Challenging the top-ranked Kashima in pursuit of 3 points

　In Sec. 23 of the league, we will face Kashima Antlers on Sunday, playing away. In the previous match, we failed to capitalize on our chances and conceded a goal from a counterattack in the final moments, resulting in a loss. Now, just three days later, it is important to not carry the shock from the Yamagata match and to reset both mentally and physically.

　In particular, there have been no wins in the last five matches, and they are facing the top team in a pressured situation. However, Coach Jofuku stated, "It won't be easy to win at Kashima's home, but we aim for three points. Of course, depending on the situation, we may become more defensive, but that is a strategy to avoid conceding goals. We will always fight with the victory in mind." This is a match approached with a strong mindset. However, regarding Ishikawa's return, it will be cautiously postponed to the next match. In this match, Nakamura was named in the starting lineup as right midfielder for the first time since the Nabisco Yamagata match on June 3.

　Kashima, with 47 points, is maintaining its top position. In Sec. 20 against Hiroshima and the previous match against Kobe, they suffered consecutive losses away, but at home, they remain unbeaten in this league, showcasing tremendous strength. In this match, FW Marquinhos, who missed the last game, returns. FW Kuroki also starts despite an injury. Tokyo has not scored in the last two matches, so the focus will be on whether they can break through Kashima's solid defense and score this time. Therefore, it is important for Tokyo to continue playing their characteristic coordinated football.

　The summer twilight began to envelop Kashima Soccer Stadium. This important match, where we want to showcase the soccer and determination we have built up to this point and use it as a stepping stone to rise in the rankings, started with a kickoff in Tokyo at 18:34.

Conceding 2 goals, the match unfolds as Kashima intended.

　In the 4th minute, Kashima's left back Arai-ba advanced and exchanged a one-two with the holding midfielder Nozawa, entering the left area. The right side of Tokyo was broken down, and a ground pass was delivered in front of the goal. Central midfielder Danilo slightly mistimed his shot but managed to shoot with his left foot while losing his balance. The ball hit the inside of the post and bounced back into the goal, allowing an early lead...

　In the 6th minute, Kashima's right midfielder Nozawa crossed the ball, and forward Kuroki made a run to shake the net, but this was ruled offside. Immediately counterattacking, Tokyo in the 7th minute saw Hirayama receive a pass with his back to the goal on the left side, and he quickly turned to aim for a mid-range shot. However, the shot hit the crossbar and bounced back... After that, Tokyo continued to move the ball and looked for chances, but in the 20th minute, from a free kick on the right side, Hirayama's header from Hanyu's kick went over the crossbar.

　Then, in the 21st minute, from a connection in the Kashima DF line, GK Sogahata sent a long ball forward. Here, Kashima FW Marquinhos broke through the center of the Tokyo DF and made a furious dash. He shook off Bruno QUADROS and calmly scored a shot over the head of the advancing Gonda... conceding the second goal.

　Kashima, leading by two goals, solidified their defensive block and managed the game with ease. After that, Tokyo was able to pass the ball around, but they continued to struggle to create decisive chances in front of a tough defense. In the 35th minute, Hirayama intercepted an opponent's pass mistake in their own half and initiated a counterattack. Cabore, who advanced from the right side, took a shot, resulting in a corner kick. However, they could not convert the corner into a scoring opportunity. In the 41st minute, they earned a free kick from slightly right of the opponent's half, and Nakamura aimed directly at the goal, but could not hit the target. They ended the first half still allowing a two-goal lead.

Otake provided the assist, and Cabore scored a goal to strike back, but...

　In the second half, Kashima launched sharp counterattacks from a defensive position. In the 49th minute, Hanyu passed to Kajiyama in the center, who sent a vertical pass to Cabore at the front line, and he also tried to advance into the area, but was cut off by Kashima's defensive line and faced a counterattack. Nevertheless, Tokunaga cleared it in the end. After surviving a dangerous situation, in the 50th minute, Nakamura broke through on the right side and sent a cross, but it was caught by the opposing GK before it reached Hirayama. In the 53rd minute, Tokyo earned a left corner kick from Cabore's cross. From the rebound of this corner kick, Cabore again got into a shooting position, but this too was deflected for a corner kick.

　In the 60th minute, Suzuki and Otake were brought in to replace Nakamura and Hanyu. Taking this opportunity, they created a point on the side with quick passing and seized the rhythm of the attack. In the 63rd minute, Suzuki on the right flank sent an early cross followed by Tokunaga, and Kajiyama headed the ball from the right edge of the area, but it went wide. In the 64th minute, they earned a free kick in the opponent's territory, and Otake sent a cross that was shot toward the goal from the right side to Suzuki. Cabore jumped in and tried to connect with a sliding shot, but it went far off target... In the 67th minute, Suzuki advanced from the right and sent a through pass to the center in front of the goal. Cabore broke free and faced the goalkeeper one-on-one. They created a decisive moment, but couldn't convert it either...

　However, in the 77th minute, while pushing forward, Tokyo's right side was broken through by Kashima DF Arai, who delivered a grounded cross to the center. Although FW Marquinhos' shot was blocked, the high ball was headed in by substitute FW Osako, resulting in the loss of the third goal... In the 85th minute, Otake cut back against the opposing DF on the right side and sent a final pass in front of the goal, which Cabore finished with his right foot. Otake created a chance with his passionate play, scoring a goal, but the counterattack ended there... The match concluded with a score of 3 to 1, as Kashima, who consistently took the lead, showcased their skillful game management at home, leading to a defeat for Tokyo.

　【Player Comments】《Otake》"Although we fell behind by 2 goals, I thought there was a chance to turn it around if we made it 2 to 1. I tried to create rhythm by touching the ball a lot and getting involved in the attack. However, the third goal we conceded was painful. (Regarding Cabore's goal) I knew that Kashima was wary of my left foot, so I cut inside and sent a pass with my right foot. I was able to touch the ball today, but since the team didn't win... I want to continue creating opportunities like this and get involved in scoring so that the team can win." 《Nakamura》"It was my first start in a while, and I just wanted to move as much as I could. I focused on defense as I entered the match, but ultimately we conceded a goal, and I think I needed to showcase my strengths more in attack. I felt there were differences in the speed of counterattacks and strength in duels against Kashima. Moving forward, I want to keep those things in mind and practice to always be ready to play in matches."

　[Summary of Coach Jofuku's Press Conference] "I am very regretful that we made our supporters, who cheered for us passionately, feel disappointed. The players took the pitch with strong determination, but losing two goals due to careless mistakes against the reigning champions, Kashima, made it very difficult. This is something we must keep in mind. When we fall behind by two goals, the opponent tends to retreat. We are currently working on the challenge of breaking through that, but we were too late in scoring our first goal. We must carry today's experience forward regarding the first two goals conceded and scoring against a retreating opponent. Kashima's two forwards were effective, and their counterattacks were a threat. Therefore, even when we maintained possession of the ball, we found ourselves in a tough situation. (Regarding the gap with Kashima) They took the lead and managed the game well. I have to say there is a clear difference in that aspect. However, I believe we should never look down on the quality of how we progress in the game. It is essential now to connect our attacks in the final third with both counterattacks and slow build-ups and to improve our shooting accuracy. There are few players with finishing precision, but we must continue to work on that. Today's result is something we brought upon ourselves, so I want to fight with players who have the mentality and quality of play to truly learn from this experience and apply it to the next match."

　[Summary of the press conference by Kashima's Oswaldo OLIVEIRA] "In the last match against Kobe, the high humidity affected us, and our energy levels dropped towards the end. Therefore, we set up a mini training camp starting Friday to help the players recover quickly. Sleep and rest are necessary, and having more time for interaction with medical staff and teammates allows for discussions. Additionally, our opponent is a tough one, with players who have high attacking capabilities, so we anticipated a challenging match. The effects of the training camp showed in the results, and I believe the players understood the purpose behind it. Today, despite the high temperature and humidity causing strain and fatigue, we managed to play our game while effectively containing the opponent's abilities and quality. (Regarding the substitutions in the second half) At the time of the substitutions, FC Tokyo's strategy was clearly to attack the flanks, particularly leaning towards our left side. MF Danilo was coming back from injury and it was the third match in a row, so it was expected that he wouldn't last the full 90 minutes. Another factor was that Tokyo brought in a side attacker, and we predicted that our energy levels would drop, making it difficult to keep up with their speed. Therefore, we moved MF Nakata to the center and put the energetic and powerful MF Aoki on the side to pair with DF Araiba to contain the flank. Unfortunately, that strategy did not function 100 percent, and it led to the situation where we conceded a goal. While we were broken down in that situation, overall, it was wonderful that everyone approached the game plan we set today with discipline. We conceded a goal, but at that time, it was already 3 to 1, so overall, it was a satisfying match."