for the opening goal, his third in three games.

The essence of attacking football - showcasing side attacks

　This goal by Amaral, his third consecutive in the match, set the game in motion. With a one-point deficit, Kyoto, now in a chasing position, placed even more emphasis on their attack, which disrupted the balance of their previously organized defense, significantly increasing Tokyo's chances to attack.

　In the 27th minute, Miyazawa intercepted the opponent's ball in midfield, and with a flowing series of passes from Kelly to Toda to Amaral, they bewildered Kyoto. In the 31st minute, Ishikawa directly aimed for a free kick from about 35m away from the goal, but his sharply curved and powerful shot was unfortunately deflected by the opposing goalkeeper, missing the goal. However, until now, it was believed that Tokyo's free kicks were only from Yukihiko's right foot or Miyazawa's left foot, but Ishikawa's right foot proved to be a valuable weapon as well.

　Tokyo, gaining momentum, created a chance in the 34th minute with a nearly direct flow on the right side from Kaji to Naohiro ISHIKAWA to Kelly and back to Kaji. Then, in the 36th minute, on the left side, Toda and Fujiyama broke through the Kyoto defense with a sharp one-two and delivered an excellent cross. In the 37th minute, in front of the opponent's goal, Kelly connected directly with Amaral and then back to Kelly, and finally, Ishikawa unleashed a powerful shot from the right side, but it went to the right of the goal. Tokyo overwhelmed Kyoto in the battle on the flanks, relying on Amaral's stable hold-up play and the passes generated by Kelly's abundant movement.

TOKYO Sparkle

That goal changed the complexion of the game entirely; forced to attack in earnest Purple Sanga lost their defensive balance and space suddenly opened up for F.C.TOKYO. A sweeping move from a Miyazawa interception in the 27th minute nearly produced a second and four minutes later Ishikawa let rip with a thunderous free kick from 35 meters that whistled narrowly wide. TOKYO were on fire, producing gorgeous one touch football that threatened to overwhelm the opposition. In the 36th minute Toda and Fujiyama played a one-two in the heart of the Kyoto defense that allowed the latter to float a teasing cross into the danger area. Soon after another rapid exchange of passes sliced the home defense open but Ishikawa fired the wrong side of the post. Kelly dominated the midfield; Amaral, with the ball seemingly glued to his boot confounded the defense as TOKYO swept forward along both wings.

The fierce battle ends with Tokyo on top! Avenge against Kyoto and achieve the first three consecutive wins of the season!

　Tokyo, revived by Amaral's goal, launched an ideal attack from the sides and developed the game at their own rhythm. However, just before the end of the first half, in the 41st and 42nd minutes, and during stoppage time, decisive moments were created from the individual skills of Park from Kyoto. In particular, in the 42nd minute, Park charged forward alone on a counterattack, and although Jean barely stopped him inside the penalty area, his incredible acceleration and determination for the ball were extraordinary. The first half ended with a score of 1-0, and the match moved into the second half.

　During halftime, Coach Hara instructed, "Be careful of Matsui and Park's movements. Make sure to mark them closely again. We are leading 1-0, but don't think we can just defend. Let's play good football at our own rhythm. We have often lost games where we went into halftime leading 1-0 and were overturned in the second half, but today we must win for sure. We need to change that. The issues arise at the start, so let's stay focused." He then sent the players back onto the pitch.

　The second half began, and it was Tokyo that first seized a big chance. In the 1st minute, Kaji broke through the right side with a brilliant feint and delivered a cross that Amaral headed towards the goal. The opposing goalkeeper made a fantastic save, but Toda was there to follow up and score! Or so everyone thought, but the referee ruled it offside. Given that it was a decisive moment, it became a regrettable phantom goal. However, Tokyo did not lose heart and continued to launch even more intense attacks in search of an additional goal.

　In the 4th minute, a back pass from Asari was too short, leading to a dangerous situation where the opponent seized the ball and took a powerful shot. However, just after that, in the 5th minute, a through pass from Amaral found Kelly, who was free up front, and he faced the GK one-on-one, attempting a looping shot that unfortunately went just over the bar. In the 9th and 11th minutes, Ishikawa broke through on both sides, delivering exquisite crosses to create chances. In the 13th minute, Amaral received the ball in front of the goal and, seeing the opponent's marking was weak, took a shot, but it went straight to the GK. In the 16th minute, Amaral made a powerful right-footed shot after a solo dribble through the center, but it narrowly missed to the left of the goal. In the 18th minute, Kelly connected a corner kick from the right with a back header, and Amaral dropped it centrally from behind, where DF Jean unleashed a powerful volley from close range, but it was also saved by the opponent's GK with a superb save, preventing a goal.

　Kyoto was not silent either. In the 19th minute, they broke through the left side on a counterattack and took a shot inside the penalty area, but it went across in front of GK Doi and to the left of the goal. Then in the 23rd minute, a small clearance from the defense allowed the ball to roll in front of Park in front of the goal, and Park unleashed a powerful shot, but Doi caught it firmly. In the 27th minute, another small clearance in front of the Tokyo goal was intercepted by the opponent, and finally, Kurobe took a strong shot, but it just missed to the right of the goal. Right after this, there was a moment where Doi shouted to his teammates, lacking concentration in their play.

　The intense battle between the two teams grew fiercer as time passed, creating a tense atmosphere in the stadium that left everyone breathless. It was clear to all that the next goal would determine the outcome. Kyoto's determination for victory was tremendous, but Tokyo's defense, centered around Doi, was also focused, with center players Shigeno and Jean responding with fierce play.

　The coach's philosophy was reflected in the player substitutions. In the 22nd minute, FW Fukuda was brought on to replace the fatigued Toda. By introducing a forward instead of a defender at this time, it instilled a renewed sense of "we will attack" in the players on the pitch. Ultimately, this strategy paid off. The team, which had been somewhat on the back foot, reorganized their attacking stance. In the 32nd minute, Fukuda broke through on the left side and unleashed a powerful shot. Although it hit the side netting and did not result in a goal, it gave courage to his teammates and instilled fear in the opponents. Furthermore, in the 34th minute, a pass from Amaral to Kelly connected, and Kelly dribbled in and took a shot from the center, but it went over the goal.

　With 3 minutes remaining, it was Dohi's stage from here on. In the 42nd minute, he calmly caught a free kick from the left side. Then, in the 44th minute, he fiercely rushed out to intercept a through pass from Park, catching it just a moment before the opposing forward and preventing a crisis. In stoppage time, a Kyoto player received another pass from Park and unleashed a powerful shot from close range, but Dohi made a super save, deflecting it and preventing a goal. The match ended with this score. The intense back-and-forth in an away game, especially with a one-goal difference, must have been extremely tough for the Tokyo players, but thanks to Coach Hara's tactical decisions that boosted the players' morale during that time, and with everyone focusing around Dohi and fighting until the end, they were able to repay their debt to Kyoto and finally achieve their first three consecutive wins of the season. However, this three-game winning streak is merely a stepping stone, and they must not forget their determination to repay their debts in the upcoming revenge series. The true strength of Tokyo will be tested from here on.

[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "Kyoto has Matsui returning, and Park is coming forward more than ever, so it will be difficult to contain both of them. Also, since Kyoto is on a losing streak, I expected them to come at us aggressively, and they did just that. However, when they push forward, we can target the space behind them, and I thought it would turn into a battle on the sides. Indeed, the first goal came from Ishikawa's cross on the left side, which Amaral scored. In the second half, Kyoto brought in midfielder Atsuta by pulling back their defense, so I thought we would be able to attack more, but we also created some close chances with Toda and Kelly. It was a tough match, but I'm happy we won. This is our first three consecutive wins, but the performance was not satisfactory at all. Especially at the end, we went through a really tough period, but Doih was excellent in organizing the defense."

[Kyoto - Summary of Coach ENGELS' Press Conference] "We were caught in Amaral's favorite pattern. It was a young team, and without a leader, we couldn't change the rhythm, but they really did well until the end. The fighting spirit was evident, and I want to praise the players. It's unfortunate that we lost the match, but I think we improved compared to the last game."

Revenge Is Sweet

As half time approached dynamic Kyoto forward Park embarked on a series of lone forays at the TOKYO defence; Jean and Kaji held firm and the first half ended 1-0 to TOKYO.
With manager Hara's half time warning not to forget the games where a fine first period had been negated by a second half loss of concentration ringing in their ears the TOKYO eleven returned to the field in determined mood. "
We are going to win today. Concentrate" was his final instruction.
Within 60 seconds of the restart TOKYO had the ball in the Kyoto net.
Ishikawa crossed from the right, Amaral out jumped the defence for the third time only to see the keeper produce a spectacular save and Kelly bundled the rebound over the line. Offside was the official verdict and the "goal" was disallowed. If TOKYO were disappointed it didn't show as they tore into the home defence in search of a second goal. In the 50th minute Amaral bisected the Kyoto back line with a glorious through ball that left Kelly with only the keeper to beat; his lob cleared the bar by a whisker. In the 54th and 55th minutes Ishikawa took his turn to roast the home defence before Amaral produced some sleight of foot to create a couple of shooting opportunities out of nothing. Jean came closest to extending the lead in the 63rd minute as he met Kelly's back header from a corner with a vehement volley that the Kyoto keeper saved at point blank range.
From around the middle of the second period Kyoto began to creep back into the match with the irrepressible Park as the chief danger. He seized on a couple of loose clearances by the TOKYO defence but goalkeeper Doi held his best efforts. Sensing the momentum falter manager Hara, adhering to the old dictum of attack being the best form of defence, replaced the visibly tiring Toda with forward Fukuda. His muscular prescience and hard running proved sufficient distraction to the Kyoto defence and he nearly doubled the lead in the 77th minute with a powerful blast that found the side netting.
As the game entered the final few minutes the TOKYO defence girded its collective loins in anticipation of a final onslaught. Led by Park, Kyoto swarmed at TOKYO but Doi, with steely resolve, smothered, blocked and plucked the ball out of the air. He saved the best for last: deep into injury time Park released a colleague in the area but Doi beat away his blast from point blank range.
The final whistle sounded immediately and TOKYO had gained their revenge for the first stage defeat. Not only that: a rock solid defensive performance with Doi outstanding, sparkling attack, an inspired substitution by the manager and, most importantly, unbroken concentration for the full 90 minutes had secured the three points. Revenge is sweet. Vegalta are next.

F.C. TOKYO Manager Hara:
" As I expected, the returning Park and Matsui were pushed forward and we knew the key was to stop them. With Kyoto on a losing streak, we assumed they would come out flying and that would leave space down the flanks if only we could get behind the defense. As it was, we scored when Ishikawa made some space on the left and put in a great cross for Amaral. In the second half, the Kyoto defense played a little deeper and Kelly and Toda did very well for us. It was a hard game and I'm very pleased to have won.
We have now won three straight, but we can't be satisfied with the quality of our play. The later stages were very nerve-wracking, but with Doi at the center, we defended well."

Kyoto manager Engels:
" We got caught cold by a typical Amaral goal.
Although we have a young team without a natural leader to really change the tempo of our play, the team fought well to the end. They showed their fighting spirit and, even though we lost, I want to praise them for their performance ".