Struggling with away games, not getting caught up in the rhythm, giving our all for victory

　In this match, which comes two days after the Nagoya game, we will face Júbilo Iwata away. In the previous match, we conceded a goal before we could capitalize on our chances, but we equalized with a late goal from Konno, ending the match with expectations for Sasa's scoring ability. We want to continue building on our upward momentum. However, Kanazawa has been sidelined due to a right foot injury. Konno will play as the left back, and Miura and Kajiwara will start as the double defensive midfielders.

　Regarding the match against Iwata, Coach Hara analyzed, "There are matches with very good content, but there are also matches where we easily concede goals." However, they are steadily accumulating points and currently sit in 5th place. In this round, GK Kawaguchi, DF Fukunishi, and Hattori are injured, and FW Maeda is suspended, so they cannot field their best lineup. However, FW Choi will start for the first time since Sec. 5 (April 13). He will pair with Karen in a two-top formation, with MF Naraoka playing just behind, right MF Ota, left MF Murai, and double defensive midfielders MF Kawamura and Nabeshima, while the DF line consists of Kan, Tanaka, and Chano in a 3-5-2 formation.

　Coach Hara stated, "We are in a tough situation with injuries and consecutive matches. Conditioning may determine the outcome. Iwata has strength, but we want to fight in a balanced way to prevent them from showing their power and aim to score solidly." Although we have never won at the away game at Yamaha Stadium, we want to ensure we don't get caught up in the opponent's rhythm and aim to secure points with a strong performance.

Battling A Bogey Team

Two days after the draw with Grampus, TOKYO traveled south to take on Jubilo Iwata. TOKYO had created a host of chances in the previous game but failed to take them and were punished on the counter attack; Konno grabbed a late equaliser to rescue a point. Sasa Salcedo's integration into the side seemed to be progressing and TOKYO were definitely improving. A leg injury had forced Kanazawa out of this game, though. Konno replaced him at left back as TOKYO began with a double defensive midfield pairing of Miura and Kajiyama.
Opponents Jubilo had, according to TOKYO manager Hara, "played very well in some games and then given away simple goals in others". They had steadily accumulated points though, and lay in 5th place at kickoff. Goalkeeper Kawaguchi, defenders Hattori and Fukunishi were injured, while forward Maeda was suspended. Jubilo were boosted by the return of striker Choi Yong Soo for his first game since April 15th. Choi teamed up with Robert Cullen in attack, Naruoka played behind the front two, Ota on the right, Muroi on the left, Nanami and Kawamura as defensive midfielders and a back line of Kim, Tanaka and Chano in a 3-5-2 formation.
"Both teams have injuries and are missing players", commented Hara, "That may well be the deciding factor today. Jubilo are strong at home so we'll have to play with a good balance to stop them and score ourselves". TOKYO had never won at Yamaha Stadium and would need to prevent Jubilo finding their rhythm to stand any chance of ending that record.

Although they are being outpaced by Iwata, they respond with a position change.

　The kickoff is at 19:05. The daytime heat has finally eased, but there is hardly any wind on the pitch, leaving a muggy atmosphere. Still, with the short grass on the pitch, the ball speed is good, and the match progressed quickly from the start. Both sides are strong in their challenges, creating an intense atmosphere for the match. In the 3rd minute, Kajiyama's pass was handled by Lucas, and Ishikawa had two shooting opportunities on the right side. However, he was blocked by the opposing DF. In the 7th minute, Iwata's FW Choi and then FW Karen broke through after a through pass into the area, but Doi quickly came out to suppress the danger. In the 14th minute, Kajiyama stole the opponent's ball in midfield, passed to Lucas, who evaded the DF and took a mid-range shot. Although there have been few finishing opportunities so far, the match has continued to showcase exciting offensive and defensive plays.

　However, as time passed, Iwata gained control of the ball and pushed Tokyo back. In the 22nd minute, a dynamic counterattack was initiated by FW Choi, but the Tokyo DF line defended without panic. In the 26th minute, an incident occurred when MF Nanba injured his foot, leading to a substitution with MF Funatani. Immediately after, Iwata attacked into the Tokyo area, and from a left cross, MF Ota was free to shoot in front of the goal. The critical danger was averted by Doih's punch. FW Choi headed the loose ball, and FW Karen's shot from inside the area went wide to the left, barely surviving the onslaught.

　Tokyo quickly tried to switch gears and attack, but it was difficult to connect from a low position to the front line. By the 30-minute mark, Konno was moved to the defensive midfield, Noriyuki SUZUKI took the left side back position, Kurizawa was placed in left midfield, and Kajiyama was moved one row forward. From here, they gradually began to find their rhythm. However, the battle was back and forth. In the 39th minute, Ishikawa cut back an opponent in the right area and boldly took a shot with speed, but was thwarted by a great save from the opposing goalkeeper. Shortly after, Iwata's midfielder Naraoka was injured and replaced by forward Nakayama. In the 42nd minute, they faced a counterattack from a corner kick, and Iwata launched a quick attack. Although Noriyuki SUZUKI initially stopped it, they lost the ball again, and Iwata's forward Nakayama sent an early cross to the front line. Forward Karen sprinted deep into the right area and delivered a negative last pass in front of the goal. It was a decisive scene, but forward Choi's shot hit Jean's outstretched foot, and Dohi managed to secure the ball. In the 44th minute, a counter from Tokyo saw Kajiyama's long-range shot hit the crossbar and bounce down, missing the goal... The score remained 0-0 as they headed into the second half.

Jubilo Dominate

The game began shortly after 7pm and, while the heat of the day had diminished, conditions were humid and oppressive. The pitch was cropped short and was very slick. The match started at a frenetic pace and a tough, physically demanding 90 minutes seemed to be in store. In the 3rd minute, Ishikawa had two bites of the cherry after being set up by Kajiyama and Lucas, but a defender blocked both efforts. TOKYO keeper Doi had to be alert in the 7th minute to race off his line and collect after first Choi, and then Cullen, attempted to latch onto balls played through the visitors' defense. In the 14th minute, Kajiyama robbed an opponent and found Lucas; Lucas turned neatly past a defender and shot. It was a sharp move, from defense into attack, and finished with a shot on target.
Jubilo began to dominate possession and TOKYO were increasingly pushed backwards. In the 22nd minute, Choi set off on a blistering run at the heart of the TOKYO defense; the line held firm and the danger was averted. Nanami picked up an injury in the 26th minute and had to be replaced by Funatani. Jubilo then fashioned the best chance of the game thus far as a cross from the left picked out Ota unmarked in front of goal. Ota shot fiercely but Doi punched his effort clear. Choi headed the ball back towards goal and Cullen drove it inches wide of the post.
TOKYO attempted to build from the back but were unable to move the ball up to the forward line. In response, manager Hara rearranged the formation: Konno moved into a defensive midfield role, Suzuki played at left back, Kurisawa moved out to the left and Kajiyama moved forward into central midfield. The changes allowed TOKYO to play with more rhythm and Ishikawa drew a good save from Sato in the 39th minute after a trademark run and shot from the right. Jubilo were then forced into another substitution as Nakayama replaced the injured Naruoka. In the 42nd minute, Jubilo launched a rapid counter attack from a TOKYO corner. Suzuki won then lost the ball, allowing Nakayama to play a deep, early cross to Cullen at the far post. Cullen cut the ball back to Choi but a valiant block from Jean took the pace off his shot and Doi collected comfortably. In the 44th minute, Kajiyama let fly from 25 yards out; his powerfully struck effort dipped over Sato but struck the underside of the bar and bounced away to safety. The half ended 0-0.

Although they allowed the first goal, Kurizawa scored! The tense battle ends in a draw.

　The second half progressed at a fast pace. In the 47th minute, Noriyuki Suzuki's left cross was contested by Lucas, and Kajiwara, who advanced into the left area, picked up the loose ball and took a shot. However, there was no angle, and it went wide to the right. In the 48th minute, from a pass by Iwata MF Murai, FW Nakayama became the target, and the rushing MF Ota took a shot. The momentum was strong, but it curved to the left. In the 52nd minute, Sasa was brought in to replace Miura, opting for an aggressive formation to take on the challenge.

　In the 53rd minute, Konno jumped in for Kurizawa's right corner kick but did not make contact. In the 55th minute, Kurizawa broke through on the right flank from a counter-attack, bravely attempting to break through while surrounded by two opposing defenders. It seemed he was brought down in the area, but it resulted in a goal kick for the opponent. From there, they faced a quick counter from Iwata, and MF Funatani's shot from the cross went wide to the left. In the 57th minute, Sasaki picked up Ishikawa's cross at the far post and passed it back. Norio SUZUKI made a surprising shot-like kick towards the goal. Kurizawa received it but unfortunately could not convert it into a finish.

　In a fierce match, both teams struggled with fatigue from consecutive games, causing a gap between the frontline and the DF line. As a result, the number of counterattacks and shooting opportunities increased, making it a situation where either team could score. In the 65th minute, Iwata Karen, who came on as an attacking midfielder, faced forward and ran freely into the area, but Shigeno blocked the shot, resulting in a corner kick. In the 67th minute, Karen picked up a loose ball from a cross inside the area, but Noriyuki Suzuki and Konno defended with their bodies, leading to a counterattack. In the end, Ishikawa's cross was barely deflected by the opposing DF for a corner kick, but from this corner, the ball was connected to Kajiyama, who made a through pass to the frontline. Ishikawa broke free, but his shot hit the opposing DF's foot and did not result in a goal. This time, Kajiyama aimed for the goal from the rebound, but it went wide to the right.

　In a rapidly changing game of offense and defense, Baba was brought on for Ishikawa in the 75th minute. Tokyo continued to push towards the goal without losing momentum in their attack. However, in the 80th minute, Iwata's midfielder Kawamura advanced with a dribble. At that moment, the Tokyo defense hesitated, drawing Jean in, and a pass was made to Choi on the right side of the area. Unable to catch Choi, they allowed a free shot, resulting in a goal conceded. They were scored on at a frustrating time... However, the players on the field did not look down and counterattacked. Just after, in the 81st minute, they received a foul near the center circle in the opponent's half, earning a free kick. With the opponent unprepared, Kurizawa found himself free in front of the area. Baba quickly passed the ball, and Kurizawa finished it perfectly for a goal! Thanks to Baba and Kurizawa's quick decision-making and good coordination, they equalized!

　Tokyo, boosted by Kurizawa's equalizer, who also scored in the previous home match against Juntai. In the 86th minute, they faced a counterattack from Juntai, with a pass from Nakayama to Ota, but Shigenobu desperately ran to stop it. In the 86th minute, Miyazawa was brought on in place of Kajiyama, marking his first appearance since June 11 (Nabisco Cup match against Chiba). With precise kicks, he aimed to create chances by sending the ball to the forwards Sasa and Lucas. In the 89th minute, after a big switch from left to right, Kurizawa cut inside and passed back, where Miyazawa made a run to shoot. However, the goalkeeper caught it. In stoppage time, Miyazawa's right cross reached Lucas at the far post, but he was blocked by the DF and couldn't shoot. In the end, they couldn't secure a second goal to pull away from Juntai, and the intense match ended in a 1-1 draw. This marks the second consecutive match where they allowed the first goal and ended in a draw.

　【Player Comments】《Kurizawa》"In the early stages, the passes were inevitably too vertical. I think it would be easier for the opponent to defend if Nao and Kiro were just staying wide. I wanted to make more side changes through the midfield. In the second half, the players on the sides started coming inside, creating space outside, which led to chances. In the goal situation, I thought in my mind (to Baba), 'Give it to me!' We conceded the first goal and have ended up drawing two matches in a row, but we managed to equalize, and there is a vibe in the team that hasn't been there before. The challenge now is to convert our chances reliably." 《Baba》"In the free kick situation for the goal, I saw that there was a clear opening for Kuri. Originally, I was pretending to pass to Kaji and was thinking of faking it, but Kuri's eyes were saying 'give it to me.' It's proof that we have a good relationship since he often comes to my house (laughs). My condition is good. I often come on as a substitute, but I think, 'When I get on the pitch, I will do my job.' Today, until I came on, the midfield was stretched, so when I had the ball, I tried to keep it when I could, and in the end, I aimed to create chances through one-twos and other plays."

　[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "It was the third match of a three-game series in one week, and several players were feeling under the weather, so we couldn't gauge their condition until we played the match. I heard that Iwata also had many injured players, but they still had a good lineup. We talked about making sure to play our style of soccer first. We decided to put Konno at left back and Miura in the holding midfield position to properly enter the match. That decision itself was not bad, but there were parts where we were confused by the fast pitch. Also, we often lost the ball in midfield, so we changed Konno to the center and Noriyuki Suzuki to left back. That helped us regain balance. Jubilo's FW Karen often dropped back and moved in and out of the frontline, making it difficult to handle. There were some dangerous moments, but with Sasa, Baba, and Miyazawa waiting, we planned to keep the first half at 0-0 and bring them in at the right moment. We managed to create that situation, but afterward, both teams opened up space, and when we lost the ball, Iwata's holding midfielders Kawamura and Funaya came up, creating several dangerous situations. I instructed the team to take care of that, but fatigue set in, and they entered the space. Jean also seemed to be cautious after accumulating three yellow cards, and it looked like he avoided the most crucial moments. When FW Choi scored, it felt unpleasant, but we didn't give up; immediately from a free kick, Baba assisted, and Kurizawa scored. We wanted to take all three points, but losing a tough match means nothing. Konno definitely performs better in the center, and Noriyuki Suzuki was able to defend against the opposing midfielder Ota at left back. That was a positive outcome. I want to continue to integrate Sasa into Tokyo's style of soccer and help him step up further."

　[Summary of Coach Yamamoto's Press Conference] "In the first half, there were various happenings such as injuries, but the young players aggressively took on the challenge. This has raised the overall level of the team and created new competition. It became a valuable match. I am happy as a coach that the technically skilled young players showed a fighting spirit and took responsibility. There were many mistakes in terms of content, but I want to express my gratitude to Tanaka Makoto for his efforts in such a tough schedule and heat. He has been fully participating in the team and also playing for the national team. I truly feel his resilience. Choi has been delayed since the opening due to a knee injury and has not been in top form until now, but I think he did fairly well today. We talked about going as far as we can. Until now, he has had short appearances, and although there were chances, he couldn't score, and the whole team was trying to help him score. It was good for the team that he scored today. All three substitutions were due to injuries. We have had a string of injuries since the Gamba match, but there are many scheduling factors involved. It is a fact that the consecutive matches from the national team game against Iran through the Nabisco have led to injuries."

Kurisawa Ties It In Thrilling Finish 

The second period also began at a frantic pace. In the 47th minute, Suzuki raced down the left and crossed towards Lucas; the loose ball fell to Kajiyama who drilled his shot wide from a tight angle. In the 48th minute, Nakayama held the ball up for Ota to whip a fierce shot just wide of the right upright. TOKYO replaced Miura with Sasa in the 52nd minute in a bold attempt to break the deadlock.
The visitors won a corner shortly after but Konno failed to make a clean contact with the ball and Kurisawa had a penalty shout turned down after seemingly being tripped in the area after a sparkling run through the home defense. Funatani then fired wide for Jubilo as the end-to-end nature of the game continued unabated. Both teams began to be stretched, allowing space for counter attacks and a goal seemed inevitable. In the 65th minute, Moniwa blocked Cullen's shot out for a corner. Suzuki and Konno then combined to block another shot from Cullen before launching a counter attack that led to Ishikawa's cross earning a corner for TOKYO. The Jubilo defense cleared the corner out to Kajiyama who played it back in to Ishikawa; Ishikawa made room for a shot but it struck a Jubilo defender and rebounded to Kajiyama who fired wide.
TOKYO replaced Ishikawa with Baba in the 75th minute. Jubilo finally broke the deadlock in the 80th minute; Kawamura took the ball forward and picked out Choi as the TOKYO defense momentarily froze. Choi finished well and TOKYO were behind with only 10 minutes to play. The visitors' heads didn't drop and a piece of quick thinking from Baba led to the equalizer less than a minute later. TOKYO won a free kick near the center circle, the Jubilo defense was slow to regroup and Baba spotted Kurisawa unmarked inside the area. He played a quick pass forward and Kurisawa finished emphatically to tie the game.
Moniwa performed heroics to block Nakayama's effort in the 85th minute. Miyazawa then made his first appearance since June 11th, replacing Kajiyama, with Sasa and Lucas the targets for his accurate long balls. Miyazawa nearly won the game for the visitors in the 89th minute but Sato held his strike after good work by Kurisawa. Neither side was able to conjure a winner and the game finished 1-1. For the second successive match, TOKYO had fought back after conceding the first goal.

Players' comments 
Kurisawa: 
"For some reason we played too many long balls in the first period of the game. It was easier for our opponents to defend against than Ishikawa and Suzuki using the wings. We should have played the ball through the middle and changed sides more often. There was more space on the flanks in the second half and we were able to create chances. For the goal in my mind I said 'Pass it!' to Baba. For the second game we've come back after falling behind and there's a good atmosphere in the squad right now. We just have to start taking our chances." 

Baba
"I looked up at the free kick and saw Kuri unmarked in the area. Kaji usually takes those free kicks but Kuri caught my eye and I was able to get the ball to him. I feel like I'm in good condition at the moment. I've been making a lot of appearances as substitute recently and I've just been trying to concentrate on doing my job once I get on the pitch. The midfield was a little sluggish at the time I went on; I thought if I could hold the ball up or play some one-two's then we might create some chances".


F.C. TOKYO manager Hara
"It was the third game in a week and a few players were suffering with slight colds so we had to let them play to assess their conditions. We had heard Jubilo had a few injuries but they still put out a strong team. We mainly discussed imposing our style on the game. Konno started at left back and Miura in midfield; we really wanted to make a solid start. That was fine but the pitch was very fast and we lost the ball in midfield quite a lot so we changed the positioning and that improved our balance. Cullen played in a slightly withdrawn position and that made it a little difficult for us to pick him up. We had a few sticky moments but made it to half time 0-0 and we had Baba, Sasa and Miyazawa on the bench for the second half. Some space opened up in the second half and that allowed Kawamura and Funatani to get forward and cause us some problems. The players seemed to be tiring, Jean was on three yellow cards and then we lost our shape at a crucial moment. It was a terrible feeling to concede at that time but the team didn't give and we soon equalised. We wanted the three points but you don't get anything for losing a tough game. Konno shone in the centre and Suzuki played a good game at left back, successfully blocking Ota out of the game. They were bonuses for us today. We want Sasa to adapt to our style and move forward from here".

Jubilo manager Yamamoto
"We had injuries in the first half and the young players aggressively challenged for the ball. The standard of the team is rising and there's a new spirit of competition. It was a valuable game for us. As manager I'm very pleased to see talented young players showing their fighting spirit and accepting responsibility on the field. We made a few mistakes but given the tough schedule and the conditions Makoto Tanaka was superb. He's been playing for the national team and he played the full 90 minutes today; I really want to express my gratitude for his performance. He showed what a strong player he is. Choi had a knee injury from the opening game of the season and it's been a long road back to full fitness for him. We felt the time was right today and all the team wanted him to score. It's not only good for Choi himself but it's great for the team. The three substitutions we made today were all for injuries and all are due to the schedule. We've had the World Cup game against Iran, the Nabisco Cup and three league games in a week recently."