Maintain the team's momentum and aim for five consecutive away wins!

　In Sec. 27 of the league, we will face Consadole Sapporo away. In the previous match against Jubilo Iwata, we achieved a massive 5 goals and secured our fourth consecutive win. We aim to continue this momentum and strive for our fifth consecutive win, tying the record for consecutive wins in J1 (including the extended victory in the 2000 2nd Sec. 1-5). Coach Jofuku expressed his determination, stating, "This season, we have had several opportunities to break into the top ranks, but we have missed those chances. As a result, I can feel the players' desire not to let this opportunity slip away. Regardless of the opponent's ranking or points, we need to be prepared for a close match. We will fight with the mindset of holding on to a 1-0 lead."

　Sapporo has not won since Sec. 17 and is currently in 18th place. They are in a tough situation, but they have had few scoreless matches, scoring 3 goals against G Osaka in Sec. 24. After that, they scored 2 goals against Chiba and Oita, showcasing their lively attack. Although DF Minowa is injured and FW Davi, who is ranked 2nd in scoring, will be absent, the attack led by tall FW Anderson, with support from MF Nishitani and Nishi from the sides, is functioning well, making the battles on the flanks crucial. To achieve this, they must prioritize stable defense first, and if they can win the battles on the flanks, they should be able to create scoring opportunities. They want to break down Sapporo's DF with speedy attacks.

　Tokyo will see Kanno and Hirayama suspended for this match, but Akamine's injury is not serious and he returns to the starting lineup. Additionally, Bruno QUADROS and Hanyu have also prepared their condition and are included in the substitute members. Akamine stated, "There are no issues with my arm. Scoring in three consecutive matches is thanks to the overall improvement of the team. I missed the last match, but I want to keep up with the team's momentum and ride the wave. There is absolutely no complacency, and there is a tension to win and move up the rankings," raising expectations for a fourth consecutive goal.

　Shioda stated, "If we allow the first goal, there is a fear that they will strengthen their defense, so we want to maintain our balance and fight tenaciously to score the first point. We haven't achieved four consecutive wins easily, and especially after winning by a large margin, the following matches tend to be difficult. It is expected to be a tough battle away, but we want to overcome each match with a mentality to win without losing to Sapporo's desperate spirit." This match is the first at Sapporo Atsubetsu Stadium for the team since 2002. The match started with Sapporo's kickoff in the chilly weather with a cold wind blowing.

Although pushed back by the opponent's momentum, we finished the first half without conceding a goal.

　From the start of the first half, Sapporo launched an aggressive side attack, putting Tokyo at a disadvantage. In the first minute, MF Kraiton maintained possession and FW Sunakawa took a forceful shot. Then, in the third minute, DF Ikeuchi headed a shot from a corner kick rebound, and Tokyo was continuously pushed back in front of their own goal. Nevertheless, they managed to hold on and gradually began to circulate the ball, looking for opportunities. In the 12th minute, a quick passing sequence from Kajiyama to Ishikawa and back to Kajiyama opened up play to the right. After a throw-in from Nagatomo, Asari took a long-range shot but missed the target. In the 15th minute, Kajiyama's pass was dropped by Akamine, and Kajiyama received the return pass and sent a through ball to the front line. Emerson broke through the central defense but was caught by the opposing GK just a step ahead.

　In the 16th minute, a decisive chance was created by MF Nishitani to FW Sunakawa on the opponent's right side, but they escaped danger thanks to a missed shot. In the 19th minute, from a quick restart, Kajiyama broke through the center with a dribble. He slipped through the DF's gaps and brought the ball to just outside the area, delivering a final pass to Cabore in the left area. Cabore aimed with his left foot, but it was blocked by the DF. In the 28th minute, from a pass by Tokunaga to the front line, Akamine broke through behind the DF line and took a shot, but the opponent's GK caught it. In the 36th minute, Ishikawa to Emerson became the starting point on the left side, and Kajiyama took a shot from the center. Emerson picked up the rebound again, turned, and immediately took a shot, but it went well wide of the target.

　Tokyo is unable to connect passes due to the intense defense from Sapporo's frontline. Conversely, Sapporo freely utilized the left side of Tokyo's area from FW Anderson's hold, with MF Nishi and FW Sunakawa repeatedly sending in crosses, creating dangerous situations. However, centered around Shiota, they managed to hold on and prevent any goals. In the 44th minute, Sapporo FW Sunakawa's right cross found FW Anderson sliding in front of the goal, creating a scoring opportunity, but he just missed it... In the end, the first half concluded scoreless.

Achieving a comeback victory for the fifth consecutive win despite struggles

　In the second half, Hanyu was brought on to replace Emerson. He aimed for the goal by exploiting the space between the opponent's DF line and midfield. Immediately in the 47th minute, from a quick restart, Hanyu passed to Ishikawa, who brought the ball into the right area for a shot, but it was blocked by the opposing goalkeeper. However, just as they were starting to find their rhythm, in the 52nd minute, Hanyu injured his left foot and was forced to be substituted for Bruno QUADROS. Shortly after, in the 54th minute, Sapporo's right corner kick shook the side, and finally, DF Ikeuchi scored with a header from a left cross, resulting in a goal conceded. They allowed the first goal.

　Still, they never panic and launch a counterattack. In the 63rd minute, from Nagatomo's vertical pass, Ishikawa to Cabore shoots from just outside the central area. In the 68th minute, Cabore receives a pass from Kajiyama and shoots from outside the box, but both go over the target. Then in the 70th minute, Nagatomo takes the rebound from Cabore's shot and breaks through on the right side. Receiving a return from Cabore, he sends a quick cross in front of the goal, which Akamine dives for and perfectly heads into the net! This goal marks Akamine's fourth consecutive goal.

　After that, as both teams exchanged counterattacks, in the 79th minute, Ohtake was brought on for Cabore to aim for an additional goal. Then, just after that, in the 80th minute, Ohtake received the ball from Nagatomo near the halfway line and dribbled forward through the center. Seeing that there was no pressure, he struck with his left foot from just outside the area. The well-controlled ball was sucked into the bottom left of the goal! He scored a valuable go-ahead goal with his first play right after coming on.

　In the final stages, there were scenes where Sapporo pressed on without giving up until the end, but no additional goals were allowed. Despite the struggles, Akamine and Otake scored valuable goals to achieve a comeback victory. This marked the team's first five consecutive wins in eight years, as well as the first "five consecutive wins with a 90-minute victory" in J1.

　【Player Comments】<Akamine> "The goal went as practiced. Yuto skillfully broke through and sent me a quick ball. We always discuss during practice, and I was able to score exactly as planned. Each player on the field has different strengths, and the situations are not the same, but I think we were able to execute the practiced plays properly. However, aside from that moment, we couldn't create many chances. The opponent attacked behind our DF line with long balls, and I think we retreated a bit too much. In terms of content, it was a match worth zero points. Still, winning such a match will lead to the next step." <Otake> "When I was on the bench, I thought the wall of five consecutive wins was thick and not easy. Even so, spaces gradually opened between the opponent's DF line and midfield, so I believed if we kept going, they would surely break down. With Hanyu's accident, the substitution options became limited, but I thought if the score remained tied, offensive players would be brought on. When I entered, I was determined to score. On my first play, I received a pass from Nagatomo, saw the space ahead, and no DF came to close me down. While dribbling forward, Nao opened up to the right, which caused the opposing goalkeeper to shift to that side. At that moment, I saw a shooting lane and aimed without hesitation. I believe advancing forward is my strength, so I think I was able to make the most of that play today."

　[Summary of Coach Shirofuku's Press Conference] "We entered the game with the mindset of not betraying the supporters who rushed over from Tokyo to cheer us on, as well as those who strongly support us given our current situation. However, we started off a bit on the back foot. In the first half, due to Sapporo.D's aggressive play, including our back line, we became somewhat indecisive, and our left side was broken down several times, creating dangerous situations. We somehow managed to keep a clean sheet in the first half, so we made adjustments for the second half and brought on player Hanyu. Unfortunately, due to an accident, we had to substitute him immediately, and the goal conceded happened during that period, so I think the flow was not good. As a result, being able to hold on to just one goal was key to the comeback. Defending from the front and returning to our own style was probably the key to the turnaround. (The battle for first place is becoming a realistic prospect, isn't it?) There are many things to reflect on this time, including how we managed the game and, of course, the players' condition. Over this week, we will carefully assess and confirm these reflections and make use of them. Above all, we will focus on each match one by one and accumulate points, which I believe is how we can keep up with the top teams. Without thinking too far ahead, we want to prepare in the best way possible for the next match."

　[Sapporo.Miura's Press Conference Summary] "It seemed like the game started at our pace from the beginning. We were able to aggressively win the ball, and both offensively and defensively, it was a game where our right side and their left side were active. Although we ended the first half at zero, the content was not bad, and I thought we would score in the second half and see what would happen after that. Unfortunately, the opponent capitalized on their few chances. (What was the reason for conceding on those few chances?) It's a very difficult question, but soccer is a sport where upsets can happen, and the team with more chances doesn't always win. FC Tokyo might also lose despite having many chances, and I think that was one of those matches. If we say it's a difference in strength, then after losing, that's what will be said, and maybe that's true."