Grab the chance in Nabisco Cup Sec. 4!

　Following last weekend, the Nabisco Cup is being held again this match week. In Sec. 4, we will face Vissel Kobe at our home, Japan National Stadium. The Japan national team players Doi and Kaji are absent, and we will also miss Kelly and Ishikawa due to injuries, as well as Lucas due to suspension. However, U-23 representatives Moniwa, Konno, and Tokunaga will start as they did in the previous match. Forward Yusuke KONDO will make his first start of the season. Kondo has been performing well in recent practices, and his rise, along with the team's new strategies, brings great expectations.

　In the earlier match today, Kashima, who is at the top of Group D, lost to Kashiwa, so they can take the lead even with a draw. We want to make sure to take advantage of this opportunity and proceed favorably in future battles. The match started at the Japan National Stadium, which was clear and still bright, with Baba and Yusuke KONDO standing in the center circle, kicking off for Tokyo.

Creating a goal for Konno from excellent teamwork!

　Tokyo's aggressive press functioned from the start, and once they found their pace, they created chances one after another. In the 50th second, Baba connected a right throw-in to Tokunaga's cross, and Yusuke KONDO met it to win a corner kick. From this corner, Moniwa took a header shot, but it went over the goal. In the 2nd minute, Toda rushed in on a side change ball from Kobe, sprinted up to the left area, and crossed. Although they couldn't connect inside, it created a close scene.

　Kobe had a chance in the 5th minute when MF Fujimoto's cross was met by FW Kojima, resulting in a corner kick. In the 8th minute, a counterattack from the right side saw DF Park pushing forward, but the cross did not connect with FW Bando. In the 12th minute, Tokyo had a chance. Toda fiercely chased down a pass in Kobe's defensive line. After winning the ball, he sprinted towards the goal, but although he couldn't finish inside the area, he showed persistence and connected the play, leading to a precise shot from Baba. The shot was blocked by the GK and resulted in a corner kick. Then, in the 13th minute, a header shot from Konno, who connected with Baba's left corner kick, found the back of the net! Konno's ability to score shone through, having already scored two goals in the league's 1st stage against Kobe, but it was the series of plays by Toda and Baba that led to the opening goal, each utilizing their strengths to create the first score.

Suzuki dazzled with a spectacular goal! A valuable additional point with a super goal

　In the 17th minute, Asari cut off a clearance from the Kobe defender and immediately sent a through pass to the front line, but the advancing Toda was unfortunately offside. However, Tokyo quickly regained possession, with Baba maintaining control, and Yusuke KONDO distributing the ball from the post, creating a lively tempo as they approached the Kobe goal. In the 23rd minute, Yusuke KONDO was fouled after receiving a pass from Baba, earning a free kick. The position was slightly left of the goal, nearly 30 meters away. However, using Jean as a decoy, Suzuki struck with his left foot, and the ball ran across the wall, piercing the right side of the goal! This powerful kick sent the stands into a frenzy. Even after the scoring scene, the excitement lingered and spread throughout the audience.

　Tokyo took a two-goal lead with Suzuki's first J-League goal. They continued to dominate the field with lively play. In the 26th minute, from Baba's long right free kick, Konno headed the ball towards the far side, but the goalkeeper caught it. In the 27th minute, Konno received a feed from Baba and surged up the left side to cross. They picked up the loose ball and launched a wave attack. In the 28th minute, Tokunaga took a mid-range shot.

　After the 30-minute mark, there were scenes that gave Kobe a chance, but in the 39th minute, a pass to Bando, who had broken into the area, was cut off by Shiota's brave advance, preventing a crisis in advance. Just before the end of the first half, a left cross → Kondo's post → Baba aimed for the goal, but Toda, who rushed in on the loose ball, was caught offside, and the goal did not count. Although they couldn't secure an additional point, they went into the second half with a two-goal lead.

Although we conceded one goal, we secured three consecutive wins in the qualifying league and stand at the top of the group.

　Coach Hara's halftime instructions were, "A 2-0 lead is not a complete lead. Let's create opportunities on the sides and build up our play. Let's move the ball easily and attack with good rhythm." However, Baba had twisted his ankle towards the end of the first half, and the doctor judged that it might be difficult for him to play in the second half... When he was given a chance to continue, he was clearly limping (Coach Hara). For this reason, he was substituted for Fumitake MIURA in the 50th minute. In response, Kobe brought in forward Tomo MIURA to replace defensive midfielder Sugawara, preparing for a counterattack.

　Taking this opportunity, Kobe managed to find their rhythm. In the 45th minute, Fujimoto took the first shot of the second half from mid-range. In the 46th minute, from a right corner kick, DF Tsuchiya made a header shot. In the 51st minute, Fujimoto entered the left area from a quick counterattack and took a powerful shot, but Shiota made a nice save to deny it. Tokyo also had a chance in the 58th minute when Kanazawa won a corner kick on the left side, and after persistently picking up the loose ball to launch an attack, the last effort saw Konno's right cross met by Fumitake MIURA at the left end line, but it just missed the target.

　However, at the 61st minute, Yusuke KONDO received his second yellow card of the day and was sent off. With nearly 30 minutes remaining, Tokyo was forced to play with 10 men. At the 64th minute, Abe was brought on to replace Suzuki. But at the 67th minute, Toda broke into the area to meet a free kick and got into shooting position, only for the Kobe defender to cut it off just before the shot. At the 70th minute, Abe, who received a long feed from Moniwa, was fouled, and Jean aimed from the free kick, but the opposing goalkeeper made the save. After missing the chance, at the 76th minute, Kobe's Fujimoto delivered a sharp early cross, with Barato and Miura Tomo rushing into the goal area. Although the timing was off and no goal was conceded, at the 77th minute, a pass was connected from the defensive line, and Fujimoto sent a long through pass from the left side to Barato inside the area. Moniwa initially challenged him physically, but the loose ball was picked up, and Barato scored. Tokyo's defense, which had held firm until then, finally conceded a goal.

　However, Kobe launched an attack to catch up and equalize, but in the 85th minute, Bando received a second yellow card and was sent off. In the final stages, with both teams having 10 players, neither side yielded, and the match ended. Tokyo achieved victory with a score of 2 to 1, taking the top position in Group D.

【Player Comments】《Yusuke KONDO》"I was nervous, but I calmed down with the first play. However, I think I should have scored there. I was careful to drop the ball that Yuta kept without making a mistake and to move forward myself, but I think the combination was good in the first half. The red card was shocking. However, I want to keep my motivation up and prepare to continue playing in the matches." 《Suzuki》"I felt that if I hit the FK low, it would go in, and I told Jean, 'I want to take it. I want you to act as a decoy with a feint.' I didn't score in practice, and it was my first time scoring in a match. I'm not particularly confident, but I want to keep shooting whenever I have the chance. But I was completely useless aside from scoring. I want to be able to appeal during the flow of the game."

[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "The start went as planned, pressing from the front and creating opportunities from the sides and the center. We earned a corner kick, from which Konno scored following Baba's kick, and Suzuki also scored from a free kick for the second goal. There were several chances to score another goal in the first half, and we wanted to capitalize on those. In the second half, Kobe brought in Kazu, and Kojima dropped back to midfield to play more offensively. We substituted Miura Fumitake for the sprained Baba to calm the game down, but after Yusuke KONDO was sent off, things got a bit chaotic. Although we conceded one goal, the team held on well in the end. Since Kashima lost to Kashiwa, earning 3 points here was significant. Lucas was suspended, and we planned to use Abe at a crucial moment. Yusuke KONDO, who started for the first time this season, did not score but contributed well. The sending off was unfortunate, but he can play as a target man and is physically strong. Suzuki is rough around the edges but has a powerful left foot. He practiced free kicks all day yesterday, but when he puts too much power, the ball misses the target, so I told him to focus on accuracy. I also told him he needs to become a kicker like Roberto CESAR, whose run-up alone excites the stands, but I think there are very few players in Japan who can kick like that. On the right side, I want him to get past opponents more skillfully, and there are still issues like missing chances due to handballs, but he is a completely different type from Ishikawa, and I expect power and dynamism from him. The back line has become stable. The balance between Konno and Asari has improved. While refining how to score goals, we want to switch our focus to the upcoming league matches." (Regarding Konno's attacking involvement) "Initially, I imagined him as a player who covers in front of the center backs, but his characteristic is to aggressively win the ball high up and move forward rather than waiting for loose balls. I paired him with the defensively solid Asari to bring out Konno's strengths up front. Recently, I've told him to pick up the ball, distribute it, and even take another shot, and I think he has discovered the fun of scoring goals. He has also started moving forward on corner kicks. I think he showed the most attacking play throughout today’s match. I hope he continues to develop greatly."

[Summary of Coach HASEK's Press Conference] "Today was not a bad match. I want them to have confidence. The chances of advancing to the Nabisco Cup knockout stage may be small, but I still want to fight until the end. The first goal conceded was from a corner kick, so it was due to a mistake. The second goal was from a free kick, so it couldn't be helped."