A match we cannot lose, Tokyo Showdown!

　In Sec. 15, we will face Verdy 1969 at home. Under the oppressive heat, this match against Verdy, followed by the next matches against Shimizu and Yokohama FM, can be considered a crucial point in the six consecutive matches in July. After two consecutive draws, we aim to secure a victory today and turn this match into a stepping stone for the future. In the last match against Kawasaki, we were able to send quick balls behind the opponent's defense starting from the sides, executing our desired style of play. However, we were lacking just one step in finishing our chances... We want to increase our goal-scoring probability by creating more opportunities.

　Verdy is currently in 15th place with 14 points. After the break, in Sec. 13 against Gamba, they lost 1 to 7, and in the previous match against Urawa, they suffered a heavy defeat of 0 to 7, putting them in a difficult situation. Unfortunately, this has turned into a relegation battle, but it is not just Coach Hara who is on high alert, saying, "It's when the opponent is in this situation that they can be the most dangerous." It is easy to imagine that Verdy will first focus on restructuring their defense this match. The key will be how much they can launch successive attacks and gain the upper hand. It is essential for the in-form players like Toda, Ishikawa, and Kaji to actively engage in challenges. However, it is crucial not to rush the attack and to maintain composure during the match. In defense, we want to cut off passing lanes before the ball reaches the decisive FW Washington and Hiramoto.

　It seems like a difficult battle in both offense and defense, but the players have an extraordinary desire for victory. Lucas, who has returned from injury, is also improving his condition and will start. Baba, who has been absent since the June 11th Nabisco Cup match against Chiba, is also on the bench. With a lot of support from the stands, they will challenge the Tokyo showdown with a psychological advantage. It started to rain during the day at Ajinomoto Stadium. The match kicked off at 19:04 in Tokyo.

Capital Clash A Real Six-Pointer

Tokyo Verdy 1969 were the opponents for the 15th game of the season. The gruelling July schedule of five games in two weeks had reached its midpoint amid physically demanding hot and humid conditions. Coming two days after the draw with Frontale the game was a must-win for the home side with fixtures against in-form S-Pulse and champions F Marinos looming. TOKYO created several chances along the wings in the Frontale game but failed to find the finishing touch. Scoring was the top priority. Verdy lay in 15th place with 14 points at kick off. The league restart had been a disaster with a 7-1 defeat by Gamba followed by a 7-0 thrashing by the Reds. TOKYO manager Hara wasn't alone when he warned, "We have to be very careful of a team in this situation." Achieving defensive stability would clearly be Verdy's main objective in the match. The in-form TOKYO trio of Toda, Kaji and Ishikawa would be the key to creating the defensive confusion that caused the collapses in Verdy's previous games. TOKYO needed to play a patient game though as Washington and Hiramoto are dangerous strikers and allowing them any space could prove fatal.
The TOKYO players' motivation was intense. Lucas had returned from injury to the starting line up and Baba made his first appearance on the bench for over a month. Drizzle had been falling all afternoon in Tokyo but as kick off approached the heavens opened and a torrential downpour lashed the ground. It didn't dampen the crowd's ardour and the barrage of noise reached its crescendo as TOKYO kicked off shortly after 7pm.

In the early stages, Verdy was overwhelming...

　Immediately after the kickoff, Verdy attacked the Tokyo side, and DF picked up a loose ball, with MF Yamada shooting from outside the right area. However, Tokyo's DF cut this off and connected it to a quick counterattack, after which Tokyo firmly seized the pace of the game. On the lineup, Verdy had a three-back formation, but right MF Yamada dropped back almost to the DF line, with Hayashi and Yoshiyuki KOBAYASHI in double pivot, Daiki KOBAYASHI on the right MF, and Soma on the left. In the first minute, to exploit the gaps in that DF line, Ishikawa's right cross found Lucas, who dove in for a sliding shot. However, he was thwarted by a great save from the opposing GK.

In the 4th minute, Ishikawa intercepted the opponent's ball, sprinted in front of the Verdy goal, and won a corner kick. In the left corner kick taken by Kajiyama, Konno jumped in with his body, but the timing was off. In the 8th minute, Lucas connected with a cleared ball from Ishikawa's cross, and Konno, who ran in from behind, took a mid-range shot. However, this also failed to hit the target. Just after that, in response to Ishikawa's right cross, Toda ran to the near post but just missed it, resulting in a corner kick. Until the 15th minute, Tokyo created chances starting from Ishikawa on the right and spent most of the time advancing in Verdy's territory.

　However, in the 18th minute, Verdy's MF Kobayashi Daisuke made a through pass to FW Hiramoto, who broke through and shot from the left side of the area. The shot narrowly missed to the right, and although they avoided danger, this prompted Verdy to pick up the second ball, circulate the passes, and start creating rhythm. In the 27th minute, FW Washington received a pass from MF Soma off the post and made a direct pass to the front line. FW Hiramoto, who broke through, took a close-range shot just in front of the goal area, but Doih was able to make a nice save! The loose ball was also picked up, but Shigeno finally managed to escape to a corner kick, avoiding a critical pinch. However, Verdy launched a counterattack starting from left MF Soma. From there, they tried to create chances with a wide development involving right MF Kobayashi Daisuke.

　In the 30th minute, Ishikawa aimed for a long shot to regain the rhythm that was slipping away, but it went over the bar. In the 38th minute, Washington contested a right cross from Verdy, and Hiramoto headed the ball after trapping it. It shook the net, but this was offside. With only a few minutes left in the first half, in the 40th minute, Kajiyama received a pass from the back, surprising the opponent, and after evading the defender at the right corner of the area, he turned inside to shoot, resulting in a corner kick due to the goalkeeper's save. Shigeno connected with a header from this right corner, but it went over the frame. In the 42nd minute, after Kurizawa's ball recovery, Toda connected and passed to the right. Ishikawa boldly aimed for the goal from the right side of the area, but it veered left. Although he couldn't shake the net, he effectively contained Verdy's attacks in defense, setting the stage for a decisive second half.

TOKYO Dominate

Verdy moved the ball quickly into the TOKYO half and Yamada pounced on a loose ball and shot. The TOKYO defence blocked his effort and the home side rapidly began to dominate the proceedings. Verdy had three players registered as defenders but midfielder Yamada dropped back into defence, Hayashi and Yoshiyuki Kobayashi played as defensive midfielders while Soma started on the left and Daigo Kobayashi on the right of midfield. TOKYO countered with Ishikawa racing down the right and crossing; Lucas met the ball with a sliding half volley that Takagi, in the Verdy goal, got down sharply to smother.
In the 4th minute Ishikawa seized onto a loose pass in midfield and tore at the heart of the Verdy defence, winning a corner. Konno missed Kajiyama's well struck effort by a whisker. In the 8th minute Lucas helped a weak clearance into the path of Konno but his rasping volley flew fractionally over the bar. An early cross from Ishikawa aimed at the near post won another corner shortly after. TOKYO spent the first 15 minutes encamped in the Verdy half with livewire Ishikawa rampant on the right wing.
The mood changed in the 18th minute as Daigo Kobayashi played a neat through ball to Hiramoto on the edge of the TOKYO area. Hiramoto screwed his shot wide of the left upright but the chance emboldened Verdy and they began to make inroads in midfield, passing the ball around and finding a rhythm. In the 27th minute Washington found Hiramoto unmarked inside the TOKYO area; Doi stood his ground and Hiramoto hammered the ball straight at him from point blank range. Moniwa hooked the rebound away for a corner. Verdy concentrated their attacking efforts on the flanks, through Soma and Yoshiyuki Kobayashi.
Ishikawa blazed a shot over the bar in the 30th minute as TOKYO worked feverishly to regain momentum. Verdy had the ball in the net in the 38th minute but it was ruled offside. As half time approached Kajiyama picked the ball up in midfield and set off towards the Verdy goal, cutting inside and shooting low towards the near post. Takagi scrambled the ball around the post for a corner; Moniwa made a connection with the corner but failed to hit the target. Ishikawa then fired wide in the last action of the half. The first period ended 0-0.

Scoreless draw under a pitch where water accumulates

　However, as the second half progressed, the rain intensified, creating puddles on the pitch. Mistakes occurred in this challenging situation for both teams. Despite this, in the 49th minute, Verdy midfielder Yoshiyuki KOBAYASHI took a long-range shot. In the 50th minute, Ishikawa picked up a clearance from the opposing defender on the right side of the area and took a well-placed shot, but it narrowly missed to the right. In the 52nd minute, they connected with a series of short passes and advanced towards the Verdy goal. However, due to the muddy pitch, Toda was unable to take a shot. Lucas connected with the loose ball and passed it to the right, but Ishikawa's shot could not find the goal.

　In the 56th minute, there were two corner kicks. In the 60th minute, they earned another corner kick and connected with a short corner, but could not bring it to a finish. In the 68th minute, to utilize the space better (Coach Hara), Yusuke KONDO was substituted for Lucas, and in the 72nd minute, Miura was brought in for Kaji. In the 74th minute, Kondo made a run on a floated pass from Kaji to the front line, but the opposing goalkeeper caught it just a step earlier.

　In the 77th minute, Baba was brought on, moving Baba to the center and Toda to the left, thickening the front line to initiate an attack. Then, in the 80th minute, Ishikawa's breakthrough was stopped by Verdy DF Tokawa, who received a second warning today and was sent off. From the free kick just outside the area on the right gained from this, Baba aimed for the goal with a sharp kick, but the opposing DF cut it off. In the 84th minute, Toda held on the left and won a corner kick. From the loose ball of the left corner kick, Kaji aimed for the goal but shot over the bar. In the 86th minute, Baba connected with the loose ball from Kaji's cross, and Konno brought it to a corner kick from a shooting position, but the corner kick opportunity was not utilized.

　In the 87th minute, there was a decisive scene. Baba followed up on Miura's cross with a header shot. Jean kicked towards the goal where the opposing goalkeeper had rushed out, but it went over the bar... Verdy, with only 10 players, could not break through, and the goal felt far away. In the end, despite having a total of 12 corner kicks and many free kick opportunities, they could not convert any into goals, ending in a scoreless draw for the second consecutive match.

　【Player Comments】《Moniwa》"From the back, there are scenes where I think it would have been better to take a shot. Since we have consecutive matches, we can't change our style of play immediately, but I want to make adjustments where I can through verbal instructions and my feelings. With that much support from the stands, we need to be more inspired and connect that to our performance. In the next match against Shimizu, personally, I absolutely do not want to lose to Cho Je-jin, who is of the same age and in good form." 《Baba》"In the rain, with the ground in poor condition, I tried to utilize the slippery state to make passes. The opponent's feet were also stuck, so I didn't feel like we struggled with the pitch conditions. I wanted a little more time... I've caused trouble for the team due to injuries for a long time, so I want to do my best from now on."

　[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "Despite the heavy rain, many people, including supporters, came to cheer for the Tokyo showdown. We approached the match determined to overcome difficulties by defeating Verdy. At the start, the ball moved quickly, settling at Lucas, with the ball coming in from Ishikawa's right side and Toda getting involved. The first 15 to 20 minutes were our pace. However, after that, mistakes occurred on the slippery ground. Around midfield, passes after winning the ball were too long, disrupting our rhythm. Verdy carefully marked Ishikawa and Kaji. Normally, we would have had a bit more time there, but Uemura marked Ishikawa, and Soma immediately covered Kaji when he had the ball, so neither had their usual freedom. Therefore, at halftime, we discussed that either Lucas or Toda should move to the ball side more quickly when Kaji and others had the ball, then connect to the two forwards to create opportunities. That would open up the sides again, and we planned to approach the second half with that in mind. However, the second half brought intense rain, creating puddles everywhere. Lucas is good at receiving the ball at his feet, but since it was his first start in a while and he was more tired than usual, we decided it was better to have players run into space and substituted Yusuke KONDO. Kajiyama also showed signs of fatigue, so we brought in Miura, aiming to balance the team while effectively using Yusuke KONDO and pushing Konno forward. In the end, we brought in Baba to make a final push, but the goal was elusive. We had many set-piece opportunities, especially from free kicks and corners, and wanted to score from them. We did not concede any goals, and our defensive balance has improved significantly. However, we are struggling to score. The players are working hard, and the team is moving in a good direction overall, but scoring remains a problem. We want to resolve this issue positively."

　[Verdy Ardiles Coach's Press Conference Summary] "I am satisfied with the team's performance today. We had two consecutive matches with tragic performances, so this is the first time I have smiled in the past two weeks. Today's match was unfavorable for us. It was an away game with mostly the opponent's supporters, and this rain suited FC Tokyo's style more than ours. Some players were not at 100 percent condition. It was a game that required guts, and the players showed that. Everyone gave more than 100 percent effort. I think the draw result was more pleasing for Verdy than for FC Tokyo. In the end, we played with 10 men, but the number of chances was about the same. I believe we created clearer scoring opportunities. Not conceding a goal was a positive outcome. After conceding 14 goals in two matches, today's result feels like a miracle. I still have the humor to make jokes. I am truly satisfied. We can approach the upcoming consecutive matches with a different spirit. Difficult games await, but our mental state will improve. This draw is a very important result for us."

Waterlogged Pitch Frustrates TOKYO 

The rain increased its ferocity at half time, inundating large areas of the pitch and preventing the ball from running true. Both sides struggled in the difficult conditions and made several mistakes. Daigo Kobayashi shot from distance in the 49th minute while Ishikawa flashed a shot wide soon after. In the 52nd minute TOKYO carved out an opening with some neat interplay in front of the Verdy area but the ball stuck in a puddle and Toda was unable to shoot. Lucas flicked the ball out to Ishikawa on the right but his shot flew wide.
TOKYO won a series of corners but were unable to make them count. Kondo replaced Lucas in the 68th minute with instructions to "use the space" and Miura came on for Kajiyama shortly after. In the 74th minute Takagi raced out and whipped Kaji's floated through ball off Kondo's toe.
In the 77th minute Baba replaced Kurisawa and moved into a central position while Toda shifted out to the left. In the 80th minute Ishikawa charged down the right before being hacked down by Togawa on the edge of the Verdy area. Togawa received his second yellow card of the game and trudged from the field. Baba curled in a tempting free kick but the Verdy defense cleared the danger. Lucas fired a loose ball over the bar in the 84th minute after Toda had battled hard to win a corner.
TOKYO nearly snatched a dramatic late winner in the 87th minute. Miura crossed and Takagi unconvincingly punched Baba's header away; the ball fell to Jean who sidefooted a volley over the bar with the keeper out of position. Despite 12 corners and a plethora of free kicks TOKYO were unable to breach the ten-man Verdy defense and the game finished scoreless.


Players' comments
Moniwa:
"Watching from the back there were some situations where I felt it was better to shoot. We can't really change the way we play in the middle of a stretch of games like this so we have to be vocal on the pitch and fix what we can as we go along. We had great support from the stands today and we really have to use that as a stimulus to improve our game. We have another game on Wednesday against S-Pulse and I'm determined not to lose to Cho Jae Jin on an individual level."

Baba:
"The pitch was waterlogged and very slippy so I wanted to use the conditions to our advantage in passing the ball. The Verdy players' legs had stopped but I wasn't particularly bothered by the conditions. I really wanted a little more time on the pitch as I've been out injured for a while. I'll do my best from here on".


F.C.TOKYO manager Hara: 
"A lot of people turned out for the game today in appalling conditions and we really wanted to destroy Verdy and break out of our current situation. We started very well with Toda, Ishikawa and Lucas all playing their roles within the team. After that we began to make mistakes and overhit the ball when we had possession. We lost our rhythm. Verdy effectively muffled Kaji and Ishikawa, not allowing them time on the ball. At half time I instructed the players to move the ball out to the flanks a little faster and get it in to the forwards. The rain was even heavier in the second half though and as Lucas' game is based on getting the ball in to his feet and he was tiring more rapidly than usual after the injury lay off I sent on Kondo to run into the space behind the Verdy defence. Kajiyama ran out of steam so we sent on Miura and pushed Konno further forward. With all those corners and free kicks we should have managed at least one goal today. We didn't concede though and our defensive balance was very good. It's still very galling that we couldn't score. That's our biggest problem right now. The players are doing their best and we're looking for a way out of this situation". 

Verdy manager Ardiles:
"I'm satisfied with today's performance. The last week has been a nightmare and today was the first time I've laughed for two weeks. It was a very difficult game for us: the stadium was full of our opponent's supporters and the conditions were much worse for us than for F.C.TOKYO. Some of our players weren't fully fit either. It was a game that needed guts and our players showed it. They gave over a 100% today. We were more pleased with the draw than TOKYO. We were playing with 10 men at the end but created the same number of chances; and we created the better chances. We conceded 14 goals in two games so obviously we're happy with not conceding today. It's like a miracle really. At least I can laugh about it. I'm very satisfied with today's effort and we can look forward to the next game now. It will be a tough game but our nerves will have steadied. This was a very important draw for us."