I want to conclude the final home game with a victory

　In Sec. 33, we will face Kawasaki Frontale at home. Time flies, and there are only 2 matches left in the league. The team has been in good form, remaining unbeaten since Sec. 23, but now we are approaching the final home match amidst a tough series of games. We want to show our energetic soccer this match and conclude with a victory, as a way to respond to the fans' support throughout the year.

　However, in the last match against Niigata, Lucas injured his foot. Baba also has lingering discomfort in his knee and will be absent. Sasa will start for the first time in eight matches since the match against Oita on September 25, and Kurizawa will play as the attacking midfielder, just like in the last match. Coach Hara mentioned about Sasa's start, "The current strength of Tokyo lies in our proactive soccer from the front. The team has been accustomed to Lucas's rhythm, but I told Sasa, 'Just take the initiative and decide the direction of the ball. If Sasa moves, the back will move. After that, it's just about scoring.'" Kaji returns to the defense line. Fujiyama will play as the left back, and Kanazawa will start on the bench considering the condition from the consecutive matches.

　Kawasaki is currently in 6th place with 49 points. Since Sec. 29, they have 1 win and 3 losses, and their form seems to be declining a bit, but it is a match against a top team for Tokyo. It could be a difficult game. The attacking line with speed is something to be wary of. "Especially FW JUNINHO is scary when he faces forward. There are also combinations with FW Ganaha and MF Markus, and MF Augusto and others get involved as well. We want to apply pressure from the front as a whole to prevent them from getting the ball as much as possible," said Coach Hara, tightening his resolve.

　In attack, against Kawasaki's tall DF including Minowa and Terada, it is necessary to be creative, not just to throw the ball in, but to send fast balls along the ground or between the GK and DF. Speedy players like Yoshiro ABE and Norio SUZUKI also want to take the initiative. The coach and players are eager to have an intense match and win with Tokyo's football. The last home game at Ajinomoto this season started at 15:03 with Kawasaki's kickoff.

Signing Off With A Win

Kawasaki Frontale was the visitor to Ajinomoto Stadium for the final home league game of the season. TOKYO was unbeaten in 10 games and aiming for a third consecutive win in six days to thank the fans for their superb support over the year. 
Lucas and Baba were both suffering from knocks picked up in the win over Albirex on Wednesday and were unable to start. Sasa Salcedo returned to the starting eleven for the first time in 8 games with Kurisawa in a withdrawn role between midfield and the lone striker. TOKYO manager Hara commented, "The team is playing positive football from the front at the moment and has become used to playing to Lucas' rhythm. We told Sasa to go out and dominate, to seize the initiative and move the ball around. If he moves well then the players behind will, also. After that it's just a matter of scoring goals". Kaji returned at right back, Fujiyama moved to left back and Kanazawa began on the bench. 
Frontale lay in 6th place on 49 points at kick off. Despite losing three out of the last four games the side was fast, strong and posed a serious attacking threat. "Juninho is particularly dangerous if he gets the ball facing the goal", went on Hiromi Hara, "forward Ganaha and midfielder Marcus have a good understanding and Augusto likes to get forward when possible. We have to keep the ball away from them as much as possible and press hard from the front". 
The Kawasaki defenders are tall so a simple long ball game would make little impact; TOKYO needed something more subtle, like using the speed of Abe and Suzuki on the flanks to send early, low crosses into the "zone of uncertainty" between the defence and goalkeeper. "We want to play an exciting game and take the three points," commented manager Hara. The visitors kicked off under a clear blue sky shortly after 3pm. 

Exploited defensive weaknesses, allowed the first goal

　From the beginning, Tokyo took control of the ball and launched an attack, while Kawasaki aimed for chances with sharp counters, both trying to showcase their strengths. In the 7th minute, Noriyuki Suzuki kept the ball deep on the left side and made a short ground pass to Sasa in the area. Sasa aggressively aimed for the goal, but the Kawasaki defense blocked it. In the 9th minute, Yoshiro ABE dribbled up from the right side and took a shot. In the 11th minute, Kajiyama directly aimed for a free kick from over 30 meters, but none of them were on target.

　Kawasaki, in the 16th minute, had a cross from MF Nakamura on the right side. Tokyo DF cleared the ball, which was dropped by MF Markus, and FW JUNINHO took a shot. It went wide of the goal, avoiding danger. In the 18th minute, following an attacking participation from DF Terada, FW JUNINHO and MF Markus exchanged a one-two to approach the Tokyo goal, but Shigeno held firm. After the 20th minute, Kawasaki transitioned to a four-back formation with DF Terada moving up to the holding midfielder position and both wingers dropping back to defense.

　Then, in the 22nd minute, Kawasaki forward Ganaha drifted to the left and made a big switch to the right. Midfielder Nakamura received the ball and slowly dribbled inward. Seeing an opening for a shot, he took a shot from outside the right area. This went in, and Tokyo allowed the first goal. Kawasaki did not miss the opportunity as Tokyo's defense weakened.

　Kawasaki seized the rhythm and advanced the match in their favor. In response, Tokyo switched to a formation with Abe and Sasa as a two-top and Kurizawa positioned on the right after the 28th minute. In the 29th minute, Norio SUZUKI's left cross was received by Kurizawa in the area, who was brought down by the opposing defender while attempting to dribble past, but no foul was called. In the 31st minute, from a left corner kick taken by Norio SUZUKI, Jaan headed the ball but it went over the bar. In the 34th minute, Sasa was fouled just outside the area, earning a free kick in a prime position. Using Norio SUZUKI as a decoy, Sasa aimed directly at the goal, but was blocked by the Kawasaki defense wall, resulting in a corner kick. Connecting from this corner, Kurizawa shot from outside the area. Kaji aimed from mid-range at the rebound from the defense but failed to hit the target. Ultimately, they could not create any decisive chances and went into halftime trailing by one goal.

Defensive Uncertainty Allows Frontale Lead

The game began with both sides playing to their strengths: TOKYO moved the ball around, using the width of the pitch and probing for an opening while Frontale defended stoutly and bided their time waiting for counter attacking opportunities. In the 7th minute Suzuki took the ball down the left and crossed low to Sasa, whose shot was blocked. Abe then raced down the right wing and shot in the 9th minute. Kajiyama blasted a free kick over the bar from 30 metres out in the 11th minute.
In the 16th minute Nakamura crossed from the right and the TOKYO defence cleared the ball, but only to Marcus. Marcus nodded the ball into the path of Juninho who shot powerfully but wide. Moniwa made a superb tackle to dispossess Juninho in the 20th minute after a one two between the striker and Marcus on the edge of the TOKYO area had created a clear opening. In the 20th minute Frontale defender Terada moved forward into a defensive midfield position while the two wing backs withdrew into a four man backline.
In the 22nd minute Ganaha took the ball down the TOKYO right wing before sending a long crossfield pass out to Nakamura on the right. Nakamura dribbled infield, looking for a clear sight of goal then unleashed a powerful drive that flew inside the far post to give his team an early lead. The visitors had exploited a chink in TOKYO's defensive armour.
Kawasaki found their rhythm and began to dominate the game. TOKYO responded by moving Kurisawa out to the right wing and Abe into a striker's role alongside Sasa. In the 29th minute Suzuki latched onto Kurisawa's cross and burst into the Frontale area before a clumsy tackle sent him to ground. The referee waved play on. Jean headed Suzuki's corner over the bar in the 31st minute. In the 34th minute TOKYO won a free kick in an excellent position just outside the Frontale area. Suzuki dummied over the ball and Sasa clipped a curler that took a deflection and sailed past the post with Aizawa, in the Kawasaki goal, stranded. Kurisawa hammered a shot against a defender from the resulting corner and Kaji blazed the loose ball over the bar. TOKYO failed to find an equaliser and the first half finished 0-1.

Sasa equalized with two consecutive goals, but it ended in a draw.

　In the second half, the match continued with back-and-forth attacks. In the 47th minute, Norio SUZUKI's cross from the left side was headed by Sasa. In the 48th minute, Kawasaki FW JUNINHO attempted a dribble shot. In the 51st minute, Kawasaki MF Taniguchi aimed for the goal from mid-range, but Doi deflected it over the bar. In the 52nd minute, from Kurizawa's through pass, Norio SUZUKI made a quick advance towards the goal with a dribble. He aimed for an overhead shot from the rebound of his first shot, but the goal was not scored. In the 56th minute, Kawasaki FW Ganaha's shot in front of the goal by FW JUNINHO was brilliantly saved by Doi.

　In the 57th minute, Todai was brought on to replace Kurizawa. After that, Yoshiro ABE and Noriyuki SUZUKI swapped positions on the left and right, trying to break the deadlock. However, time passed without gaining control of the pace, and in the 70th minute, Miyazawa was brought on to replace Kajiyama. In the 72nd minute, Noriyuki SUZUKI broke through on the left side and delivered a low cross to the center. Todai, with his back to the goal, turned and shot, but it went straight to the goalkeeper. In the 75th minute, Kanazawa was brought on to replace Kaji. Fujiyama shifted to the right. This proactive substitution strategy paid off, and Tokyo began to find their rhythm. Shortly after, from Miyazawa's long free kick, Konno took a shot, but it was caught by the opposing goalkeeper.

　In the 77th minute, they persistently approached the Kawasaki goal from a free kick to a corner kick. In the 78th minute, Noriyuki SUZUKI received a right corner kick from Miyazawa at the far post, but the ball floated and was initially passed to the opposing defender. Kanazawa picked up this clearance and crossed in front of the goal. Jean, who had stayed forward, competed with a header and redirected the ball back to the center of the goal. Sasaki, who ran in, headed it in for a goal! With Sasaki's second consecutive goal following the last match, they finally equalized!!

　Tokyo shows its momentum from here. In the 82nd minute, they won a left corner kick from a cross by Kanazawa, and Sasa headed the ball again. In the 84th minute, from near the right corner of the area, Yoshiro ABE returned the ball, and Toda, who ran in, took a direct shot. In the 85th minute, Kanazawa cut in from the left to the center and took a sharp middle shot with his right foot, just barely missing to the right. In the 86th minute, Noriyuki SUZUKI's shot hit the DF and went for a corner kick. In the 42nd minute, Konno also took a shot, but the Kawasaki DF blocked it.

　Despite this, they continued to launch a fierce attack, and in the 88th minute, Noriyuki SUZUKI attempted a dribble breakthrough from the side while dragging three markers from Kawasaki. However, the slightly overlong ball was caught by the goalkeeper. Following that, Yoshiro ABE's shot went over the bar. In the end, many players surged into the area, aiming for the goal until the last moment, but they couldn't finish, and the time was up. They were unable to break through Kawasaki's solid defense, ending in a draw and securing just one point.

　As a result of this round, Cerezo Osaka is in first place. The final match will be against Cerezo Osaka away. While expressing gratitude for the year at home, we will fight until the final match aiming for victory.

　[Player Comments] Sasa "Since Frontale was playing defensively, there was no space, making it a difficult match. Many supporters came throughout the year, so I really wanted to score and win. (Looking back so far) Personally, I think it went well. I was able to score in two consecutive matches. I'm gradually getting used to Japanese soccer. Next season, I want to fit in more with the team and achieve good results. My role is to score goals, so I want to score more." Kanazawa "We were losing, so when I came in, I wanted to change the flow. In the goal scene, I saw Jean, who is tall, running free, so I lobbed the ball. (There was also a close shot near the end?) It would have been best if that had gone in. It was the last home game, so it's disappointing to draw, but in the end, everyone was pushing forward and attacking. However, there is a big difference between scoring that one goal and not scoring it. We have to win matches like this. I think the final round will be even tougher for the opponent, so I want to play boldly and win."

　[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "In the final home game, we wanted to win to honor the supporters who warmly cheered for us even during tough times this year. In the first half, Kawasaki retreated early and solidified their defense in front of the goal, and we couldn't break through effectively. We started Sasa in the lineup, but it's not about blaming anyone; I thought it would be better to have one more forward near Sasa, so after about 20 minutes in the first half, I moved Yoshiro ABE to the center and Kurisawa to the right. That improved our balance. Although we conceded first, at halftime, we decided to use the wings more simply. Also, since Kawasaki placed many players in the back, I instructed Kajiyama and others to push forward more. However, the game didn't change much, so we brought in attacking players Toda, Miyazawa, and Kanazawa midway to try to score. We managed to get one goal as planned, and I think our attacking spirit was evident until the end, but the second goal was elusive, and we couldn't secure the three points. I believe the players' attitude of moving toward the opponent's goal and their desire to earn three points came through. Lucas and Baba were out due to injury, but the players who replaced them worked hard. Especially Miyazawa, who hadn't even been on the bench recently, showed his strengths, and Toda and Kanazawa also performed well despite coming on later. We reaffirmed that our team is fine no matter who plays. I just learned that C Osaka, our opponent in the final match, has taken the top spot. Although it's an away game and the opponent is in good form, we are currently unbeaten. Kaji and Sasa cannot play due to accumulated warnings, but we want to fight fairly and squarely."

　【Kawasaki - Sekizuka's Press Conference Summary】 "It is very disappointing that we couldn't win, but I think we were able to have a substantial match in the third game of the three consecutive matches. Despite being tired, we were able to connect the ball well and play a style of football that utilized the three attackers up front. In the first half, since the opponent had three forwards, we changed our strategy by moving Terada one position forward. As a result, Tokyo switched to two forwards, allowing us to revert to our original three-back formation. Although we had limited training time for that adjustment, the players adapted smoothly. In that sense, the system change went well, and we created many chances. However, not being able to score one more goal led to the result of one point. Nevertheless, reaching 50 points is very valuable. Also, I think Soma did a great job today as the right side back and wing back."

Sasa's Late Goal Earns Draw

The second half ebbed and flowed. Sasa connected with Suzuki's cross in the 47th minute. Juninho dribbled forward and shot in the 49th, and Doi made a good save to tip Taniguchi's dipping shot over the bar in the 51st. Suzuki ran onto Kurisawa's through ball in the 52nd minute and shot from a narrow angle; Aizawa blocked the strike with his body and Suzuki attempted an overhead kick at the rebound but directed the ball into the side netting. In the 56th minute Ganaha found Juninho inside the area but Doi again produced a fine save to deny Kawasaki a second goal.
TOKYO replaced Kurisawa with Toda in the 57th minute while Suzuki and Abe switched sides in an attempt to open the game up. The tactic failed to produce a breakthrough and TOKYO then brought on Miyazawa for Kajiyama in the 70th minute. In the 72nd minute Suzuki burst down the left and centred low to Toda; Toda shot first time but straight at the keeper. Kanazawa replaced Kaji in the 75th minute with Fujiyama moving to the right back position. These changes proved effective and TOKYO began to find their rhythm. Aizawa held Konno's shot following a long free kick from Miyazawa.
TOKYO began to exert severe pressure on the Kawasaki goal. In the 77th minute a free kick and a corner allowed the home side to push men into the visitors' area; the Kawasaki defence cleared Suzuki's cross from the corner out to Kanazawa on the left. Kanazawa curled a deep cross back in to Jean beyond the far post. Jean headed the ball back into the centre and Sasa burst between two defenders to head past Aizawa for the equalising goal. Sasa's second goal in two games had tied the score and revitalised the home side.
In the 82nd minute Kanazawa's cross earned a corner that Sasa made contact with and in the 84th minute Abe set up Toda for a shot from the edge of the area. In the 85th minute Kanazawa burst inside from the left wing and struck a screaming drive into the side netting. Suzuki's shot hit a defender and sailed out for a corner in the 86th minute and Konno had a shot blocked a minute later. Suzuki then took on and beat three defenders but Aizawa held his cross cleanly. Abe fired over the bar as the game moved into injury time. TOKYO flung men forward into the Kawasaki penalty area but were unable to find the winning goal and the game finished 1-1.
Following the penultimate round of games Cerezo Osaka topped the table; TOKYO faced the league leaders in the final game of the year and would be going all out to end the season with a win.


Players' comments 
Sasa 
"Frontale defended deeply and there was little space to work in so it was a tough game. I wanted to score and win the game for the many fans who came and supported us during the year. For myself, I think I've been playing quite well. I've scored in two consecutive games and I feel I'm slowly getting used to Japanese football. Next year I want to become more familiar with the team and post a better record. It's my job to score so I hope to contribute more goals next year". 

Kanazawa
"We were losing when I went on so I was determined to change the flow of the game. For the goal, I spotted Jean making a run unmarked behind the defence so I aimed the ball towards him. I had a shot late on and if it had gone in it would have been perfect. It was the last home game so we wanted to win, of course, but towards the end of the game we got players forward and gave it everything. There's very big difference between scoring and not scoring, though. This is the kind of game we really have to win. The last game will be a difficult one for our opponents so we're hoping to put in a good performance and take the three points."


TOKYO manager Hara 
"Today was the final home game so we wanted to win to repay the fans who supported us so warmly through the difficult period earlier in the season. Kawasaki really pressured us from the start and we held off their attacks very well. Sasa started but it became obvious he needed another forward playing alongside him so we moved Abe infield and put Kurisawa on the right wing. The balance was much better. At half time we told the players to keep it simple and use the wings more. Kawasaki had packed their defence so we tried to have Kajiyama push forward. We couldn't really make any great headway so we sent on the more attack minded players in Toda, Miyazawa and Kanazawa in search of a goal. We got the goal and then went for the winner but came up short at the end. Lucas and Baba were injured but their replacements played well. In particular Miyazawa, who hasn't even been on the bench for a while, added his own individual talents to the game and put in a good performance today. It showed that no matter who plays we can perform well as a team. Our last game is against Cerezo Osaka, the league leaders, who are in good form now I hear. Sasa and Kaji will be suspended but we hope to give a good account of ourselves".

Kawasaki Frontale manager Sekizuka
"It was disappointing that we didn't win but, considering it was the third game in six days, I think we played well today. The players were tired but moved the ball around smoothly and brought the forward three into the game. Our opponents switched to a three man forward line in the first half so we moved Terada forward into a defensive midfield position. TOKYO then changed to a two striker system and we reverted to a three back defense. We weren't able to spend much time practicing that in training but the players made the transition comfortably and we could still create chances. We couldn't score the vital second goal though, and that's ultimately what cost us two points today. Still, to reach 50 points for the season is a great achievement. Soma had an excellent game at side back and wing back today."