2nd Stage Opening. Aiming for victory with attacking football!

　The 2nd stage kicks off today. The first match is an away game against Cerezo Osaka. FC Osaka finished the 1st stage in last place with 2 wins, 4 draws, and 9 losses. With Shinji KOBAYASHI as the new manager, they have also acquired new players: FW Furuhashi, new foreign player FW Miki, and MF Mario, as they fight to remain in J1. For Tokyo, winning this match is crucial for a strong start in the pursuit of the championship.

　Since the opening match of each stage in Tokyo, they have not lost since 2000, when they achieved 8 consecutive wins and were promoted to J1, and they want to continue this winning streak. The team has a good atmosphere with 1 win and 1 draw against strong opponents during the Spain tour, and the Japan national team members Dohi and Kaji, who won the Asian Cup, have returned to the team, approaching the opening match with confidence. Additionally, in the 1st stage, Kelly, who was limited to 4 matches due to injury, is returning to the starting lineup, and an increase in scoring ability is expected with the combination of Lucas.

Baba's goal early in the match couldn't gain momentum

　Following the meeting's instructions, Tokyo aggressively launched an attack from the start. In midfield, they connected the ball reliably, spreading it to both sides with Kaji and Kanazawa to initiate wing attacks. Then, in the 6th minute, they earned a right corner kick, and the fast ball kicked by the kicker Kurizawa was directly cleared by the opposing DF, but Kanazawa won the header in the center. The ball spilled to Jean's feet, and a right-footed shot from inside the left penalty area was miscleared by the opposing DF. It spilled right in front of Baba, who executed a diving header. The ball shook the net and went into the goal, giving Tokyo an ideal lead at the perfect moment.

　C Osaka allowed the opening goal, but with the strong hold-up play of the two forwards Nishizawa and Furuhashi, they quickly fed the ball to them and used direct passes to trouble Tokyo's defense. In the 9th minute, Nishizawa headed a middle pass from MF Hamada to Furuhashi, who was making a timely run, and shot. Although the shot did not hit the target, the rhythm of the attack gradually began to pick up. Then, in the 11th minute, C Osaka capitalized on a pass mistake from Kelly on the left side, which was picked up by MF Tokushige, who dribbled centrally and unleashed a powerful long shot. Although Doi saved it, the ball spilled in front of the goal, and Furuhashi, who was following up, pushed it into the net to equalize.

　Tokyo is having a hard time scoring additional points. In the 35th and 36th minutes, Kelly and Lucas exchanged smooth passes in the center, but they couldn't get a shot off, and the rhythm of the attack wasn't developing. In the 39th minute, Kajiyama attempted a forceful dribble to break through the center and aimed for a shot from outside the penalty area, but he missed the target by a large margin. As the deadlock continued, a momentary lapse from C Osaka, who showed signs of fatigue, led to a goal in the 41st minute. Kanazawa took a throw-in in the C Osaka territory. Baba held off the opposing DF while keeping possession and sent a return pass to Kanazawa, who surged up the left side. Despite being closed down by the opposing DF, he delivered a low trajectory cross to the center, which Kelly, who was making a run, didn't miss and pushed into the goal with his right foot to secure an additional point. The first half ended with Tokyo leading.

Abe's fine goal from a substitute appearance gave us the lead

　In the second half, the first chance comes to C Osaka. In the 51st minute, Morishima breaks through the center with a direct pass from Hamada and takes a powerful shot from outside the penalty area. Tokyo is saved by the goalpost. Tokyo also tries to break through the opponent's side with individual skills from Kurizawa and Kelly on the right side, but it does not lead to a decisive chance. With neither side able to attack effectively, C Osaka makes a move. In the 54th minute, FW Kokeuchi is brought in to replace MF Tokushige, increasing their attacking options to score. Conversely, Tokyo quickly passes the ball they regained to Lucas up front, starting a counterattack.

In the 57th minute, Kurizawa dribbled forward and passed the ball to Lucas, who shot directly at the ball that was dropped. Unfortunately, it was denied by the crossbar. Additionally, Kajiyama cut the ball in midfield and quickly sent a long feed to Kurizawa. Kurizawa sprinted down the right side and attempted a cross, but it was intercepted by the opposing DF, resulting in a corner kick. Kurizawa took the kick himself, and Jean headed the ball towards the goal. Unfortunately, it went over the top of the goal. It seemed that the pace was gradually shifting towards Tokyo, but instead, C Osaka found an opportunity to score. In the 63rd minute, taking advantage of a momentary lapse in marking, Hamada made a long shot after a direct pass from Morishima to Nishizawa, which initially hit a Tokyo DF and then spilled out, resulting in the equalizer.

　This time, Tokyo makes a move. In the 66th minute, Kelly, who showed signs of fatigue, was substituted for Abe. Tokyo aimed to take the lead with an aggressive formation, and this substitution turned out to be spot on. In the 70th minute, Abe passed to Lucas, who had drifted to the left side during a counterattack. After keeping the ball, Abe received another pass as he surged into the center, calmly assessed the position of the opposing goalkeeper, and aimed precisely to shoot from outside the penalty area. It was a fine goal that pierced the right side of the net, successfully giving Tokyo the lead for the third time.

Allowing C Osaka to make a comeback without giving up until the end

　Even after falling behind, C Osaka did not give up. In the 76th minute, DF Nuno, who came on as a substitute, sent a free kick from the left side into the center, where Morishima picked up a loose ball from a header contest in the penalty area and charged towards the goal. Unfortunately, Jean fouled Morishima from behind, resulting in a penalty kick. Nishizawa converted it, bringing the score level once again. With this goal, C Osaka completely revived and scored their first go-ahead goal of the day in the 79th minute.

　Hamada skillfully slipped through on the right side and lifted a ball into the center. Nishizawa headed it down in front of the goal, and Morishima, who ran in, took a powerful shot, allowing Tokyo to concede the lead for the first time today. Immediately after, Tokyo substituted Yusuke KONDO for Baba. Just one minute later, they brought in Mashima for Miura, and Tokyo mustered their last strength to launch an all-out attack. From the left side, Kanazawa sent in a cross, and from the right side, Yusuke KONDO also delivered a cross, but the opposing defenders cut them off with their bodies. In the 85th minute, from a corner kick earned by Kurizawa's shot, Jean headed the ball. The ball went straight to the opposing goalkeeper. Even in stoppage time, they continued to attack, but ultimately the match ended without any changes. It was an intense battle for goals, but they were defeated by C Osaka, who put their bodies on the line until the end.

【Player Comments】《Dohi》'We scored 3 goals, but conceding 4 was not good. However, with a few adjustments, there should be no issues in the next match. I felt relieved after scoring a goal, but there was some complacency. I think the attacking football the team aims for is good. Now, we just need the defense to keep a clean sheet. From the next match, I want to fight hard, one by one.' 《Kaji》'The balance in the midfield was off, and the opponent was able to keep the ball in the front line, which affected our overall rhythm. We might have also lost in the duels mentally. I want to carry today's loss into the next match.'

【Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference】 'After the break, C Osaka was very organized. I didn't expect them to come at us aggressively today, but we couldn't stop their simple and quick attacks targeting Nishizawa and Furuhashi. After they scored the second goal, I thought the pace would pick up in the second half, but it didn't. We tried to play compactly and simply, but we couldn't. C Osaka was superior in the battles for the ball. Scoring three goals shows we were able to create chances, but conceding four goals is too much. The players faced Deportivo and Roma with confidence, but we couldn't stop C Osaka's desperation. Our winning streak from the opening match has ended, but we want to regroup once more.'

[C Osaka Coach Kobayashi's Press Conference Summary] 'Over the past month, we have been practicing, and a major point of reflection is our inability to defend against crosses and how we entered the game. Today, we were able to win thanks to the mental strength of each player, but we must make corrections for the next match. However, this victory has strengthened the trust among the players and the team, and it is a significant win that will lead to future success. I am genuinely happy about today's victory.'