I want to seize the chances and secure consecutive wins.

　In Sec. 8 of the league, we will face Gamba Osaka away. This will be another away game following the last match, but we want to carry the momentum from the victory against Oita and aim for consecutive wins.

　G Osaka, on the other hand, continues to battle alongside the ACL. They have a grueling schedule, with only four days between their away match in Indonesia on April 22 and the previous match, followed by just two days before this match. Coach Jofuku tightens his focus, stating, "If we step onto the pitch expecting the opponent to be fatigued, we will suffer for it." He also points out, "G Osaka is one of the top teams not only in the J League but also in Asia in terms of ball movement and possession. This season, they have made significant reinforcements, increasing their height and scoring power, which are points to be wary of."

　Tokyo will approach the match with the same lineup as the previous game. It is expected that the opponent will have a certain degree of ball possession, so it is important for the entire team to work together defensively and not give them space or time. Once we regain possession, we want to launch a quick counterattack and take control on the flanks. Kajiyama, who scored his first goal of the season in the match against Oita, stated strongly, "We will fight to ensure we don't lose out in the opponent's passing game. I want to coordinate with the forwards and create many shooting opportunities," aiming for a victory with two or more goals for the first time this season.

　Moniwa expressed his determination, saying, "Even if we are pushed back to the limit, I want to put my body on the line and compete. In the early stages, we need to endure to some extent and focus on maintaining balance, and if the opponent's stamina drops in the latter stages, I want to seize the opportunity to go for the win." G Osaka will likely aim to take the lead and make the game easier for themselves. In response, if we can endure the time we need to, Tokyo should be able to create our own opportunities. At that moment, we want to make sure to capitalize on our chances. While keeping the opponent's strengths in check, we will give our all to secure 3 points! The match started at 19:03 with Tokyo's kickoff at the Expo '70 Commemorative Stadium.

Allowed an unfortunate opening goal and fell behind in the second half

　Calmly entering the match, Tokyo did not allow G Osaka to take control from the start. They stole the ball from the defense that created a block against the opponent's ball movement and launched a quick attack. In the 14th minute, Ishikawa seized a loose ball in the opponent's half and made a solo run with a dribble. He brought it to the goal area and took a shot with his left foot, but the opponent's DF blocked it. Cabore seized the rebound and, while being marked by the opponent's DF, took a powerful shot, but it went over the bar.

　However, in the 19th minute, from the opponent's throw-in, a cross kicked by MF Sho SASAKI hit Hanyu and resulted in an own goal. An unfortunate way to concede the first goal. Then, the momentum began to shift towards G Osaka. In the 21st minute, a powerful dribbling shot by FW Leandro hit the right post. Then, in the 25th minute, from a left throw-in by G Osaka's MF Endo, MF Lucas passed to MF Sho SASAKI, who connected with FW Leandro, and finally, MF Lucas evaded Sahara and broke into the area, scoring a shot that resulted in... conceding the second goal.

　Tokyo, wanting to counterattack, saw Cabore break through fiercely into the area from the left side in the 27th minute. He delivered a low cross into the middle but couldn't get a shot off. In the 30th minute, Kajiyama passed to Ishikawa, who unleashed a powerful long-range shot, but the opposing goalkeeper made a great save. After that, they attempted to counterattack several times with long balls, but they couldn't control the ball. G Osaka slowly circulated the ball in their defensive line, launching attacks at opportune moments, preventing Tokyo from finding their rhythm. Ultimately, they ended the first half trailing by two goals.　

Although we scored 2 points, we lost due to a large number of goals conceded.

　It was a second half aimed at recovery, but just after the start, in the 47th minute, Tokyo lost possession of the ball, and it was easily carried to the goal area. They were toyed with by G Osaka's passing work, allowing FW Leandro to score an additional goal. Since it was crucial to see which team would score the next point, it became a painful concession. Nevertheless, they did not give up and launched an attack. In the 50th minute, from a right throw-in, Hanyu crossed the ball. Sahara headed it while competing with the opposing defender, but it went to the left.

　In the 57th minute, from Konno's switch, Tokunaga advanced, and Hanyu received a return pass near the right corner of the area and took a direct shot, but it went wide left. In the 58th minute, Mukuahara was placed as the right side back, with Konno as center back and Tokunaga as a defensive midfielder. In the 61st minute, Akamine was brought in to replace Kondo. In the second corner kick situation, Akamine, who had just entered the game, took a volley but was blocked by the opposing defender. However, just after that, in the 68th minute, they were caught off guard during an attack and conceded the fourth goal.

　In the 69th minute, Suzuki was brought on to replace Hanyu. As the opponent's intensity began to drop, Tokyo was able to regain possession of the ball in higher positions. Then, in the 79th minute, Ishikawa on the left side dribbled past two opposing defenders and shot, scoring a determined goal. In the following 81st minute, Kajiyama stole the ball in the center and passed it to Suzuki, who had moved up from the left, and he confidently scored the second goal. They scored two goals for the first time this season and launched a fierce attack. However, it was already too late... They conceded four goals to G Osaka's skillful play and suffered a bitter defeat.

　【Player Comments】<Ishikawa> "As we conceded one and then two goals, the energy on the pitch faded. Not just in this match, but the next one is coming soon... That frustrates me, including myself, and it's disappointing. Even with a 2-0 scoreline, if we had scored one back, who knows what could have happened. But right after the second half started, we conceded a third goal, and not being able to hold on there is also a problem. (Did we pull back too much overall?) I think there were times we should have pushed forward more depending on the situation. We need more variation and tactical play during the match. (Were you afraid of G Osaka?) Hmm... I’m neither of those. It felt like we adjusted to the opponent. This wasn’t a loss where we thought, ‘It can’t be helped’ due to a difference in strength. We’ve been having matches like this repeatedly. We want to take the initiative and play our football. Football that forces the opponent to adjust to us... Next, we return home, and I want to play that kind of match." <Suzuki> "I can’t say we lost after showing our true strength... it was a wasteful match. Everyone tried hard, but I feel we lacked confidence. We got stretched out, lost second balls, and because the opponent’s individual breakthroughs and runs behind were scary, the whole team dropped back slowly, and our only attacking option was long balls. Even when we won the ball, our teammates were far away, so we kicked it again, and it got taken away... it became a repeating cycle. (The flow changed after you came on?) Well, that was just the situation. But it would be better if we could switch to that style of play from the start... The forwards also need to cooperate and press as a whole. Our defenders are strong going forward, so if we limit the opponent’s options upfront, I don’t think we’d get beaten this much. Personally, I’ve been in good form for a while, and today’s play and goal confirmed that for me. I want to build on this for the next match."

　【Summary of Coach Jofuku's Press Conference】 "Despite the very difficult situation of an away night game that makes it hard for fans to come and support us, many fans came to cheer us on. However, I am very disappointed that we could not meet their expectations. (How do we break down G Osaka's defense?) We need to neutralize the opponent's strengths and focus on good defense while considering crosses from the sides. Unfortunately, we conceded a goal in an unfortunate manner, which made things difficult. (Did the players who came on as substitutes make good movements?) In any case, the players who came on in the second half were clear about the situation... However, what hurt us significantly was that we had to substitute a player from the defensive line."

　[G Osaka - Coach Nishino's Press Conference Summary] "I feel that for 80 minutes, everyone shared and executed the style of football we aimed to play today. The last 10 minutes were very regrettable, so I want to make that a future challenge. I think we became a bit too complacent. Today, once again, we reviewed pressing as a team, and I think we were able to perform coordinated defense in a good form, from which we saw some short counters and aggressive attacks. Since the last match, we have made adjustments, and I think the overall direction we aim for is starting to come together a bit. When there is good defense, Gamba can definitely produce good attacks. If the periods of good defense increase and we maintain a solid, compact defense, we can regain the ball in good positions and move it forward with short counters. This is about raising defensive awareness and extending from there. I don't want to demand that much from Cho Jae-jin or Leandro in that regard, but it is necessary to score goals. Extending from that, there is good pressing, good ball movement, and ways to enter the attacking area."