Brazil Fest held, aiming to break the losing streak at home Ajinomoto

Sec. 22, Ventforet Kofu will face off against Ajinomoto at home. There was a 10-day interval since the previous match, during which Inonami was selected for the Japan national team and went on a trip to West Asia. In addition, Masushima was injured in the match against C Osaka, and although the team is not in perfect condition, Miura and Toda have returned from injury and have been gaining experience in satellite leagues and practice matches. Today, they will be starting and aiming for victory with all their might.

Kofu, who are currently in 15th place with 6 wins, 4 draws, and 11 losses, will face Tokyo. In the previous match, they lost to Yokohama FM, but in the 19th round, they showed their determination by defeating the top-ranked Kashima. Their main attacking strategy is through FW Vale, but their 3 top players, as well as their MF and side backs, are also aggressive in their attacks. They also have a strong pressing game from the front line. It is expected to be a fast-paced game with quick transitions between offense and defense, so Tokyo will need to keep up and attack from the sides and midfield.

　Tokyo started with Lucas as the top striker and Baba as the top midfielder for the first time in five games. Left MF Toda and defensive midfielder Miura both made their first appearances since the 7/29 Sec. 16 match against Hiroshima. Center backs Jean and Fujiyama formed a partnership, while left fullback Inonami, who just returned from Brazil two days ago, took on the role. Today, the annual "Brazil Festa" was held. In the lingering heat, the match against Hiroshima kicked off at 6:34 pm at home at Ajinomoto Stadium, the first time since the match against Hiroshima.

Conceded 3 goals in a row within 15 minutes...

　Controlled the ball from the start and took the lead. Toda boldly aimed for the back, and Inoba also attacked, threatening the Kofu goal from the side. In the 8th minute, Toda attempted a dribble breakthrough into the left area. In the 11th minute, Inoba crossed from the left, but Toda in the center couldn't reach it and the opponent's DF cleared it for a corner kick. From here, Lucas headed a shot, but was blocked by the Kofu DF. In the 20th minute, Ishikawa was fouled on the right side, earning a free kick. Jean competed for a header and won a left corner kick. Then, Toda picked up the opponent's DF's clearance in the opponent's territory and rushed towards the goal. Blocked by the opponent's GK's jump, earning a right corner kick. Jean headed it, but missed the timing slightly and didn't hit it. They created several chances from set pieces, but were unable to score a goal.

　On the other hand, Kofu thoroughly defended and aimed for a quick counterattack. Tokyo was caught off guard and conceded a counterattack in the 6th and 18th minutes, with FW Cabore breaking through the front line and taking a shot. However, Kofu's goalkeeper, Doi, made a solid save. In the 23rd minute, Tokyo was gradually approaching Kofu's goal from the left side, and Kofu's FW Shigehara crossed the ball from a throw-in. Tokunaga initially cleared the ball with a corner kick, but the ball floated high in the area. Kofu's FW Shigehara was waiting for the ball on the right side of the area and scored with a direct volley, giving Kofu the lead.

　Tokyo, who wanted to calmly counterattack, but in the 31st minute, from a FK on the right side by Kofu, it was judged that Fujiyama in the area fouled Kofu FW Yamazaki, resulting in a PK. This was perfectly converted by FW Vale, and they lost their second goal. Perhaps their hopes of a comeback were shattered, as in the 38th minute, on Tokyo's right side, they allowed Kofu FW Vale to make a run. Jean chased after him, and Fujiyama, who had switched marks in the area, held his ground, but a precise shot was taken and the ball went into the bottom right corner. They were scored a third goal from FW Vale's individual skill.

　Tokyo, who lost three points in 15 minutes, tried to return one point first and headed for the Kofu goal. In the 41st minute, Toda jumped out at the right time to cross from Baba, but the shot was not finished. In the 42nd minute, they got a direct free kick from the front of the goal. Baba aimed directly and took a left corner kick, but they couldn't finish from there. In the 44th minute, Miura's middle shot was caught by the opponent's GK. In the end, they returned to the second half with no points.

Lucas scores a goal, but suffers a third consecutive defeat.

　In the second half, Lucas was substituted for Miura and Toda, and Kurisawa and Kawaguchi were brought in. Kawaguchi was placed in the front line and Kurisawa on the left side, creating a thick front line and taking risks to attack. This strategy seemed to work as in the 47th minute, Fujiyama sent a long feed from the right side of their own field to the front line. The opponent's defender headed the ball backwards and the Kofu goalkeeper came out to catch it. However, Lucas skillfully controlled the ball as it dropped and sent it into the empty goal, equalizing the score early in the second half!

　Tokyo, who wanted to regain momentum, but Kofu also stubbornly defended and launched a quick counterattack, maintaining their rhythm. The pace of the game continues to be fast-paced, with both teams quickly switching between offense and defense. In the 60th minute, Jean heads the ball from Bamba's left corner kick, but it narrowly misses the crossbar. In the 64th minute, Ishikawa breaks through the right side and sends a perfect cross to Kawaguchi on the far side. However, he fails to finish and the shot is blocked by a defender. Lucas follows up on the rebound with a decisive shot, but it hits the crossbar...

　In the 65th minute, Abe was substituted for Baba. Lucas distributed the ball as a top midfielder, but with a formation close to a front three, both sides of Ishikawa and Kurizawa pushed forward aggressively and launched a fierce counterattack. In the 67th and 68th minutes, there were consecutive chances for a corner kick. In the 72nd minute, Kajiyama aimed directly for the goal with a free kick slightly to the right of the opponent's field, but it went over the bar. In the 77th minute, they earned a free kick just to the right of the area, and Lucas → Kajiyama → Lucas took a shot. In the 81st minute, Abe received a vertical pass from Inonami. He boldly charged towards the goal and took a daring shot from the left area, but it narrowly missed the goal. In stoppage time, Lucas headed a cross from Tokunaga, but it unfortunately went to the left.

　In the latter half, most of the time was spent in the Kofu camp, creating decisive chances, but the shots all missed the frame... Despite having 6 corner kick opportunities in the second half, they were unable to score and the game ended without any additional points. They lost 1-3 and suffered their third consecutive defeat following the Shimizu and C Osaka matches.

　【Player Comments】《Lucas》"I was looking forward to today at the annual Brazil Festival. We did our best in the game and created chances, but today was not "FC Tokyo Day". It's a shame that we couldn't win on such a special day."《Jean》"Kofu played well today. Tokyo created a lot of chances, but couldn't score. I'm sorry we couldn't have a good game in front of the supporters who gathered for the Brazil Festival. We'll do our best in the next game."

　[Summary of Manager Kuramata's Press Conference] "Today's game was a reminder of how difficult football can be. In the first half, we wanted to press and quickly attack from the front, but we were unable to break through the two center backs who were able to defend well with dribbles. As a result, our marking on FW Shigehara became lax and we were exposed. Despite having some attacking opportunities, such as corner kicks, we were unable to convert them. On the other hand, we conceded the first goal from a set piece and gave away a penalty for the second goal, which was the opposite of our intentions. In particular, our marking on FW Vale was very loose and he was able to score with his individual skills. Although we constantly give instructions on marking, we were unable to execute them today. By leaving FW unmarked, we also left the second line open. In the second half, we took risks to score, but were only able to get one goal."

　[Kofu-Ogi coach's press conference summary] "It was very good to get 3 points. We conceded one goal in a tough situation, but I think we did well not to concede any more. However, there are ways to deal with tough situations. I have told the players about it, but they couldn't do it. For example, they panicked after making one mistake, or they were too tired to think and didn't know where to position themselves. When you're tired, you can escape by positioning yourself well, but they couldn't do it. I felt that it was due to lack of experience. However, getting 3 points will lead to the next game. Sometimes, even if we lose, the performance is better, but winning is what this game is about. The reason why DF Nasu was included was to deal with Lucas. We tried to stop him from coming out after dropping back one line. MF Tsurumi was included to fill the gap left by DF Alair's cramp and DF Nasu's substitution. The aim of the new front three today was to make use of everyone's strengths. I think we did well, but we still have a long way to go to surpass the opponent."