Calmly initiate our soccer, aiming for goals and victory

　The league has completed one-third of the matches, and Sec. 12 will be held. We will head to the away match at Nissan Stadium to face Yokohama F. Marinos. In the previous match against Kyoto, we created many chances but were unable to convert them into goals. On the other hand, we managed to keep our opponents from scoring by controlling the game for longer periods. This match will focus on how we can maintain our defensive solidity while capitalizing on our chances.

　Coach Jofuku said, "We conceded the most goals in the league in the first 10 matches. In the next 10 matches, we aim to be the team with the fewest goals conceded." He continued, "However, that does not mean we will play defensively. By increasing our awareness of holding the ball longer and being careful about how we lose it, we can minimize the goals conceded. On top of that, we are working on how to capitalize on our chances."

　Ishikawa, who injured his foot, will miss this match. In right midfield, Suzuki will start for the first time since the match against Urawa in Sec. 1. Nakamura, who has fully recovered from his injury, will be on the bench for the first time since his transfer. Coach Jofuku has high expectations for Nakamura, stating, "He has high ability and skill, with strength in one-on-one situations, accuracy in kicks, and a calm way of handling the ball. He can be utilized both when we want to attack and when we need to defend. With his experience, he should bring what the team lacks in various situations."

　Yokohama FM, on the other hand, is currently in 8th place with 15 points. They have only won consecutively once in this league, just like Tokyo, and cannot be said to be on a roll. However, with their speedy ball movement and high individual player abilities, they require significant caution. In particular, the front line includes FW Sakata, Watanabe, and Yamase, all of whom can change the game on their own, and set pieces are also a threat. Additionally, DF Kurihara returns this match, changing their formation from a familiar three-back to a four-back. They have placed FW Watanabe at the forefront, with FW Sakata and MF Kano in the front line. In midfield, they have MF Yamase and Hyodo, with MF Matsuda serving as the holding midfielder in a 4-3-3 formation.

　In response, Coach Jofuku stated, "Continuing to play the soccer we aim for is the best strategy," and countered by applying intense pressure to win the ball and increase possession. They calmly initiated their soccer, aiming for goals and victory. At Nissan Stadium, where the sky was cloudy and a chill was felt, the match started at 19:04 with Yokohama FM's kickoff.

Developing a soccer style that initiates from the sides

　From the beginning, we focused on defending together and did not allow the opponent any freedom. Right after the start, Yokohama FM capitalized on a chance from a throw-in, allowing FW Watanabe to enter the area, but Yonemoto quickly returned and escaped to a corner kick. In the 8th minute, Kajiyama sent a floating ball pass to the front line, and Akamine pressed on the opponent's DF's clearance, falling just before the area, but the whistle did not blow. In the 14th minute, from Konno's interception, Suzuki passed to Tokunaga, who advanced dribbling down the right side and entered the opponent's territory, but was cut off.

　There were moments of panic when they couldn't connect passes against Yokohama FM's intense press, but Tokyo gradually settled into their play. They approached the Yokohama FM goal with attacks starting from the sides. In the 20th minute, from Tokunaga's right cross, Akamine dove in at the near post for a header. Shortly after, this time Kajiyama passed to Akamine who had drifted left, and Suzuki, who ran into the far goal area, attempted a volley shot, creating a decisive opportunity, but it was thwarted by the goalkeeper's excellent save...

　In the 35th minute, Yokohama FM's forward Sakata initiated an attack, and right-back Tanaka made a cross. The Tokyo defense cleared the ball, but it spilled to the far side, where left-back Komiyama took a shot, which went over the goal. In the 38th minute, Kajiyama was fouled on the left side of his own half, and Konno quickly restarted the play. He sent a long ball to the left flank, where Nagatomo made a run and delivered a cross. They launched a speedy attack, but their coordination fell apart at the last moment, and they were unable to take a shot.

　Both teams attacked each other, and in the 39th minute, Yokohama FM launched a quick counterattack. FW Sakata, who broke through on the left side, charged into the area with a dribble. The Tokyo defenders who returned were turned around, but in the end, they regained possession through defensive coordination and escaped the crisis. They maintained their concentration in defense, successfully suppressing Yokohama FM's attacks. In the 43rd minute, Suzuki's cross was dropped by Akamine, and after connecting with the loose ball, Nagatomo also advanced, showcasing a strong offensive. Although there were few shooting scenes, they managed to find their rhythm and headed into the second half.

Nakamura scores his first goal! They defend this one point and achieve a valuable victory.

　At the start of the second half, Kajiyama injured his ankle and was substituted by Nakamura, who made his first appearance since transferring in the 55th minute. However, with Nakamura's introduction, the match became lively, with both teams quickly attacking each other, leading to intense exchanges of offense and defense. In the 56th minute, Nakamura, right after coming on, received a ball from the left and boldly aimed for a shot from just outside the right area, but it went wide. In the 57th minute, Yonemoto, gaining momentum, took a shot from distance, but it did not connect and went to the goalkeeper.

　In the 61st minute, Nakamura passed to Akamine, and Hayu sent a last pass into the area that was cut off by Yokohama's defender, resulting in a right corner kick. In the 62nd minute, Suzuki took the right corner kick, and Hirayama, competing with the defender, deflected the ball, which fell to Nakamura positioned in front of the area. He powerfully volleyed it with his left foot into the goal! Nakamura scored his first goal with joy, making a brilliant debut and taking the lead.

　Tokyo, gaining momentum, repeatedly threatened the Yokohama FM goal. In the 67th minute, from a right-side post play between Nakamura and Hirayama, Hokuto brought the ball back inside, looked around well, and passed to Suzuki, who had moved up on the opposite side. Suzuki shot with speed, but it hit the opposing defender and resulted in a corner kick. From the loose ball of this left corner kick, Tokunaga's shot struck the goalkeeper hard but was saved... Meanwhile, Yokohama FM also used substitute players to launch a counterattack. In the 72nd minute, forward Saito, just after entering the game, dribbled in from the right and delivered a floating cross to the center. Midfielder Hyodo, in front of the goal, headed the ball but narrowly missed the target, escaping a dangerous situation... In the 78th minute, Yokohama MF Matsuda stole the ball in Tokyo's half, leading to a counterattack. The shot went just left of the target, but it was a dangerous scene.

　In the 81st minute, Tokyo moved the ball quickly and attacked the Yokohama FM goal. Ohtake, who came on as a substitute from the left, dribbled in, evaded the defender, and made a final pass to the center. Hanyu ran in from behind the center and got into shooting position, but he was closed down by the defender and couldn't take the shot. Still, he persisted and picked up the loose ball, passing it to Nakamura on the right, who sent it to Suzuki, who had just barely stayed onside. Suzuki brought it inside and took a shot from close range, but it was blocked by the goalkeeper, and they couldn't secure an additional goal.

　In the final stages, Yokohama FM launched a fierce attack with DF Kan moving forward. In the 88th minute, MF Hyodo made a quick run to meet a pass to the front line, creating a decisive opportunity, but the shot was saved brilliantly by Gonda, escaping the danger. After a long 5 minutes of stoppage time, the entire team united to repel Yokohama FM's power play with all their might, leading to the final whistle. It was an intense match, but they held on to Nakamura's first goal and secured a valuable 3 points away.

　【Player Comments】<Nakamura> "With the score at 0-0 when I entered the midfield, I focused on defending from the front and getting involved in scoring. I tried to play with a strong awareness of the goal. I thought about what was expected of me as I stepped onto the pitch. The goal came when the ball came to me nicely. The ball came in front of my left foot, so I controlled it and aimed to shoot. I'm glad I was able to shoot calmly. (I struggled with injury for a long time) It took longer than I thought, but I tried not to rush. Still, I wanted to move quickly. However, I was fitting in well with the team during practice, so I wasn't worried about playing today. I wanted to do some kind of celebration after scoring, but everyone gathered around and I couldn't do anything (laughs). Still, since it was my first goal after transferring and I felt like I kept the supporters waiting, a guts pose came out naturally." <Suzuki> "I focused on becoming a starting point in a high position on the side and thought about utilizing our strong point, the fullbacks. I think our intention to take action ourselves was expressed in our play. Including myself, we had chances to score the opening and additional goals, and if we had scored then, I think we could have won more comfortably. But in the end, this kind of win unites the team. The next game is important to keep winning from here. We want to build on today's victory going forward."

　[Summary of Coach Shirofuku's Press Conference] "We had a series of matches where we couldn't secure a victory, so today was a game we absolutely could not lose. The players themselves felt that strongly and stepped onto the pitch with that mindset. Up to Sec. 10, we were the team with the most goals conceded in the league, so our current motto for the next 10 matches until Sec. 20 is to become the team with the fewest goals conceded. This doesn't mean playing defensively, but rather that the best way is to maintain possession longer and push through to finishing. Until we scored the first goal today, we made a strong effort in that direction. Whether it went well or not is another matter, but unlike before, we connected passes instead of just kicking the ball away. Regarding defense, both smaller and bigger players all went for the ball head-on and played with strong determination. There are still various issues and it's not perfect, but today the players' spirit was contagious, and we managed to keep a clean sheet. In the past few matches, we took nearly 20 shots and got close, but couldn't score. Still, compared to last year, we have increased our shots by about 50-60%, which is progress. I think it's something to be proud of. As for finishing beyond the shot, it won't improve overnight, so continuing to work on it is important. Since we have been able to carry the ball that far, we are focusing on improving skills and unifying the team's intentions."

　(Next week we will have consecutive matches again) The issue today is after we scored the first goal. We want to create more of our own time and play soccer that allows us to keep the ball in the opponent's half while managing the clock. This year, after scoring one goal, there have been unstable situations where things change, so we want to work on those aspects in the Nabisco Cup to reach the Final Round. We want to prepare well and strive to carry today's victory into the next match. (Regarding Nakamura) We are grateful as a team because his strike earned us 3 points. However, I expect him to create opportunities for a second goal with his abilities. I don't want him to be satisfied just because he scored one goal today.

　[Yokohama FM Coach Kimura's Press Conference Summary] "After the five consecutive matches during Golden Week, this was the first game where we slightly adjusted the system. However, in the first half, we became defensive against the opponent's momentum. Even when we won the ball, the forwards couldn't hold it properly, resulting in many mistakes and difficulty creating attacking opportunities. We made adjustments at halftime, but conceded from a loose ball after a corner kick. After that, the players switched their mindset and went on the attack. In the final 10 minutes, we pushed defender Kim forward, but in our eagerness to win, it turned into long balls. It wasn’t so much about the system, but rather the number of mistakes. When FC Tokyo is playing well, as they did today, they press from the front, and if they gain momentum, the game becomes their style. We talked about that, but unfortunately, the first half played out exactly like that. However, today we used defenders Tanaka and Komiyama as fullbacks, and compared to when we play 3-4-3, there was a lot more space ahead on both sides, allowing us to push forward. I think the timing of advancing was good. Still, there were parts we couldn’t fully execute or didn’t follow through on, so corrections are needed there. Next week we have the Nabisco Cup and a series of consecutive matches, so we want to make adjustments while playing."