The team is united in striving for victory

　In Sec. 32 of the league, we will face Vissel Kobe away. In the 5th Round of the Emperor's Cup against Niigata, we achieved a comeback victory despite struggling, marking our 4th consecutive win in official matches. We are in a situation where we cannot afford to lose a single match to continue competing for the championship until the very end. However, Coach Jofuku stated, "As a team, we are united from practice, and there is hardly any lack of focus in our play. Only 11 players can stand on the pitch, and including the bench, there are 18, but all the players are individually preparing without regrets. That is what makes me the happiest and gives me a sense of accomplishment," as the team comes together to aim for victory against Kobe.

　Kobe is currently in 8th place. Although they lost to Tosu in the Emperor's Cup, they have won 5 consecutive league matches, making them one of the most formidable teams right now. Their individual movements are quick, and "each player is aiming for plays that lead directly to goals. The intensity when the counter-attack switch is turned on is among the best in the J-League," warns Coach Jofuku. In particular, forwards Leandro, Yoshida, and midfielder Yu OKUBO possess speed and finishing ability that make them a dangerous presence. Additionally, their sharp runs from midfield suggest that it will be a battle where one cannot afford to let their guard down for a moment.

　In Tokyo, Japan national team players Nagatomo and Konno have joined the team energetically, and Ishikawa, who was worried about his injury, is also in the starting lineup. This match's key point is how well we can play at our own rhythm against Kobe's strong defense, which has conceded a total of 31 goals so far. If we can evade the pressure from Kobe's front line and maintain a calm game flow, we should be able to create chances. Kajiyama stated, "I want to increase the number of times we support the front line without panicking against Kobe's press. If we connect well and create situations with numerical superiority, we will definitely score goals," reflecting on the confidence he has gained in recent matches.

　Moniwa said, "(To aim for the top) we are in a position to chase. Still, situations like this help us grow. Kobe is a tough opponent, but we will fight with a spirit that surpasses that." While showing growth as a team, they are betting on the upcoming match! The game started at exactly 1:00 PM with Kobe's kickoff at the well-sunny NOEVIR Stadium Kobe.

Unable to catch the rhythm... Allowed a one-point lead as the first half ends

　In the early stages, there was a back-and-forth battle, but gradually Kobe began to establish their rhythm with sharp movements. Then, in the 15th minute, a counterattack from Kobe caught them off guard, and the MF Leandro took a shot from the middle. The shot was blocked by Sahara, but the rebound was scored by MF Tanaka, allowing them to concede the first goal from a situation they were wary of. This gave Kobe momentum, and they continued to press. In the 23rd minute, Tokyo's Cabore held the ball in the center, passed it to Ishikawa on the right side, who sent a cross to the center. Konno fought for the ball in front of the goal, and although Nagatomo took a shot from the rebound, it went to the left.

　The flow remains with Kobe. Tokyo loses the ball due to pressure from the opponent's front line, suffering sharp counters multiple times. Forward Leandro and midfielder Yu OKUBO take consecutive shots, but the defense, led by Shiota, holds firm and prevents any additional goals. In the 28th minute, Cabore breaks free after exchanging passes with Nagatomo on the left side and delivers a cross. In the 31st minute, Ishikawa receives the ball from Kajiyama on the right side and makes a through pass to Hirayama, who runs behind the defense. Although neither leads to a shot, chances are starting to be created.

　In the 36th minute, Hanyu stole the ball from the opponent on the left side and quickly passed it to Hirayama on the flank. The ball was returned to Hanyu, who shot from outside the left side of the area, but it went wide left of the goal. In the 44th minute, Cabore stole the ball on the left side of his own half and passed it to Nagatomo. After advancing to the front line and sending in a cross, it was initially deflected by the opposing defender, but Hanyu quickly reacted to the rebound and headed the ball, only for it to be caught by Kobe's goalkeeper Enomoto. After the 40th minute, they built their attacking shape starting from Cabore, Ishikawa, and Hanyu, but they couldn't create any decisive chances. They ended the first half trailing by one goal.

Cabore's passionate goal equalized the score, but it ended in a painful draw...

　In the second half, Tokyo aggressively attacked from the start. Right after the kickoff, Taira SHIGE intercepted the ball, and Cabore attempted to connect with Ishikawa's cross but missed. Furthermore, Hirayama rushed in for the rebound, but was blocked by the Kobe defense. In the 48th minute, Ishikawa took a shot from the rebound of Hanyu's cross, but it went over the goal. They were unable to convert any of their chances into goals. Then, they faced increasing difficulties from Kobe's sharp counterattacks, struggling to find their rhythm.

　Still, they never gave up, and in the 59th minute, Otake was brought on for Ishikawa. In the 60th minute, from Otake's right free kick, Tokunaga headed the ball back into the goal area. Hirayama received it and trapped it with his chest but couldn't take a shot. After that, Suzuki and Akamine were brought on as attacking players to chase the one goal. In the 78th minute, Cabore broke through the defense to go one-on-one with the GK after a through pass from Kajiyama. It was a decisive moment, but the shot was saved well by the GK, and they couldn't score.

　In the 79th minute, a cross from Nagatomo resulted in a left corner kick. From this corner, although it was cleared by the opposing defense once, Kajiyama picked up the loose ball and struck it with his right foot from outside the area. However, it went over the bar. Continuing to create chances, in the 83rd minute, Cabore calmly entered the area and slotted the ball into the goal after receiving a drop from Akamine, equalizing the score. After that, including five minutes of stoppage time, both teams continued to fiercely battle for the lead. Showing a spirited fight, Kobe's relentless attack was defended by everyone, but they could not score a second goal. ...It ended in a painful draw.

　【Player Comments】《Cabore》"Of course, it was a match we wanted to win, but calmly thinking about it, drawing away after being down 0-1 and earning 1 point was good. Today, with a 3-point gap from the top-ranked Kashima, we entered the match highly motivated, but unfortunately, this was the result. It's a difficult situation, but it's still possible to break into the top ranks, so we want to approach the next match with high awareness. We conceded one goal in the first half, but we made many mistakes and couldn't play well. On the other hand, I think it was good that it was only one goal. In the second half, Tokyo's rhythm improved and we were able to catch up, but when the rhythm is broken by first-half mistakes, it becomes difficult to get a good result in the final stages of the league. (About the scoring scene?) Before the goal, I had a big chance one-on-one with the opposing goalkeeper, but my shot was saved. So I was thinking next time for sure. It was good to receive a nice pass from Shingo (Akamine) and score. Next is the final home game. We also played Niigata recently in the Emperor's Cup, and they are a very strong team. We want to train hard for a week to somehow get 3 points here."《Nagatomo》"Kobe's players came aggressively from the front more than I expected, and their counterattacks were fast, so it was tough. It was good that we managed to draw from there. I entered today's match focusing only on winning. Unfortunately, it ended in a draw today, but there are still two matches left, so I want to reflect on today's game and make corrections going forward. Personally, I couldn't do anything today. I wanted to be involved in more decisive plays and should have been more aggressive. For the last two matches, I want to properly accept today's result, switch my mindset, and approach them. Since the next match is also the final home game, I want to have a passionate, passionate match so that the people who come will feel "I'm glad I came.""

　[Summary of Coach Shirofuku's Press Conference] "Kobe, who have won five consecutive matches, are indeed a strong team, and it was a very tough battle both offensively and defensively. We expected that, but since we had to keep earning 3 points in all remaining matches, regardless of the content, it is very disappointing that we only managed to get 1 point. The players, the supporters who came from Tokyo, and everyone cheering for us in Tokyo all wanted 3 points, so we are full of regret. Regarding the content, at the start, our midfield marking was delayed, and we couldn’t fully capitalize when the opponent’s forwards dropped back, which became a starting point for them to take several shots. The goal we conceded was from a quick counterattack, and overall, I think the situation was not good. Toward the end of the first half, we calmed down a bit and started to do what we intended. In the second half, although we were attacking, there were technical and decision-making mistakes just before shooting, so we couldn’t create decisive chances leading to shots. We gradually changed members and the system while conveying the desire to score to everyone. It was good that we scored one goal, but I think it was a bit too late. (Regarding the increased point gap with the top team?) As in today’s match, we focus on the match in front of us rather than looking at other teams. We want to devote everything to accumulating 3 points in each match."

　[Summary of Coach Matsuda's Press Conference] "I am very disappointed that our winning streak has come to an end. At the beginning of the match, we were able to execute our plan to some extent and effectively exploit the opponent's weaknesses. However, one goal is not enough. If we could have scored a second goal... Even after we were equalized, we had several chances. To move up even one position, we definitely need to score. It's unfortunate. However, I believe the players gave their all until the end. I think that is truly wonderful."