The final match of the league, keep a calm mind and fight with all your heart

　As the league season reaches its climax, the final match will be against JEF United Chiba. In the previous match, we struggled against Niigata's pressure but managed to end our final home game with a victory, moving up to 5th place in the rankings. While it may be out of our control, there is still a possibility of moving up to 3rd place depending on the results of this match. We will not give up until the very end and will give our all to secure a victory. However, Ishikawa has suffered an injury to his right foot and will be unable to play. Additionally, Kajiyama will be suspended for this match, meaning Suzuki will make his first start since transferring as the right midfielder. In midfield, we will have Imakawa and Asari, and up front, Cabore and Akamine will form the attacking duo.

　Chiba, on the other hand, is currently in 17th place and even a draw in this round will result in automatic relegation to J2, so it is necessary to secure all 3 points. It is expected that they will come out with an aggressive fight, but for Tokyo to win, the minimum requirement is to not just defend but also to not let their emotions take over. In defense, one key point will be to contain Chiba's main scorer, FW Maki, including on set pieces. It is important to not only mark tightly, but also to pay attention to accurate crosses from MF Michel, Tanizawa, and Fukai coming in from the sides.

　Chiba is also quick to switch between offense and defense, so we want to compete with them in terms of movement. In attack, it will be important to calmly avoid Chiba's intense press and see how we can bring the ball up to the front line and switch it on. We want to break down Chiba's solid defense, with players like Cabore, Hayashi, and Suzuki making speedy movements. Chiba will be without DF Bosner due to suspension, and DF Hayakawa will be starting in the center back position. They have also made some changes to the lineup since the last match, with GK Kushino making his first league start, and Toda and Kudo playing as defensive midfielders, and Fukai taking on the role of left MF.

　The Fukuda Denshi Arena, where the cold strong wind blows despite the clear weather. The stands are filled with tension even before the game, and Coach Shirofuku says, "It's a special game for both teams. We came to the stadium with that determination. We know that the motivation of the Chiba players is something we can't imagine, but in this situation, we need to get 3 points to move on. This will be a game that tests whether we can step up." With determination, the big match kicked off at 2:34 PM in Tokyo.

Cabore scores the opening goal by avoiding Chiba's press and seizing the momentum!

　A fierce battle continued from the start. Chiba put pressure on the front line with powerful pressing, while Tokyo also countered with high energy and momentum, launching speedy attacks with quick transitions between offense and defense. Shortly after the start, Suzuki received a pass from the center and made a sharp shot from the right area. The goalkeeper saved it and earned a right corner kick, but Tokunaga's kick was cleared and led to a counterattack. However, Tokyo defended well with their defensive line and quickly switched back to the offense. In the 5th minute, Hayashi received a return pass from Cabore and made a shot while advancing, but the distance was too far and he couldn't hit the target.

　19 minutes, from the midfield battle, Imakano sends a floating pass to the front line. Cabore breaks through, but the ball is a little too long and is caught by the opponent's GK. Chiba also shows their fighting spirit, and in the 21st minute, from a right early cross, FW Maki hits a header over Saura's head, but Shioda easily catches it. After that, they continue to create chances by utilizing the bold movements of players like Hanyu and Suzuki. There were also moments where they struggled against Chiba's intensity, but in the 27th minute, Chiba's FW Reynaldo and Nagatomo have a 1-on-1 battle, which Nagatomo successfully defends. In the 29th minute, Cabore skillfully handles the ball and Redmine tenaciously connects it to Asari, who has moved up freely from the midfield. Asari takes a well-timed shot, but it curves to the left...

　38 minutes, Nagatomo's cross flew to the far side, and Suzuki, who ran in free, took a direct shot but was blocked by the GK's save... However, in the 39th minute, Tokunaga took the corner kick and Cabore made a header with a movement that evaded the opponent's mark, taking the lead!

　At 40 minutes, Chiba's fast cross was followed by a header from FW Maki. At 44 minutes, MF Reynaldo from the right side sprinted to try and break through Tokyo's DF. He sent a cross parallel to the goal from the area, but MF Fukai jumped in from the far side. However, Tokunaga cut it off with a sliding tackle. They defended without losing focus, and although it was not an easy development, they managed to take the lead and head into the second half.

Despite expanding the lead with Nagatomo's goal, we suffered a comeback defeat due to conceding late goals.

　In the second half, Chiba's intense press eased slightly, and Tokyo took control of the ball, grabbed the rhythm, and went on the attack. In the 47th minute, Inamoto intercepted a pass in the midfield and dribbled fiercely. In the end, he connected with Akamine on the left and entered a shooting position, but it was blocked. However, he regained the ball and passed it to Julian, who had moved up freely. It was a decisive moment, but Julian's powerful shot hit the post... Suzuki picked up the rebound and took a shot from the right side, but it went far above the bar. In the 53rd minute, they launched a counterattack, with Inamoto passing to Nagatomo, who calmly cut inside the area and took a shot. It was sucked into the goal, giving them a two-goal lead!!

　With this, Tokyo completely grasped the flow of the game and relentlessly attacked Chiba's goal with a fast-paced passing game from Cabore and Suzuki. However, they were unable to convert their chances and time passed without being able to score a third goal to finish off Chiba.

　Chiba did not give up, and in the 56th minute, FW Arata Shinnyo was substituted for MF Misheu, and in the 63rd minute, MF Tanizawa was substituted for MF Fukai. In the same 63rd minute, Tokyo also brought in FW Otake for Hayabusa, and both teams showed an attacking attitude. In the 74th minute, Chiba lost the ball in the midfield and quickly sent a long pass behind Tokyo's DF. FW Shinnyo was able to break through and shoot after a one-touch, deflecting off Shioda's outstretched hand and into the goal. After conceding a goal due to a mistake, in the 77th minute, Chiba's FW Maki won the ball in the front line and MF Tanizawa ran in freely to score a spectacular goal...

　In the blink of an eye, they were caught up to the same score, but still went for the win and tried to score, but were instead thrown off balance by Chiba's determination. In the 80th minute, they were unable to clear the ball that Chiba FW Ronaldo had contested, and in the penalty area, Kono took down Chiba MF Lins who had stolen the ball, resulting in a penalty kick. This penalty kick was confidently scored by Chiba MF Lins himself, giving them the lead.

　After that, in the 81st minute, Kondo was replaced by Suzuki and in the 86th minute, Hirayama was replaced by Asari, and although they tried to make a comeback with one goal, in the 85th minute, MF Tanizawa broke through Chiba's vertical pass and went on a solo run. They were able to score a fourth goal to seal the deal. Despite taking a 2-point lead, they were unable to stop Chiba's determination and momentum, and ended up losing in a comeback with consecutive goals in the remaining 15 minutes... As a result, they dropped one spot in the rankings and finished the league in 6th place.

　【Player Comments】《Hanyu》"To my Tokyo teammates, supporters, and all those involved, I feel sorry for not being able to give my all. I expected the game to be a tough battle, and I tried to be the starting point for the attack and create chances. We knew the momentum was on our side and we had a chance to score more goals after getting two. It's a shame we couldn't do that. When we were tied, I regret not being on the pitch. Of course, I didn't plan to give my all for the full 90 minutes... If there is a side to be blamed for that, I need to focus on being on the pitch for the full 90 minutes. As a soccer player, I want to think about how to improve. From the Chiba game, we need to believe in our soccer and learn that anything can happen. We want to connect each game to the Emperor's Cup."《Suzuki》"It was an important game for both teams. We wanted to play aggressively and keep attacking, not just defending against Chiba's passion. We were able to do some things as planned, but we felt our lack of strength when it came to finishing the game. Chiba was desperate and it became difficult to make the right decisions. We tried to score, but we need to make corrections in various aspects. I really wanted to get results in my first start... We were controlling the game well until the middle, so I'm filled with regret now."

　[Summary of Manager Jofuku's Press Conference] "Chiba must not lose in the final league match, and we must win in this situation. It was a game with a different atmosphere than usual. The players were prepared for that, but the fear of being down 2-0, the inability to stop the collapse, and the scenes where we conceded goals showed our challenges this season. We must accept that and also learn from Chiba's spirit today. We want to carry that into the Emperor's Cup. (What caused the change from a 2-point lead to 4 goals conceded?) We can't say it was just one thing because each goal was different. We showed our weaknesses in various aspects, such as making the wrong decisions on where to put in effort, whether to hold the line or drop back. And the feeling that we could always score a third goal was also very scary. We learned how dangerous a 2-0 score can be. (What was the intention behind substituting player Hanyu?) He played at a high pace from the first half and his physical and technical abilities were very good. However, right before the substitution, he cramped up and his physical abilities decreased. I don't know if the timing was right, but I wanted to use the space he created with his physical abilities to control the ball. (After the league season) We will accept our position. There were good and bad games, but it's a fair ranking. Our current strength is reflected in our 6th place finish, considering the various situations we faced. However, this is not the end. We will learn from each game, build upon it, and today was just one game in that process. We still have the Emperor's Cup, so we want to reflect on this and approach it with determination."

　[Chiba Alex Miller Press Conference Summary] "From the start, we were able to play a very good game, with good counterattacks after winning the ball. However, our performance in the final moments was not good. The team did not function well there. We tried to fix that at halftime. The first goal was conceded from a corner kick where we did not mark properly and conceded in a bad way. In the second half, we were slow to pass the ball from our short corners and conceded from a counterattack. On the other hand, we were able to score in a very good time. When we equalized 2-2, I thought we could definitely win. I think our players were good in terms of fitness until the end. There was a possibility of relegation in today's match, but the players fought with everything they had. Since I took over, the team's situation has gradually improved and we were able to get around 1.65 points per game. I think we did well to recover from last place. However, we can't be happy tomorrow. For me and the players, winning in the next season's league is what success means. I made a lot of important decisions today. That's what being a coach is all about. I changed the captain, GK, and MF Tanizawa. After conceding, I sent in players who could do the right job. I gave them the right guidance and they understood the importance of breaking through the number 9 of Tokyo and the opponent's tactics, so they knew what kind of plan to approach with. (What are the differences between Japan and the Premier League?) There are many, but Japanese players have technique and a great attitude towards training. If they are told to do something on the right, they can do it on the left. As for our team, we need to fix our defense a little more. We have conceded a lot of goals in the past few matches. It is also important to find the opponent's weaknesses and exploit them, as well as dominate the game in the final moments. We need to learn these things. (What about next season?) First, it is important to raise the team's standard. We need to take responsibility and do the job given to us in order to move forward. And even with fewer players, I want to create a team where everyone can play and fight in the game. I want the players to have ambition and work towards it."