We must win at Ajinomoto no matter what!

　In Sec. 24 of the league, we will face Omiya Ardija at home. There has been an interval of more than two weeks since the last match, and this is a battle aimed at achieving consecutive victories following the match against Kashiwa. Particularly in the league, we have not won at home at Ajinomoto since the match against Oita on April 29, so we must secure all three points at any cost. With two-thirds of the league completed, this match is crucial as we head into the final stages and aim to keep up with the top teams.

　During the break, the Japan national team will hold World Cup qualifiers. Nagatomo and Konno participated, both getting in shape and starting today. On the other hand, Sahara is suspended due to accumulated warnings, so the center-back position will be filled by Konno, with Asari in the defensive midfield, Nagatomo as the right back, and Tokunaga, who has returned from injury, on the left. Additionally, Tatsuya SUZUKI, who joined during the break, will make his first appearance in the squad.

　Omiya, currently in 9th place just one point behind Tokyo, suffered four consecutive losses in July but has shown strength in the last five matches with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, securing victories through solid defense and set plays. In the first half of the season away game, Tokyo won comfortably by scoring three goals on skillful counters despite allowing Omiya to dominate, but Omiya’s usual defensive strength makes them a tough opponent. How to break down their solid defense will be a key point. Additionally, Omiya’s MF Fujimoto is suspended, but the goal-scoring FW Denis Marques returns to the starting lineup after serving accumulated yellow cards. They will field a two-forward formation with the tall FW Rafritch. Including set plays, it promises to be a tough match, but maintaining a compact formation to deny space will be crucial for victory. Ideally, Tokyo wants to score first to shatter Omiya’s solid game plan and take control of the match.

　Currently, Tokyo has marked a total of 399 goals (with 398 conceded) in the J1 league. This record began with TUTO's goal in the opening match of 2000, and they are just one goal away from achieving 400 goals. The match, which is expected to draw attention for this milestone goal, started at exactly 18:00 with Tokyo's kickoff at Ajinomoto, amidst a cloudy yet humid atmosphere, coinciding with the annual Brazil Festa.

Allowing a lead from Omiya's strong formation...

　At the start, Tokyo pushed forward with an advantage. However, in the 13th minute, from a left throw-in by Omiya, left back Hato passed to midfielder Saeki, who returned it to Hato. Defender Hato managed to break through along the sideline, evading Nagatomo. From there, a cross was sent in, and forward Rafric hit a header into the net, free at the far post. Despite being on guard, they allowed Omiya to execute their favored play and conceded the first goal.

　However, without panicking, they launched a quick counterattack utilizing Cabore, and in the 21st minute, Cabore cut in from the left side into the penalty area and boldly aimed for the goal from a tight angle, winning a corner kick. Tokunaga's left corner kick was cleared once, but Asari connected the loose ball in the area to Konno, whose shot could not hit the target. In the 24th minute, they gave Omiya a free kick opportunity, and from the loose ball dropped in the front line, DF Tomita from the left area took a shot. It was a dangerous scene, but it went wide to the right, avoiding the crisis.

　In the 28th minute, Kajiyama connected on the left side, and Tokunaga delivered a cross. The ball perfectly reached Cabore just in front of the goal area, leading to a header shot! It was a decisive moment, but it was saved by a fine one-handed save from Omiya's goalkeeper, resulting in a corner kick. In the 34th minute, the team quickly advanced, and Hanyu passed to Emerson with a lobbed ball into the area. Cabore made a swift run and took a decisive shot, but it hit the crossbar...

　Despite being unable to capitalize on chances, the back-and-forth battle continued, but in the 36th minute, Omiya's quick attack led to a shot from FW Denis Marquez from the right area, which was saved by Shiota and resulted in a corner kick. From this corner kick, the ball was played wide from right MF Kobayashi to left DF Tomita, but somehow, center player Shigeno managed to escape the corner kick, preventing an additional goal. They went into the second half trailing by one goal.

Akamine's two goals and Ohtake's free kick led to three goals in the second half, resulting in a comeback victory!

　In the second half, Ishikawa was brought on to replace Emerson. Ishikawa utilized his stamina and speed to become a key player, establishing rhythm. In the 50th minute, Ishikawa broke through on the right side and delivered a cross that was shot on goal. The opposing goalkeeper made a save, and from the rebound, Akamine and Kajiyama took consecutive decisive shots from close range, but both were thwarted by the goalkeeper's excellent play... In the 54th minute, Otake was brought on to replace the injured Hanyu. In the 59th minute, from Otake's dribble, he connected with Akamine who ran into the left area, delivering a floating last pass to the center. Ishikawa rushed in from the right but was caught by the goalkeeper just a step early.

　In the 64th minute, from Ishikawa's cross, Konno, who remained after the set piece, headed the ball, and Cabore chased it down to earn a corner kick. Ishikawa took the right corner kick, and Akamine headed it into the goal! This not only equalized the score but also marked Tokyo's 400th goal in J1 history. After the 70th minute, Ishikawa pressed the opposing defender, attempted to transition to offense, and was fouled, earning a free kick. Kajiyama's kick was initially blocked by the defensive wall, but due to a handball foul, it resulted in another free kick. In the 72nd minute, Ohtake, who came on as a substitute, aimed directly from just left of the penalty arc, and the ball curved into the right net! He scored a brilliant free kick, successfully turning the game around!!

　In the 74th minute, Tatsuya SUZUKI came on for Cabore, marking his first appearance since transferring. In the 80th minute, Suzuki utilized his speed to break through on the left side. He delivered a strong and fast cross, which was missed by Ishikawa who made a run into the center. Akamine slid in at the far post to connect, creating a decisive moment, but he couldn't finish, and the ball went well over the goal. Omiya also made a substitution in the 75th minute, bringing on FW Sakurai for MF Kanazawa, aiming to increase their numbers in the attack. However, in the 83rd minute, a quick early cross from Omiya's right back Murayama found MF Kataoka running into the left area, but Shiota made the save! In the 86th minute, Omiya's left MF Kobayashi Daisuke quickly turned and shot towards FW Rafritch in front of the goal, but it went over the bar.

　There were moments when they struggled against Omiya's forward Rafritch, but they persevered and turned to counterattacks, launching speedy assaults from both sides. In the 89th minute, they executed a quick attack from a goal kick, with Ishikawa catching up to Nagatomo's pass to the front line, delivering a final pass to Akamine, who pushed it in for the third goal! With Akamine's two goals and Otake's free kick, they secured three goals in the second half, pulling away from the chasing Omiya to achieve consecutive victories, as well as earning three points at Ajinomoto Stadium for the first time since the match against Oita in Sec. 9 of the league.

　【Player Comments】<Akamine> "The first goal came from a good ball by Ishikawa. I timed my run well and was able to score. For the third goal, Ishikawa skillfully broke through, and I just had to push the ball into the net. Although we fell behind in the first half today, we all agreed not to panic. At halftime, we confirmed that we would press firmly from the front and continue playing our style of football. We scored two goals from set plays today, but those goals were the result of building up our own football. In that sense, it also boosts our confidence. We hadn’t been able to win easily at home, so this victory is genuinely pleasing. Moving forward, we want to keep winning at home, accumulate points, and aim for a higher position. I want to make the most of chances and work hard to score more." <Ishikawa> "We started the match well, but after conceding the first goal, there were some moments of hesitation. What I can do is take bold actions like rushing out. In that sense, I think I was able to give the team a good rhythm. Even when the flow is bad or the team is in good condition but the rhythm isn’t right, I believe that putting my body on the line and trying hard in one play can change the momentum. I was conscious of that. As a result, it led to goals and chances, so it was a learning experience for me."

　[Summary of Coach Shirofuku's Press Conference] "We had not been able to win at Ajinomoto Stadium and I felt sorry for the fans who had been frustrated for a long time, but today we were able to clear that up. The players, under pressure, stuck to their roles and their style of football, and it was good that we could win with that. In the early stages, we calmly moved the ball, created our own time, and connected it to chances, but our response to Omiya's crosses was not good. Nagatomo was covering, so the players inside let their guard down thinking no crosses would come in. We conceded a goal from a good cross and got a bit flustered. Cabore's positioning and Emerson's actions were also a bit rushed in the process of playing the football we aim for. I think the 15 to 20 minutes towards the end of the first half were worse than the start of the match. However, heading into the second half, we did not lose sight of what we wanted to do, and tried to connect passes rather than just kick. We trusted that if we kept doing that, we would eventually score, and sent the players back onto the pitch with that confidence. As a result, it was very good that we were able to come from behind. (Were the wings being suppressed?) Today, perhaps because Cabore was positioned quite wide, Omiya set up wider than expected. Since Omiya used zonal defense, they shifted towards the ball side, leaving the opposite side open. We thought that if we kept possession well there, the fullbacks could overlap, but they tried to suppress that. However, when the wings were suppressed, we tried to use the space inside to connect passes. I told the players to identify where the space was and enter the match with that in mind, and they did well to judge and try to connect passes inside. Still, I reflect that we could have connected more and carried the ball into the attacking third with one or two touches. Even so, I think there was an effort from the defenders to actively receive the ball from the goalkeeper and to minimize loose balls even in tough moments."

　[Omiya - Coach Higuchi's Press Conference Summary] "In the last match, we lost 0 to 3 in a frustrating way that felt like self-destruction, and I wanted to achieve some revenge. However, we ended up losing again, which is very disappointing. We struggled to pick up second balls and spent a long time defending. That was one issue. At the same time, I believe that our inability to hold the ball well contributed to our poor performance. In the end, we couldn't showcase our strengths until the very end, which is frustrating. Along with that, I feel there are many things we need to do as a team in the remaining 10 matches. I want to focus on each match and work hard so that the team can grow."