Take control in the midfield and outsmart your opponents!

　In Sec. 7, we will face Júbilo Iwata at home. In the previous match against Yokohama, the midfield players implemented a man-marking strategy against their opponents, but they were pressured defensively and struggled to mount an attack. Therefore, over the past week, the coach and players have held multiple meetings and made thorough preparations. This match will be crucial in how we can transition from strict marking to attacking against the skilled Iwata team. We aim to seize control in midfield, launch attacks from the sides, and strive for victory.

　Yokohama is currently in 7th place. Their record so far is the same as Tokyo's with 2 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses, and their goal difference is also +0, but they have scored 1 more goal overall. On the 5th (Wednesday), they played in the irregularly scheduled Nabisco Cup and achieved victory thanks to the performance of fresh players. With just 2 days until this match, it will be an away game for Yokohama, but they should be aiming for 3 points to gain momentum. Centered around midfielder Namai, who missed the Nabisco Cup to prepare his condition, they should be on high alert for their skillful passing and game management.

　Tokyo's Sasa, who missed the last match, has improved his physical condition and will start. He will partner with Lucas in a two-top formation. Although they have faced tough matches against Jubilo Iwata in the past, last year's record was one win and one draw, giving them an edge. The players should have no mental block. With the support of the home crowd, they are eager to secure a victory in this match, which started at 16:03 with Iwata's kickoff, after a passing rainstorm cleared to a sunny Ajinomoto.

With both spirit and body moving forward, Lucas scored 2 goals!

　From the start, they displayed a passionate and forward-moving style of soccer. They did not closely mark the skilled FW and MF players of Iwata, and by maintaining balance in both offense and defense, they gained momentum through free movement. In the 4th minute, Lucas broke free in the area, but his shot went wide. In the 9th minute, Iwata's DF Tanaka delivered a feed to FW Karen Robert, who attempted a header, but Doih was able to save it. Against Iwata's quick passing, Tokyo's press from the front line was effective. However, there were also passing mistakes after regaining possession, leading to a fast-paced exchange of attacks and defenses.

　Still, they gradually took control in the midfield, with Lucas and Sasa effectively receiving the ball up front and spreading it to the sides. In the 22nd minute, Tokunaga on the right side passed to Kurizawa, who dribbled inwards and sent a lob pass to the front line. At the perfect moment, Lucas ran into the goal area and stretched out his right foot to take a looping shot at the ball that came from behind. The ball traced a beautiful arc and went into the top left corner of the goal! Lucas scored his first goal of the season, giving them the lead.

　However, just after taking the lead in the 25th minute, Iwata's MF Namai penetrated into the area and passed to MF Fabricio with a heel pass. MF Fabricio sent the ball to the center, where MF Murai made a run and took a shot. Although Dohi made a save at first, he couldn't hold onto the spinning ball. Iwata's passing play in front of the goal bewildered them, resulting in an equalizer, but Tokyo's momentum did not wane, and they continued to press forward.

　In the 41st minute, Lucas broke free from a long through pass by Kajiyama and delivered a cross from the right side. Sasa rushed in on the ball that the opposing defender couldn't clear, facing the GK in a one-on-one situation. However, the shot was blocked by the opposing GK Kawaguchi, and although he attempted to shoot again from the rebound, he couldn't score. In the 42nd minute, from the right corner kick earned from this play, Kajiyama's kick was met by Lucas, who stretched out his right foot at the near post to score a goal! It was a difficult shot from an awkward position, but he converted the chance reliably, securing an additional goal just before the end of the first half and heading into the second half with a lead.

With Miyazawa's introduction, the momentum increased, and a追加点 by Jubilo Killer Kurizawa led to a great victory!

　In the second half, Miyazawa was brought on to replace Inoha, and Konno moved to the bottom of the midfield. This allowed for better passing connections, with Kajiwara and Konno pushing forward and gaining momentum. In the 48th minute, Sasa became the focal point in the front line, and Tokunaga, who joined the attack, delivered a cross. Although they couldn't connect in the center, Miyazawa, who followed up, took a shot. After the 55th minute, they launched a thick wave of attacks, and from this series of attacks, in the 57th minute, Kajiwara picked up a clearance from the opposing defense and took a well-aimed shot from the middle, but it just barely went left by the width of a ball.

　Tokyo completely grasped the rhythm. In the 66th minute, Lucas was fouled on the left side, and the ball spilled out, but Kajiyama, who regained possession from the opposing defender, held on stubbornly and passed to Miyazawa in the center. Miyazawa quickly made a decision from the trap and ran into the left area to Konno. Konno delivered a grounded pass directly in front of the goal. Kurizawa slid in to connect, and they scored the third goal from a flowing combination play! Kurizawa scored in both matches against Iwata last season, demonstrating a killer instinct that can truly be called a Jubilo killer.

　Yokohama substituted FW Maeda for Robert in the 56th minute. After a quick pass, FW Maeda became the focal point in front of Tokyo's goal, trying to create a chance, but Shigeno and Masushima put their bodies on the line, successfully deflecting every attempt. In the 69th minute, from a wide transition from right to left, MF Murai sent a sharp cross, but it could not be connected. In the 76th minute, from a fast break, MF Fabricio advanced with a dribble and took a shot, but Doi caught it easily.

　In a fierce battle, in the 83rd minute, Sasa was brought down in front of the goal, earning a free kick. Sasa himself aimed directly, but it was blocked by the opposing defender. During this time, Asari was brought in to replace Kurizawa at the bottom of the midfield. However, today's Tokyo continued to attack without falling back even in this situation. They consistently outperformed Iwata in one-on-one situations, and Iwata's late counterattacks did not create any significant chances. They maintained an advantage throughout the match and won decisively against Iwata with three goals.

　【Player Comments】《Lucas》"I haven't been able to score until now, but I'm happy to finally have scored in my fourth match as a forward. I think it's thanks to my teammates and supporters who believed in my goal. This season, the system has changed, and it's taken time to adapt, but I'm working hard to improve. I want to carry this goal into the next match." 《Kurizawa》"Today, I was focused on defense. I was able to win the ball from the front line, which allowed us to transition to attack. After the Yokohama match, we talked as a team about winning the ball from the front. The players also expressed their opinions, and the coach acknowledged it. In the scoring scene, when Miyazawa had the ball, I thought he might pass it forward, so I moved up in front of the goal. In the end, Konno delivered the ball. (The assist for Lucas's goal) was just as I imagined. I believed that if I delivered a ball like that, he would score."

　[Summary of Coach Garo's Press Conference] "In today's match, the entire team was focused and managed to maintain our pace until the end. I believe it was a game where we aimed for the goal from start to finish. We knew that Iwata was a technically skilled opponent. However, we reminded ourselves to play our own style of football, and I think we were able to showcase good football in Tokyo. (What was the role of Inoha today and the intention behind the substitution?) The role was to mark Iwata's Namino. However, while marking is important, I also instructed that when there is space in front, we should actively connect passes and attack. One reason for the substitution was that he received a warning, and there was a possibility of being sent off if he received another yellow card. Another reason was the aim to circulate the ball better with a good pass from Miyazawa."

　[Summary of Coach Yamamoto's Press Conference] "I expected it to be a tough game, and I wanted to show a strong attitude, but I lost my composure due to the referee's decisions and mistakes, and we couldn't fight with patience and resilience. It was good that the players fought until the end without giving up, but I think we lacked a bit of the desire to win and the willingness to contribute more to the team. Although we were tired from a tough schedule, I thought it was a good opportunity for growth. The result is disappointing, but we are starting to see various forms in the process of growth, so we can only connect this to the next step. We fought well with a two-day gap in the schedule, but there were players who could fight and those who couldn't. I want to utilize that point in our future team building. Against FC Tokyo's individual defense, I wanted to return to a good position quickly and counter as a group, but we couldn't stay compact and create a numerical advantage. Our characteristic simple one-touch and two-touch passing and moving the ball forward, especially in the first half, were not executed. There will be games like this during the season. We will prepare again for the next one."