Battle Aiming for Consecutive Wins

　Sec. 10 will face Hiroshima, currently in 10th place, at home. After a one-week interval from the previous match, this game is scheduled for Sunday. Depending on the results of other matches held yesterday, if we can earn 3 points today, we can expect to move up the rankings. This is also a match where we aim for our third consecutive win and want to attack aggressively at home.

　Kelly, who had been sidelined due to injury, finally makes his return to this match. He is still not in top form, and Coach Hara mentioned, "If he can last even 45 minutes," but he is included in the starting lineup, taking a gamble from the first half. The formation also includes Kajiyama on the left MF and Tokunaga, a specially designated player, on the right SB.

　Hiroshima, on the other hand, has been in good form without a loss since the 5th round. Similar to Tokyo, they have been extending their points with attacks using the flanks and solid defense, currently on a winning streak after three draws. This match will be a battle aiming for their third consecutive win. The game started with Hiroshima's kickoff as light rain began to fall from the cloudy sky.

Both teams have a high defensive awareness, resulting in a back-and-forth development.

　From the start, both teams applied pressure and fought for possession. The ball remained in play, and the back-and-forth battle continued. In the 4th minute, Ishikawa, who held on on the right side, earned a corner kick for Tokyo. In the 5th minute, Hiroshima connected the goal kick, and midfielder Hiroshi Morisaki, who moved forward, took a shot. In the 12th minute, Tokyo connected Ishikawa to Kelly to Konno, and Konno sent a shot-like ball forward from mid-range, but it was offside.

　In the 16th minute, Ishikawa, who had drifted to the left area from a free kick, took Tokyo's first shot. In the 20th minute, Asari sent a long ground pass to the right space, and the advancing Ishikawa won a right corner kick. In the 21st minute, after winning the ball on the right side, Lucas passed to Asari in the center, and then to Kajiyama on the left, utilizing the field widely. Finally, Fujiyama's cross found Ishikawa, who was free in the right area, but he couldn't time his shot correctly on the slippery pitch.

　Ishikawa often becomes the starting point, adding accents to Tokyo's attacks, but time passed without creating any decisive scenes. In the 22nd minute, Jean headed a shot from a free kick. In the 31st minute, Kelly competed for a header in front of the goal from Konno's early cross from the right, but both went over the goal. In the 32nd minute, Ishikawa boldly aimed for the goal during a fast break, but the cross went out. They could not break through Hiroshima's thick midfield, which sometimes solidified into a five-back defense.

Revival! Kelly's header gives the lead, but...

　In the 33rd minute, Hiroshima's midfielder Komano dribbled forward and passed to Hiroshi Morisaki. Morisaki, who was holding the ball in the right area, took a powerful cross that resembled a shot, but Doih was able to save it. A momentary lapse in concentration could lead to a goal, so they must remain vigilant.

　However, Tokyo intercepted the ball in the opponent's territory for 37 minutes and advanced towards the Hiroshima goal. Although it was initially deflected by the defense, Asari calmly picked it up and passed it to Ishikawa on the right. Ishikawa then cut back to the center and delivered a cross with his left foot. Kelly headed it in front of the goal, scoring! With Ishikawa's beautifully arced pinpoint cross, Kelly's goal made a strong impression of his comeback, giving Tokyo the lead from the flow of the game!!

　Tokyo wanted to gain momentum from this opportunity, but they couldn't find their rhythm. Right after taking the lead, Lucas injured his right foot. In the 43rd and 44th minutes, Hiroshima attempted to counterattack by winning corner kicks from consecutive crosses and shots, pushing the DF line back. Then came the stoppage time. From a throw-in, Hiroshima connected from the left area with FW Thiago to MF Hattori, leading to a cross. Although the Tokyo DF cleared it, the loose ball was picked up, and a pass was made to Komano just in front of the right area. Fujiyama went to check Komano, but the play resulted in a foul due to a body check. A penalty kick was awarded, which FW Thiago converted, equalizing the score. They were caught up during a regrettable time period.

Brought to a draw in front of Hiroshima's organized play

　The match returned to square one, and the second half was set to be decisive, but Hiroshima had Kazushi Morisaki enter as a defensive midfielder, and with a formation close to a four-back system where midfielder Lee took care of the sides, they managed to contain Tokyo's attacks. Their play was clearly targeted; when they pressed and regained possession, they quickly passed the ball to Thiago up front, creating a shape where both sides advanced and players from the back surged forward. In the 48th minute, when Hiroshi Morisaki received a switch from the right on the left side, he passed it back, and Hattori, who had surged up the center, took a shot. The final accuracy was somewhat lacking, so it didn't become an absolute crisis for Tokyo, but conversely, they couldn't create the attacking shape they desired.

　In the 50th minute, Abe was brought on for Lucas. However, in the 54th minute, Hiroshima had a chance. Receiving a through pass from Hiroki Morisaki, Thiago's shot from in front of the goal hit the crossbar. In the 57th minute, Tokyo's Ishikawa made a quick ground cross after a combination with Kelly. Abe tried to connect in front of the goal but was blocked by the defense. In the 58th minute, Abe, who had advanced down the left side, created a chance with a sharp cross, and shortly after, Abe headed a cross from Kajiyama. However, it went straight to the goalkeeper. Tokyo, starting to find their pace, lacked the final touch and could not score.

　In the 68th minute, Hiroshima substituted Lee for forward Oki. In the 75th minute, Tokyo replaced Ishikawa with Kaji, and in the 80th minute, they substituted Kelly for Baba. Tokunaga moved up to midfield, with Baba on the left and Kajiyama in the center, aiming to take the lead. However, in the 82nd minute, Kaji's cross resulted in a collision between Abe and Kajiyama in front of the goal, preventing a shot. In the 88th minute, Kajiyama leaped in from the far side to meet Konno's left cross but narrowly missed. In the 89th minute, Konno's shot after a pass from Kaji to Baba, breaking through on the left side, was also caught by the goalkeeper. Despite a fierce attack in the closing stages, they could not convert it into a goal. The match ended in a draw, earning them 1 point.

[Player Comments]《Kelly》"I'm happy to have scored in the match I returned to, but it's disappointing that we couldn't win. I'm still not at my physical best, and there were times when I couldn't find the rhythm of the game. (There were many scenes where I was positioned in front of the goal) On the other hand, it may have been tough to move around in midfield due to conditioning issues." 《Tokunaga》"I wanted to achieve a (victory) result. Throughout the 90 minutes, I tried to create opportunities in the spaces on the sides, but after moving up to midfield, I struggled with the combinations. I wanted to move the ball around, switch sides, and deliver crosses from the outside, but..."

[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "There were boos from the stands, but we simply had too few shots. It was slippery due to the rain, but overall, our ball movement wasn't good. As we scored, I wanted to break down the sides a bit more simply. Hiroshima was solid and stable. If we took our time, they would tighten their defense, so I wanted to attack more quickly. Kelly is still not in top form, but I decided to use him so the team can aim higher from now on. Considering his track record and skills, I wanted him to start, so I boldly put him in the starting lineup, and he scored. However, this season, we have had little time to practice together, and the rhythm of getting the ball to him has been slow. I believe this goal will help the team improve. Regarding the goals conceded, if we had played a bit more clearly after the corner kick and throw-in, that penalty wouldn't have happened. Kajiyama is originally a central player, but today, due to the rain, there were some rough touches, yet he made passes to Abe and made moves into the penalty area, so I don't think he can't play on the left side. I want to create a situation where the ball settles with him and Kelly, and the surrounding players get involved. Today, Lucas had a bruise and was substituted, but he was involved, and the right side was supported by Ishikawa, Kaji, and Tokunaga. We need to value the ball more, connect simply, and thoroughly execute side attacks, improving that quality. It's important to continue working to score in good situations. I believe it's essential to align our combinations."

[Hiroshima Coach Ono's Press Conference Summary] "I wanted to somehow secure the three points, but unfortunately, we couldn't. It may have been a frustrating result for FC Tokyo as well, but I think it was a wonderful match today. This is because the opponents we have faced so far have mostly focused on defense and aimed for counterattacks with two or three players. Of course, they have the ability to score that way, but Tokyo was different as they participated in the attack from the defensive line. We also attacked with numbers, and both teams kept pushing forward with aggressive attacks until the end, maintaining focus throughout. In that sense, the result was disappointing, but the players did well until the very end."