Only aiming for victory at home

　In the last match, Tokyo achieved their first victory in 10 games away against Oita. However, they continue to face tough battles in the Nabisco Cup qualifying league. Currently, Chiba is in first place in Group C with 9 points, and Kashiwa is in second place with 6 points, so Tokyo, in third place with 4 points, must win this match to have a chance at advancing to the Final Round. They aim to secure 3 points and seek revenge against Kashiwa, who has defeated them twice this season.

　In the match against Oita, the formation of 4-4-2 with Toda and Yusuke KONDO as the two forwards worked well. This time, due to Lucas's injury and Kurizawa's poor physical condition, we will adopt a formation with Miyazawa in the left midfield. Additionally, Miura will make his first start of the season, partnering with Konno as double defensive midfielders. Coach Hara expressed his expectations, saying, "By placing Miura in front of the defensive line, we can achieve balance. I hope he can create rhythm with his voice and experience."

　Kashiwa, who suffered a heavy defeat of 1-5 against Chiba in the previous match, is currently in a favorable position at 2nd place. Midfielders Myojin and Tanizawa have returned from injury, and the midfield lineup has been significantly changed since the last match. Additionally, forward Yamashita made his first start in the Nabisco Cup. The match, which neither team can afford to lose, started at 15:03 at Ajinomoto Stadium under cloudy skies.

Suppressing Kashiwa's counter, advancing with an advantage but...

　In the 2nd minute, the first shot of the day was taken by Ishikawa. He picked up a loose ball on the right side, moved inside, and boldly shot. In the 3rd minute, Todai received a right throw-in from Fujita and attempted a shot, but it did not hit. In the 5th minute, Todai rushed out for a floating ball pass, but was offside. In the 12th minute, the ball was stolen in the midfield of their own side, and Kureber from Kashiwa dribbled forward. He brought the ball into the right area and shot, but Shiota caught it. The early stages continued with both sides fighting for possession and fast-paced attacks, but gradually Tokyo found their rhythm, focusing on set plays.

　In the 14th minute, there was a free kick from the left area. Miyazawa's kick saw Yusuke KONDO and Jean dive in front of the goal, but they just missed it. In the 17th minute, Miura dashed into the right area to meet a free kick from the opponent's side, winning a corner kick. In the 26th minute, KREBER stole a loose ball and advanced, drawing in the DF to make a last pass to the free MF Ohno on the left. A shot was taken, but Fujita quickly returned to cut it off. In the 28th minute, from an attack initiated by KREBER, DF Hato delivered a right cross. It flowed to the left where FW Unosawa crossed again. No one connected in the center, but they tried to create a chance from a wide attack. However, immediately after, a big chance came for Tokyo. In the 29th minute, Kanazawa sent a wedge pass to the front line, picked up a loose ball from the opponent's DF, advanced to the front of the goal, and made a last pass to the left for Yusuke KONDO. Yusuke KONDO shot from the left of the goal area while free, but was blocked by the GK.

　Tokyo missed an early chance to score, but Yusuke KONDO worked hard to dispel the negative atmosphere. In the 31st minute, he received a right cross from Ishikawa with a skillful trap and attempted to turn and shoot, but the Kashiwa defender cut it off just in time. In the following 32nd minute, he broke free from a floated pass from Yu FUJITA, but his trap was slightly too heavy, resulting in a save from the opposing goalkeeper. Tokyo continued to dominate, and in the 36th minute, Ishikawa attempted a central breakthrough, with FUJITA catching up to a loose ball from the defender and delivering a right cross. KONDO was behind and headed the ball, but it went to the left of the goal. In the 44th minute, there was a free kick from the right side of the opponent's half. Miyazawa connected with a short pass, and Kanazawa took a shot from distance, but it went over the bar. Both full-backs were actively involved in the attack, and although they advanced the game favorably, they could not score. However, they effectively contained Kashiwa's counterattacks and went into halftime without conceding a goal.

Fierce attack ends in a scoreless draw

　Tokyo seized the pace in the second half. However, Kashiwa countered with passionate defense. In the 53rd minute, a scramble continued in front of the Kashiwa goal, and Yusuke KONDO picked up the loose ball tenaciously and took a clean shot. He struck Kashiwa's goalkeeper Minami, but was thwarted by a nice save. In the 58th and 59th minutes, there were consecutive corner kick opportunities. Ishikawa's right corner was headed down by Konno, but the bounce was too high and went over the bar. In the 61st minute, Kashiwa connected passes in front of the goal, and DF Ryo Kobayashi's shot hit a defender. Shiota was caught off guard, but FW Unosawa, who ran to pick up the loose ball, was offside.

　In a situation where decisive blows were hard to come by, in the 65th minute, Seigo KOBAYASHI was brought on for Miura as a left midfielder, and Miyazawa moved to the defensive midfield position. In the 67th minute, a left free kick from Miyazawa was cleared by the Kashiwa defender. Kanazawa made a bold attempt from the middle after running onto the loose ball, but it narrowly went to the right. After the 75th minute, there was a flurry of counterattacks, leading to a rapid series of developments. In response, Tokyo substituted Baba in for Miyazawa as an attacking midfielder. Konno moved to a single defensive midfield role to take on the challenge. Shortly after, from a counterattack, KOBAYASHI sent a lofted pass to Toda running on the right flank. Toda caught up and took a shot but missed the target. In the 80th minute, Yusuke KONDO was fouled, earning a free kick just outside the area, slightly to the left. From this free kick, a short play was executed from Ishikawa to Jean, and Yusuke KONDO took a shot but it went to the right.

　Tokyo's defense held strong, and Kashiwa's attack lost momentum. From around the 80th minute, Tokyo launched a one-sided offensive. However, in the 87th minute, after connecting a left corner kick, Ishikawa delivered a left cross. The GK punched it away, but Yusuke KONDO picked up the loose ball and unleashed a powerful volley, only to be denied by the opposing GK Minami, who managed to regain his balance and make another save. Minami's miraculous play thwarted the attempt. In the 85th minute, Kobayashi delivered a cross from a left throw-in. Yusuke KONDO tried to head the rebound from the GK's save into the net, but it went over the goal. In stoppage time, Ishikawa made a fierce run down the right side. Toda dove in to meet the sharp cross at the far post, but the shot went left. It was a more 'Tokyo-like football' than in the previous match against Oita, as they aimed to score a goal, but it remained elusive, ending in a scoreless draw. However, the hope of advancing to the final tournament has not been extinguished. With a glimmer of hope, they will face Chiba in the final match of the qualifying league.

　【Player Comments】《Miura》"The balance is good, and I didn't feel like we were going to be outplayed by the opponent. We are creating chances, but we need to convert them into victories. It's important to create more opportunities to increase our chances. We just have to keep challenging ourselves without giving up and continue from practice." 《Yusuke KONDO》"In the two-top formation, there is a certain division of roles where Todasan goes behind and I play closer to the ball, so it's easier for me... (Was there a decisive moment?) I wasn't in a hurry, but perhaps I was too calm and that was a problem... In any case, we lack finishing power. I want to make sure to score next time after continuing to practice." 《Ishikawa》"We are getting more chances, and we haven't conceded any goals, so now it's just up to us attackers to score. In the two-top formation, we can hold the ball up front, so it's easier for me to move forward. Although it didn't lead to a goal, I think we created good combinations with Taisuke. The team's condition is improving, and the content is getting better, so now we just need to finish strong. I want to approach every practice seriously and fight with all my might in every match."

　[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "We showed a determination to keep fighting until the end and to score, but we wanted to secure three points, and the goal felt distant. However, we managed to keep a clean sheet against Oita and today as well. Kashiwa played with a strategy aiming for a draw, and in the past, we had moments where we easily conceded goals in such situations. I believe we have made corrections in that area. At the final shot, we tend to put in too much power, or it’s too big, or we hit it too hard. I hope we can convert those chances... Lucas and Kurizawa were absent, but today Miura returned to the starting lineup after a long time. He’s not at 100 percent yet, but he, along with Baba who has returned from injury, made a presence. We aim to score based on our current style of play. With so much support from our fans, we must win at home. We will fight with all our might in the Juventus match and the final Nabisco Cup match against Chiba."

　[Summary of Coach Hayano's Press Conference] "We also have a chance to advance to the knockout stage, so we tried not to dwell on the defeat from the last match. In this week's practice, we focused on confirming our defense, especially the covering of the four-back system, and today we saw the results of that. Regarding offense, we aimed to move the ball quickly and actively target the forwards. However, due to tight marking, we had fewer opportunities, and there was a lack of movement after making those passes, which is a challenge. On a positive note, MF Tanizawa returned from an ankle injury and made his first appearance in a while, showing promising play. Although we haven't scored yet, we want to continue to expand on the possibilities that have emerged. Above all, the players have mentally recovered from the shock of the last match and are focused on the game. I believe that will lead to our next steps."