Control the midfield and aim for 3 points!

　The league has reached two-thirds of the way, and in Sec. 22, we will face Kashiwa Reysol away. In the three matches since the restart in August, we have not been able to secure a victory, with two draws and one loss. However, in the matches against Nagoya and Iwata, we showed resilience by equalizing even after conceding the first goal, and our performance has been improving. Starting from this match, we will return to a pace of one game per week, allowing ample time for adjustments. During this period, Yoshiro ABE, who was on loan to Oita, has returned, and players who were suffering from colds and fitness issues have regained their energy. Today's starting lineup features Lucas and Sasa as the two forwards, with Konno and Kajiyama forming a double pivot, and Norio SUZUKI on the left side back in a 4-4-2 formation. Yoshiro ABE will also be on the bench as a super sub.

　Kashiwa is currently in 16th place with 22 points. In the three matches since the restart, they have the same record as Tokyo with 2 draws and 1 loss, but in the last match against C Osaka, they were equalized just before the end, and they have not quite found their rhythm. However, in this match, FW Tamada, who missed the C Osaka match due to fever, returns. He will form a two-top with the newly joined FW Ronaldo. Additionally, they have switched to a 4-back defense to counter Tokyo's system.

　Coach Hara said before the match, "Kashiwa is thorough in their counter-attacks after regaining possession. Ronaldo, Tamada, and also Yano have speed. When they face forward, they come at us using their speed as a weapon, so we want to make them take as much time and effort as possible. If we lose possession in a strange way, there is a fear of a counterattack, so we must finish simply in our attacks, ending with a finish or a cross. They also pull back quickly, so we want to take the lead and force the opponent to have to score." However, we have played Kashiwa three times this season, with one draw and two losses. Additionally, we will continue to face lower-ranked teams from here on, and we cannot afford to drop points. This is a match where we must secure three points at all costs to gain momentum for our rise.

Nicking The Points

With two thirds of the league campaign over, F.C.TOKYO took on Kashiwa Reysol away in the 22nd game. TOKYO had failed to win since the league restarted in August but in the two draws with Grampus and Jubilo had shown admirable character in fighting back after conceding the first goal and were certainly improving. With the match schedule returning to a one game a week pace there was ample time to refine tactics in training. Yoshiro Abe returned from his loan period at Oita Trinita and the players struggling with colds and niggles had time to recover. TOKYO lined up in a 4-4-2 formation: Lucas and Sasa Salcedo in attack, Konno and Kajiyama in defensive midfield and Suzuki as left back. Abe took up his customary "super-sub" position on the bench.
Opponents Reysol lay in 16th place with 22 points at kick off. Like TOKYO they were struggling with their consistency and had been held to a draw in the previous game with Cerezo after conceding a last-gasp equaliser. Ace striker Tamada returned from illness and teamed up with new acquisition Reinaldo, also in a 4-4-2 formation.
Before kick off manager Hara commented, "Reysol are a complete counter attacking side, very fast on the break. We will have to slow down their attack and force them to commit players going forward. We must ensure we finish every movement with a shot on goal and don't lose the ball in the build-up; if we do we could be in trouble. Ideally, we'd like an early goal to force them to come forward." This was the fourth meeting of the sides this season; Reysol held a 2-1 advantage. Further, it was a meeting of two sides at the wrong end of the table and, while not quite a six-pointer, victory would put some daylight between TOKYO and the stragglers.

Sasa's right foot explodes, scoring the opening goal in the first minute, but...

　Although the wind has started to blow, the humidity remains in Kashiwa. At exactly 7 PM, the match began with Kashiwa's kickoff. Just over 30 seconds into the game, Sasa was fouled near the left side of the penalty area, giving them an immediate chance for a free kick. Sasa took the free kick from about 20 meters away, and the ball bounced under the opposing goalkeeper's outstretched hand, slipping into the right side of the goal. They scored the opening goal early!

　I wanted to take advantage of this momentum, but Kashiwa quickly stole the ball and launched a counterattack. In response, Tokyo also initiated fast attacks. However, in the 14th minute, left-back Noriyuki Suzuki and Shigenobu managed to thwart the opponent's attack with tenacious defense. Just when it seemed we had possession, we were awarded a throw-in against us. Before we could prepare, Kashiwa's defender Kobayashi took the throw-in, and midfielder Myojin immediately connected with a header to forward Ronaldo, who scored with a header right in front of the goal. We conceded a goal due to a lapse in concentration.

　They equalized, but continued to attack. In the 16th minute, Ishikawa moved in from the right side and took a mid-range shot. It had power but went to the left. In the 19th minute, Lucas had a big chance one-on-one with the GK. However, the shot he took after breaking into the area from the left side was blocked by the opposing GK's fine play, missing the opportunity. Then, in the 26th minute, Kashiwa's defensive midfielder Otani passed to Reynaud just outside the area. Reynaud turned towards the goal and, seeing space ahead, immediately took a mid-range shot. Although Doih was able to save it once, the ball spilled and went into the goal. They conceded the second goal.

　Although they are behind, they do not get discouraged and counterattack. In the 29th minute, Sasa breaks free from Kurizawa's pass, dodges the opposing DF on the left side of the area, and shoots. Unfortunately, the shot is cut by the opposing DF, and the GK punches it away. Ishikawa competes for the loose ball and wins a corner kick. However, the two corner kicks do not lead to any chances. In the 33rd minute, there is a free kick from just outside the left area. Jean dives for Kurizawa's kick, but the ball goes high, and the opposing GK catches it. In the 35th minute, Kaji crosses from the right. Kajiyama picks up the loose ball and connects it, and this time Noriyuki Suzuki crosses from the left. They attack using the width of the pitch, but do not reach a finish.

　In the 42nd minute, Lucas received a feed from Moniwa, and Sasa dodged the opposing defender in the center of the area to shoot, but it went over the bar. In stoppage time, there was a free kick opportunity from almost the same position where they scored the opening goal. This time, Sasa took the kick, but he couldn't hit the target. Despite creating chances, they lacked the finishing touch and went into the second half trailing by one goal.

Sasa Blasts TOKYO Ahead

Reysol kicked off shortly after 7pm on a breezy but humid evening. With only 30 seconds on the clock Sasa was upended outside the Reysol area on the left and TOKYO had the first chance of the game. Sasa took the free kick himself, curling the ball across the wall and beyond Minami's despairing dive to give TOKYO a dream start. 
TOKYO sought to press home the advantage but Reysol were faster to the ball and fought back with some rapid counter attacks. In the 14th minute Suzuki and Moniwa combined to snuff out a threat down the left. The ball went out for what seemed a TOKYO throw in but was given to Reysol; as the players registered their surprise Kobayashi quickly threw the ball in to Myojin who headed it into the goalmouth and Reinaldo nodded past Doi for the equalizer. A moment's break in concentration cost TOKYO dearly. 
The visitors continued to attack; in the 16th minute Ishikawa raced down the right, cut inside and shot, his effort fizzing wide. Lucas had a golden opportunity to restore TOKYO's lead in the 19th minute as he bore down on goal with only the keeper to beat. Minami produced a fine save to maintain parity. In the 26th minute midfielder Otani picked out Reinaldo outside the TOKYO area. Reinaldo found himself in space and shot powerfully; Doi managed to make contact but was unable to prevent the ball trickling over the line to put the home side ahead. 
TOKYO rallied and went close in the 29th minute through Sasa who cut inside a defender and shot from the edge of the area. Minami punched the effort away and Ishikawa earned a corner by battling a defender for the ball. In the 33rd minute Jean failed to connect with Kurisawa's floated free kick from the left and Minami held the ball cleanly. Kaji and Kajiyama curled in crosses in the 35th minute as TOKYO used the full width of the pitch to good effect but the final touch was lacking. In the 42nd minute Moniwa and Lucas combined to set up Sasa but his shot flew over the bar. Sasa fired another free kick wide in injury time. TOKYO were creating chances but the finish was lacking and the half ended 1-2. 

Yoshiro ABE strikes back, but is sunk by Kashiwa's sharp counterattack

　After a halftime reset, they were supposed to make a decisive move in the second half. However, just seconds into the restart, they were hit by a sharp counterattack from Kashiwa. FW Tamada charged forward with a dribble through the center, trying to be surrounded and dispossessed, but then he spread the play to the right. MF Kleber connected with Otani, and while Shigeno tried to intercept in front of the goal, he was bypassed by Ronaldo who was behind him. Ronaldo drew in the Tokyo defense and passed to the left. Tamada, who ran in, scored, making it the third goal against them. Just after the second half began, they fell behind by two goals, leading to a difficult match situation.

　In the 46th minute, Lucas aimed from the middle, and in the 49th minute, Kurizawa also tried but the opposing goalkeeper caught it. In the 52nd minute, Ishikawa sprinted down the right side. Near the end line, he cut inside from a deep position, but was challenged by the defender and the ball went out. In the 53rd minute, Yoshiro ABE was brought in to replace Kurizawa. There was a loud cheer, and just as they were trying to seize the rhythm, in the 55th minute, a back pass from Konno to Jean was intercepted by Ronaldo, who rushed towards the goal. The shot was saved by Doi, but the rebound was pushed in by Tamada, resulting in a goal conceded from a mistake, making it the fourth goal conceded.

　Tokyo continues to attack desperately, trying to strike back. In the 62nd minute, from Kaji's cross-field pass, Yoshiro ABE makes a move and tries to connect with Lucas for a one-two. However, the opposing DF cuts it off at the last moment. In the 65th minute, Sasa receives a through pass to the front line, and Lucas dives into the goal area one after another, but cannot shoot in front of Kashiwa's determined DF. In the 66th minute, Tadashi BABA wins a left corner kick from Norio SUZUKI's cross. In the 67th minute, BABA is brought on to replace Ishikawa. However, Kashiwa's counterattack momentum does not wane. In the 70th minute, from Konno's cross on the right, Norio SUZUKI shoots from the loose ball of the DF, but is blocked by the DF, leading to a rapid counterattack. FW Tamada brings the ball into the area and takes a shot, but Dohei makes the save.

　In the 71st minute, Sasa launched a quick attack from Tokyo and shot into the area. The goalkeeper was threatened, but it was deflected for a corner kick. In the 73rd minute, Noriyuki Suzuki broke through on the left side and sent a grounded cross. Lucas, who was positioned in front of the goal, got into shooting position, and in the ensuing scramble with the opposing defenders, Yoshiro ABE pushed it in for a goal! It was a gritty, typical goal for Yoshiro ABE, finally scoring in his favored style. After that, both Yoshiro ABE and Baba became good starting points and continued to attack until the end, but they couldn't finish against Kashiwa's tenacious defense. Ultimately, they were pushed back by Kashiwa's strength in duels and lost 2-4 to their skillful and fast counterattacks. However, with goals from Sasa and Yoshiro ABE, there were aspects that gave hope for future counterattacks. They want to use this defeat as a stepping stone and definitely aim for a comeback.

　【Player Comments】《Yoshiro ABE》"I was told to actively face forward, take on challenges, and create the rhythm of the attack, so I played with that in mind. I thought I should keep challenging on my own and express my own style rather than just fulfilling the team's role. The goal happened because I happened to be inside. Norio SUZUKI's breakthrough in the narrow side led to the goal. It's disappointing that we couldn't get a result, but it's not over, and I don't think there's any need to be down."《Sasa》"I was confident with the free kick, so I took it. Although the goals haven't led to victories yet, I want to keep working hard to achieve good results."《Moniwa》"I wanted to attack with a more compact formation, but the opponent pushed forward and we ended up on the defensive. I feel regret thinking we could have done more, we should have done a bit better... There was some bad luck in conceding, but more than that, our marking was off. We are aware of the danger. We want to discuss among the players about 'how we should fight now.' Tokyo supporters had high expectations, and after betraying them, we received boos and Tokyo chants. I think that means 'You can do better, right!?' For my own sake, I want to fight thoroughly in the remaining matches."

　[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "By scoring early, we were able to start well. However, during the opponent's throw-in, while we were saying 'our ball,' they lobbed it in and scored, and from that goal, our rhythm worsened. We were never broken down, but for the second goal, we left Kashiwa FW Ronaldo free and they scored. At halftime, I said, 'Kashiwa will aim for counters, so let's be careful. Don't be afraid and move the ball a bit more to attack,' but just one minute into the second half, Tamada scored on a counterattack, making the match difficult. We brought in Yoshiro ABE and Baba midway to try to play our style of football, but we missed the chance to score a third goal and Kashiwa held on. This season, we have had bad luck against Kashiwa, and I told the team before the match to fight hard, but we lost individual battles against Kashiwa's players. It is a very frustrating defeat, but we want to hold on together for the next match. All four goals conceded came from the defense being slightly lax at times, so we want to make sure to correct that properly."

　[Kashiwa - Coach Hayano's Press Conference] "We had a series of draws, but this past week we reviewed our tactics and approached the game with the determination to score two goals and win. Although we conceded first, we managed to come from behind and win. Above all, it was the first time this season that both forwards scored two goals each. If we can maintain this form, we can have a stable performance. We switched to a four-back formation to counter FC Tokyo's system and neutralize their strengths. For that reason, we placed defender Satsukawa at left back. Satsukawa did well in an unfamiliar position, and center backs Tsuchiya and Hato showed good coordination. Additionally, goalkeeper Minami, who made fine saves, was today's MVP. We substituted Ronaldo because we wanted to secure all three points by increasing our energy on the field. Since the opponent pushed forward aggressively, we also increased our effort and decided it was better to defend firmly rather than try to score another goal. We still have a lot to work on, but we want to build on this victory."

Abe Scores On Return

TOKYO sought to continue in the same vein after the break but were rocked by a rapid Reysol counter in the first minute of the second period. Tamada dribbled through the middle then switched play to the right as the TOKYO defence blocked his path forward. Otani played the ball through to Reinaldo, Moniwa failed to cut out the pass and Reinaldo squared the ball for Tamada to tap in with Doi stranded. TOKYO found themselves two goals behind less than a minute after the restart.
Lucas and Kurisawa tried their luck from distance but Minami held both efforts comfortably. Ishikawa sprinted to the byline and pulled the ball back in the 52nd minute but the home defence cleared the danger. Abe replaced Kurisawa in the 53rd minute and received a rapturous welcome from the TOKYO fans; any thoughts of his leading a fightback were shattered by another lapse of concentration, though. In the 55th minute Reysol intercepted a backpass from Konno to Jean and swarmed over the TOKYO defence. Doi held the initial shot but Tamada pounced to slot the rebound home and raise the score to 4-1.
With the game sliding out of their grasp TOKYO had no option but to throw themselves into attack. Kaji's crossfield ball in the 62nd minute found Abe on the left but a defender blocked his attempted one-two with Lucas. More solid defending prevented Lucas from shooting after he raced onto Sasa's through ball and Suzuki's cross earned TOKYO a corner in the 66th minute. Baba replaced Ishikawa in the 67th minute. Reysol showed no signs of slacking the pace of their counter attacks and after a TOKYO move broke down in the 70th minute Tamada raced free and only a fine save from Doi denied him a hat trick.
Minami foiled Sasa from the edge of the area in the 71st minute. Two minutes later Suzuki made headway down the left and fired in a low cross. Lucas shaped to shoot, then became entangled with a defender and Abe popped up to force the ball home and reduce the deficit to two. Thereafter he and Baba strove manfully to pierce the Reysol defence but chances were unforthcoming and the home side successfully held off TOKYO for a 4-2 victory. TOKYO could take some consolation from the defeat in Abe's return and Sasa's well-taken goal.

Players' comments 
Abe: 
"I went on with orders to go forward positively and try to find a rhythm. I was thinking more about playing my natural game of taking people on than my role in the team. I was just in the right place at the right time for the goal after Suzuki got through and crossed. We didn't get the result but there's no reason to be down. There's a long way to go yet". 

Sasa
"I felt confident so I took the free kick. My goals aren't really contributing to wins but I'm doing my best to get the results".

Moniwa
"We needed to be a little more compact in attack and were rather passive when they came out to attack us. There's definitely a feeling we could have done more in the game. I also have a feeling of crisis. We have to discuss how to approach the games amongst ourselves. The supporters were both booing and cheering us today and that shows we have much more to do. I'll give it my best in the remaining games".


F.C. TOKYO manager Hara
"We started very well and got the early goal. But as the players were appealing for the throw in it was taken and they scored; we lost our rhythm from there. They didn't really overrun us but Reinaldo was left in space for the second goal. At half time I warned the team Reysol would play on the counter attack and told them to move the ball around more. Reysol scored in the first minute of the half and that made the game very difficult for us. We sent on Baba and Abe hoping they could lift us but we just couldn't find the third goal. Reysol have been difficult opponents for us this year and before the game we discussed the importance of solid performances but they were better than us on an individual level today. It's a very disappointing defeat but we'll focus on doing our best in the next game".

Reysol manager Hayano
"We've been drawing a lot of games recently so we worked on tactics in training and were determined to score at least twice and win the game. They scored first but we came back to win the match. This is the first time this season our strikers have scored two goals each and that's the most pleasing thing. If they can score that allows us to play a steady game. We started with four backs, with Satsukawa on the left, as that negates TOKYO's strong point. He's not used to the position but played well, as did the centre backs Tsuchiya and Hato. I think Minami was the man of the match for us today; he made some vital saves at important times. I replaced Reinaldo as we needed a little more movement and were determined to take the three points. TOKYO attacked strongly at the end and instead of another goal we needed more in defence. There are still many, many things we have to do but we hope to carry over this win into the next game".