Final match of the Nabisco qualifying league, aiming for goals and victory!

　The Nabisco Cup is being held for the first time in two weeks. The final match of the qualifying league is here, and Tokyo will face Yokohama FC away. Currently, Tokyo is in 3rd place in Group C with 7 points. A draw will not allow them to finish in the top two of the group, so they must secure all 3 points at any cost. Even with a victory, depending on the result of the match between Iwata and Oita, there is a possibility of finishing in 2nd place, and advancing to the final round will be a competition with the 2nd place from other groups. Considering that scenario, they would also like to score many goals.

　However, due to the two-day gap since the last league match, Wanchope and Lucas are training separately. Fujiyama is also suspended for this match. Additionally, Taira SHIGE felt discomfort in his left ear and left practice to undergo an examination. However, Coach Hara expressed determination, stating, "We have no choice but to win, so our goal is clear. We aim for many goals with fresh members," and the lineup will include Akamine at the forefront, Kurizawa as an attacking midfielder, Kanazawa as left-back, and Konno and Mobu as center-backs. Akamine will make his first start of the season, while Mobu will be in the starting lineup for the second match.

　Yokohama FC is currently in first place with 9 points. Even with a draw, they can reach 10 points, so a focus on defense is expected. As Coach Hara aims to "continue the momentum of the dynamic soccer we've been showcasing lately and break down Yokohama FC's defense," the key will be how effectively they can dismantle a compact defense. The approach remains unchanged: applying pressure from the front and transitioning to attack effectively. However, with fresh members bringing energy, the goal is not only to advance to the Final Round but also to secure victories that will contribute to future league matches.

　During the day, the heat of midsummer was felt, but in the evening, a cool breeze began to blow at Mitsuzawa.A. The match started at 19:04 with Tokyo's kickoff.

Although they conceded a goal from a penalty, Akamine quickly equalized!

　Although they dominated the ball from the beginning, the tempo of their attacks was slow. Kurizawa and Fukunishi sent through passes to the front line, but there were mistakes, and they couldn't convert them into chances. In the 6th minute, Rychely was fouled near the left side of the penalty area, earning a free kick. Kurizawa took the kick, but it went well wide. Meanwhile, Yokohama FC created chances from counterattacks, leading to a back-and-forth development. In the 10th minute, they quickly connected from a restart and sent a through pass to the front line. Yokohama FC forward Hiramoto slipped past Konno's mark and broke through, delivering a low cross from deep in the area. Midfielder Adriano was waiting unmarked in the center, but the ball was just a bit too long. Right back Wada, who ran in for the rebound, also shot wide, escaping the danger.

　In the 17th minute, Tokyo intercepted the ball in their own half, and Rychely spread it to the right flank. The ball deflected off an opposing defender and fell in front of Ishikawa. Ishikawa cut into the area and made a perfect backward pass. Kurizawa ran in and took a shot, but it was blocked by the opposing defender. In the 20th minute, Tokyo created a decisive scene. From the left, Rychely passed to Kurizawa just outside the area, who turned and connected with Akamine in front of the goal. Competing with the defender, the ball spilled to the right where Ishikawa ran in and delivered a sharp ground cross. Akamine slid in to connect, but the ball went over the bar.

　In the 23rd minute, from the left, Kurizawa passed a floating ball directly to Ishikawa in the center, who responded and found himself one-on-one with the GK. He aimed for the goal with a lifted shot, but was thwarted by a great save from the GK, missing the chance. Nevertheless, they gradually found their rhythm and pressed forward, but in the 27th minute, they were caught off guard and faced a counterattack from Yokohama FC. MF Nezume sprinted down the right side and delivered a through pass to FW Hiramoto, who had made a run into the area from the left. Here, Doi fouled FW Hiramoto, resulting in a penalty kick. In the 28th minute, this penalty was neatly converted by MF Adriano, giving the opponent the opening goal.

　However, without looking down, they counterattacked. In the 30 minutes right after conceding a goal, a vertical pass from Kurizawa allowed Inoha to make an attacking run, skillfully controlling the ball to deliver a low cross in front of the goal. Akamine slid in to connect with it, scoring a goal! This equalizer revived the team, which was starting to feel the pressure. However, they could not secure an additional goal in the first half, and in the 37th minute, Yokohama FC's defensive midfielder Nezume evaded a one-two with the front line and dribbled into the penalty area. Drawing in the Tokyo defense, he passed to left midfielder Takizawa. Takizawa took a decisive shot, but it was saved well by Doi, resulting in a left corner kick. From that corner, a sharp shot was taken by midfielder Yabuta from the left side of the area, but Doi saved it again. The score remained 1-1, and the match was carried over to the second half.

With Akamine's two goals, we pulled ahead of Yokohama FC and advanced past the qualifying league!

　In the second half, they took control and launched an offensive. However, they struggled to break through Yokohama FC's solid defense. In the 52nd minute, Lucas was brought on as an attacking midfielder in place of Rychely, with Kurizawa moving to left midfield. Just after that, in the 53rd minute, Fukunishi, utilizing his speed, charged into the area but was brought down by Yokohama FC's midfielder Yamaguchi, yet the whistle did not blow... In the 62nd minute, Lucas broke free from Fukunishi's long feed. The opposing goalkeeper caught it a step early but spilled it, and Lucas couldn't capitalize. However, gradually the ball started to settle with Lucas, leading to powerful attacks through Fukunishi's runs and Kurizawa's passing work.

　In the 64th minute, Kajiyama was brought in to replace Ishikawa, directly into the right midfield position. Under Coach Hara's instruction to "connect the passes and go for a goal," they continued to circulate the ball and look for opportunities. In the 68th minute, they connected in front of the goal, passing to Kurisawa, who was running on the left outside from Kanazawa. Kurisawa advanced deep into the left area and delivered a cross. The ball went over Akamine's head and reached Inoha at the far post, but the shot was lacking in decisiveness. Despite continued attacks, they couldn't break through the goal, but in the 75th minute, Lucas persevered to drop a floating pass from Kurisawa, and Akamine broke free in the left area, taking a touch before unleashing a left-footed shot. The ball beautifully pierced the net, securing the long-awaited go-ahead goal!

　With the stands buzzing, they continued to press forward. In the 84th minute, Fukunishi shot after an early cross from Kanazawa, evading the opposing goalkeeper. In the 89th minute, Lucas cut back against the opposing defender on the right side and sent a final pass in front of the goal. However, it didn't connect with the rushing Fukunishi, and they couldn't secure the third goal. Conversely, just before the end, they faced a counterattack from Yokohama FC, creating a dangerous situation, but they maintained their concentration and defended well. In stoppage time, a sharp shot from Yokohama FC forward Hiramoto was saved by Doi, and the match ended.

　With Akamine's two goals, they pulled away from the chasing Yokohama FC, bringing their points in the qualifying league to 10. Additionally, Oita, in second place in Group C, lost, allowing them to rise to first place. They have qualified for the Nabisco Cup Final Round for the first time in three years.

　【Player Comments】<Akamine> "I had been patient for a long time, so when I got to play, I thought I would enjoy it and give it my all. Even when I couldn't play, I paid attention to maintaining my condition and avoiding injuries, and I prepared myself so that I could play not just today but anytime. The first goal was in a shape I am good at. Before the match, I asked Ishikawa and Rychely for balls that were as low and fast as possible, balls that would go between the goalkeeper and defenders. There were chances to score before that, but I believed that if I kept doing this, I would eventually score. For the second goal, when Lucas got the ball, I planned to receive it behind and shoot. He skillfully laid it off forward, and my trap went well. The team felt the tension that we had to win, but for me, I just wanted to respond somehow to the chance I was given. I wanted to explode somewhere, and as a result, I scored two goals today, but the real challenge starts now." <Kurisawa> "When Lucas came in, we were able to create space, so Fukunishi and I could move up more easily. Yokohama FC pulled back, so it was hard to break them down, but once a pass got inside, the opposing defenders would gather. We wanted to break them down that way, and in the end, we were able to score exactly as planned."

　[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "Today's game was a must-win situation. We knew a draw would not be enough. On the other hand, I think Yokohama FC could have advanced in 2nd place even with a draw. We wanted to be more aggressive, but since we changed the lineup, things didn't go smoothly at first. The ball didn't settle well around Akamine, and since Kurisawa was playing after a long time, it took a while for him to show his strengths. The combination of Inoha and Fukunishi hasn't played together much either, and with Moniwa coming in, the tempo was slow at first and we couldn't attack smoothly. The players we were most careful about were FW Hiramoto and MF Adriano. Especially attacks started when the ball went to FW Hiramoto. The conceded goal also came from that situation and led to a penalty kick. However, that goal actually cleared our minds. Without looking down, we felt we had no choice but to go for it. Inoha, who was balancing the right side, pushed forward and Akamine's goal was born. Akamine's goal was in the shape he is best at. Scoring right after conceding was very important. At halftime, I instructed them to play one tempo faster. Then we took a gamble and brought in Lucas and Kajiyama. Also, we received information that Oita was losing, so the situation became that we just needed to score one goal to win, and I instructed the team to calmly keep possession. Rychely was heavy physically as it was only his third match as a starter. By bringing in Lucas and positioning Kajiyama, who is usually central, to right MF and Kurisawa to the left, the ball settled better. Akamine had often played only short minutes or was not in the lineup, but he trained hard. I am very happy that he scored two goals today and delivered results. Júbilo Iwata also did their best, and I am glad we were able to finish first in the preliminary league. Even with some lineup changes, the team fought without giving up until the end. What we have been trying to do since the start of the season is gradually coming out. I am honestly happy to advance to the Final Round, but we have a match against Nagoya soon. We want to reset our mindset and face it."

　[Yokohama FC Coach Takagi's Press Conference] "It is very disappointing. During the 90 minutes, we had chances to step up. The players worked hard. While bouncing back against Tokyo's strengths, we looked for opportunities and were able to score. Even when we were behind, we aimed for goals and did our best. FW Hiramoto had a short time training together, but he felt better in the match than in practice. His condition will continue to improve, and there is no doubt he is a valuable asset. MF Adriano is coming back from injury, and it felt like he was thrown into the game without much preparation. In the end, he was tired and lost his sharpness, but he did the minimum required. Our Nabisco campaign is over, and now we must switch to the league matches. We have no choice but to prepare for the match this weekend."