A crucial match to aim for 3 points and grab the opportunity to rise up, even though it's an away game.

　In the 14th round of the league, we will face Kyoto Sanga F.C. away. In the previous round, we dominated possession with our passing game and pushed Shonan back. Although it ended in a draw, we are starting to feel the potential of our new style of play as a team, despite the numerous injuries. Moving forward, the focus will be on how we can turn that potential into 3 points while improving our accuracy.

　Kyoto, on the other hand, has welcomed Takeshi OKI as their coach this season and aims for promotion to J1 with their "Oki style" of passing football. Currently, they are in 18th place with 1 win, 2 draws, and 4 losses. They may not have achieved results yet, but they are still a rival for promotion. Up front, FW Diego, Atsutaka NAKAMURA, and EDU all have individual skills, and FW Kubo, who is registered as a 2nd team player, has already scored 2 goals, making their attacking play sharp and utilizing each player's strengths.

　Tokyo, with Suzuki injured, will have Otake as a starter. Also, "Variation from the side is necessary (Manager Okuma)" and, placing Tokunaga as a right side back and Takahashi as an anchor in the midfield, they will approach the game with a formation close to 4-1-4-1. In the previous match, there were more coordinated plays such as Roberto CESAR's breakthrough, Hayashi's runs behind the defense, and Tanabe's aggressive plays. In the future, we want to improve our accuracy and continue to create chances.

　Last season's final match against Kyoto, and the match held at Nishikyogoku Stadium. Coach Okuma said, "We must not forget that bitterness, but it is important to focus on the league rather than just Kyoto and Nishikyogoku." The battle to win three points continues as we strive to improve our performance every day. The match started at 4:04 pm with Kyoto's kickoff in 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. Although that game ended in a draw, encouraging signs were clearly visible. The key question going into today's game was to what extent that performance could be improved upon to earn a win and three points.
Following relegation from J1 last year, opponents Kyoto Sanga were attempting a swift return under manager Takeshi Oki with a passing style of football. However, the results had failed to materialize, leaving the team in 18th place at kick off with a record of W1 D2 L4. Despite this, there was a feeling that Kyoto was a promotion rival of Tokyo. The team boasted a sharp, skillful attack of Diego, Nakamura, and Dutra behind lone striker Kubo, who had scored twice despite being registered with the second team.
An injury to Suzuki meant Otake started for Tokyo. Manager Okuma lined his team up in something close to a 4-1-4-1 formation, citing a need for more variation on the wings. Tokunaga played at right back, with Takahashi protecting the defense. Tokyo was hoping for further improvements from the positive displays in the Shonan game, including Cesar's penetrative runs, Hanyu's movement behind the opposition defense, and Tanabe's positive attacking play. They also aimed for an increase in 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. He said, "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 produce a performance good enough to win the game."
The home side kicked off shortly after 4pm on a wet afternoon.

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

　From the first half, both teams attacked by connecting passes. In the midst of a back-and-forth battle, there were moments when Kyoto was hit by a speedy counter, but in the 14th minute, Kajiyama drew the opponent in the left area and passed to Tanabe who had moved up on the outside. Tanabe took one step forward and sent a minus pass to the front of the goal. Kajiyama calmly finished it off and scored! Taking advantage of the combination between Kajiyama and Tanabe, they took the lead.

　However, in the 20th minute, Kyoto's MF Nakayama took a shot from the left area. Gonda made a save, but the rebound was picked up by MF Naito and resulted in a goal... The game was back to square one. But don't panic, fix the defensive balance and connect to the attack. In the 27th minute, Kajiyama picked up the rebound and faced the opponent in front of the area, cut back and made a killer pass to the free Roberto CESAR in the center. It was a decisive moment, but Cesar's shot grazed the opponent's DF and went just outside the frame...

　Then, in the 30th minute, Kajiyama aimed for goal from Nakamura's cross on the left and earned a CK. Otake took the right CK and Tanabe's header from behind attacked the GK. He stretched out his hand and deflected it into the net, scoring his first goal in the league and adding another point. In the 37th minute, Otake quickly reacted to the loose ball from Morishige's early cross and slid it into the net, marking the third goal.

　There were also moments where Kyoto's sharp counterattacks caused danger, but thanks to Gonda's great save, no additional points were allowed and the game went into the second half.

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 agonisingly 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 scores an additional point, leading to a big victory with 4 points

　In the second half, Kyoto was able to pass the ball around in the early stages, but we were able to respond by preventing them from entering dangerous positions. In the 50th minute, Otake brought the ball in from the left side and took a shot from a distance, but it curved to the right. In the 58th minute, Tanabe exchanged passes with Otake and passed it to Roberto CESAR on the left front line. Tanabe perfectly connected with the cross and scored his second goal of the day, extending the lead.

　After that, Kyoto took control of the ball for a long time, but they were able to steal the ball and launch a counterattack with coordinated defense. In the 66th minute, Roberto CESAR tried to break through the front line with his own dribbling, entered the area and took a shot, but it was saved by the goalkeeper. In the 73rd minute, Otake, who had moved up to the center, passed to Roberto CESAR who had broken through the right area. Despite being closed down by the opponent's defenders, he persistently dropped the ball and Kajiyama, who had timed his run perfectly, took a direct shot from just outside the area, but it went wide...

　Gradually, both teams began to show signs of fatigue, but Tokyo brought in Tanizawa and Uesato. By connecting passes, they were able to create a rhythm and dominate the game. Although they were unable to score a fifth goal, Jade NORTH made his debut in stoppage time. They were able to control the game at their own pace and close it out without any danger. Tanabe and Otake responded to expectations with solid performances, resulting in four goals. This was their first victory at Nishikyogoku since October 2002.

　【Player Comments】《Tanabe》"I tried to go forward more than in the previous match, both for myself and as a team. Cesar also pulled the defenders by aiming for the back, and not only did we pass the ball, but we also had a strong awareness of going forward. The goal from the corner kick was my role to aim for the loose ball, but no one was marking me. At that time, I made eye contact with Yohhei-kun and the ball came to a really good spot, exactly where I wanted it. I'm not 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 Cesar on the left. Cesar returned it directly and I think I was able to trap it well."

　(I think the second goal was important for the team?) Certainly, passing the ball always comes with mistakes. That's why we can feel relaxed when we are leading. In the second half, we were connected to Kyoto, but we were playing with the mindset of passing the ball. However, I felt that if we could create our own time like in the end, we could have an easier game. I have been able to build a good connection with Yōhei since practice. I think I was able to go forward and Yōhei was able to receive the ball and face forward. We won with 4 goals today, but this is where it really matters. We want to work hard to think about playing at a higher level and aim for consecutive wins."

　"Otake" "(Was it your first start of the season?) I stepped onto the pitch with the determination to produce results. However, I also had confidence that I could do this much. I think I can do more and I shouldn't be satisfied with just this. The same goes for the team. As for the goal, the ball happened to fall in front of me, so it was a lucky goal."

　CK's goal was visible to the grass people just before kicking. It is difficult to score a set play without someone being free. On the contrary, if that is the case, it means that you can score. I wanted to score somehow because I kicked CK many times from the first half. If you can take it with a set play, it will be easier. The reflection is that we lost the ball many times when we carried the opponent. Also, we want to take the initiative more by ourselves. Not only today's game, but we have to connect to the next one."

　[Manager Okuma's Press Conference Summary] "In terms of not being able to score easily, it was good that we were able to score a lot. However, there were also many instances where we were not able to steal the ball well, including the scene where we were tied. I think there were holes in our ball-stealing opportunities. We have many players who can hold the ball on the ball, so when the opponent's stamina drops, we can rotate the ball. Even if the opponent is not tired in the second half, we can rotate the ball from the first half and the positioning and power to steal the ball have faded a bit due to changes in the lineup. However, by continuing to do this, we need to review our ability to steal the ball while maintaining a variety of attacks."

　(Do you feel the difficulty of fighting in J2?) Today, we were fortunate enough to score a second goal. The awareness of transitioning from defense to attack is higher in J2 than in J1. I think the key is to add more points. In the midst of that, we create numerical advantages like we did today, and we keep attacking by changing sides. Unless we increase the variation of going through the center, our care, respect, and awareness of defending and countering against FC Tokyo will remain high. Even if we are pulled back, we will aim for the back or continue to use the variation of attacking through the center and sides like we did today. I don't think it will be that easy. We want to continue preparing for that."

　[Kyoto-Ogi coach's press conference summary] "The first half was a pretty good start, and we were able to take the lead, but we thought we could come back and make a good shape. There were some clear misses and we were caught in a set play, and we turned around with a 1-3 score. When I returned to the locker room and saw the players, I felt a little subdued. Of course, it's difficult to take 3 points and score 4 points, but basically we have taken 1 point, so it's a 2-point difference. I felt that if we had 45 minutes with a 2-point difference, the players were a little less energetic. I tried to encourage them, but we were immediately scored the 4th goal and it became a bit of a counter. Tokyo also couldn't bring the ball forward easily, and there were times when they were able to pass the ball well and we couldn't attack. It's a really tough situation, but I want to do my best to prepare for the next game without looking down."

Tanabe Bags A Brace As Tokyo Run Out Comfortable Winners

Although the hosts began the second half with the advantage, Tokyo prevented them from gaining any dangerous positions. In the 50th minute, Otake cut inside from the left and took a long shot. In the 58th minute, Otake and Tanabe exchanged passes in midfield before Tanabe rounded an opponent and passed the ball out to Cesar on the left. Cesar then passed the ball back to Tanabe, who neatly finished for his second goal of the game, extending the score to 4-1.
After that, Kyoto had long periods of possession while Tokyo focused on defending and counter attacking. In the 66th minute, Cesar evaded the Kyoto defense and ran into the penalty area, but a good save from Mizutani prevented Tokyo from scoring another goal. In the 73rd minute, Otake brought the ball forward and found Cesar making a run through the home defense on the right. Cesar showed great strength and technique to hold off a defender and pass the ball back to Kajiyama, who narrowly missed a shot from the edge of the penalty area.
As both teams began to tire, Tokyo brought in Yazawa and Uesato. These substitutions improved the rhythm and Tokyo began to dominate the game in the final stages. Jade North made his first appearance for Tokyo in added time. Although they were unable to score a fifth goal, Tokyo comfortably held onto their lead and ran 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 started both the first and second halves well, and scored from a good move to quickly equalize 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".