Win the Tokyo Final Round with soccer that utilizes speed!!

　Sec. 28 will be an away game against Verdy 1969. The battle between clubs based in Tokyo is one that cannot be lost. Additionally, although the last 6 matches since September have resulted in 2 wins and 3 draws without a loss after the defeat to Kashiwa, Tokyo wants to achieve a clear victory in this decisive match. This is an important game to gain momentum as we head into the final stages of the league.

　In this round, Kanazawa starts for the first time in 8 matches since the previous match against Hiroshima. However, Kaji's foot has not returned to 100% condition, so Fujiyama slides to right back. The double pivot consists of Konno and Kaji, with Toda on the right, Baba in the center, ABE on the left, and LUCAS at the forefront in a "three-top (Coach Hara)" formation.

　Verdy is currently in 17th place with 26 points. Since September, they have had 6 matches with 3 losses and 3 draws, remaining winless. This week, DF Uemura, MF Kobayashi Daisuke, and FW Hiramoto are suspended, creating a difficult situation, but they have adopted a "Tokyo strategy" by changing the midfield to a diamond shape and switching from a 3-back to a 4-back formation. Of course, their determination to not lose remains unchanged.

　The key player in Verdy's attack is forward Washington, who has scored 21 of the team's total 33 goals. Alongside him in the two-top formation is Morimoto, who requires attention. "Of course, Washington has a high scoring ability, and Morimoto will likely get involved around him. Although Morimoto hasn't had many opportunities this season (15 matches played, only 1 full match), his motivation should be high. Both are striker-like players, and it's dangerous to take your eyes off them for even a moment. We want to respond properly," said Coach Hara. In response, Tokyo simply aims to create opportunities for goals by running vertically and exploiting gaps.

Winning With Speed

F.C. TOKYO took on Tokyo Verdy 1969, the other club which makes it home at Ajinomoto Stadium, in the 28th game of the season. TOKYO were unbeaten in five games ( W2 D3 ) and were looking forward to a solid performance and another three points as the year drew to a close.
Kanazawa returned to the starting lineup for the first time in 8 games. Kaji was still not 100% though and Fujiyama continued at right back. Konno and Kajiyama played as double defensive midfielders, with Toda on the right, Baba in the center and Abe on the left of midfield. Lucas appeared as lone striker.
Opponents Verdy were peering into the abyss of relegation in 17th place, having taken only 3 points from a possible 18 in their previous six matches. Regular starters Uemura, Kobayashi and Hiramoto were all suspended. Manager Badon switched from their regular three-man backline to a four-man defense and a midfield diamond. The match was a must-win for the home side.
The key man was Washington, the powerful striker responsible for 21 of the team's 33 goals this year. His forward combination with fleet youngster Morimoto would need careful attention from the TOKYO defense. Manager Hara commented, "Of course Washington is the dangerman but we will have to watch Morimoto as he hasn't had much opportunity to play this season and his motivation will be very high. Both can exploit the smallest opening". TOKYO's game plan was simple; "Straight running, behind their defense".

Although we allowed the first goal, Kajiyama equalized with a long-range shot!

　The weather at Ajinomoto Stadium was unsettled. The match started at 15:04 with a kickoff in Tokyo. From the beginning, both teams pressed hard and battled fiercely, with the ball moving back and forth. In the 9th minute, Yoshiro ABE on the left exchanged passes with Lucas in the center, and ABE broke into space to deliver a cross, but it didn't connect. In the 11th minute, a long ball from a left free kick was played to Fujiyama on the right. Lucas headed the right cross, but the timing was off. In the 13th minute, Verdy earned a corner kick from a cross by left back Soma. They connected the play, and once again, FW Washington headed a left cross from Soma, but it went over the bar. In the 16th minute, Verdy allowed a quick attack from MF Jiu, and FW Morimoto shot from the right. It went wide to the right of the goal.

　In a back-and-forth battle, in the 19th minute, Soma surged up the left side for Verdy and delivered a fast early cross. Doihy came out and punched it away, but the loose ball hit forward Morimoto, who was lurking in front of the goal, and went in. In a moment of misfortune, they allowed the opening goal. However, Tokyo remained calm and launched an attack with quick passing. Particularly, Kanazawa was heavily involved in the offense, and Konno and Kajiwara also showed bold advances. In the 23rd minute, Konno's mid-range shot hit the opposing DF, and Toda picked up the rebound on the right side of the area and shot. In the 24th minute, Kajiwara dribbled through the gap between the opposing DFs and advanced to the front of the goal to shoot, but unfortunately it went just to the right. In the 27th minute, from a central free kick, Baba passed to Kajiwara, who set up Yoshiro ABE with a header in front of the goal, but the opposing GK caught it.

　From around the 30-minute mark, Verdy had almost no chances created against them, but Tokyo, despite their offensive efforts, struggled to finish. In the 34th minute, Baba from Kanazawa moved into the left space. Yoshiro ABE broke into the area and crossed, but Toda, who jumped in the center, couldn't connect. In the 37th minute, ABE headed a cross from Kanazawa, but it went over the bar. In the 39th minute, a pass was made to Konno, who moved into the area from Kanazawa, winning a corner kick. Baba delivered a fast ball from the left corner kick, but the opposing defense cleared it. They controlled the left side and created chances, but they just couldn't find the back of the net.

　However, in the 43rd minute, Kanazawa picked up a loose ball from the opposing defender and passed it to Lucas. Lucas sent it forward directly, and Kajiyama, who had moved up, controlled the floating ball with his chest and unexpectedly shot it. The ball, struck with the outside of his right foot, hit the right post and bounced back in! Kajiyama's aim, having actively taken mid-range shots until then, paid off as he equalized just before the end of the first half!

Verdy Lead, Kajiyama Ties It

F.C.TOKYO kicked off on a dull, grey afternoon at Ajinomoto Stadium. The game began with neither side able to retain possession for long due to some intense midfield pressure. In the 9th minute, Abe and Lucas exchanged passes allowing Abe space to cross but nothing came of it. TOKYO won a corner in the 13th minute that Lucas headed over. Verdy sideback Soma then pierced the TOKYO defense down the left, winning a corner. Soma took it himself and picked out Washington who headed over from a very good position. Verdy took the lead in the 16th minute when Morimoto forced home an early cross from Gil following a rapid break down the TOKYO left. Keeper Doi made contact with the ball first but it struck Morimoto and flew into the net.
TOKYO took the setback with equanimity and continued to press forward with some fast passwork. Kanazawa, Konno, and Kajiyama all lent their weight to the attack as TOKYO slowly began to dominate. In the 23rd minute, Konno hammered a shot that struck a Verdy defender and rebounded to Toda who fired over the bar. A minute later, Kajiyama turned a defender inside out before striking a shot inches wide of the post. In the 27th minute, Takagi, the Verdy keeper, had to be alert to grab Abe's knock down.
Verdy were unable to create any chances as TOKYO enjoyed the lion's share of the possession; despite this, TOKYO failed to find a finish to match their smooth approach play. In the 34th minute, Toda failed to make contact with Abe's cross and then Abe nodded Kanazawa's chipped cross over the bar. TOKYO increased the pressure as half time approached, winning a series of corners, but again failing to take advantage of their opportunities.
The breakthrough came in the 43rd minute. Kanazawa picked up a loose ball in defense and fed Lucas. Lucas floated a pass to Kajiyama who took the ball on his chest and unleashed a volley, struck with the outside of his right boot, that curled past Takagi and nestled inside the right post. TOKYO entered half time on level terms.

With Sasa's dramatic comeback goal, we win the Tokyo showdown!

　The intense battle continued in the second half, with both teams unable to create decisive scenes as time passed. In the 58th minute, Verdy forward Washington and Morimoto entered the area, preparing to shoot, but Shigeno cut it off every time, showing tenacious defense. In the 59th minute, Noriyuki SUZUKI was brought in as left midfielder to replace Toda, with Yoshiro ABE moving to the right. Taking this opportunity, Tokyo approached the Verdy goal with strong play. In the 62nd minute, they regained the ball in their own half, and from Konno's advance, Noriyuki SUZUKI took a mid-range shot. Although it didn't connect perfectly, the awareness for shooting increased. In the 64th minute, Baba entered shooting position from Lucas's post but failed to connect.

　In the 65th minute, Verdy substituted MF Toda for MF Kuba. Then, in the 66th minute, Tokyo brought in Sasa for Lucas. They focused on getting the ball to Sasa and aggressively attacked, but they became overcommitted and increasingly faced counterattacks from Verdy. In the 70th minute, there was a dangerous moment when Verdy DF Soma's left cross was met by MF Jiu, but Tokyo DF marked well and defended successfully. In the 73rd minute, Moniwa dashed fiercely for a loose ball in midfield, inspiring the team with his passionate play. Just after that, in the 74th minute, from Kaji's setup, Yoshiro ABE shot from the right area. Sasa and Norio SUZUKI rushed in for the rebound from the goalkeeper but just missed, wasting the chance.

　Verdy also launches a counterattack. In the 74th minute, a through pass is sent in front of the goal, but Doi clears it with a sliding tackle. In the 75th minute, a middle shot taken by Verdy MF Hirano hits the right post. In the 76th minute, they were countered quickly, but the shot from MF Jiu, who came up free on the left, goes over the bar, escaping danger.

　In the 83rd minute in Tokyo, from KAJIYAMA to the left to Norio SUZUKI. Baba received the rebound from the cross in front of the goal, took a touch, and shot, but it went just slightly to the right, missing another big chance... In the 85th minute, Sasa's long-range shot was saved by the opposing goalkeeper, resulting in a left corner kick. Baba's kick was touched by the opposing defender and spilled in front of Shigeno, but the shot with his foot went over. Although they created chances by using the pitch wide, they just couldn't score an additional goal. The prospect of a draw loomed.

　However, the battle on the pitch continued without giving up. In the 87th minute, Yoshiro ABE was fouled just outside the right area, earning a free kick. At this point, Kurisawa came on for Baba. Noriyuki SUZUKI aimed directly at the free kick, but it drifted to the left. Then, just after the display of 2 minutes of stoppage time, the opponent's defender cleared the ball sent to Sasa, and Kajiyama connected with a header to the free Kurisawa. Seeing that the path ahead was clear, Kurisawa charged forward with a dribble. As the opponent closed in, he drew the defender and passed to Sasa on the right. Without hesitation, Sasa shot as he entered the area! Although it was a shot from a tight angle, the ball curled in, grazing between the opponent's goalkeeper and the near post, and went into the goal!! With a dramatic goal just before the end, they turned the game around. The match ended shortly after this. The victory was the result of not giving up until the end and bravely attacking. The team fought as one and triumphed in the Tokyo showdown.

　【Player Comments】《Kajiama》"(For the goal) I was told to shoot whenever there was a chance, so I was able to shoot naturally. The opponent was closing in, so I just aimed to get it on target and kicked it with the outside of my foot. The moment it hit the post, I thought it was in. Despite not scoring much until now, I’m glad I could respond to the coach who kept using me. The match against Verdy had amazing support, and both the team and staff were really invested. I wanted to respond to the supporters' cheers and didn’t want to lose. I hope to continue playing in a way that contributes to goals like today." 《Sasa》"I think derby matches are always difficult. We were able to win in stoppage time today, and I believe luck was on our side, but it was great that we all worked hard together. (For the goal) Yohei picked up a loose ball in the air, it flowed to Kurizawa, and from there I received a pass and took a shot with all my might. Given the timing, I thought I had no choice but to shoot. (Even though I wasn't a starter?) Every player has the desire to play from start to finish, but the decision is up to the coach. We play under the coach, and if needed, we must practice to deliver results no matter the time or situation. There were derby matches in Paraguay, and I remember winning most of them. I’m glad we won today, which was my first in Japan. I heard a lot of cheers, which gave me strength. It was thanks to the fans' support that I was able to give my best. Thank you."

　【Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference】 "I have watched quite a few videos of Verdy's recent matches, and I thought they were not bad at all; rather, they are playing good football. Especially, when the ball goes to our key player, FW Washington, if we give him even a little space, he has the ability to make something happen. So, we first focused on not letting the ball get to Washington. Verdy has many players suspended and has changed their system. Morimoto started for the first time in a while and should be highly motivated; he was the one I was most concerned about. The goal we conceded came from a long ball played by DF Hayashi, which caused a mix-up in marking between FW Morimoto and Washington. However, apart from that goal, I think Shigeno and Jean handled things well. We started our attack with three forwards, but I intentionally had Yoshiro Abe move inside. This caused Verdy's right back Yamada to follow him, forcing right MF Yoshiyuki Kobayashi to cover defensively. We tried to involve Kanazawa, Kajiyama, and Konno to utilize the left side. However, by pushing forward, we inadvertently allowed Verdy's left back Soma and MF Jiu to come out, leading to counterattacks against us. That was scary, but we took the risk to make a play. Also, since Verdy was solid in front of their goal, I instructed the team to take mid-range shots. Although we had few chances, the first goal was as planned. Kajiyama has great shooting power, but he had been passing too much; it was great to see him score a wonderful shot. Today, I was torn between using either Miyazawa or Kajiyama as the other holding midfielder to pair with Konno, but I thought it would be a fiercely contested match in midfield, so I chose the physically strong Kajiyama. I believe that was successful. In the second half, to take a gamble, I brought in Norio Suzuki to implement a strategy of crossing from the left. The attacks, including crosses, were good, but conversely, our defensive transitions became slower. We lost the ball in a bad way and faced counterattacks, leading to a back-and-forth situation. Lucas is improving, but he hasn't been able to position himself to score by holding his ground in front of the goal, so I brought in Sasa to enforce a 'simple game of crossing and picking up loose balls.' Baba was also working hard but missed a crucial chance, so I substituted him with Kurizawa at that time. I considered bringing in Miura to maintain balance at the back and pushing Kajiyama forward, but rather than playing defensively, we aimed to score. Even in a short time, Kurizawa spread the passes and created favorable situations to utilize Sasa in the area. Sasa's best quality is his striker-like play in the box. Although he may still lack experience in Japan and might be uncertain in the J-League, if we let him work only in the area, he has the potential to score as much as Washington. Today was an away game, but our supporters gathered in greater numbers, and there was a strong desire to secure all three points. The cheers from the supporters, along with the desire to win from the players who did not play and the staff, all contributed to Sasa's final goal."

　[Summary of Verdy VADAO's press conference] "In a derby, like today's match, goals tend to come from small chances in the final stages. Overall, FC Tokyo had better marking and performed well. The marking in midfield was particularly strict, and we lost second balls. We anticipated that they would pull back to the halfway line and wait for our mistakes, and that’s exactly what happened. Of course, we had some good moments too, but looking at the match as a whole, FC Tokyo played better. (Today, Soma was breaking through on the left side, but it seems that the overall side attack hasn’t changed?) That’s correct. To utilize the sides, we usually create two wings with a three-back system, but today, DF Lee and Yoneyama were injured, and Uemura was suspended, so we didn’t have a center back and changed the system. With Soma, Hirano, and Jiu, three left-footed players, we were able to create shape on the left side rather than the right. Considering that, it’s natural for the left side to function. In the second half, I thought we could create chances from the right side by bringing in Kuba, but it didn’t go very well."

Sasa Snatches Dramatic Winner

The second period began in the same fashion as the first with neither side able to create a clear opening. In the 58th minute, Washington and Morimoto infiltrated the TOKYO defense but were blocked by Moniwa's resolute tackling. In the 59th minute, Suzuki replaced Toda and Abe moved to the right. Suzuki made an immediate impact, blazing a shot wide of the post in the 63rd minute.
Verdy were forced to send on Kuba for the injured Toda in the 65th minute and TOKYO responded by exchanging Lucas for Sasa Salcedo. The switch allowed Verdy some opportunities to counter attack; in the 70th minute, Soma crossed and the onrushing Gil made contact but the TOKYO defense dealt with the danger. In the 73rd minute, Moniwa picked up the ball and made a surging run through midfield that served to lift the team and brought roars from the crowd. In the 74th minute, Kajiyama set up Abe and Takagi was unable to hold his shot; Sasa and Suzuki pounced but neither managed to make contact with the ball and yet another chance was wasted.
Verdy pushed forward and created chances as the game entered the final phase. Doi slid out to clear a through pass, Hirano rattled the post with a long-range effort and Gil fired over the bar from a good position.
Baba had a clear chance to settle the match in the 83rd minute as he collected a poor clearance on his chest just outside the area. A neat flick took the ball past a defender but he screwed his shot just wide of the post. Sasa unleashed a long-range shot in the 85th minute that seemed to surprise Takagi and the keeper fumbled the ball around the post for a corner. A Verdy defender directed the ball into the path of Moniwa whose instantaneous volley flew wide. TOKYO was using the full width of the pitch but just couldn't get the ball into the net. The match seemed destined for a draw.
The players weren't giving up though. In the 87th minute, TOKYO won a free kick in a promising position; Suzuki hammered it wide. TOKYO then replaced Baba with Kurisawa. Two minutes of injury time had just been announced when the fate of the game was sealed. A long ball aimed at Sasa had been cleared but only as far as Kajiyama who headed it to the unmarked Kurisawa. Kurisawa raced into space in the heart of the Verdy half, drawing defenders before expertly slipping the ball to Sasa on his right. Sasa met the ball first time with a rasping low drive from a tight angle that bisected Takagi and the near post. TOKYO had made a dramatic comeback and taken the lead with virtually the last kick of the match. The final whistle blew shortly after on a famous victory. It was a victory for perseverance, team play, and character.


Players' comments 
Kajiyama 
"We were told to shoot if we had a chance so I just had a go. Verdy players were closing me down and I hit it with the outside of my boot. When I saw it hit the post I knew it was going in. The manager has continued to select me even though I haven't been scoring so I'm very pleased to be able to repay that faith with a goal. The support is amazing for these games against Verdy and the players and staff are always highly motivated. We really wanted to answer the fans support and not lose the game. I think it would be very good if I could continue to score goals like today's ". 

Sasa
"Derby matches are always difficult games. Today's game was won in injury time which takes some luck, but it's down to everybody's hard work. For the goal, Yohei ( Kajiyama ) headed a high ball down to Kurisawa who passed it out to me and I just hit it. Considering the time left in the game there wasn't much else I could do. As for not being in the starting line up, all players want to be on the field from the start to the finish but the manager decides these things. We play under his direction and have to practice for any eventuality. My memory of playing in Derby matches in Paraguay is very good as we usually won so I'm delighted to win in my first in Japan. I'd like to thank the fans for their terrific support today; it really gave me a great boost".


TOKYO manager Hara
"I watched videos of Verdy's recent games and they weren't bad at all, they played some decent football. In particular Washington is a very dangerous player; give him an inch of space and he'll have the ball in the net. So we had to stop him getting any service at all today. Verdy had a few players missing and had completely changed their system. Morimoto hadn't played for a while so we expected him to be highly motivated today. He and Washington had slipped their markers for the goal but apart from that Moniwa and Jean dealt with them very well today. We played three up front and deliberately pushed Abe further into the middle, forcing the Verdy sideback Yamada to go with him and making the right sided midfielder Kobayashi work as defensive cover. That freed up space for Konno, Kajiyama and Kanazawa and allowed us to attack down the left. When we pushed forward it allowed Gil and Soma to counter attack though. That was dangerous but if we wanted to win the game we had to take a calculated gamble. Also, as Verdy packed their defence I told the players to shoot from distance. The first goal went just as we had planned. That was a fantastic shot from Kajiyama; he usually passes the ball but made the correct decision to shoot. I was torn between playing Kajiyama or Miyazawa alongside Konno but went with Kajiyama as we expected a very physical game. That was the right decision I think. We sent on Suzuki to provide crosses from the left flank. We attacked well today but were a little slow in switching from attack to defence and that allowed Verdy to counter attack. Lucas didn't look like scoring so we sent on Sasa with a simple plan to hit in crosses and pick up the loose balls. Baba played well but missed a good chance so we replaced him with Kurisawa. We could have sent Miura on to balance the defence but decided to go for the winner and so we used Kurisawa. He only played for a few minutes but made some good passes and created the winning goal. Sasa is at his best playing as an out-and-out striker in the box. He has only been here for a while and still lacks experience with the team but his shooting and heading ability are first class. If he plays entirely in the box he has the quality to be an even better striker than Washington. We were "away" today but had a massive support and that made us determined to go for the three points. The desire of the fans, the staff and all the players who couldn't play today to win were present in Sasa's winning goal".

Verdy manager Badon
"Games like these have a tendency to be decided by just one small chance. Looking at the match, TOKYO played well and marked better. The midfield was particularly tough and we lost out on the loose balls. They played as we had expected, pulling back and waiting for us to make mistakes. We had some good periods but overall TOKYO were the better team. We were suffering with injuries and had to change the system completely. We made much more progress on the left than the right side. We sent on Kuba but things didn't really improve on the right."