A match that cannot be lost to stay in the top group

　In Sec. 13 of the league, we will face Júbilo Iwata away. In the last two matches (against Nagoya and Kashiwa), we ended without scoring, suffering our first consecutive losses of the season. Coach Jofuku reflected, "Looking at the result of zero goals in 180 minutes, it's hard to say the team is making progress. Even if there were missed shots and some bad luck, there were fewer scoring opportunities overall." However, he vowed, "This match, we will focus and give our all to achieve results. There are various situations throughout the season, but we absolutely cannot allow three consecutive losses."

　Yokohama is currently in 12th place with 4 wins, 2 draws, and 6 losses. They have also lost their last two matches, making this match a "must-win" for them. Particularly noteworthy is Yokohama's side attacks. Midfielders Komano and Murai are skilled on the flanks and adept at exploiting the opponent's weaknesses. Tokyo must avoid being on the defensive and increase the frequency of attacks from Nagatomo and Tokunaga. Additionally, Yokohama's forward Maeda returned in the last match. Although he may not be at his best, he serves as a key point in Yokohama's attack, and given his high finishing ability, significant caution is required in front of the goal.

　Tokyo sees Nagatomo return to the starting lineup after recovering from an arm injury. The formation includes Fujiyama and Sahara as center-backs, with Kanazawa in the defensive midfield. Given that the defense has been stabilizing lately, the key will be to adopt an attacking mindset and find ways to 'switch on' and create scoring opportunities. Additionally, Emerson, who has returned from injury, will also be on the bench this match, increasing the attacking options along with Otake and Kondo. We aim to move the ball and break down the defense to score and secure victory against Iwata's passing game.

　Coach Jofuku tightened his focus, stating, "Iwata is evolving while making minor changes without losing its foundation. This is our third match of the season, but we must not approach it with the mindset of 'we know what Iwata will do.'" The league will be suspended after this match until the end of June, but to gain momentum for the upcoming Nabisco Cup, we desperately need the 3 points. The match started at 14:00 with Iwata's kickoff at Yamaha Stadium under clear skies.

Allowed the opening goal from a set piece and went into halftime trailing

　From the beginning, Iwata attacked starting with forward Maeda. In the 3rd minute, Maeda held the ball in Tokyo's territory and passed to midfielder Ueda, who came up from the left. He took a shot from the middle, but it went straight to Shiota. However, Tokyo's defense managed to contain it well and countered using Cabore's speed. In the 6th minute, they connected passes in the opponent's territory, with Konno passing to Hanyu, who aimed for a shot from the middle, but the opposing goalkeeper caught it. In the 10th minute, Akamine, who drifted to the right front line, dropped the ball, and Tokunaga delivered a cross directly. Kajiyama, who ran into the goal area, headed the ball, but it went over the bar.

　Although they did not give Iwata any real chances, they were continuously attacked from both sides by Tokyo in the 21st minute, resulting in a corner kick. Then, in the 22nd minute, from Iwata's right corner kick, DF Ooi scored with a high header, allowing them to concede first from a set piece, just like in the previous match. Nevertheless, they did not look down and went on the attack. In the 25th minute, Hanyu passed to Cabore, who advanced into the left area. The negative pass sent from there went into the central space where no one was present. Hanyu chased it down and took a shot, but it was caught by the GK. In the 33rd minute, Akamine passed to Cabore, who tried to break free in front of the goal, but Iwata's DF cleared it a step earlier. Kajiyama seized the loose ball and got into a shooting position, but was blocked by the DF.

　After that, Kajiyama and Kanazawa connected well in both offense and defense, completely taking control. In the 44th minute, from Kajiyama's switch of play, Nagatomo charged into the left area with a dribble. He cut inside and unleashed a powerful shot, but the goalkeeper made a save right in front. Following that, they connected the rebound and passed it around on the left side, ultimately leading to Kajiyama in the center passing to Hanyu in the right area, who aimed carefully and shot, but it went to the left. In stoppage time, Cabore turned and took a shot, but it went wide of the goal. Unable to convert the crucial chances in the closing stages, they ended the first half trailing by one goal.

Akamine scores 2 goals! First victory in the league at Yamaha Stadium(Iwata)

　From the start of the second half, with Kajiyama at the center, they played with great intensity towards the goal. Then, in the 48th minute, Konno won a corner from a left cross. Tokunaga took the right corner, and Sahara, who ran into the center, headed the ball. Although it was initially blocked by the GK, Akamine kicked in the rebound, scoring a goal! Tokyo equalized from a set piece. Regaining their original momentum, in the 54th minute, they quickly transitioned in midfield and launched a counterattack. From Kajiyama's through pass, Cabore found himself one-on-one with the GK in the right area, but his shot was blocked by the Iwata GK's body save.

　After missing a big chance to add another goal, the team was under pressure from Iwata for a while, but the defense stood firm, blocking shot after shot from Iwata. In the 60th minute, Emerson was brought on for his first appearance since the Nabisco match against Iwata on March 23. Then, in the 62nd minute, just after the substitution, Emerson made a through pass to Cabore in the area from the right side. Cabore carried the ball to the goal line and delivered a fast cross towards the goal, which Akamine managed to push in with his body, successfully turning the game around.

　However, in the 68th minute, Iwata's MF Funatani delivered a left cross, and FW Maeda had a free header shot, but it went wide thanks to a mistake. Nevertheless, Iwata did not give up and launched a counterattack, leading to intense back-and-forth action. Tokyo, following Asari, substituted Ishikawa for Cabore in the 82nd minute. They moved Konno to defense and placed Fujiyama in a holding midfield role to counter Iwata's power play. They maintained their concentration until the end, defended with determination, and the match ended. With a comeback victory, they stopped their losing streak and achieved their first league win at Yamaha Stadium(Iwata).

　【Player Comments】《Akamine》"Today, I focused on finishing. When I moved to the side, I was always thinking about either crossing inside or finishing with a shot. For the first goal, a shot from Hide-san spilled to me. For the second goal, Cabore and Emerson broke through, and I just had to touch it. (This is the fourth consecutive match against Iwata since last season?) I think that's just a coincidence. In the first half, since Iwata's MF Komano was pushing forward, we were pressed on the side, but in the second half, I was instructed to use that space and hold the ball in a deeper position. I think that also allowed others to push forward. Also, when Cabore is nearby, we have started to bring out each other's strengths. We can now respond to both shots and crosses from Cabore. If we continue to improve our coordination with Emerson and others, I believe the team will get even better." 《Emerson》"I believe the coach trusted me and used me as the very first substitution. I wanted to meet those expectations. When I played, I was careful to mark Iwata's number 14 (Murai) and focused on being a starting point on the side. (About the through pass to Cabore?) In such situations, I think it's important to look around. The pass to Cabore was a flash of inspiration (laughs). I got injured here at Yamaha Stadium in March, then returned once but injured the same spot again, which was mentally tough. Still, I endured and am happy to contribute to the team and win today. The Nabisco Cup has a different atmosphere from the league matches, but I want to pursue results in the same way and keep this momentum going."

　[Summary of Coach Shirofuku's Press Conference] "We had two consecutive losses, so this was a match where we absolutely needed a result. Until about 10 to 15 minutes into the game, up to the time we conceded a goal right after the restart, the flow was really bad, but aside from that, the first half mostly went as we had simulated. We were able to carry the ball into the attacking third and got close to shooting. Until that goal, I felt things were a bit unstable. In the second half, we focused on maintaining our passing base and balance while aiming for scoring opportunities. First and foremost, we prioritized not losing our balance and not changing our approach. Fortunately, during the time of that goal, there were several scenes where the players showed strong intent and intensity toward the goal. Regarding the scene where we allowed a free header at the end, it was a situation where it was hard to avoid conceding, but for all other shots, the players closed down well. I think this game reflected the players' very hungry attitude toward the result. (What was the intention and evaluation of bringing in Emerson?) He had a strong desire to play, a kind of desperation. Since the last time he played here at Yamaha Stadium, I think his motivation was quite high. However, I judged that his physical condition was not fully ready yet, so the plan was to bring him on after the 15th minute of the second half. The spaces on the field had opened up considerably, so I think he was able to play his natural game, and the final goal came from his involvement, so I believe he did his job. I also think he was very conscious of his defensive duties. (How do you summarize the league so far?) It's only the 13th round, not even halfway through. We have been steadily improving, aiming to level up ourselves. Although we still have immature aspects, I think we are gradually becoming more patient. However, regarding quality, we still need to pursue it further."

　[Summary of Coach Uchiyama's Press Conference at Iwata] "Until the 40th minute of the first half, things went more or less as we planned. The way we scored was also by having the fullbacks come out several times on both sides, leading to a successful corner kick. However, the part we feared happened: in the last 5 minutes of the first half and after the start of the second half, mistakes repeatedly occurred in the midfield strength and play development, and as a result, we were pressured and conceded goals. That has been a continuous issue, but in any case, including the toughness of the defense and midfield, even though the ball could be moved with a little movement, the situation where players stopped or kicked the ball straight and lost possession was created, allowing the opponent to push us back. This is something we keep pointing out, but it has been difficult to resolve. Especially in the second half, when fatigue sets in, players stop moving and their decision-making slows down. That is a major problem. (The first half had a good flow, but compared to the Niigata match, what improvements were made?) We tried to improve over these four days by being aware that if we don't stay compact, we can't win the ball from high up the front line, and without that awareness, we can't establish a rhythm in defense. The opponent came with a somewhat irregular formation, trying not to let Murai drop back as much as possible. If the burden on the defensive midfielders becomes too great in one match, various problems arise. From about the last 5 minutes of the first half, loose balls were picked up and sliding was delayed, and the most worrisome issues appeared again in the second half."