The only goal at the National home is to secure 3 points!

　The Nabisco Cup qualifying league Sec. 5 is being held. This match will be at the Japan National Stadium, facing Montedio Yamagata. So far, Tokyo has played 4 matches and currently sits at the top of the group temporarily. This match is a direct confrontation with second-place Yamagata. After only earning 1 point in the previous match against Kyoto, they cannot afford to lose any more if they want to advance in the qualifiers. This is also a match where they want to achieve a clear victory at home to accumulate points and carry momentum into the final match.

　In this match, Bruno QUADROS, who has returned from suspension, will start and partner with Hiramatsu in central defense. Additionally, Nakamura, who had been suffering from a neck injury, will make his first start in the right back position.

　Yamagata has currently played 3 matches, and the point difference with Tokyo is 1. In the previous Nabisco match, they narrowly lost to Chiba, and they have not won in their last 5 league matches, struggling with injuries. However, the team's objectives are clear, and they show resilience. In particular, their long ball deliveries, picking up second balls to develop attacks, and their attacks starting from the sides to set up forward Hayato HASEGAWA are powerful and require caution. We need to not only maintain concentration in the defensive line but also apply coordinated pressing as a team to suppress Yamagata's passing options.

　In attack, we have often lost our rhythm lately by not being able to score a second goal from our chances, so we want to fully execute our style of football and definitely connect it to goals. Although the temperature is not high, the humidity is at 72% and it seems like it might start raining at the National. The match started at 19:34 with a kickoff in Tokyo.

Conceded a goal immediately after the start, struggling in defense and allowing Yamagata to gain rhythm

　At the start, the defense was disorganized, leading to a frantic situation. Just 30 seconds in, Yamagata sent a long ball forward, and Hiramatsu competed with Yamagata's forward Hayato HASEGAWA. Hiramatsu couldn't take the ball away, and it led to a shot, but Gonda made a save to avert the crisis. Immediately after, Ishikawa cut in from the right, passed to Cabore in the center, and without hesitation, broke through behind the opposing defender in the right area. He received a return pass and shook the net with a shot, but was offside at the moment he received the pass...

　Then, in the 3rd minute, Tokyo broke through on the left side, and Yamagata's right MF Kim Byung-seok penetrated the area. He sent a backward pass in front of the goal, which was perfectly matched by FW Masaru HASEGAWA. The shot was initially saved by Gonda, but the rebound was kicked in by left MF Hirose, resulting in a conceded goal...

　They allowed an early goal and were pushed back by long balls, allowing Yamagata to create attacking opportunities. Tokyo struggled to create a starting point in the front line against intense pressing. In the 14th minute, Nakamura advanced, and after exchanging passes with Cabore, created a chance on the right side, with Tanabe aiming for the goal. However, the shot was saved by Yamagata's goalkeeper Endo, who made his official J-League debut today, including his time at Tokyo. After the 25th minute, an incident occurred where Nakamura was tackled by an opponent and injured his foot.

　In the 29th minute, Mukuhara was brought in as a left back to replace Nakamura. With Tokunaga positioned on the right to regain balance, Tokyo gradually found their rhythm and created chances. In the 30th minute, Cabore connected in the center while being challenged, and Kajiwara, who advanced, made a last pass to Hirayama, who was free in the left area. However, Hirayama's decisive shot was blocked by Yamagata's goalkeeper Endo. In the 32nd minute, Ishikawa flowed to the left → Kajiwara, who advanced in front of the goal, took a shot, but it hit a defender and resulted in a left corner kick. Ishikawa → Tanabe connected with a short pass, and from Ishikawa's cross again, Hiramatsu headed the ball from the far side, but it went over the bar.

　In the 38th minute, Ishikawa created a chance from a dribble, and in the 41st minute, Mukuara's left cross was connected by Hirayama in the center, but Cabore's attempt to push in the ball that spilled in front of the goal from close range was again thwarted by the goalkeeper's save... With a one-goal deficit, they headed into the second half.

Kajiyama equalizes, Cabore scores 2 goals, achieving the first comeback victory of the season!

　In the second half, we made adjustments, regained our composure, and launched a counterattack. In the 57th minute, from the opponent's side, Yonemoto passed to Kajiyama in the center, who sent a floating ball pass to Hirayama in front of the goal and also advanced. Hirayama skillfully controlled the ball, and Kajiyama, who received the pass just before the area, struck a precise shot into the top left corner for a goal! Kajiyama scored a beautiful shot from the connection with Hirayama, finally bringing us level.

　With this calm goal, the turning point was set, and in the 63rd minute, a vertical pass from Hiyama to Cabore, who was trying to break through to the front line. Cabore carried the ball forward with a trap and took a looping shot. This hit the opposing goalkeeper and spilled in front of the goal, but despite a tough contest with the opposing DF, he pushed it in with a header. Utilizing Cabore's speed to take the lead, Tokyo completely grasped the rhythm. In the 66th minute, they launched a quick attack, with Cabore cutting back against the opposing DF in the right area and passing to Hiyama, who moved up the center. From there, he received a return pass and created a scoring opportunity, but at the moment of the pass to Hiyama, he was offside...

　In the 70th minute, they launched a counterattack from their own half, with Ishikawa dribbling into the opponent's territory. He tried to pass to Tanabe, who was making a run from behind, but both players were out of breath... they couldn't synchronize their timing. In the 71st minute, Ohtake was brought on to replace Tanabe. Immediately after that, Cabore attempted to break through behind the Yamagata defense, receiving a vertical pass from Kajiyama. The shot he took was initially saved by the opposing goalkeeper, but Cabore managed to catch up to the rebound and pushed it in with his right foot to score the third goal!

　With this momentum, in the 74th minute, Hirayama received a pass from the left side in the center of the area and turned to face a scoring opportunity, but the shot lacked power... However, Cabore chased down the loose ball and crossed it. Ishikawa at the far post received it and sent another decisive pass to the center, but no one could connect... In the 76th minute, Akamine was brought in to replace Cabore. Both lines stretched out, and in the final stages, it became a counterattack exchange, but no additional goals were allowed. Cabore scored his first two goals in a single match, pulling Yamagata ahead, marking the team's first two-goal lead for a comeback victory this season. As a result, they temporarily maintained the top position in Group B.

　【Player Comments】《Kajiyama》"In the first half, I held the ball a bit too much and often looked for a way to pass. We corrected that at halftime, and in the second half, I think we successfully distinguished when to keep possession and when to circulate passes. It was a positive outcome to regroup and achieve a comeback victory over the full 90 minutes. For the goal, Hirayama properly held the ball, which allowed me to move into the penalty area. I had practiced shots like that one, so I was able to finish it as planned in a good situation. If we can play like we did in the second half today, I believe it will lead to victories. We want to secure advancement to the Final Round by our own efforts." 《Cabore》"For the goal, a good ball was delivered, and I think I was able to show my strong points. We conceded early today and got flustered ourselves. From there, in the second half, we restarted and equalized with Kajiyama's wonderful goal. After scoring the second goal, the team was able to calm down. I think we played well both in the Kyoto match and today, so I want to play well and secure the win next time as well. Shimizu is a strong opponent, but I believe we have a chance to win, so I want to do my best."

　[Summary of Coach Shirofuku's Press Conference] "Today was a situation where we absolutely had to win. I'm glad we got the result. In the first half, we had chances, but our defensive line was too deep, allowing the opponent to win second balls from long passes, which led to through passes again... creating a vicious cycle. We also conceded early, which caused fear in our makeshift defensive line. We must reflect on dropping our line and giving the opponent decisive chances. In the second half, we adjusted the line and confirmed when to use our power and when to use our skills and characteristics for the team, organizing when to maximize our strengths. There were moments of build-up play and also Cabore's sudden break behind the defense, but ultimately, without build-up, you can't target the behind. We want to continue to properly show both aspects in the game. (Regarding injured players) Cabore has been playing with an existing injury on the inside of his knee. However, we believe it is not very serious, but we need detailed examinations to be sure. Regarding Hokuto NAKAMURA, the opponent tackled aggressively with the sole of his foot while going for the ball. That directly hit the injured area he already had. He is having difficulty even walking, so we need to take sufficient time for his recovery. (Why was Mukuhara brought in as left side back?) In the first half, Yamagata's left side back Ishikawa was switching sides to their right midfielder Kim, creating chances from there. Therefore, we placed Mukuhara, whom we trust greatly defensively, on Kim's side to suppress him."

　[Summary of Coach Kobayashi's Press Conference from Yamagata] "We had a good start in the first half and were able to effectively break through the spaces and sides. However, two players got injured, and from the end of the first half, we were pushed back. The game then turned into how to withstand that pressure and score one more goal. There were decisive chances to score an additional goal in the first half, and missing those was significant. FC Tokyo also had chances, but if we had scored another goal after taking the lead, I think we could have entered the second half a bit more comfortably. In the second half, the lack of communication that led to the second goal conceded was unfortunate. Since we had already scored one goal, if we had just been more precise, it was becoming a game where we could score another. However, with the injuries to two players (Akiba and Kim), our strength was severely impacted. Unfortunately, I feel this is where we stand for now. Although we took the lead, when it became a battle of individuals, it turned into a power struggle with the ball being taken and lost, which made the game a bit rough. We ended up matching FC Tokyo’s style there. If we had coordinated better as a group, I think we could have played a calmer game. It might have been a winnable game in terms of possibility. The reality is that this was the result, but I believe it was a valuable experience for the team."