A match aiming for 3 points away, hoping to seize the opportunity for future rise.

　In Sec. 14 of the league, we will face Kyoto Sanga F.C. away. In the previous match, we increased our possession rate with a passing game and pushed Shonan back. Although it ended in a draw, the team is starting to grasp a new style of football despite several players being injured. Moving forward, the focus will be on how to translate that feeling of progress into three points while improving our accuracy.

　Kyoto, under the leadership of coach Takeshi OKI this season, aims for promotion to J1 with a passing style of football known as the "OKI style." Currently, they have 1 win, 2 draws, and 4 losses, placing them 18th. Although they have not been able to achieve results, they remain a rival in the promotion race. Up front, FW Diego, Atsutaka NAKAMURA, and EDU possess individual skills, and FW Kubo, despite being registered as a second-category player, has already marked 2 goals, showcasing sharp attacks that utilize each player's strengths.

　In Tokyo, Suzuki is injured, so Otake will start instead. Also, "We need variations from the sides (Coach Okuma)," so we will adopt a formation close to 4-1-4-1, with Tokunaga as the right side back and Takahashi as the anchor in midfield. In the last match, there were more coordinated plays, such as Roberto CESAR's breakthroughs, Hanyu's movements behind the defense, and Tanabe's proactive plays. Moving forward, we want to improve our precision and create decisive chances by repeating our attacks.

　In the final match of last season, we faced a tough defeat against Kyoto, and now we are playing at Nishikyogoku Stadium. Coach Okuma stated, "We must not forget that frustration, but it is important not to be overly focused on Kyoto and Nishikyogoku, and instead to fight to win throughout the league." As we continue to build on our daily efforts, the battle to secure 3 points continues. The match started at 16:04 with a kickoff from Kyoto amidst the rain.

Tokyo Aim To Rediscover Form In Kyoto

FC Tokyo took on Kyoto Sanga FC in the 14th game of the season. In response to a lengthening injury list, Tokyo had begun to develop a passing game in the previous match against Shonan Bellmare, and although that match ended in a draw, encouraging signs were clearly visible. The key question going into today's game was how much that performance could be improved to secure a win and three points.
Following relegation from J1 last year, opponents Kyoto Sanga were aiming for a swift return under manager Takeshi Oki with a passing style of football. Results had not come through, leaving the team in 18th place at kickoff with a W1 D2 L4 record, but the feeling remained that Kyoto were promotion rivals of Tokyo. The team featured a sharp, skillful attack with Diego, Nakamura, and Dutra supporting lone striker Kubo, who had scored twice despite being registered with the second team.
An injury to Suzuki meant Otake started for Tokyo. Seeking more variation on the wings, manager Okuma lined up his team in a formation close to 4-1-4-1 with Tokunaga at right back and Takahashi shielding the defense. Tokyo hoped for further improvements from the positive displays in the Shonan game: Cesar's penetrating runs, Hanyu's movement behind the opposition defense, and Tanabe's positive attacking play, along with increased overall accuracy and more decisive finishing.
Nishikyogoku Stadium was the site of a painful defeat in the final game of 2010, but Kiyoshi Okuma urged restraint on his players, saying, "We can never forget the regret we feel, but playing here and now, we can't let our feelings overcome us. It's important to deliver a performance good enough to win the game."
The home side kicked off shortly after 4pm on a wet afternoon.

Kajiyama, Tanabe, and Otake scored goals, leading by 2 points at halftime

　From the first half, both teams exchanged passes and attacked each other. In a back-and-forth development, there were moments when Kyoto faced a speedy counterattack, but in the 14th minute, Kajiyama drew the opponent in the left area and passed to Tanabe, who had moved outside. Tanabe took a step forward and sent a backward pass in front of the goal. Kajiyama calmly finished it off for a goal! They took the lead by utilizing the connection between Kajiyama and Tanabe.

　However, in the 20th minute, Kyoto's MF Nakayama took a shot from the left area. Gonda made a save initially, but the rebound was pounced on by MF Naito, resulting in a goal... The match was back to square one. However, without panicking, they adjusted their defensive balance and connected it to the attack. In the 27th minute, Kajiyama picked up the rebound, turned his opponent just outside the area, and delivered a killer pass to the free Roberto CESAR in the center. It was a decisive moment, but CESAR's shot grazed the opposing defender and went just outside the frame...

　Then, in the 30th minute, Nakamuura on the left delivered a cross, and Kajiyama aimed for the goal, earning a corner kick. Ohtake took the right corner kick, and Tanabe, who came in free from behind, struck the ball with his head, hitting the goalkeeper hard. He deflected it with his outstretched hand and pierced it into the net, scoring Tanabe's first league goal for an additional point. In the following 37th minute, Ohtake quickly reacted to a loose ball from Morishige's early cross. He slotted it into the net, marking the third goal.

　There were moments when a sharp counterattack from Kyoto created a crisis, but thanks to Gonda's great saves, no additional goals were allowed, and the match went into halftime.

Kajiyama, Tanabe Otake On Target In First Half

Both sides began the game passing the ball around to build attacks. The match ebbed and flowed, with Kyoto looking sharp on the counter attack, until the 14th minute when Kajiyama drew the home defence towards him on the left of the penalty area, before slipping the ball out to Tanabe, overlapping on the wing. Tanabe took a touch then pulled the ball back to Kajiyama who swept it past Mizutani in the Kyoto goal to give Tokyo an early lead.
That lead was short-lived. In the 20th minute Kyoto midfielder Nakayama shot from the left of the area and although Gonda made a good save midfielder Naito pounced on the loose ball to restore parity. Tokyo remained calm, adjusted the defensive balance and continued to pass the ball forward. In the 27th minute Kajiyama picked up a loose ball just outside the Kyoto area and turned a defender inside out before sliding a perfectly-weighted ball through to Cesar. Cesar shot but his effort struck a defender and bounced agonizingly the wrong side of the post.
Tokyo maintained the pressure and won a corner in the 30th minute as Kajiyama attacked Nakamura's cross from the left. Otake stroked the ball beyond the ruck of players in the goalmouth and Tanabe, unmarked, powered a header past Mizutani for his first J.League goal. Tokyo extended their lead further in the 37th minute as Otake reacted fastest to pounce on a loose ball following an early cross from Morishige, prodding home from close range. Kyoto applied some pressure as half time approached, drawing fine saves from Gonda but Tokyo retained their two-goal cushion as the first period finished 3-1.

Tanabe scored an additional goal, winning by a large margin with 4 goals.

　In the early part of the second half, Kyoto was able to pass the ball around, but they responded without rushing and prevented entry into dangerous positions. In the 50th minute, Otake brought the ball in from the left side and took a shot from a distance, but it went to the right. In the 58th minute, Tanabe exchanged passes with Otake, evaded an opponent, and sent the ball to Roberto CESAR on the left front. Tanabe precisely matched this return pass, scoring his second goal of the day and extending the lead.

　After that, Kyoto had more possession of the ball, but they lost it due to coordinated defense and launched a counterattack. In the 66th minute, Roberto CESAR tried to break through the front line, dribbled forward, entered the area, and took a shot, but was blocked by the goalkeeper's save. In the 73rd minute, Otake, who moved to the center, passed to Roberto CESAR, who had broken into the right area. Although he was pressured by the opposing defender, he held on and dropped the ball, and Kajiyama, who followed at the right moment, connected with a direct shot just before the area, but it went wide...

　Although both teams began to show signs of fatigue, Tokyo brought in Taniyama and Kamisato. By connecting plays, a rhythm started to emerge, and they almost dominated the match. Although they couldn't score the fifth goal, they brought in Jade NORTH, who made his debut during stoppage time. They progressed the match at their own pace and closed it out without any issues. Tanabe and Ohtake delivered results that met expectations, scoring four goals in total. They achieved a victory at Nishikyogoku for the first time since October 2002.

　[Player Comments] "From the last match, I made it a point to push forward both individually and as a team. Ceza was also pulling the defense back by targeting the space behind, and we strongly focused on moving forward, not just passing the ball. The goal from the corner kick was my role to aim for the loose ball, but no one marked me. At that moment, I made eye contact with Yohei-kun, and the ball came to a really good spot, exactly where I wanted it. I'm not particularly good at heading, but I'm glad I was able to score. (Regarding my second goal) I was able to get in front of the opponent. I looked to the right and initially thought about passing there, but I changed my mind and passed to Ceza on the left. Ceza returned it directly, and I think I was able to trap it well."

　(Do you think the second goal was significant for the team?) Indeed, passing the ball inevitably comes with mistakes. That's why when you have the lead, you can be more relaxed. In the second half, we were connected to Kyoto, but we played with the feeling that we were controlling the game. However, I felt that if we could create our own time like we did in the final stages, we could have a much easier game. I have been able to connect well with Yohei-kun since practice. I think I was able to move forward while Yohei received the ball and faced forward. We won today with four goals, but this is just the beginning. I want to think about higher quality plays and work hard to achieve consecutive victories.

　Otake: "(Was this your first start of the season?) I stepped onto the pitch determined to deliver results. However, I also had the confidence that I could perform at this level. I believe I can do even more, and I shouldn't be satisfied with just this. The same goes for the team. Regarding the goal, I think it was a lucky goal that happened to come right in front of me."

　I saw that Kusatami was free just before taking the corner kick. Goals from set pieces are often scored when someone is free. Conversely, if that situation arises, it means we can score. We had a lot of corner kicks in the first half, so I wanted to make sure we scored. Scoring from set pieces would make things easier. My reflection is that I often lost the ball when I had an opponent on my back. Also, I want us to be able to take more control ourselves. We need to build on this, not just for today's match, but for the next one as well.

　[Summary of Coach Okuma's Press Conference] "In terms of not being able to score many goals, it was good that we were able to score a lot. However, including the moments when we were equalized, there were many instances where we did not have a good way of winning the ball, which is the starting point of our attack. I think there were gaps in where we could win the ball. Since we have many players who can hold the ball on the ball, we can move the ball when the opponent's stamina decreases. Even if the opponent is not tired by the second half, we can move the ball from the first half, but I felt that the positioning and power in the midfield for winning the ball has weakened a bit due to some changes in the lineup. However, by continuing to do this, I think it was a match where we needed to reconsider how to win the ball while maintaining the variety of our attack."

　(Do you feel the difficulty of competing in J2?) Today, we were fortunate to score our second goal. The awareness of transitioning from defense to attack is higher in J2 than in J1. I believe that scoring an additional goal is key. In that context, creating numerical superiority like today and changing sides to penetrate is important. Unless we increase the variations of attacking through the center, the care, respect, and awareness of defending and countering against FC Tokyo will be high. Even if we are pushed back, we need to continue to aim for the back or keep presenting variations of attacks through the center and sides like today; otherwise, it won't be that easy. I want to prepare to continue doing that.

　[Summary of Kyoto Coach Oki's Press Conference] "In the first half, our start was relatively good, and although we conceded the first goal, I thought we could equalize and create good opportunities. However, there were some clearance mistakes, and we conceded from set pieces, resulting in a 1-3 score at halftime. When I saw the players back in the locker room, they seemed a bit subdued. Of course, scoring 4 goals after conceding 3 is difficult, but since we had scored once, it was only a 2-goal difference. I felt that with 45 minutes left, we still had a chance, but the players seemed a bit lacking in energy. I tried to motivate them, but we conceded the 4th goal immediately, and the game somewhat turned into a counterattack situation. Tokyo also pulled back a bit, making it difficult for us to advance the ball forward. There were times when the opponent controlled the ball well, and we couldn't mount effective attacks. It's truly a tough situation, but we want to keep our heads up and work hard to prepare for the next match."

Tanabe Bags A Brace As Tokyo Run Out Comfortable Winners

Although the hosts began the second half in the ascendancy Tokyo prevented them from attaining any seriously threatening positions. In the 50th minute Otake cut inside from the left and let fly from distance. In the 58th minute Otake and Tanabe exchanged passes in midfield before the latter rounded an opponent and moved the ball out to Cesar on the left. Cesar played the ball back to Tanabe who finished neatly to net his second of the game and extend the score to 4-1.
Thereafter Kyoto enjoyed long periods of possession while Tokyo were content to defend and pick their moments to counter attack. In the 66th minute Cesar evaded the Kyoto defence and raced into the penalty area, a decent save from Mizutani denying Tokyo another goal. In the 73rd minute Otake brought the ball forward before picking out Cesar's dart through the home defence on the right; Cesar showed admirable strength and technique to hold off a defender and slip the ball back to Kajiyama who shot narrowly wide from the edge of the penalty area.
As both teams began to tire, Tokyo responded by introducing Yazawa and Uesato. The moves improved the rhythm and the visitors began to dominate the game as it entered the final stages. Jade North made his first appearance for Tokyo in added time. A fifth goal failed to materialise but Tokyo comfortably held onto the lead, running down the clock to earn an impressive victory, their first at Nishikyogoku since 2002.


Players' comments 
Tanabe 
"I was able to get forward more than in the last game and as a team we attacked more. Cesar tried to get behind their defence and drag them about while we showed greater desire to get into more advanced positions. At the corner that led to the first goal I took up a position hoping to pick up the ball if it ran loose. Nobody came to mark me though so I managed to make eye contact with Yohei ( Otake ) and he delivered a brilliant ball to the perfect place. Heading's not my strong point so I'm really pleased that it went in. 
For the second goal I was able to reach the ball before the defender. I had the ball at my feet and was going to play it to the right but changed my mind and played it to Cesar on the left; he knocked it back first time and I got a good trap on the ball. 
Was that second goal vital for the team? It's definitely true that mistakes happen when teams are playing the ball around so having the lead gives you some breathing space. Kyoto had a lot of possession in the second half, moving the ball around, so when we began to dominate again towards the end it made the game easier for us. It's felt good working with Yohei in training to develop an understanding between us and then today we worked it well so that when I went forward he got into space and received the ball facing the goal. We scored four today but what we do from here is important. I want to do my best to produce high quality football and win consecutive games." 

Otake
"It was my first start of the year so I was absolutely determined to get a result when I got on the field. I also felt confident in my ability and I feel I can't be satisfied yet, that I can do much more. Everyone in the team is equal. For the goal, the ball just landed at my feet so it was lucky, I think. At the corner, I saw Sotan was free just as I was about to hit the ball. If players can't get free at set plays then it's difficult to score so shaking off the markers means you have a chance. We had a lot of corners in the first half so I really wanted us to take advantage of them. Scoring from set plays really makes the game much easier for the team. The only negative was the way we gave the ball away too much when our opponents were really pushing to get back into the game. We also need to seize the initiative more. We now have to carry over today's performance into the next match."

FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"We hadn't scored many this year so it's great to get four today. However, I felt that we didn't win the ball in promising positions, if you consider winning the ball to be the starting point of an attack. We have a lot of players comfortable in possession so if our opponents' workrate drops then we can pass it around. Even if they hadn't tired in the second half I still felt we lacked some positioning and power in midfield in the first period, due to the change in the make-up of the team. We should have looked again at the areas where we won the ball.
Did I feel the difficulty of playing in J2? We were fortunate today in that we scored our second goal. The emphasis on changing from defence to attack is much higher in J2 and that means scoring a second goal is the key. Like we did today, we have to gain a numerical superiority, switch the play and add variety to our attack through the middle, otherwise teams will defend deeply and try to hit us on the counter attack. That's the way forward and we'll be preparing to continue to do that from now on."

Kyoto Sanga FC manager Takeshi Oki
"We began both the first and second halves well, and scored from a good move to equalize quickly after falling behind. Then, a poor clearance and conceding from a set play meant we had to come back from 3-1 at half time. The players seemed a little down at half time when they came back into the changing room. Of course, if you're three down it's difficult to score four but if you get one then the difference is only two. We had two goals to catch up and 45 minutes to get them in but the players seemed a little lacking in energy, I felt. Soon we conceded again and the game developed into a counter attacking pattern. Tokyo played a little deeper and didn't really bring the ball forward so much. Later on they enjoyed far more possession and we struggled in attack. We find ourselves in a worrying position but we can't be downhearted and have to prepare as best we can for the next game".