The crucial match aiming for victory

　The 2nd Stage Sec. 14 will be against Verdy 1969. This will be the final home game of the season, and Tokyo is currently in 5th place with 20 points. Verdy is also in 6th place with the same points, making this a crucial match for both teams as they still have hopes for the championship.

　On the 19th (Wednesday), in the match against Cameroon for the Japan national team, Dohi, Moniwa, and Kaji were called up. However, Moniwa returned to Tokyo due to a right ankle sprain during training camp. Today, he will make a forced appearance while being cautious of his injury. On the other hand, Amaral, who will start in today's match, will achieve his 100th appearance in J1. This is a match that cannot be lost, especially for Amaral, who has been leading the team so far. Verdy, on the other hand, will have their ace, Mboma, playing as part of the Cameroon national team. However, they are missing key players like midfielder Ramon and Yoshiyuki KOBAYASHI due to injuries, making it impossible to field their best lineup. The condition of both teams will also be a key point in this game.

　The crucial match for survival in the championship gathered 32,781 spectators under a calm, clear sky despite the low temperature, heating up even before the match began. The game started with a kickoff from Tokyo.

Making the most of each other's strengths, the tense developments continue

　At the start, Tokyo frequently picked up loose balls and pressed near the Verdy goal. Verdy, on the other hand, kept their defensive line high and found their rhythm with direct passes. In the 6th minute, they picked up a loose ball from a left cross, and FW Hiramoto took a shot. In the 8th minute, Tokyo responded with a quick attack; Toda headed a shot on target from Ishikawa's cross. In the 10th minute, Ishikawa won a corner kick on the right side, and after the clearance, he took a shot. In the 12th minute, Amaral headed down a free kick from Miyazawa, and Ishikawa made a run, but the opposing goalkeeper caught the ball just ahead of him. In the 16th minute, Kelly passed to Amaral, who was free in the left penalty area and made a run toward the center of the goal, but the final pass was blocked by a defender. In the 19th minute, Verdy had a chance. Hiramoto, who had moved to the left side, dribbled forward and passed to Emboma in the center. Emboma's shot went just wide to the right. In the 21st minute, after a pass interception in midfield, the ball reached Jean, who had pushed forward. He ran up the right side and crossed. Kelly, free at the far post, headed the ball but missed the target.

　Verdy connects passes and takes control, but Tokyo intercepts and launches speedy attacks to create chances. With a tense development, today's match was expected to be difficult. In the 29th minute, Kelly received a pass just outside the area, turned, and shot. This also narrowly missed the goal. In the 32nd minute, Tokyo's left side was breached by the combination of DF Yanagisawa and MF Tanaka, leading to a pass to the free Mboma in the center, creating a crisis. However, Mboma, losing his balance, could not shoot and passed to DF Atsuhiro MIURA who came up for support. Tokyo's defense quickly closed in, preventing MIURA from taking a shot.

　After that, although they allowed frequent attacks on the Tokyo goal starting from Tanaka, they did not let any decisive scenes develop. In the 38th minute, a shot from MF Yamada, who picked up a loose ball from a corner kick, went over the goal. In the 43rd minute, Kaji, who moved inside, passed to the right side. Ishikawa's cross was met with a header by Toda at the far side, but it went wide. Unable to convert a great chance, they headed into the second half.

Unable to convert the opportunity into a goal

　In the second half, Verdy completely pushed Tokyo back with their fast passing from the start. However, Tokyo launched a counterattack from their resilient defense. In the 48th minute, Kelly dribbled solo on a counter and sent a final pass to Amaral, but it was blocked by the DF. In the 49th minute, Kanazawa shot from a side change by Miyazawa, but the GK caught it. In the 50th minute, Yamada headed a cross from Tanaka's post play for Verdy. In the 52nd minute, Tokyo created a chance from a free kick by Miyazawa. Ishikawa picked up a cleared ball from the defense, persisted, and crossed after cutting back against the opposing DF on the right side. Toda timed his header perfectly, but unfortunately, it went just over the goal. In the 56th minute, Kaji broke past the opposing DF on the right side and passed to Amaral, but Toda jumped in for the cross, and the decisive shot was thwarted by a fine save from the opposing GK.

　As chances were created but not converted, sighs were heard from the stands. However, Verdy connected a flowing direct pass in the 58th minute to attempt a central breakthrough and launched a wave attack. But the final shot from the holding midfielder Lins was cut off by Tokyo's concentrated defense. Shortly after, Tokyo threatened Verdy's goal with consecutive set pieces from a free kick and a corner kick, but they were unable to score. In the 63rd minute, Verdy had a decisive opportunity. After a post from Mboma, Lins shifted to the left, and the final shot came from substitute forward Sakurai. In the 65th minute, Tokyo received a long pass from Jean on the right side, and Kelly used Toda in front of the goal as a decoy to pass into the left space. Free, Ishikawa took a shot at just the right moment, but it went well wide of the goal.

　It was indeed a back-and-forth battle that showcased each team's strengths, but in the 65th minute, Tokyo substituted Miura with Abe. They decided to go for it with Miyazawa as the lone defensive midfielder. Tokyo gained momentum with Abe's fresh movements up front. In the 69th minute, Ishikawa dribbled up the right side and passed to Abe in the center. When Abe laid it back, Kanazawa, who made a run, was free to shoot. However, the shot went over the goal. Immediately after that, from a free kick, Amarao dropped the ball, and Abe's shot was saved by the goalkeeper. They just couldn't find the back of the net, and the unpleasant scenario from the previous match against Gamba Osaka crossed their minds.

Abe's goal significantly brought the victory closer, but...

　However, in the 75th minute, Kelly received a pass from Kanazawa and surged forward with a dribble. With the expectations of the stands on him, Kelly cut deep into the left side and sent a perfectly timed cross. Abe, who was waiting at the far side, struck a header into the goal! With Kelly's breakthrough ability and Abe's finishing power shining through, they secured a precious opening goal, significantly pulling them closer to victory in what seemed to be a tense "one-point match"!

　However, Verdy's fighting spirit did not wane. With a fierce counterattack, Tokyo found themselves on the defensive from around the 80th minute. Still, with concentrated defense, they did not allow any decisive shots, and instead tried to find a way out through counterattacks. In the 88th minute, Kelly made a solo run after intercepting a pass. However, it did not lead to a shot. Then in the 89th minute, they substituted Asari for the visibly tired Ishikawa, just as they were trying to hold on to the remaining time...

　Verdy, on the attack, has the goalkeeper move forward to receive a clear ball from Tokyo and connects directly. Atsuhiro MIURA, who received the ball slightly to the left, sends a lob forward, and the high ball is in front of the Tokyo defense. However, Jean, who was caught off guard for a moment, misjudges and is unable to touch it. Then, replacing the underperforming Mboma, Verdy forward Iio, who came on as a substitute, skillfully matches the bounce and traps the ball. Turning around, he shoots, and the ball is sucked into the goal...

　With 3 minutes of stoppage time remaining, Tokyo launched a full-scale counterattack, but their last chance did not result in a goal. They conceded an equalizer just before the end, resulting in a draw and losing out on 3 points. As a result, their hopes of winning the championship were dashed. However, after the match, all the players and Coach Hara expressed their gratitude to the fans who gathered for the last home game. They vowed to give their all in the remaining match and to fight for the upcoming Emperor's Cup.

【Player Comments】<Abe> "Kelly delivered a great ball for the goal scene. Before that, Amaral also made a good drop pass... Although it ended in a draw, everyone did their best and gave it their all. The hope for the championship is gone, but it’s meaningless if we can’t push forward from here. We want to win the final match and connect it to the Emperor's Cup." <Amaral> "There was still a chance for the championship, and since it was the last home game, I was fired up. My motivation was as high as usual, and I started the match well, but unfortunately, we conceded a goal due to a mistake. In soccer, the result is everything. Although the chance for the championship is gone, I want to keep my head up and stay positive. The support today was amazing. Not just today, but I’m always encouraged by the fans. I wanted to score and win, and although the result is disappointing, the fans’ cheers are always in my heart. When I made a lap around the stadium at the end, my emotions surged, and I felt something intense, so my greeting was different than usual. Over the past 12 years, I have felt once again how much the fans have loved me and how we have fought together. I want to keep working hard together from now on."

[Summary of Manager Hara's Press Conference] "In the final home game, since the opponent was Verdy, we really wanted to win. I thought we could win, but it is very disappointing that we were caught up by a very small play at the end. However, today, with Amaral announcing that he will retire at the end of this season, the players were emotionally charged but perhaps a bit stiff in their movements. Honestly, especially in the first half, they were too tense compared to usual. I expected Verdy to attack by connecting short passes, and Tokyo to use speed to break through both flanks, so it would be a match where both sides utilize their strengths. It became a stalemate, and I thought we couldn't score without taking risks, so I put Abe up front and reduced the defensive midfielders to one to make a decisive move. I hoped that changing the system would make Abe an accent. Abe scored as planned, so I wanted to win as is... Our challenge lies in not being able to secure the win there. Regarding the conceded goal, it was just after Asari was brought in, but it wasn't Asari's fault, nor can we blame Jaan. We tried to control the ball by bouncing a floating ball to keep possession, but we became overly cautious. If we can hold on in such situations, we can become a team that aims much higher. However, the players are giving their full strength now. Amaral has always supported this team, and the players also have the desire to win for him."

There was also pressure. However, it is true that we became more focused there. Thanks to Amaral, the other players, including the Brazilian players, are fighting seriously and earnestly. I believe the team colors have been guided by Amaral as a role model. Although the possibility of winning the league has disappeared, I want to connect to the Emperor's Cup in a good way for Amaral as well. We will improve our decisiveness and fight with all our might in the next match.

【Summary of the press conference by Verdy's coach Aldir】 "I think it was a very wonderful match. Especially in the last few minutes, we saw intense back-and-forth, and in the end, we were able to return to our original Verdy form. I am satisfied with the players. There were various issues, including injuries, before the match, but the players who stood on the pitch today gave their all, and their performance is something to be proud of. Both teams had chances to win. It ended in a draw as a result of both teams' efforts, but I believe this is a fair result. And I would like to take this opportunity to commend Amaral. He has made a significant contribution to the J-League. I respect him both as a player and as a person. He is a player who has shown how soccer should be played. I really want to say thank you for your hard work."