Fight aggressively at home and aim for consecutive wins from here again

　On July 17 (Sunday), Sec. 21 will be held. We will face FC Gifu at home. In the previous match, despite having the upper hand, we couldn't break through Oita's solid defense, ending in a scoreless draw. Our winning streak was stopped at '5', but there is no reason to be pessimistic about the performance. This match, as a home game, will be an opportunity to showcase a more aggressive attitude to secure goals and victories, aiming for another winning streak from here. The starting lineup remains unchanged for the sixth consecutive match. Meanwhile, Lucas has been registered in the league and will make his first appearance on the bench.

　Gifu, currently in last place at 20th with 2 wins, 2 draws, and 11 losses. Their total goals scored so far are 11, and total goals conceded are 28, both the worst in the league. However, in Sec. 19 against Kyoto, they managed to come from behind after being down by 2 goals to secure a comeback victory. Their determination to fight until the end can be considered their strength. Typically, they use a 4-4-2 formation, but this time they approached the match with a 4-2-3-1 formation, placing 187cm FW Nishikawa at the front, with FW Shimada as the attacking midfielder, MF Somaya on the right, and MF Oshitani on the left.

　Tokyo has been able to control the ball against any opponent lately. This effectively tires out the opponents, but the most important thing is to seize chances with determination. At home, I want to score in quick succession and share great joy with the stands.

　The sun has begun to set, but a warm breeze still blows at Ajinomoto. The match started at 18:34 with a kickoff in Tokyo.

Tokyo Aim To Restart Winning Run At Home

FC Gifu were the visitors to Ajinomoto Stadium for the 21st game of the season. Tokyo's winning run had been stopped at five by Oita Trinita's solid defense in the previous outing but there was no cause for pessimism in what was a dominant performance. Tokyo now had a chance to launch another run with an aggressive display in front of their own fans.
The side was unchanged for the sixth straight game, with the newly registered Lucas taking a place on the bench.
FC Gifu began the game in 20th and last place in the league with a record of W2 D2 L11, having scored 11 and conceded 28, both the worst totals in the league. The side had overcome a two-goal deficit to beat Kyoto 3-2 in the 19th round of games and that tenacity was the team's main strength. Usually employing a 4-4-2 formation, Gifu lined up in a 4-2-3-1 shape with 1.87m forward Nishikawa leading the line ahead of Someya on the right, Shimada in the middle and Oshitani on the left.
In recent games Tokyo had controlled the ball, moving it around until the opposition was exhausted. The most important aspect of the game was converting the chances that then accrued and sharing the joy of a win with the home supporters.
Despite the sun having set, Ajinomoto Stadium retained the heat of the day as Tokyo kicked off shortly after 6:30pm.

Tokunaga scores a goal for the first time since 2008, gaining momentum

　From the beginning, we completely took control and progressed the match within Gifu's territory. Centered around Hanyu, the movements and passing work in the front line, along with the attacking runs of the full-backs, came together to create many chances.

　In the 4th minute, Takahashi made a precise header from a free kick taken by Tanizawa, but it went over the bar. In the 10th minute, Tokunaga advanced on the right with a dribble, and Hanyu in the center quickly passed to Tanizawa on the left with a heel flick. Tanizawa drew in the defenders and connected to Roberto CESAR on the left. They bewildered the opponent with quick passing, but CESAR couldn't take the shot. Then, breaking down from the left side, Tanizawa, who was free behind CESAR, took a decisive shot from directly in front of the goal, but it was blocked by the goalkeeper's save...

　Although there were moments when chances were not capitalized on, in the 22nd minute, Tokunaga cut off Gifu's ball at the DF line in his own territory. He passed it to Tanabe on the left front and moved forward. Tokunaga broke free to meet the floated pass sent forward by Tanabe, headed it down to bypass the opposing DF, and sprinted into the left area. Despite losing his balance, he confidently slotted it into the net, scoring a goal! This was Tokunaga's first goal since 2008, giving the team the lead.

　They gained momentum and continued to create chances, but in the 29th minute, from Hanyu to Tokunaga to Tanabe in the right area, a good decision led to a shot from Cesar, who was free in the center, but it went wide. In the 32nd minute, against Tokunaga's cross, Cesar was blocked, and Tanizawa at the far post had a great opportunity, but was thwarted by the goalkeeper... They couldn't secure an additional goal and ended the first half with a one-goal lead.

Tokunaga’s First Goal Since 2008 Gives Tokyo First-Half Lead

Tokyo dominated possession from the whistle as the game was played almost entirely in the Gifu half. Hanyu led from the front as Tokyo's movement, supported by forays forward from the side backs, created a stream of chances. In the 4th minute, Takahashi rose unchallenged to meet Yazawa's free kick from the right with a thumping header that sailed narrowly over the bar. In the 10th minute, Tokunaga dribbled forward down the right, Hanyu moved the ball on with a heel-flick and Yazawa drew defenders towards him before slipping the ball out to Cesar on the left. Cesar was forced wide and failed to muster an attempt on goal but the speed and slickness of the pass-work left the Gifu defense mesmerized. Cesar then tore open the Gifu defense down the left and the ball reached the unmarked Yazawa, following up near the penalty spot. Yazawa shot low and hard but Noda, in the Gifu goal, stuck out a leg to divert the ball to safety. The breakthrough wasn't long in coming, however. In the 22nd minute, Tokunaga intercepted a pass and laid the ball off to Tanabe, then continued his run through the midfield. Tanabe hoisted a delicately-judged lob forward, Tokunaga nodded the ball on then outpaced a defender as he burst into the area on the left. Running at full speed, Tokunaga lost his balance but managed to clip a volley as he fell that bounded past Noda and into the back of the net. Tokunaga's first goal since 2008 had given Tokyo the lead.
With Tokyo in full flow now the chances continued to come thick and fast. In the 29th minute, Hanyu, Tokunaga and Tanabe combined to set up Cesar whose shot flew inches wide of the post, while in the 32nd minute, Noda made another superb save to deny Yazawa yet again following good work by Cesar. A second goal failed to materialize and the half ended 1-0.

Tanabe and ZAGO score in a goal rush! A convincing victory puts them at the top for the first time this season.

　In the second half, at the start of the 50th minute, Gifu launched a quick attack, and MF Oshiya took a shot from the left area, but Shiota made the save. Once they found their rhythm in defense, goals began to come one after another towards the home stands. In the 52nd minute, Tokunaga passed to Hanyu on the right side, and the central player, Cesar, dribbled forward to Tanabe near the penalty arc. Tanabe skillfully controlled the ball to turn and evade the opposing defender, calmly scoring the second goal.

　After 60 minutes, Tanabe and Tanizawa created big chances, but conversely, they faced a decisive counterattack from Gifu. However, they defended calmly, centered around Shiota, and in the 72nd minute, Tokunaga, who had injured his foot, was substituted by Mukuhara. Maintaining the flow in both offense and defense, in the 75th minute, from Tanabe's interception in the opponent's territory, Roberto CESAR scored with a dynamic dribbling shot to extend the lead.

　In the 76th minute, Lucas made his debut as a substitute for Tanabe. He moved into the attacking midfielder position, allowing Hanyu to shift to left midfield, further pushing towards the goal. In the 80th minute, Cesar was fouled, resulting in a penalty kick, which he confidently converted to make it a four-goal lead. Although they didn't push too hard afterward, they looked for opportunities by exploiting the gaps left by Gifu, who had slowed down.

　In the 89th minute, Lucas in the opponent's central area, seeing that there was no pressure, took a shot from distance to test the waters. This shot went straight to the goalkeeper, but he maintained his aggressiveness until the end, scoring 4 goals for the first time since the match against Kyoto and achieving a convincing victory! With a goal difference of +13, they are now tied for the top of the league and have taken the lead for the first time this season.

　【Player Comments】《Tokunaga》"(For the goal) I stole the ball and ran behind with the flow. There was space, so I moved inside, and I received a good ball from Tanabe. I’m not used to being in front of the goal, so I got nervous and lost my balance, but I just focused on getting it on target. In the match against Oita, we ended up drawing without scoring, so we talked about being more particular about our shots and choosing plays that are more dangerous for the opponent. While we are all focused on scoring as a team, I also had the desire to score myself and want to increase my assists as well."

　"Roberto CESAR" "Today is a home game, so I tried to put everything I could into it. We played a good game, and I think our team shape is improving as we continue to win. (Regarding my own goal) That is what I would call my style. I think I was able to make the movement to receive the ball for the assist to Tanabe, and I believe I was also a decoy. I'm happy that other players scored even if it wasn't me. Winning as a team is the most important thing. I want us to continue to fight together towards victory in the future."

　[Summary of Coach Okuma's Press Conference] "There were moments in the first half where we could not break down any further. We should not just end it with the word decisiveness, but from there, it becomes a matter of individual skills and mentality. I think it was good that we had many opportunities to break down, including the second half. Also, it was good that even with the addition of new members, we maintained the balance of offense and defense, and that a different atmosphere and combination were added to our existing base. However, in the next match, we will be facing a different team that will approach us with a different mentality. It is important to switch gears while positively building on the addition of new players and to fight one match at a time.

　(About Lucas) This is my first time using him in an official match, but he certainly has experience. The most difficult thing in soccer is to play simply, yet in front of the goal, he makes that difficulty seem easy, meaning he executes simple plays effortlessly. The pass he made to Otake was unlike any we have seen before. I hope the young players learn from such plays so that in the future, they can say, 'Lucas left this behind at FC Tokyo.'

　[Summary of Coach Kimura's Press Conference] "In front of a large crowd, we aimed to showcase our strengths against a top-level J2 team. However, we ended up with a complete defeat. We anticipated that we would be passed around and moved to some extent, and we tried to focus on regaining possession while being patient. However, we couldn't pinpoint the right moments to take the ball away due to the opponent's skillful ball movement. At halftime, I instructed the team to be a bit stricter, but ultimately, mistakes occurred, and we conceded three goals in the second half.

　(What is the cause of the slump?) There have been no matches without conceding a goal, and I believe we lack a stable defensive organization. Of course, there are issues with injuries and physical condition, but that is something every team faces. We do not have a serious pressure on the opponent while trying to shape our play. We are lacking that from the front line. Today, I wanted the front line to impose more restrictions and to be stricter in marking the balls coming in... However, we were just standing there in amazement at the skillful ball movement of the four FC Tokyo players. We also struggled with the transfer of marking. As a result, there were many situations where we allowed the ball to be received freely. If we do not resolve that, it will be difficult to stop the flow of the opponent's attacks. I believe improving that will lead to a reduction in goals conceded.

Second Half Goal Rush Takes Tokyo To The Top

Shiota was forced into action in the 50th minute as Gifu launched a fast break, beating away a fierce drive from midfielder Someya at his near post. Following that scare, Tokyo tightened their grip on the game again and, attacking the home end, soon had the match under control. In the 52nd minute, Hanyu fed Cesar in a central position, the Brazilian dribbled forward and picked out Tanabe on the edge of the penalty area. Tanabe produced a sublime first touch and turn that left his marker stranded and the young midfielder inside the box with only Noda to beat, which he did with consummate skill, driving the ball into the roof of the net to double the lead.
Both Tanabe and Yazawa missed golden opportunities to stretch the lead further. Gifu then launched a series of counterattacks that briefly threatened the Tokyo goal, but Shiota stood firm to deny the visitors a way back into the match. Tokunaga left the field with a leg injury in the 72nd minute, to be replaced by Mukuhara. In the 75th minute, Tanabe intercepted a pass in midfield and rolled the ball through to Cesar, who sprinted clear of a defender and raced nearly half the length of the field before sliding the ball past Noda with the outside of his right boot.
Lucas then replaced Tanabe in the 76th minute for his first appearance on his return to the club. Hanyu moved to the left while Lucas took up a position as withdrawn second striker behind Cesar. In the 80th minute, Cesar went down under a clumsy challenge inside the Gifu area, then picked himself up to dispatch the resulting penalty with aplomb.
Even with the score at 4-0 and the visitors resigned to their fate, Tokyo continued to push forward. In the 89th minute, Lucas found himself in a pocket of space outside the area and let fly with a thunderous drive that Noda tipped over the bar. The final whistle blew on a resounding win, the first time Tokyo had scored four since the Kyoto game in May. The goal rush boosted Tokyo's differential to a league-tying +13 and lifted the club to the top of the table.


Players’ comments 
Tokunaga 
"For the goal I intercepted the ball and then just kept going behind the defence. The space opened up and Tanabe put a great ball in for me to run on to. I'm not used to being in front of goal so I felt the tension and my balance gave way but I just tried to get the ball between the posts. We failed to score against Oita and talked about how best to make it difficult for the opposition. We want to score as a team effort but of course I want to get my name on the scoresheet and I aim to add some assists as well from now on". 

Roberto Cesar 
"We were at home today so were determined to put everything we have into the performance. We played a good game, we're racking up the wins and the team is really coming together now. The first goal was very much my kind of goal, as was the assist to Tanabe. We're getting used to each other I think. If I don't score I'm happy for whoever does. The most important thing is that the team wins. We want to continue to work together and carry on winning games".

FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"In the first half we opened them up to the point that we couldn't have opened them up any more. The finishing has to be a technical and mental issue. The number of chances we created was very pleasing, as was the way we kept our balance when the new players went on. If we can maintain that base then fresh possibilities open up in terms of combinations. However, next week we'll be playing a different team with a different approach. We can take the pluses from having a fresh player but taking each game as it comes and on its own merit is important.
This is the first time I've had Lucas playing for me in an official game and the experience he has is clear to see. Keeping it simple is the most difficult thing in football, playing uncomplicated football in a simple way in front of goal. Some of the passes that Otake played, for example, we haven't had anything like that here before. I want the younger players to learn as much as they can for the future, so that we can say "This is what Lucas brought to FC Tokyo".


FC Gifu manager Takahiro Kimura
"We were hoping to be able to show the best of our ability in front of a large crowd against a top-level team. Unfortunately we suffered a complete defeat, We had anticipated our opponents' movement and passing and were ready to be patient and then get stuck in to win the ball but the quality of the way they moved the ball and their skill in possession meant we couldn't find a focal point to press our attack. At half time I told the team to be more intense but we made mistakes and conceded three more in the second half.
What's the cause of our current malaise? We can't keep clean sheets and our defensive organization is lacking. We've had injury problems and trouble with players' conditioning but that's common to all teams. We can't apply enough real pressure from the front. Also today our marking wasn't tight enough and the exchange of marking duties wasn't good.
Their players were allowed to receive the ball unmarked and on the run too often. If we can't prevent that then we won't be able to stem the flow of opponents' attacks. If we can improve in that area then I believe we can reduce the number of goals we concede."