Aiming for victory at home, facing Yokohama FM

　Sec. 17 will be a match against Yokohama F. Marinos at home. In the previous match against Shimizu, the team achieved a victory in the league for the first time since Sec. 4, rising to 13th place. The team's morale is high. However, last season's champions, Yokohama FM, currently sit in 3rd place with 7 wins, 5 draws, and 4 losses, totaling 26 points. Especially in the last 4 matches since the restart, they have been in good form with 3 wins and 1 draw, remaining unbeaten. Although it may seem like a decrease in strength with An Tae-hwan leaving the team and MF Oka injured, "Anyone who steps up can perform well, and that is a testament to Yokohama FM's strength. FW Oshima is a player who can fulfill his role, and the fresh MF Yamase and MF Ohashi are highly motivated," he warned. With scoring ability from set pieces, it looks like it will be a challenging match.

　However, Yokohama FM currently employs a four-back formation, and Coach Hara stated, "The four-back system is easier for us to fight with." Even with the four-back, there is no difference in the roles of left back Dutra and right back Tanaka as they remain key players, and the battles on the flanks are crucial. "We want to utilize the space created when both sides push up and deliver crosses. However, since the opposing center backs are tall, simply sending in crosses won't work. Players entering the box must time their runs and aim for the space between the goalkeeper and defenders; there will definitely be openings to exploit," he planned.

　"If you pull back in fear, the opponent will keep coming at you, so we will go in without fear," continued Coach Hara. They want to launch a quicker attack than Yokohama FM and achieve the long-awaited victory at home. Tokyo has the same starting lineup as the previous match. Yokohama FM has forward Sakata, who started in the last match, on the bench, while forward Yamazaki makes his first start of the season. At Ajinomoto Stadium, where the oppressive humidity remains even in the evening, the match started at 19:04 with Tokyo's kickoff in front of 43,104 spectators.

TOKYO Challenge The Champions

Yokohama F Marinos were the visitors to Ajinomoto Stadium for the 17th game of the season. TOKYO had posted the first league win in four months against Shimizu S-Pulse on Wednesday night and were suitably buoyed by what seemed an upturn in their fortunes, but the defending champions were expected to provide a sterner test; with a W3 D1 record since the restart they were clearly the in-form team. Ahn had left the club and influential midfielder Oku was injured but, "Whoever plays, plays well. That's the strength of the club. Oshima is a fine striker, Yamase has recovered from injury and midfielder Ohashi is highly motivated." The F Marinos also carry a major threat from set plays and a tough game was envisaged.
The visitors' decision to field a back four seemed to play into TOKYO's hands. As manager Hara pointed out, "It's easier for us to play against that system if we can get forward along the wings and use the space. Their centre backs have a height advantage so just playing crosses into the box won't get us very far. We have to get the ball in between the keeper and the defence. We can't allow ourselves to be frightened of them and play too deeply."
TOKYO sent out the same starting eleven that began the previous game. Yokohama preferred to leave Sakata on the bench and Yamazaki made his first appearance of the season. A boisterous crowd of 43,104 saw the match kick off on a hot and humid evening.

Creating chances with fast attacks, Konno scores the opener from a set piece

　From the start, both teams displayed a strong desire not to lose, leading to a tense development. In the first minute, Tokyo earned a left corner kick, and Lucas contested Kurizawa's kick but did not make contact. In the third minute, Ueno from Yokohama FM took a mid-range shot. In the sixth minute, after a quick series of passes, another midfielder, Nasu, advanced to the right side of the area and took a shot. Doih saved it, resulting in a corner kick, and Ueno's shot from that corner was also caught by Doih. In the ninth minute, Df Dutra took a free kick from outside the right side of the area, but the Tokyo defense blocked it. The early stages of the match progressed at Yokohama FM's pace, but Tokyo also regained possession well and launched quick counterattacks, establishing a rhythm centered around Lucas and the speedy movements of Toda.

　In the 18th minute, there was a free kick from the right side of the opponent's midfield. Jean jumped for Kurizawa's kick, but the opponent's defender cleared it, resulting in a right corner kick. In the 19th minute, they connected by holding the ball in front of the goal from this corner kick, and once again, Kurizawa delivered a cross. The ball spilled in front of the goal, and Kajiyama took a mid-range shot, but it was met with a great save by the opponent's GK in the bottom right corner of the goal. In the 20th minute, they earned another corner kick. Kurizawa's right corner kick was met perfectly by Konno, who headed it in for a goal! They scored the opening goal from a set piece, which had always been their target.

　In the 23rd minute, there was an incident where Ishikawa, who collided with an opponent early on and bruised his right foot, was substituted for Norio SUZUKI. Norio SUZUKI entered as a right midfielder. However, following the opening goal, Tokyo's football functioned as they quickly picked up the second ball and launched a fast-paced attack involving Lucas, Kurizawa, and Kajiyama, spreading the play to the sides. In the 28th minute, Konno intercepted a misplaced pass from the opponent and passed it to the right side of the front line. Norio SUZUKI brought the ball into the right area and took a decisive shot, which was saved by the goalkeeper, resulting in a corner kick.

　In the 30th minute, Noriyuki Suzuki took a free kick from the left side near the sideline, which hit the opposing DF and resulted in a left corner kick. From the rebound of this corner kick, Kanazawa picked up the ball and aimed for the goal, but Lucas in front was offside. In the 41st minute, from a counterattack, Kurizawa sprinted up the center, drawing the opposing DF and making a last pass to the left. Konno entered the left area and shot freely. The GK saved it, missing a big chance for an additional goal, but they went into halftime with a one-goal lead.

Konno Grabs The Opener

Both sides began in a determined, if tense, mood. TOKYO won a corner in the first minute, Lucas failing to make contact with Kurisawa's ball in; at the other end Marinos' midfielder Ueno tried his luck from outside the area. In the 6th minute Doi produced a fine save to tip Nasu's well-struck drive over the bar and then held Ueno's shot from the corner. Dutra smashed a free kick into the TOKYO wall in the 9th minute as the visitors dominated the opening exchanges. TOKYO fought back with Lucas the attacking pivot and Toda used his speed to increasing effect down the left flank.
In the 18th minute the Marinos' defence cleared Kurisawa's long free kick into the box out for a corner. Kurisawa curled the ball in and received it straight back; he centred again, Kajiyama pounced on the loose ball and drilled a low drive that Enomoto turned around the post with a superb one-handed save. Kurisawa took the corner and Konno burst between two defenders to bury a powerful header into the back of the net for the opening goal.
TOKYO were forced into a substitution in the 23rd minute as Suzuki replaced the injured Ishikawa. The goal lifted TOKYO who were suddenly faster to the ball right across the field as Lucas, Kurisawa and Kajiyama began to control possession. Konno pounced on a loose midfield ball in the 28th minute and fed Suzuki on the right. Suzuki raced down the wing, cut inside and uncorked a fierce left foot drive that Enomoto tipped over the bar.
In the 30th minute Suzuki blasted a free kick into the Marinos' defensive wall and gained another corner. Kanazawa played the ball back into the box after the defence cleared it but Lucas was given offside. In the 41st minute Kurisawa raced free into the Marinos's half on a rapid counter attack, drew the defence to him and slipped the ball to Konno. Konno struck hard and low but Enomoto saved with his feet and a clear chance to double the lead was wasted. The first period finished 1-0.

Kiro's left foot explodes! Breaking through the defense of Yokohama FM, a victory of concentration!!

　Yokohama FM substituted FW Sakata for FW Yamazaki at the start of the second half. They allowed an attack immediately after the start, with MF Yamase penetrating the left area. Dohi rushed out of the goal, but the DF line held firm, preventing a shot. In the 47th minute, they picked up a loose ball from a corner kick and launched a counterattack, with Toda breaking free to win a corner kick. The match continued with a rapid exchange of attacks and defenses. In the 49th minute, Toda, who initiated a quick attack, was fouled by Yokohama FM's DF Tanaka just outside the left corner of the area, earning a free kick. In the 50th minute, Noriyuki SUZUKI aimed directly at the goal from this free kick, kicking it into the near post for a goal! He scored an additional point with a powerful kick.

　Yokohama FM substituted FW Kubo for the defensive midfielder Nasu in the 58th minute, increasing their attacking options to challenge for a comeback. However, Tokyo maintained their focus and defended well, consistently picking up loose balls to launch quick counterattacks. In the 67th minute, "We brought in Kubo to create a three-forward setup, but he ended up overlapping with Oshima, so I thought that if we continued like that, both Kubo and Oshima would be ineffective" (Yokohama FM Coach Okada), and substituted MF Kumabayashi for FW Oshima. While trying to return to their original balance, Yokohama FM still aimed to attack. Tokyo also made a substitution in the 72nd minute, bringing in Miura for the hard-working Kurizawa, shifting Kajiwara one line forward in their formation.

　In the 74th minute, Yokohama FM connected a long ball from the restart, and MF Yamase picked up a loose ball in front of the Tokyo DF and took a direct shot. It just went over the frame, avoiding danger. In the 76th minute, a direct pass was connected, and within the area, FW Kubo passed to MF Yamase, who was in a shooting position close to the goal, but literally, the Tokyo DF put their bodies on the line to defend and managed to escape to a corner kick.

　In the 78th minute, Baba was brought on to replace Lucas, forming a one-top formation. Shortly after, in the 80th minute, a goal kick from Doi was fed by the opposing defender, and the ball flowed towards the Tokyo goal after being connected in midfield. Forward Sakata, who slipped past the offside line, found himself one-on-one with Doi. This critical situation was resolved with a great save by Doi! After enduring Yokohama FM's counterattack well, in the 83rd minute, Kajiyama picked up a loose ball in his own half and made a through pass to the front line. Noriyuki Suzuki and Dutra contested for it; although initially blocked, Noriyuki Suzuki picked up the loose ball again, calmly observed the goalkeeper's movement, and slotted it into the goal. They secured a valuable third goal!

　In the 86th minute, a pass from Norio SUZUKI on the right to Konno in the center led to a through ball from Konno to the front line. Although Tadashi BABA's dribble was initially blocked by the DF, he picked up the loose ball and executed a well-placed looping shot after carefully observing the opposing goalkeeper, securing a decisive goal. As a result, DF Matsuda also advanced, exploiting the gaps behind Yokohama FM, resulting in two goals. With the contributions of fresh members, a total of four goals were scored, and they maintained a clean sheet defensively. Achieving a winning streak as planned, they celebrated a joyful victory at home for the first time since the match against Iwata on April 10!

　【Player Comments】<Norio SUZUKI> "(Regarding Ishikawa's injury) I never thought I would have to come on so early, but I'm glad we scored two goals. For the free kick, I aimed for the entire goal. I've been taking the kicks consistently, and with the cheers from the stands, I'm happy to have met expectations. Although I played on the right side, I planned to aggressively challenge vertically. I think that led to the second goal. I want to achieve good results in the next match against Kobe and work hard to secure a regular spot from August onward." <Konno> "The goal from the corner kick came from a good ball by Kuri. This is something I always keep in mind, not just today: since I'm not tall, I try to lose my marker with quick movements and use myself as a decoy. Today, our compact and focused defense was key to the victory. We were able to pick up loose balls because everyone pressed from the front and fought hard in the challenges. I also want to thank our guardian, Mr. Doi."

　[Summary of Manager Hara's Press Conference] "We finally won away against Shimizu in the last match, and the team's condition was improving, but we hadn't won at home for a long time. F. Marinos were last season's champions, and they know how to score at crucial moments, including set pieces, showing great fighting spirit. Against such champions, we wanted to fully demonstrate our strengths and secure 3 points at home. Many fans gathered today, and for the supporters who have kept cheering even during tough times, we aimed for victory and had prepared well. Ishikawa suddenly injured his leg, and during that time, they scored from a corner kick, but since he looked to be in considerable pain, we brought in Noriyuki SUZUKI. Noriyuki SUZUKI had just returned from a shoulder dislocation, and we planned to use him at a decisive moment, so we didn't expect to bring him on so early. However, he has a strong free kick and a powerful left foot, so we trusted him. Lucas is still not 100% recovered from his ankle injury, but from the last match, we placed him in the center, with Kurisawa near him, and returned to Tokyo's original formation with speedy players on both sides. This allowed us to establish our rhythm—holding the ball in the center, then moving it to the sides, and when the sides open up, the center space becomes available again. I think we managed to create this rhythm well. Until now, despite having chances, we struggled to score goals and unfortunately conceded in the first critical moment, which was a bad phase, but finally, we have started to establish our own rhythm. We also finally scored from a set piece, and I believe things are moving in a positive direction. This is thanks to the supporters who have continuously supported us, and the players have persevered through difficulties, so the team's condition is improving. Also, today's key players were Konno and Kajiyama. We are always mindful of Kajiyama's knee condition, but with Konno's strength and Kajiyama's playmaking ability, I think we have achieved a very good balance, and we want to make good use of it. We have one more match this month, so without celebrating today's victory too much, we want to prepare well and win against Kobe to welcome August."

　[Yokohama FM Coach Okada's Press Conference Summary] "As you can see from the results, we suffered a complete defeat for the first time in a while. The opponent was able to play vertical balls and pick up the loose balls, and I knew they would counterattack, but we fell into that trap. FC Tokyo ran well and was impressive. We were a bit out of condition and couldn't run. We carelessly conceded a goal from a set piece, and given our current state, it's tough to catch up by 2 or 3 goals. In that sense, losing 0-2 is no different from losing 0-4. It feels refreshing in a way to have such a big defeat. However, I don't think we can win every match, so we will continue to fight until the end without giving up."

Suzuki Drops The Hammer

The Marinos replaced Yamazaki with Sakata at half time and began the second half on the attack, threatening through Yamase and winning a corner. The TOKYO defence repelled the danger and countered through Toda. The game continued in see-saw fashion until the 49th minute, when Tanaka fouled Toda on the left of the Marinos area. Suzuki took a long run up and hammered a low drive through the wall and inside the near post. TOKYO had a vital two-goal cushion.
The Marinos sent on striker Kubo and withdrew defensive midfielder Nasu in the 58th minute. The TOKYO defence responded capably, snuffing out attacks and launching rapid breaks that threatened to extend the lead. Marinos manager Okada realised his three man front line were getting in each other's way and replaced Oshima with midfielder Kumabayashi in the 67th minute. The switch restored their balance and they began to draw nearer to the TOKYO goal. In the 72nd minute Miura replaced the battling Kurisawa and Kajiyama pushed slightly further forward.
In the 74th minute Yamase collected a long ball and shot fractionally wide of the post. Kubo set up Yamase again in the 76th minute but some desperate last-ditch defending forced his effort around the post for a corner. In the 78th minute Baba replaced Lucas and moved into the lone striker's position. In the 80th minute the Marinos created their best chance of the game as a through ball played Sakata in on goal with only Doi to beat. The TOKYO No.1 produced a superb save to deny Sakata and preserve the two goal lead. In the 83rd minute Kajiyama picked up a loose ball in midfield and lofted it forward for Suzuki to chase. Dutra seemed to have the danger under control but somehow lost possession, then slipped, allowing Suzuki to run clear on goal. Suzuki clipped the ball over Enomoto with great aplomb and TOKYO had a three goal lead.
In the 86th minute Suzuki found Konno in a central position; Konno picked out Baba with a fine ball that beat the offside trap. A defender seemed to have done enough to prevent Baba shooting, forcing him wide inside the penalty area but Baba produced a sublime chip over the onrushing Enomoto that scraped the underside of the crossbar and nestled into the net for the fourth goal. The final two goals came about as Marinos had pushed defender Matsuda forward. The final whistle blew on an immensely satisfying 4-0 win, another clean sheet and the first home victory since April 10th.


Players' comments 
Suzuki: 
"I didn't expect to get on the pitch so early in the game and I'm delighted with my goals today. I was just aiming to hit the target with the free kick. I've been allowed to take them and there was a great shout from the stands so I was very pleased to repay that with a goal. I played on the right today and was determined to make an impact on the flank. That's where the goals came from. We hope to get a good result in the Vissel game next week and I'm going to do my best for a regular place from August." 

Konno:
"Kurisawa played a great ball in from the corner. I'm not so tall but I managed to get away from my marker. We aimed to keep a compact defensive formation today and that's the main reason we won. We fought for the loose balls, pressed from the front and battled right across the field. I really want to thank Doi, as well."


F.C.TOKYO manager Hara 
"After finally breaking out of our slump the other night we really wanted a win at home for the fans who've supported us through thick and thin. We were able to prepare well for this game. We'd taken the lead but then Ishikawa was injured and we sent Suzuki on; we had planned to introduce him much later in the game as he's only just returned from having a dislocated shoulder but Ishikawa was in trouble and couldn't continue. He's got a good left foot and we trust him with the free kicks. Lucas still isn't 100% recovered from his ankle injury and, as in the last game he played centrally, with Kurisawa in support and fast players on the flanks in the typical TOKYO formation. We've suffered a lot from not scoring recently and then conceding against the run of play; today we were able to score first, find our rhythm and then hold the lead. We also scored from set plays as well, which is very encouraging. The continued support of the fans has been very important to get the club over this difficult period but we're on our way back now. The key men today were Konno and Kajiyama; their balance was excellent, with Konno's strength and Kajiyama's control of the play vital for us. I was worried about Kajiyama's knee but it held up throughout the game. There's still one more game in July, though. We want to prepare thoroughly, beat Vissel and look forward to the games in August".

F Marinos manager Okada: 
"Well, that was a comprehensive defeat. We knew how our opponents would play; long balls, picking up knockdowns and counter attacking. The way they ran today was outstanding, though. Our condition wasn't good and we didn't run at all. We gave away goals with slack marking at set plays and it was always going to be difficult to pull back two or three goals today. It makes no difference if you lose 2-0 or 4-0 in that situation. Conversely, a big defeat can somehow refresh the team. Of course, we don't expect to be able to win every game but we'll be fighting all the way to the end of the season."