We can't lose anymore! Let's regain the momentum of Tokyo

　In Sec. 3 of the Nabisco Cup, we will face Oita Trinita away. In this qualifying league, we have 1 draw and 1 loss, and we cannot afford to lose any more in this crucial match for advancing to the Final Round. We faced Oita at home last week and lost. Additionally, we will be playing against them again in the league on the 15th, so even though today is an away match, it is essential to secure points.

　Oita has won 2 matches so far and is at the top of Group C. Winning this match will not only significantly favor their advancement to the Final Round, but being at home, they are expected to play aggressively. In the previous league match against Urawa, they managed to equalize just before the end, indicating that the team's atmosphere is improving. Additionally, in this match, Oita has made 5 changes to their starting lineup since the last encounter, coming in with fresh members. For Tokyo, regardless of the opponent's lineup, they need to quickly transition between offense and defense, maintain a compact formation, gain an advantage in midfield, and calmly circulate the ball to attack.

　In Tokyo, Fukunishi avoided being included in the squad considering his foot condition. On the other hand, Kanazawa has regained his condition and returned to the starting lineup. Coach Hara analyzed, "There are subtle discrepancies in both offense and defense. The amount of movement is also low, and in attack, we are just standing in front of the opponent's defense with few breakthroughs." Therefore, he expects aggressive movements in both offense and defense, utilizing Noriyuki SUZUKI and Kawaguchi as side midfielders. At the same time, to regain momentum by pressing from the front line, they will adopt a familiar 4-5-1 system with Lucas placed at the forefront. Depending on the game situation, they aim to introduce Wanchope, Baba, and Ishikawa from the bench to add some accents.

　The temperature at the Kyushu Oil Dome is a chilling 9.9℃. The match started at 7:04 PM with Oita's kickoff.

First goal by Lucas! The first half ends with a one-point lead.

　Since the start of the match, Oita aggressively attacked. In the 2nd minute, FW Akira Matsuhashi made a cross after sprinting up the left side from a counter. FW Yamazaki connected in the center, but the shot went wide. However, in the 5th minute, Lucas received a pass from the post, and Norio Suzuki entered the center to prepare for a shot. He was blocked by the opposing defender, but Lucas shot the rebound, and the ball went straight to the GK. In the 14th minute, Lucas received a pass from Konno on the right inside the area and shot while drifting to the side. The shot lacked power, and the GK caught it. Although Oita had the rhythm at the beginning, the passes gradually started to connect, shifting the momentum.

　In the 21st minute, Oita's MF Maranyon made a long pass from his own half to the front line. FW Akira Matsuhashi broke free and faced Shioda one-on-one. He evaded Shioda and sent the ball towards the goal, but it hit the right post and bounced back, avoiding a critical danger. Then, in the 22nd minute, Konno passed to Lucas, who connected with Kawaguchi, and Kajiyama took a shot from the center, but it went straight to the GK. In the 27th minute, after a cut from Fujiyama, the ball was connected, and Noriyuki Suzuki sent a left cross. Kurizawa rushed in to shoot after Oita's DF cleared, but the GK made a save. In the 36th minute, a feed from Kanazawa reached Kawaguchi, who drifted left, creating a 2-on-2 situation with Lucas. Lucas received the last pass in the center and was about to shoot, but was closed down by the opposing DF and couldn't take the shot.

　Against Oita, although the ball connected and the attack transitioned, there was still a lack of creativity, and they couldn't create a decisive chance. However, in the 40th minute, they finally scored the long-awaited opening goal. Suzuki Noriyuki kept the ball on the left side. The ball was passed to Kanazawa, who made a run and delivered a cross from the sideline, and Lucas, despite being in a difficult position, headed the ball into the net. Even after that, in the 44th minute, from a pass by Kajiyama to Kawaguchi, Kanazawa made a shot after moving inside, bravely aiming for the goal, but they couldn't secure an additional goal and ended the first half.

The defense held strong against Oita's late surge, securing 3 points.

　In the second half, Oita brought in forward Takamatsu and midfielder Nishiyama to score. However, Tokyo also compacted their formation and stole the opponent's ball from concentrated defense to launch counterattacks. In the 50th minute, from the right side, Inoha delivered a sharp early cross, and Lucas made a diving header! But it was thwarted by a great save from the goalkeeper. Again, in the 53rd minute, during a left-side free kick opportunity, Noriyuki Suzuki aimed directly but missed the target. In the 60th minute, from around the halfway line, Kajiwara sent a fast feed to the front line, and from the left, Noriyuki Suzuki broke through and attempted a direct shot, but it went wide to the left of the goal.

　Oita targeted FW Takamatsu and advanced with intricate passing work towards the goal, but did not allow any shots. In the 71st minute, Wanchope was brought on to replace Kawaguchi. Then in the 76th minute, a counterattack was initiated from Kajiyama, with Norio SUZUKI passing to Kajiyama, who found Wanchope on the right. Wanchope delivered a superb through pass directly in front of the goal, which Kurizawa ran onto and shot. Unfortunately, it was blocked by the goalkeeper, but it created a decisive scene. In the 77th minute, Baba was brought on to replace Kurizawa, who had cramped up.

　With 10 minutes remaining, Oita gradually gained the upper hand in physicality, and Tokyo frequently stopped them with fouls, resulting in many free kicks. However, centered around Shiota, they held their ground in front of the goal and did not allow any goals. Furthermore, Oita substituted DF Uemoto with FW Yuan MATSUHASHI to increase their numbers up front, throwing the ball into the box recklessly and attacking Tokyo's goal. In the end, they were aided by mistakes and the match concluded. They achieved victory for the first time since the league match against Omiya, keeping their hopes alive for advancing to the Final Round.

　【Player Comments】<Kawaguchi> "(Your first start this season?) I just focused on doing what I can and giving my all during the time I was on the pitch. Rucon scored the opening goal at a good moment today. It would have been better if we could have scored a second goal when the opponent pushed forward... In the end, we were under pressure, but it was good that we endured and kept a clean sheet. Scoring the second goal and reading the flow during dangerous moments to change the momentum are challenges. There must be some reason why we haven't won so far. I think we haven't been able to show the full strength everyone has in matches. I always tell my teammates, 'It's us who have to do it!' and I spoke to them again before kickoff today. We won today, but I don't think any player is satisfied with this performance. We have to keep growing as we continue playing." <Kanazawa> "In the first half, we played at a good pace and rhythm, executing the game plan to some extent. In the second half, we fell behind and were under pressure from early on, which was tough. This is something we need to reflect on. (About the cross leading to the opening goal?) The ball came forward at a good timing, so I overlapped. Then, unusually, Norio passed to me (laughs), and I immediately tried to take on the challenge. By chance, a good cross was delivered. We still have a chance to advance in the Nabisco Cup qualifiers, and we want to carry this victory into the league matches. Reflecting on the fact that we haven't won until now, it's important to keep a strong mindset. Above all, we want to win at home. We have many supporters, but haven't been winning, so next time we will win."

　[Summary of Manager Hara's Press Conference] "In the previous home match against Navisco Oita, we lost without momentum, and that defeat carried over, causing a bad streak in the league matches. Today was an away game, but we approached the match determined to confidently show our strengths without fear. Since Ishikawa was fatigued, we used Kawaguchi, and also, as Kanazawa's leg condition improved, we were able to use Norio SUZUKI up front. We aimed to regain momentum by utilizing the overlapping runs of the two wide players. As expected, Kawaguchi's selfless runs into space helped create a good flow. Also, although Fukunishi's leg condition was not good, after bringing in Kajiyama in the second half of the Kashiwa match, we felt our original rhythm returned, so we decided to continue with the two holding midfielders, Konno and Kajiyama. Today, their movements helped the ball move effectively. We had tried various new player combinations before, but there might have been some confusion among the players. Therefore, the plan today was to start with the familiar style we used two years ago and skillfully integrate new players into it. In the first half, Oita's FW Takamatsu was not on the field, but conversely, their forward runs were threatening. In the second half, with FW Takamatsu coming on, there were many moments when they held possession. Although there were dangerous moments, Fujiyama, the back four, and Kajiyama held firm. For us, gaining 3 points in this Navisco match was a very significant achievement."

　[Summary of Oita Coach CHAMUSCA's Press Conference] "Today might have been the worst match of the year where we couldn't show the strength we usually have. Since we have consecutive matches, using different players to help the team recover may have lowered our overall team strength. When we play well, we can maintain high-quality passes and control the game. However, today we lost simple passes and couldn't keep the ball well to connect to our attacks. If there is one point I am satisfied with, it is that the players fought with a passionate spirit for 90 minutes without giving up until the end. We need to switch our focus to the next match against Shimizu, and the players also need to recover from their fatigue."