Calm game management to stop the losing streak!

　The J1 League Sec. 24 match is an away game against Kashima Antlers. Tokyo has suffered four consecutive losses and is not quite in form, but this week they have been preparing for the match with many challenges in a game-like format, including practice matches and scrimmages. They have tried various strategies, such as a 3-5-2 formation for countering Kashima, placing Kajiyama as an attacking midfielder, and positioning Baba as a forward. However, it is important to emphasize that it is not about the system or who plays, but rather that the team comes together and fights with determination.

Kashima is currently in 5th place. In the previous league match, they defeated a strong Shimizu team. On the 20th (Wednesday), they faced Yokohama FM in the Nabisco Cup and, although they lost, they secured a spot in the Final Round. While fatigue may be a concern, their motivation should be high. Although FW Alex Mineiro will be absent, FW Yanagisawa and Fukai are capable players, and Coach Kuramata is cautious about Kashima's forward line, stating, "They have skill and speed. We must pay attention to their movement off the ball." He further emphasizes, "Starting from passes by MF FERNANDO, the sides will aggressively push forward."

　Tokyo has placed Akamine as the lone striker, with Kajiyama in the attacking midfield. Lucas, who was uncertain to play due to a right knee injury, is on the bench. Additionally, Asari has entered as a defensive midfielder, and the key point will be how to contain Kashima's midfielder FERNANDEZ and Nozawa in combination with Konno. Given Kashima's expertise in matches, Tokyo needs to fight steadily and calmly, avoiding the tendency to concede the first goal, and must capitalize on their chances effectively.

　In the first half of the league, during the home match (Matsumoto), despite having the momentum, it became a match that sank before Kashima's finishing ability. Furthermore, in this away match at Kashima Soccer Stadium, we have only won once in cup competitions, and based on past results, we can say we have a disadvantage. However, in the spirit of revenge, we want to create chances from quick transitions typical of Tokyo's style and seize points. The match started at 3:04 PM with Kashima's kickoff in slightly chilly weather with a cold wind.

Caught off guard for a moment, allowing the first goal.

　Tokyo actively goes for the ball from the front and seizes opportunities. In the 3rd minute, Akamine, who drifted to the right, passed to Ishikawa in the center, aiming for a mid-range shot, but the goalkeeper caught it. In the 8th minute, Konno advanced on the left side and won a corner kick. Ishikawa's left corner kick was directly caught by the goalkeeper. In the 12th minute, Konno stole the ball in midfield and passed it to Ishikawa. He then dribbled through on the right side and won another corner kick. Jean headed it, but it missed the target. Kashima's forward Yanagisawa also moved into space, initiating an attack from there. In the 15th minute, MF Masuda received a pass on the right side and delivered an early cross. FW Yanagisawa headed it, but it did not go on target. In the 16th minute, FW Yanagisawa broke free from a quick attack and boldly shot from mid-range. Doi's save deflected it for a corner kick.

　In the 18th minute, a cut from Konno led to a through pass to Tokunaga on the right front line, who attempted a dribble, cut inside, and shot, but it went over the bar. In the 19th minute, Akamine made a big switch to the right to Ishikawa. He took a bold middle shot from a dribble, but it went outside the frame. In the 24th minute, Jean received a long pass from Konno and broke free, heading the ball in the right area, but it did not connect. The match was starting to tilt in their favor, but they allowed the first goal due to a momentary lapse. In the 28th minute, a direct pass connected on the left side, and MF FERNANDO received the ball free in the center, taking a middle shot. It found the bottom left of the goal as if pushed by the wind.

　Tokyo wanted to launch a counterattack, but Kashima skillfully circulated the ball between the defense and midfield without forcing an attack, taking advantage of the moments when Tokyo pushed forward to create shooting opportunities, preventing Tokyo from finding their rhythm. In the 39th minute, Akamine kept the ball on the right side. A floated pass reached Kawaguchi, who had made a run into the space on the opposite side, but the cross intended for a shot did not connect. In the 43rd minute, Ishikawa's right corner kick saw Jean attempt a header, but it went over. The first half ended without any decisive chances, trailing by one goal into the second half.

Kajiyama and Konno scored to fight back, but it was just one step short.

　Tokyo replaced Kawaguchi with Lucas, forming a two-top with Akamine. They wanted to build momentum for a counterattack at the start of the second half, but in the 47th minute, from a left corner kick by MF Nozawa, MF FERNANDEZ scored with a header, allowing an additional goal and disrupting their momentum. It became 0-2, leading to a difficult situation, but they continued to attack without giving up. In the 53rd minute, Konno picked up the ball in midfield and passed it to Akamine on the right side. He advanced into the area after passing to Ishikawa, who had surged up from behind. Although he took a shot, it was blocked by the defense and resulted in a right corner kick. On the second corner kick, Ishikawa's kick was perfectly met by Kajiyama's header, but it just went over the bar.

　In the 55th minute, Dohei caught a corner kick from Kashima. They launched a counterattack, but Lucas's long-range shot went well wide of the goal. Even when they managed to steal the ball from Kashima, who had reduced their movement, their disjointed attacks often led to losing the ball and suffering counterattacks, making it difficult to attack as they wished. Moreover, in the 67th minute, from a left corner kick by Kashima, DF Aoki deflected the ball near the goal, and MF FERNANDO jumped in with his head to score. They conceded the third goal.

　Tokyo, wanting to counterattack, made substitutions in the 68th minute, bringing in Miyazawa and Baba for Asari and Akamine. Then, in the 72nd minute, there was a free kick just in front of the left area. Miyazawa aimed directly, but the GK caught it. In the 75th minute, from a quick restart, Miyazawa switched the ball to Ishikawa. After dribbling, he sent a long pass into the middle, again to Miyazawa. He took a mid-range shot, but the ball went straight to the opposing GK. The pressure from Kashima's midfield gradually decreased, allowing the ball to enter the side earlier, starting to create good opportunities.

　In the 83rd minute, from Inoha's throw-in to Miyazawa → Kajiyama. He brought it into the center and boldly took a shot from outside the area, which deflected off the opponent's GK and pierced the goal net, scoring one point. Completely regaining momentum, in the 89th minute, a cross came in from Inoha on the left side, Miyazawa, who was on the opposite side, kept it, dropped it to the advancing Konno, and shot directly. This also deflected off the opponent's GK and went into the goal. Finally, it became a one-point difference. In stoppage time, Ishikawa delivered a well-timed cross, and Lucas jumped in but couldn't connect. In the end, the match concluded this way. Despite attempting a counterattack in the final stages without giving up, they fell just short and suffered defeat.

　【Player Comments】<Konno> "I'm just frustrated. The goal came too late. If everyone had coordinated better in attack, we should have scored earlier. Our intentions were not clear at times. For example, if the defensive midfielder moves to the side, the forwards should start moving and pick up the second ball—that kind of discipline would have been good... Recently, we've been conceding a lot from set pieces, and although we were careful, conceding the 2nd and 3rd goals from corners was painful. In the first half, even when Kashima controlled the ball, I thought we shouldn't let them score. But conceding the first goal disrupted our plan. In the second half, we were able to keep possession, but even passing around the defensive line didn't intimidate the opponent. We need to play in ways that annoy them. As for the goal, Miya-san seemed ready to pass. I considered passing inside, but since time was short, I decided to shoot. The shot wasn't powerful, but it deflected off an opponent and went in. I realized again that something can happen if you take a shot. After five consecutive losses, it's mentally tough. We're trying to play with spirit, but maybe there's some anxiety somewhere. Still, I believe we can do it, and I think we have the members to compete for the championship. I see this situation as a trial we must overcome." <Miyazawa> "(The pass to KAJIYAMA) was because no one was in the middle and Yohei was free, so I thought if he faced forward, he would do something, so I passed it. (The pass to Konno) I felt I could have shot myself, but the defenders were close and might have blocked it, so I passed. For me, it was good to be able to enter the area. I couldn't do that kind of play before, but today Kon-chan was behind me, so I thought I'd push forward more. I tried to chase the ball. I could only play about 10 minutes, but I want to practice to be able to start and prepare thoroughly."

　[Summary of Coach Kuramata's Press Conference] "It was a 2-3 game, but we conceded 2 goals from set pieces again today. First half, we were conscious of not leaving FERNANDO JUBERO free, but Ishikawa was too focused on following the left back Arai's movements, which left FERNANDO JUBERO unmarked. I had instructed that FERNANDO JUBERO has a long shot, but it was unclear who would mark him, and we conceded a goal in the first half. After winning the ball, I wanted to attack more from the sides, but we couldn't do it well. In the second half, we tried to initiate attacks from the sides right from the start, but we lost 2 goals from set pieces. We managed to pull back 2 goals in the final stages, but that was it."

　[Summary of Kashima's Paulo AUTUORI's Press Conference] "MF FERNANDO has recovered from injury and gradually got used to the consecutive matches, resulting in three goals. FERNANDO may have stood out today, but I did not say anything special to him nor assign him any particular role. What I emphasized today was the spirit of 'For the Team,' and this match reflected that. It was a tough condition with only three days between the Nabisco Cup and this match, both physically and mentally, but I am glad we could play such a game. Despite the difficult situation, we recovered well and played the aggressive football we aim for from the start. Another point is that the conditioning is excellent, and the physical strength has improved, which can be appreciated. The downside, which applies to Japanese football as a whole, is that even with a three-goal lead, we struggled to keep possession and conceded goals late in the game. We want to fix that. Lastly, although I usually refrain from personal comments, defender Aoki has been very good in the past few matches. I want to express respect for his tactical understanding and execution. I also want to thank not only the players but also the supporters who always cheer for us. Additionally, I want to congratulate MF FERNANDO. It is rare for a defensive midfielder to score three goals."