We want to break the losing streak and celebrate the final home game with a victory

　Sec. 33 of the league is being held, marking the final home match. In the previous match against Chiba, we were forced to play with 10 men and lost, dropping to 8th place, the lowest since Sec. 27. Nevertheless, Coach Jofuku has set the themes of "pursuing every possibility until the final match" and "showing our heartfelt play in front of many fans at home." With two consecutive losses in the league, this is a match where the entire team must express their strong determination through their play to aim for victory.

　Kobe is currently in 13th place with 38 points. Under the leadership of coach Toshiya MIURA, who took charge in the middle of the season, they have managed to recover from a series of losses, remaining unbeaten in August. Since September, they have not been able to secure wins, with 1 win, 3 draws, and 4 losses, but their counterattacks from a solid defense are sharp, and they have steadily accumulated points up to this point. If they win this match, they will secure a place in the top 15 this season on their own, so they will approach the game with a strong determination, just like Tokyo, aiming to capture 3 points.

　In particular, the individual abilities of the attacking players, including FW Yu OKUBO and Motegi, are high, so we want to be very careful about counterattacks. This round, Kobe will be without DF Kobayashi and side back Matsuoka due to suspension. Therefore, the center backs will be Kitamoto and Kawamoto. The right side back DF Ishibitsu has returned from influenza, and MF Miyamoto and Kan will serve as double defensive midfielders.

　Tokyo's Kajiyama and Hirayama are suspended. On the other hand, Nagatomo, who had an ankle injury, has recovered and will start as the left side back. Additionally, considering the strategy against Kobe, Hiramatsu will be used as a center back. This will be his first start in the league since Sec. 2. Hayabusa and Yonemoto will form a double pivot, with Nakamura on the right midfield, and Tanabe, alongside Akamine and Suzuki as a two-top on the left. Recently, the front line has struggled to connect passes and create chances, but we hope to increase possession in the midfield to create opportunities on the sides, and we look forward to chance creation from Tanabe's fluid movements.

　It was a day of mild spring weather, but as evening approached, it began to get chilly at Ajinomoto. The match, which can be considered the culmination of this season, started at exactly 5 PM with a kickoff in Tokyo.

Both teams engaged in a speedy contest but ended the first half scoreless.

　In the first half, both teams engaged in a speedy back-and-forth. Tokyo repeatedly saw Tanabe switch on, with Suzuki exploiting the gaps behind the opposing defense. Akamine and Nakamura also got involved in the passing play, trying to create chances. In the 6th minute, Tanabe boldly made a central breakthrough, executing a one-two with Suzuki. Surrounded by defenders, Akamine joined in, and in the end, Suzuki received Tanabe's final pass and took a shot. Tanabe's dribbling created a great opportunity, but the ball went over the bar. In the 12th minute, Suzuki broke into the left area from a well-timed pass by Akamine. He carefully gauged the distance with the opposing defenders and took a shot, but it was saved by the goalkeeper.

　In the 19th minute, Nakamura made a move on the right side, and Yonemoto followed up with an early cross. Akamine headed the ball in front of the goal. In the 21st minute, Akamine received a pass from Tanabe on the left side, and Nagatomo sprinted up the left flank, shooting from the left corner of the area with speed, but neither could score. On the other hand, Kobe also started quickly, launching a sharp counterattack. In the 26th minute, FW Yu OKUBO became the starting point, and right back Ishibitsu advanced into the right area. They aimed boldly for the goal, but Tokyo's defense blocked it.

　In the 35th minute, Tokyo earned their first corner kick of the day. Suzuki's kick was cleared, leading to another right corner kick. From here, Nakamura and Tanabe connected in front of the goal and launched a wave attack, but they couldn't finish it off at the last moment. Just before the end of the first half, they lost possession in their own half and faced a speedy counterattack. Kobe forward Yu OKUBO received a pass up front in sync with Mogi's dynamic movement, but Tokyo's defense quickly returned and intercepted the pass. Despite the back-and-forth situation, they maintained their defensive balance and ended the first half scoreless.

Hiramatsu scores his first goal in Tokyo! This final round goal puts distance between us and Kobe.

　In the second half, Kobe substituted MF Miyamoto for MF Yoshida, and the formation shifted with MF Botti moving to a defensive midfield role. However, gradually Tokyo began to dominate possession and pushed the game forward. They connected passes and approached the Kobe goal, with Tanabe and Akamine creating a decisive scene in the left area in the 51st minute. In the 53rd minute, from a vertical pass by Hanyu, Akamine connected with Nakamura through short passes, allowing Suzuki to break into the left area. However, the concentration of the Kobe defense remained intact, and he was blocked by a sliding tackle just before the shot...

　In the 70th minute, Kondo was brought on to replace Tanabe. Immediately after, in the 71st minute, they continued to circulate the ball in the opponent's half, and finally, Hanyu passed to the advancing Konno, who aimed for the goal but missed to the left. Despite holding the initiative, they struggled with precision in finishing, leading to a prolonged period without converting chances. In the 80th minute, Mukuhara was brought on to replace Nakamura, with Tokunaga moving to left back and Nagatomo advancing to midfield in a formation aimed at scoring. Ultimately, this formation proved effective. In the 87th minute, Nagatomo, who had moved from the left to the right area, shot after receiving a through pass from Yonemoto, resulting in a corner kick.

　Suzuki took the right corner kick and sent a quick ball to the near post, where Hiramatsu headed it in at the perfect timing for a goal! Hiramatsu scored his first goal in Tokyo, securing a valuable opening goal. After that, they exploited the gaps in Kobe's defense, and just before the end, Kondo found himself free in front of the goal, creating a big chance, but his shot was too tense and went over the bar. Although they couldn't secure an additional goal, they brought on Fujiyama in the 89th minute. They shut down Kobe's counterattack and effectively closed out the match, finishing with a 1-0 victory in their final home game.

　【Player Comments】《Hiramatsu》"I was completely aiming for the goal. Scoring at the near post is my specialty. I was confident, so I told Suzuki to kick it to the near post, and he sent a high-quality ball. On defense, I was careful not to let the two speedy forwards from Kobe get behind us. We had a long period without scoring, but I wanted to avoid losing our balance and conceding a goal during that time. We managed to keep a clean sheet thanks to everyone's risk management. I think we were able to limit the goals conceded due to the team's overall quality. I spent a lot of time practicing with Fujiyama and Asari outside of the squad, and they have always supported me with advice on both play and mentality. I believe that not only today's victory but also how I grow in the future will be my way of giving back." 《Tanabe》"Since it was the last home game for Fujiyama and Asari, I was determined to achieve a result and win. I hadn't been playing well recently, so I focused and put in extra effort. We created a good flow, but I feel that both the good and bad aspects of our abilities were shown. Even when we got close, we couldn't take a shot. That's also part of our ability. I want to practice more and work hard to contribute to the team."

　"Fujiyama" "I am truly grateful for being sent off onto the pitch in such a wonderful way. This season, I struggled to be part of the team and went through tough times, but I have always held onto a strong desire to play in matches. I prepared this week to be included in the squad and faced today's Ajinomoto. I want to express my gratitude to the fans and supporters who have cheered for me for a long time. I still don't feel the reality of taking off the blue and red uniform, and I will prepare well for the final match. Niigata is the place where we secured promotion to J1. I want to do my best to stand on that pitch." "Asari" "I didn't feel the reality of retiring, but before today's match, the moment I stepped onto the pitch and received cheers from the stands, something welled up inside me. My teammates were all very aware that this was our last chance and they really tried to win, which I am very grateful for. To the fans and supporters, including the team staff, I can only express my heartfelt thanks. I want to pursue every possibility until the final match and give my all for the team."

　【Summary of Coach Jofuku's Press Conference】 "After the Nabisco Cup, we struggled a lot due to injuries and suspensions. I have no intention of blaming the members, but when players are absent, we have to think about how to fight in their absence. We faced today under those circumstances. Therefore, as preparation for this match, I thought we should start by not allowing the opponent to showcase their strengths. With the members prepared for that, we focused on what the biggest threat from Kobe is during the game. However, once we regain possession, there is no need to counter the opponent, so we aimed to exploit spaces and play our own football. In terms of countering the opponent, it wasn't perfect, but I think we managed it to some extent. The precision after regaining possession was indeed lacking compared to when we had a full squad. However, when looking at both aspects of not allowing the opponent to showcase their strengths and showcasing our own, it was very good that we were able to do that with today's members. I want to continue aiming for improvement in precision. However, I believe that winning and being able to add a touch to the ceremony for players Fujiyama and Asari was the best gift of all."

　Although they sometimes couldn't even make it to the bench this season due to physical discomfort or injuries, they prepared to the best of their ability and stood on the practice field the next day. While receiving injections and taking care of themselves, they practiced without taking a single day off, maintaining the attitude that they could contribute to the team from the Kodaira field... I believe that this attitude itself is the greatest contribution to the team. The fact that such players cannot play in matches means that those who do play must bear that responsibility, and this attitude shapes the team's mindset. They have made many contributions on the pitch so far. I believe that it is not true that they could not contribute at all this year.

　【Summary of Coach Miura's Press Conference】 "I want to thank the supporters who came from afar. Regarding the result, it is very disappointing, and in this situation, we absolutely had to secure a draw. At the start, Tokyo's two forwards, a fast player and a strong player, received the ball, and their ability to pick up the second ball after our clearances was high, leading to secondary attacks... which put us at a disadvantage, and we ended the first half that way. What I felt during that time was that we were lacking in physical contact strength and work rate. I thought it would be tough if we kept increasing our defensive time, so I decided to adopt a more aggressive approach to increase our possession time, placing midfielder Botti in the center. In the second half, we gradually established a rhythm in defense, and I think there were moments when the opponent struggled to attack. However, after a set piece from a rebound by the goalkeeper, we conceded the final big chance. I believe that was a situation we absolutely had to defend. It felt like a game where we let valuable points slip away."