How to compete in the Nabisco Cup without the representative players...

　The Nabisco Cup is being held for the first time since April 29. Today is the qualifying league Sec. 3, challenging Kashiwa Reysol away. After two matches, Tokyo is in second place in Group D with 3 points, following Kobe (4 points) and tied with Kashima. The qualifying league will continue until Sec. 6, and we want to accumulate points aiming for a top two finish to advance to the Final Round.

　However, during this period, Dohi and Kaji were absent due to activities with the Japan national team, and U-19 Japan national team members Masushima and Kajiyama were also unavailable. Additionally, Kelly and Ishikawa were out due to injuries. Nevertheless, Moniwa, Konno, and Tokunaga, who are preparing for the U-23 Japan national team match against Turkey on May 26 and the match against Mali on June 1, maintained their condition despite the tough schedule and were named in the starting lineup. The formation included defenders Tokunaga, Jean, Moniwa, and Kanazawa. In the double pivot were Konno and Asari. On the left midfield was Toda, and on the right midfield was Suzuki, who was entering this position for the first time. Baba played as an attacking midfielder, with Lucas positioned at the forefront.

　On the other hand, Kashiwa is at the bottom of the league, but they still have a good chance of advancing to the knockout stage in the Nabisco Cup. This could be an opportunity for a rapid rise, making today's match important. Although Japan national team forward Tamada and midfielder Tanizawa are suspended and will miss the match, Coach Hara commented on the fact that they have been competing with only Japanese players, saying, "Just like in the 1st stage match against Shimizu, there is a fear in how solidly they can defend and come together as one," and the focus will be on how Tokyo can break through that defense. The temperature before the match rose, and under the sweaty weather, the match started with Kashiwa's kickoff.

Taking control, Jean scores the opening goal from a free kick

　At the start, both teams pressed each other, creating no chances, and the match continued evenly. However, in the 5th minute, Suzuki made a bold dribble breakthrough on the right side, resulting in a warning for the opponent's left back, Kondo. In the 6th minute, Lucas received a pass from Baba at the post, shifted to the right, and entered a shooting position after receiving a return from Suzuki. The opponent's defender was blocked, but Tokyo gradually began to seize the pace. In the 7th minute, Konno advanced and took the first shot of the day after receiving a pass from Suzuki.

　In the 12th minute, Todai broke through from the left behind the defense with Baba's exquisite through pass, creating a decisive scene. The shot had no angle and was saved by the opposing goalkeeper, but they showed great teamwork. In the 15th minute, Tokunaga took a powerful long shot that just went over the goal. Tokyo, picking up the loose ball well, created rhythm from Baba's pass, with Lucas holding up play in the front line, involving Todai and Suzuki, showcasing a smooth flow of play. In the 20th minute, a free kick was awarded to Kashiwa on the left side of the penalty area, targeting MF Kato for a goal, but Shiota made the save. As a result, Kashiwa's shots were limited to just this one in the first half.

　Then, in the 24th minute, Lucas was fouled on the left in front of the goal, earning a free kick. Using Suzuki as a decoy, Baba took a fast, low kick, and Jean, who was waiting free in front of the goal, headed the ball! The ball changed direction and was sucked into the net!! They scored the long-awaited opening goal.

Baba creates the rhythm, and Toda adds another goal aggressively

　Tokyo, completely in control, saw Lucas and Toda exchange quick passes in front of the goal at the 25-minute mark, and Yuta BABA, who had moved up to support, took a bold shot from just outside the penalty area. It narrowly missed above the target, but as Coach Hara said, "I instructed Yuta to aim for the goal as if he were in a two-top formation," his aggressive attitude towards the goal shone through.

　Then, in the 27th minute, Suzuki received a vertical pass from Tokunaga and fiercely advanced into the right penalty area, battling with the opposing defender and showing persistence. The ball was temporarily taken away, but the clearance went to Baba in front of the goal. Without hesitation, Baba took a low shot that deflected off the goalkeeper's hand, and Toda followed up to kick it into the goal! Although it was a goal that involved a mistake from the opponent, Suzuki, Baba, and Toda each fulfilled their roles perfectly and scored an additional goal as intended.

　Kashiwa's attack saw Asari and Konno in midfield, while Jean and Shigeno concentrated on cutting off plays in the front line, preventing any real chances from being created. They also connected wide attacks from the defensive line. In the 35th minute, Baba's through pass found Toda in the center, who directed it to the right. From the right penalty area, Lucas took a sharp shot, but unfortunately it went just over the goal. In the 43rd minute, Baba, seeing he was free in midfield, took a surprising long shot. It was saved by the opposing goalkeeper, but it was a well-placed shot that continued to threaten the Kashiwa goal, leading to a 2-goal advantage at halftime.

Each player showcased their strengths and achieved a convincing victory with a shutout

　In the second half, Kashiwa brought in MF Hirayama, who had been out of the team for a long time due to injury. They tried to create chances starting from the left side, but Tokyo's offensive pressure remained unchanged. Right after the start, Lucas made a through pass from a hold-up play to the front line. Suzuki got behind the defensive line but was just slightly offside. In the 50th minute, Toda received a pass from Baba in the left space, cut inside, and took a powerful shot. The goalkeeper blocked it, but Konno picked up the loose ball on the right side and crossed it into the center. Baba aimed for the goal with an overhead kick. In the 51st minute, Suzuki, who broke into the right space, won a corner kick, and from this corner, Konno made a header shot. They picked up the loose ball and continued the attack, progressing through the match without any trouble.

　In the 60th minute, Baba, surrounded by defenders, maintained possession and passed to Toda on the left side. Toda's shot struck the goalkeeper directly, but Baba's dominating performance overwhelmed Kashiwa. In the 64th minute, after chasing down the ball in the front line, Toda stole it, and Kanazawa followed up with a cross. Once again, nobody was able to connect with Toda's final pass in front of the goal, but the attack continued to be invigorated as if inspired by Baba's play.

　Kashiwa substituted DF Watanabe for DF Komine in the 72nd minute, switching to a three-back formation to launch a counterattack. In the 75th minute, Hirayama delivered a precise early cross that FW Yamashita headed down, but Kato's follow-up was caught quickly by Shiota. Tokyo substituted Wu for Suzuki in the 68th minute and Abe for Lucas in the 76th minute. Just after that, in the 77th minute, Kashiwa regained possession high up the pitch, and Baba made a brilliant last pass that floated perfectly to Abe, who exploited the space behind the advancing opponent's DF. Abe, with a quick one-touch, took a well-aimed looping shot while keeping an eye on the pursuing DF, but unfortunately, it was blocked by the post.

　In the 81st minute, the ball was taken away due to a defensive lapse in the right midfield, and as the defender was drawn to the center of the goal, Hirayama, who was free in the left penalty area, took a shot. However, this was saved nicely by Shiota, escaping the danger. In the 84th minute, Miura came on for Baba, who was taken off for precautionary reasons. After tightening up the match, in the 89th minute, a chance was created from Konno's switch to the side, with Abe on the left → Kō on the center → Toda in front of the goal, leading to a wide development. Shortly after, Jean dropped Miura's corner kick, and although Toda followed up, it did not result in a goal. In the end, despite creating chances one after another, they could not score an additional goal, and the match ended. However, they completely shut down Kashiwa's attack, which was not very spirited, resulting in a comfortable victory where each player showcased their strengths. Since Kashima won by a three-goal margin against Kobe, both teams surpassed Kobe with 6 points, but due to goal difference, they fell short of rising to first place by 1 point behind Kashima.

【Player Comments】《Baba》"In the last league match against Kashima, I played as a forward, but today I played as an attacking midfielder and I think I was able to achieve good results. However, I still wanted to score myself. For the free kick, I had been thinking about kicking a fast ball since practice, so I was able to kick it as I imagined. For the second goal, I aimed to shoot with a low ball to get it on target. I want to keep increasing the pace and attacking like this from now on." 《Suzuki》"It was my first time playing on the right side, but I thought it would be good if I could show my characteristic of 'going forward' and play that targets the space behind. In the early stages, I gave the opponent a warning with a dribble breakthrough, and I thought I could take control from there, but there are still areas where I need to improve. I was read on the left, so it would have been better if I could have broken through vertically more. (I was the starting point for the second goal) I want to challenge myself to be able to play in any position without being satisfied with this."

[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "Our current challenge is to score goals. The defense has become stable, but the forwards, especially the strikers, have not been scoring. Of course, there have been changes in the lineup, but today Kelly, Baba, Suzuki, and Lucas, who came in for Ishikawa, did well. Until now, we have been taking too long in our attacks, so we talked about being proactive in shooting, picking up loose balls, and crossing from the outside. We were able to score in the way we aimed for and secured three points. Baba and Toda's proactive attitude is commendable, and Lucas was involved, creating a good tempo in our play. Until now, we have used Kelly and Kajiyama in central positions, but Baba must have felt he could do it too. Today, he had a cutback with a one-touch and a pass to Toda on the outside, showing he has qualities that cannot be taught. He can also pass, so there were many situations where he didn't shoot himself, like in the match against Kashima in the previous league round, but he originally has shooting power, and I want him to score more goals. If he plays like today, he can be counted as a valuable asset. Also, Suzuki is rising with the momentum to take Ishikawa's position, and such developments will elevate the overall strength of the team. Shigeno, Konno, and Tokunaga were focused, and Kure and Abe also showcased their strengths. Shiota has not been able to play much behind Doi, but he must have gained confidence by keeping a clean sheet. Growth is expected. And right now, the most effective player is Asari. He played the role of a supporting actor, holding everything together. I believe his contributions are supporting the team. Next, we return home, and we want to score and aim for three points."

[Summary of Coach Iketani's Press Conference] "In the current team situation, conceding the first goal is very damaging. We are struggling to score, and this is the best we can do. I want to find a way to win next time, but the players have lost their confidence, so I want to help them regain it. Hirayama is making his return after about six months, and while he is not in his best condition, we have a plan to use him from the start next time. His return is a plus."