Last league match of August, aiming for a rise with a victory at home

　Two-thirds of the league matches have been completed, and in Sec. 24, we will face Oita Trinita at Ajinomoto. August is coming to an end, but the team has not won since the match against Omiya on July 18, which can be said to be a difficult situation. This match is crucial for us to secure a victory at home and to seize the opportunity to rise ahead of the upcoming Nabisco Cup and the final stages of the league.

　Oita is currently in a difficult situation at 18th place. They welcomed new coach Ranko POPOVIC from Sec. 19, but the tough situation continues with 1 win and 4 losses since then. Nevertheless, they aim to escape from the bottom position with possession football that moves the ball and connects passes. Coach Jofuku commented, "Including the outside, we have good players in the front line. When they build up and receive the ball in good situations, they can be quite scary. We are on alert," sharing his impressions.

　However, Tokyo should have the upper hand in playing a possession-based attacking style of football. By dominating ball possession over Oita and taking control, they aim to reduce "Oita's time" and prevent their attacks. In terms of offense, scoring the first goal will be crucial. If Tokyo can score first, they can take advantage of Oita's forward push. This will likely make the game easier to manage.

　In the last five matches, they have scored only 2 goals and have struggled to capitalize on opportunities, but this match sees Ishikawa making a much-anticipated return to the starting lineup for the first time since the match against Kawasaki on August 1. Coach Jofuku explained the current situation, stating, "The key is whether we can bring out the best as a team rather than focusing on the combination or fixing the members," and aims to stop the losing streak with a style of play that utilizes individual strengths while complementing each other's weaknesses. The match, held in the muggy heat of Ajinomoto, started at 19:04 with Oita's kickoff.

Unable to break through Oita's defense, the first half ends scoreless

　From the early stages, they initiated coordinated plays and headed towards the goal. In the 1st minute, they circulated the ball in Oita's territory, and Hanyu sent a lob pass into the area. Ishikawa was advancing there but was unable to receive it due to being blocked by the opposing defender. Oita also showcased their strengths, and in the 2nd minute, from quick ball circulation, FW FERNANDEZ shot from just outside the left area, but it went across the goal. In the 5th minute, Tokyo intercepted a pass in the opponent's territory. Ishikawa then exchanged a one-two with Hirayama in the center and broke into the area, but he couldn't get into a proper position to finish.

　Connecting passes to create chances, trying to develop their own style of football, and with back-and-forth play, in the 19th minute, Tokunaga sent a lofted pass to Cabore just outside the right area. Cabore brought it down with one touch, and Ishikawa, who followed up, carried it to the center and took a shot. This was Tokyo's first shot of the day, and although it was well-controlled, it went straight to the goalkeeper.

　In the 25th minute, Cabore connected with Ishikawa just in front of the right area, and the ball reached Yonemoto, who was free in the center. However, Yonemoto's shot was deflected by the Oita DF. In the 27th minute, Hanyu sent a cross from the left front, and Ishikawa and Hirayama jumped in as they tangled with the opposing DF, but the ball hit the opposing DF and headed towards the goal. It seemed like it could have been an own goal, but the GK caught it.

　On the other hand, Oita solidified their final line and occasionally launched sharp counterattacks. However, in the 34th minute, FW FERNANDEZ broke through to MF Kanazaki, but this was ruled offside. In the 39th minute, Oita FW FERNANDEZ broke through Tokyo's right side, and left MF Fujita took a shot after penetrating the open vital area, but the defense blocked it. In the 41st minute, Kajiyama dribbled into the left area and aimed for a shot, but he couldn't make contact. Still, Ishikawa was there in front of the goal, but the goalkeeper caught the ball. Both teams maintained concentrated defense, not allowing the opponent any freedom. The first half ended scoreless.

Cabore takes the lead! A powerful shot from Yonemoto pulls away Oita!

　In the 47th minute of the second half, Konno joined the play, and Hanyu delivered a left cross. Cabore jumped in front of the goal, but the Oita goalkeeper caught it. In the 55th minute, Cabore skillfully maintained possession on the right side and dribbled centrally before passing to the left. Nagatomo, who advanced into the attack, aimed for the goal but missed widely. Although they moved the ball forward, they continued to struggle to create decisive chances. In the 63rd minute, Ishikawa broke free into the left area from a pass by Hirayama. He created a great opportunity, but was closed down by the defender and couldn't take a shot...

　In the 68th minute, Otake was brought on to replace Hanyu. This immediately paid off, and just two minutes later, in the 70th minute, Tokunaga's pass to the front was dropped by Hirayama, leading to Ishikawa on the right, then to Otake in the center, and Ishikawa circled back into the area. From a flowing series of passes, the final ball went to Cabore, who evaded the advancing goalkeeper with a right-footed trap and scored with his left foot!! Ishikawa, Otake, and Cabore's excellent teamwork resulted in the opening goal.

　Taking this opportunity, Tokyo takes control of the ball. In the 78th minute, Cabore makes a fierce advance into the front line with a dribble after a quick attack. He is fouled and brought down, but since Hirayama was following up, the play continues. Hirayama breaks free on the right front line, and Suzuki also advances from the opposite side. However, Hirayama's cross does not reach the center... it is cut off by the opposing defender. In the 82nd minute, Cabore passes to Suzuki, who runs to the left front line and sends a backward pass to Otake, who has entered the left area. Otake, gaining speed, traps the ball and takes a shot, but it goes straight to the goalkeeper...

　Oita, trailing by one goal, attempted to launch an aggressive attack, but Tokyo shut down the counterattack by connecting passes. In stoppage time, while Oita was trying to counterattack, Tokyo calmly circulated the ball, and when Yonemoto saw there was no pressure ahead, he struck with his right foot! The shot from about 30 meters pierced the net over the hands of Oita's goalkeeper Nishikawa and scored a goal!! Yonemoto's first league goal secured a second goal just before the end of the match, sealing the victory. They earned 3 points for the first time since the match against Omiya on July 18.

　【Player Comments】<Yonemoto> "I was so focused on scoring that I don't really remember it. However, since I practiced many times this week, I'm glad it went in. I was happy, but my play until then wasn't very good, so I felt I repaid with the goal. Also, scoring an additional goal in such a close 1-point game made things easier. Today, we talked about how we can't break into the top ranks unless we win here. So everyone worked hard to help each other and get 3 points. I think it was good that it also connects to the Nabisco Cup." <Ishikawa> "When the team couldn't win, I think the momentum was lost. Today, I was conscious of that and paid attention to the timing and method of switching on the attack as I approached the match. The scene where Cabore scored was a good example of successfully switching on. We tried various strategies to break through Oita's solid defense. Although it didn't lead to many goals at first, I'm glad we managed to score in the second half. I wish we had created more such chances from the first half. Being able to produce results with a powerful attack will lead to a good image for the future. We should still be able to play even better football."

　[Summary of Coach Shirofuku's Press Conference] "We went through a tough August without a win for over a month, but I’m glad we could celebrate the victory with everyone today. It made me deeply realize, after such a long time, how wonderful it is to share the joy of winning with the fans who came to support us. In terms of the match, Oita set up an even more compact defensive line than usual, forming a solid block of 11 players, so it was difficult to break through in the first half. We tried to shake the opponent side to side while timing our vertical attacks, but in the first half, both the shaking and the intensity of our vertical plays were half-hearted. In the second half, we reviewed some defensive adjustments and confirmed how to add more power to our vertical attacks and align on a common understanding. The players’ desire to earn 3 points and score was transferred to the ball, and it was good that we managed to score two goals. Including points to reflect on, we want to turn this into experience for the future."

　(Regarding Yonemoto's goal) Originally, the other defensive midfielder, Kajiyama, should have had more shooting opportunities. However, he has been dealing with an ankle issue, and once that is healed, he is expected to take shots even better than Yonemoto's. We had in mind middle-range shots and breaking down the opponent's side by shaking them horizontally, and they practiced this every day. So Yonemoto was also taking shots of that level in practice. But shooting in practice and shooting in a match are not the same. Being able to express that in a game will boost confidence, and if Kajiyama and others can keep trying without missing such chances, I believe this team can reach the next level. (Regarding the impact of Ishikawa's return) Even during the winless period, we could bring the ball into the attacking third, but we couldn't score there, and the defense couldn't hold up, creating a vicious cycle. In today's match, I think there was also the option to change the lineup. I don't believe the lineup is fixed, but when it became clear that Ishikawa was coming back, we reflected on what elements the team showed when we were performing well. Having the full lineup again allowed us to return to our roots, which was significant.

　[Summary of Oita Coach Ranko POPOVIC's Press Conference] "The result was the same as in the last few matches. I think the content was not that bad, but we failed to convert our scoring chances, and on the contrary, the opponent scored. At the end of the first half, defender Uemoto was hit by an elbow from a Tokyo player and could not play in the second half, which was unexpected. We played very well in the first half and created more chances than the opponent. I believe we created bigger chances than them. We controlled the match and fought wonderfully. There was a chance to score when the score was 0-0, but failing to convert that was the biggest reason for the loss. While controlling the match, there was a tiring period during which Cabore scored skillfully. It was a time when our concentration and stamina temporarily dropped. The second goal was a very beautiful goal, and I think the fans were satisfied to see such a goal. However, we also had several chances like that, but they did not go in. Still, the day will surely come when our shots will go into the goal. For that, we must continue good training. I believe in that and think we must continue playing in our own style. We have to firmly do what we can do now and get out of this situation. The day we can score will definitely come, so until then, we want to prepare well."