Without rushing, continue our soccer and achieve four consecutive wins

　In Sec. 26 of the league, we will face Júbilo Iwata at home. In the previous match against Kawasaki, we secured a tough victory through everyone's perseverance and effort. This match aims for a consecutive win at Ajinomoto and to achieve our first four consecutive wins of the season. It will also be an important match as a stepping stone for further advancement in the standings.

　With only two days since the last match, there are concerns about physical exhaustion, but Coach Jofuku stated, "We fought with ten men in the last match, and there is certainly fatigue. However, the players have the determination and high motivation to compete in the top group, which allows them to cover the physical fatigue." However, Konno is suspended for this match. Additionally, Hanyu and Akamine are also absent due to injuries. Therefore, Asari and Kajiyama will play as double defensive midfielders, with Emerson on the left side and Ishikawa on the right, while Hirayama will return to the starting lineup for the first time since Sec. 21 against Urawa. The team will approach the match with Cabore forming a two-top partnership.

　Yokohama currently sits in 16th place with 26 points. Although they welcomed new coach Oft, they have not won since Sec. 17 on July 17 and seem to be struggling. However, their tactics, which utilize the strong holding abilities of FW Maeda and FW Jiu Shinho to spread the play to the sides, with MF Komano and Murai initiating attacks, are well executed and can be dangerous when they click. Coach Jofuku mentioned that the key is to prevent the forwards from becoming a starting point while also managing the sides. Although Akamine, who has scored in three consecutive matches and is referred to as the 'Jubilo Killer', will be absent, the team's aim remains unchanged, wanting to create chances through quick movements and passing in the front line. Even if there are times when things don't go well, it's important to remain patient and maintain balance. Fight tenaciously with the determination to surpass Yokohama and achieve victory!

　The match started at 16:04 with a kickoff in Tokyo at Ajinomoto on a clear autumn day.

Cabore scores first! Although we conceded a goal due to a mistake...

　From the start, there was a fierce exchange of offense and defense. While both teams fought hard for the ball with passionate play, they couldn't create any chances. In the 4th minute, Iwata tried to find their rhythm as MF Inuzuka took a shot from the left side. In the 12th minute, Tokyo earned a free kick from the right side, and Kajiyama sent it in front of the goal, but the opposing goalkeeper came out and caught it directly. Following that, Iwata won a left corner kick from a cross by right MF Komano, and DF Chano jumped in with his head from MF Murai's kick, but it went over the bar.

　In the 14th minute, Tokyo launched a quick attack, with Shigeno passing to Emerson from the left side of their own half, who then sent a through ball to Cabore on the left flank. Cabore dribbled forward with speed, and despite competing with the opposing defender, he boldly aimed for the goal as he entered the left area. The shot he took with his left foot found the net on the opposite side! Utilizing Cabore's speed, he scored the opening goal with a skillful shot!

　Both teams continued to launch quick attacks, resulting in a series of counterattacks. Among them, Tokyo created chances with Cabore and Ishikawa attacking down both flanks. At the 23rd minute, Ishikawa passed to Emerson, who advanced on the right. The cross was blocked once, but the rebound was kept, and another fast, low cross came in from the right. Hirayama dove in with his head. At the 26th minute, from a left throw-in, Hirayama and the opposing defender contested on the left front line, and the ball was cut back inside. Cabore immediately reacted to the opponent defender’s floating ball rebound and took a volley shot, but both attempts went off target. At the 29th minute, Iwata also launched a quick attack, with right midfielder Komano sending in a cross, which was cleared by Moniwa. Immediately after, the ball was thrown into Tokyo’s goal area, and from the scramble, the rebound nearly reached Iwata FW Maeda at close range, but Tokyo defenders covered each other and held firm to defend resolutely.

　In the 33rd minute, after earning a free kick in midfield, the ball was played from Kajiyama to Asari and back to Kajiyama, who spread it to the right. Ishikawa broke free on the right side and sent a fast ground cross. Although it didn't reach Cabore or Hirayama in the center, Sawara, who had moved up during the free kick situation, was there to tap it in at the far post, securing the second goal. However, just after that, in the 34th minute, Ishikawa's back pass was intercepted by Jiu Shinho of Iwata in the penalty area. Shiota rushed out, and Nagatomo also tried to contain him, but the ball was quickly played back, and it was kicked in by forward Maeda, resulting in a goal against us... We conceded a goal from a mistake and went into halftime with a score of 2 to 1.

Breakthrough on the side leads to a goal rush! Four consecutive wins with the first 5 goals of the season!

　In the early part of the second half, we were dominated by the ball by Juntendo, and we continued to be pushed back. In the 50th minute, Juntendo launched a big attack, and finally, MF Inuzuka took a shot. In the 52nd minute, Nagatomo managed to deflect a breakthrough from Juntendo's left MF Murai to a corner kick. Murai's left corner kick was punched away by Shiota. From the rebound, MF Inuzuka took another shot, but it went well wide. In the 54th minute, we couldn't clear Juntendo's attack, and they connected in our defensive area, leading to a header from FW Jiu Shinho off a right cross from MF Komano, but Shiota caught it right in front. Without getting flustered, we held our ground, and in the 55th minute, we substituted Ohtake for Emerson. We regained our rhythm and created chances from the sides, just like in the first half.

　In the 59th minute, Ishikawa surged down the side, and his cross was cleared just before reaching Cabore. However, in the 61st minute, Cabore broke free from a vertical pass by substitute Otake and delivered a cross. The ball deflected off Ishikawa's heel as he ran into the center, changing its angle and resulting in an own goal by Jubilo Iwata, making it the third goal. In the following 69th minute, on the left side, Hirayama passed to Cabore, who dribbled into the area. He advanced close to the goal and made a precise pass to Ishikawa, who was moving in from the far side. This time, Ishikawa struck it cleanly into the net for a goal! With a speedy development, Ishikawa and Cabore created scoring opportunities by attacking both sides of Jubilo Iwata. And with Ishikawa's first league goal, they took a three-goal lead.

　In the 70th minute, Tatsuya SUZUKI was substituted for Ishikawa, followed by Kanazawa coming on for Cabore in the 72nd minute. With a two-top formation of Hirayama and Suzuki, Kanazawa on the left midfield, and Ohtake on the right, they suppressed Iwata's counterattacks while also maintaining an offensive stance. Then, in the 80th minute, Asari sent a long feed from his own half to the front line, and the opposing defender cleared the ball while retreating. Tatsuya SUZUKI chased the ball fiercely as it flew towards the Iwata goal, outpacing the advancing goalkeeper to catch it in the right area. He then calmly feinted past the returning opposing goalkeeper and struck the ball into the net! This was Tatsuya SUZUKI's first goal since his transfer, securing the fifth goal as a decisive blow.

　Each player capitalized on their chances, taking 10 shots and scoring 5 goals, while successfully suppressing Iwata's counterattacks until the final whistle. They achieved their first four consecutive wins of the season with this goal rush!

　【Player Comments】<Tatsuya SUZUKI> "In the previous match against Kawasaki, we earned 3 points in such a tough game, but if we lost today's match, that would make it meaningless. So I felt strongly that today's match was important. Everyone created a good flow, so I just tried to ride that momentum, stay positive, and push forward when I entered the pitch. The players coming on as substitutes are given a comfortable environment to play in on the pitch, so I want to thank everyone. (About the scoring scene) This year, I had several one-on-one situations with the GK, but I panicked and missed, so the moment I got past the GK, I tried to stay calm and turned back. I wasn't thinking about passing. As a player, I wish to start in the lineup, but the team is doing well now. I want to do my best in the role given to me to help earn 3 points. Tokyo's supporters are passionate, and I am honestly surprised that so many people come to the stadium. Although I transferred recently, if today's goal means I have been accepted as a Tokyo player, I would be happy." <Asari> "In the first half, we might have focused too much on the sides, leaving the center thin. In the second half, we adjusted somewhat and focused on solidifying the center. There was a time early in the second half when we were pressed, but the midfield and defense players communicated and tried to cover the spaces well. Then we discussed whether to bring the forward players back or push the defensive line up, aiming to play clearly. I think holding firm there led to the large score. Since we aim for the top, we absolutely have to win against teams fighting at the bottom. Sapporo scored 2 goals today and I don't think they are in a bad condition. Although it's an away game, we still want to win properly."

　[Summary of Coach Josip KUZE's Press Conference] "Three days ago, we played a very tough game and earned 3 points, putting us in a position to enter the top group. Today, the key point was whether we could focus and enter the match with the same level of intensity as the previous game. Our goal is not simply to beat Kawasaki, but to always keep the top group or the top spot in mind while continuing training and matches throughout the year. We reaffirmed that and treated today as a new start. It was a mentally and physically challenging game, but I think the players stayed focused and fought hard. Especially at the start of the first half, we were conscious of maintaining defensive balance. Even during periods where we had to endure or were out-possessed by the opponent, we approached the game with the mindset of not breaking down defensively first, knowing that eventually we would find our rhythm. Although we conceded a goal from a mistake, we scored well on our chances today, which made the game easier. The players showed both desire and speed toward the goal, and in that respect, I felt they became more focused as time went on."

　[Summary of Coach Hans Ooft's Press Conference for Iwata] "If you only look at the result without watching the match, you might think Tokyo's 5-1 overwhelming victory meant Iwata had no chance. But I am very positive about it. Until it became 3-1, there was a chance to catch up. So for 60 minutes, there was an opportunity. However, after conceding the third goal, we retreated too much, giving the opponent space and making it impossible to engage in physical contact. Because of that, the opponent was able to score more goals afterward. I think that was the turning point. Until the 60th minute, we were able to close down properly, go for the ball, and prevent the opponent from playing. But we have to do that for the full 90 minutes. I also thought I needed to change the situation, so I slightly changed the formation, but the field size became larger and we couldn't keep it very compact. Therefore, we couldn't slow the game down. There were two different situations, but the state until just before it became 3-1 was the best football I have seen since I took over as Iwata's coach. For me, that is the starting point going forward. We have to continue this."