A match to achieve revenge and maintain the top position

The league's Sec. 4, which had been postponed due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, will be held. The home game will be moved to Kumagaya to face Tochigi SC. In the previous match, they struggled against Toyama's quick press and suffered a scoreless defeat, marking their first consecutive losses of the season. The rematch against Tochigi will take place on 8/21 without a break, but the players strongly stated, "We cannot lose to the same opponent twice" and "We cannot allow three consecutive losses," while Coach Okuma sees it as a "great opportunity for revenge."

　Tochigi, currently in second place with the same 41 points as Tokyo, suffered a painful draw against Ehime in the last match after conceding a goal in stoppage time. However, as shown in the previous match against Tokyo, their quick pressing, finishing ability in the front line, and the passionate play of all players are significant weapons. To prevent forwards Ricardo Lobo, Sabiya, and midfielder Mizunuma from playing freely, Tokyo needs to focus on the intensity at the ball and the quick transitions between attack and defense, aiming to create a rhythm.

　While Tokyo's Tanizawa's suspension is over, Konno and Gonda are absent due to Japan national team activities. In this match, Tokunaga will play as center-back in place of Konno, and Mukuhara will be positioned as right back. In the previous encounter, they failed to capitalize on chances and were hit by a counterattack. If they can remain calm against the opponent's pressing from the front line and add some creativity to their attacks, they should be able to seize the opportunity to win. They want to create unexpected plays from Lucas's hold-up play and the movements of Hanyu and Tanizawa.

　Coach Okuma stated, "It is important for the entire team to cover for the absence of Konno and Gonda. For that reason, fighting is the minimum requirement. Even if someone is missing in the future, I want to compensate with members who can fight. I want to bring out our fighting spirit in battles for the ball and in critical situations, and connect that to victory." Therefore, without hesitation and fear, let’s fight in a Tokyo-like manner at home and aim for victory! The match started at 18:04 with Tokyo's kickoff at Kumagaya Athletic Stadium.

Tokyo Gun For Revenge And To Retain Top Spot

Tokyo took on Tochigi SC at the Kumagaya Athletic Stadium in a match rescheduled from the 4th round due to the Tohoku earthquake. In their previous outing Tokyo had succumbed to Toyama's fast-pressing game, losing 1-0 to post successive defeats for the first time this season. The team was fiercely determined to halt the slide as they faced Tochigi for the second time in two weeks, with players commenting that, "There's no way we're losing to the same opposition twice," and, "We can't lose three straight games." Even manager Kiyoshi Okuma saw the fixture as, "a great chance for revenge."
Tochigi lay second in the league table at kick off, behind Tokyo on goal difference. The side had conceded a late equalizer in the previous game against Ehime and dropped two points but the qualities shown in the Tokyo game shone through: fast pressing, clinical finishing and, above all, a powerful team performance. Tokyo would need to attack the ball aggressively to deny midfielder Mizunuma and strikers Ricardo Lobo and Sabia any freedom to play, while quickly turning defense into attack and forging a rhythm.
Manager Okuma commented, "With Konno and Gonda missing it's important that we can cover for them. The bare minimum we need is players with fight; from now on, no matter who is missing, we want to supplement the team with players committed to the battle. We want to show our fighting spirit towards the match-ups right across the field and towards the ball, and want that to lead us on to winning the game."
Tokyo kicked off shortly after 6pm on a warm and damp evening in the Kumagaya Athletic Stadium.

Although they took control, they were unable to score and went into the second half without any goals.

　Although Tochigi.G gained momentum in the early stages, Tokyo responded calmly. They avoided Tochigi's press and quickly sent the ball forward, starting to win loose balls in challenges and gradually dominating the midfield. In the 12th minute, after Takahashi's interception, Tanabe launched a quick attack, dribbling up the center. He was brought down just before the area, but the ball spilled to the right side, where the following Tanizawa took a decisive shot, but it went wide...

　In the 18th minute, the ball spilled from Lucas's post to the right area, and Muku Hara, who had moved up, attempted a shot with the outside of his foot but missed the target. Tanabe frequently appeared in connecting plays, and Hayu also made runs behind the opponent, creating chances from the sides. In the 29th minute, Nakamura dribbled through on the left side after a one-two. He advanced to the edge of the line and made a negative last pass. Lucas connected with a header but it went to the right...

　In the 38th minute, Tanabe held the ball on the left flank and passed it to Nakamura, who had moved up from the outside. Nakamura evaded the opposing defender and made a backward pass into the area. This reached Kajiyama, who took a decisive shot with his left foot, but it went just slightly to the right... In the closing stages, there were moments when Tochigi countered, and in the 43rd minute, a shot from FW Sabiya to FW Ricardo Lobo also went over the goal, benefiting from a mistake. However, Tokyo was unable to convert their good flow into a goal, ending the first half at 0-0.

Tokyo Dominate Scoreless First Half

Tochigi attempted a storming start to the game but Tokyo remained calm, evaded the pressing and played the ball forward quickly, fighting for possession and slowly gaining the upper hand in midfield. In the 12th minute Takahashi intercepted a pass in midfield and moved the ball on to Tanabe who dribbled straight at the heart of the Tochigi defence. Tanabe's surging run brought him to the edge of the penalty area where he was flattened; the ball ran on to Yazawa, steaming down the inside right channel. Yazawa shot fiercely but the ball rippled the side netting.
Lucas held the ball up in a central position in the 18th minute before it ran free to Mukuhara, pushing forward down the right. Mukuhara attempted a drive with the outside of his boot but the shot flew narrowly wide of the target. Although Tanabe was heavily involved in the Tokyo attack, Hanyu was searching for space behind the Tochigi defence and that led to openings being created along the flanks. In the 29th minute Nakamura played a one-two and set off on a run down the left wing, taking the ball to the byline and hoisting a cross into the centre, which Lucas met but directed his header wide of the post.
Tanabe was the instigator of another sharp Tokyo move in the 38th minute, spotting Nakamura's run infield from the left channel with a neat through ball. Nakamura shrugged off a defender and cut the ball back to Kajiyama, who shot firmly yet wide of the target again. Tochigi caught Tokyo on a counterattack in the 43rd minute, Ricardo Lobo setting up fellow forward Sabia inside the Tokyo area on the right. Sabia screwed his shot across goal and wide of Shiota's left post. The miss was beneficial, although Tokyo's inability to take their chances when on top kept the score at 0-0 at half time.

Two consecutive matches without scoring, ending in a scoreless draw.

　In the second half, the flow was interrupted by Tochigi's tough defense. When Tochigi's MF PAULINHO was substituted by DF Ochiai due to a foot injury, Tochigi intensified their counter-attacking strategy without forcing an attack, leading to more time spent circulating the ball in the defensive line. Both teams continued to struggle for possession in midfield, resulting in a stalemate. Then Tokyo substituted Tanabe for Ishikawa, aiming to utilize speed in their attack.

　In the 73rd minute, after a pass interception by Hanyu on the right side, Ishikawa dribbled forward and passed to Lucas in the center, who shot from the right area, but the ball was deflected left by the opponent's quick defense. After that, Tochigi tightened their defense in front of the goal, and there was a prolonged period where they couldn't get a finish. In the 82nd minute, substitute Nagasato became the starting point on the left side and sent a cross. Lucas at the far post dropped the ball, and Tanizawa fell in the midst of a scramble, but there was no whistle.

　In the 84th minute, Tokyo launched an offensive, with Ishikawa advancing through the center to Nagari on the left side, who took a precise shot but missed the target. In the 90th minute, Nakamura's long-range shot led to a left corner kick. Ishikawa's kick was met with a perfect header from Lucas, but it was blocked by the header of Tochigi's defender who came in to cover. In the second half, Tochigi's counterattacks were managed without much trouble, but they couldn't capitalize on their chances, ending in a scoreless draw.

　[Player Comment] "It was a new defensive line, but we managed to keep a clean sheet and hardly allowed Tochigi any shots. There was a moment of danger on the counterattack, but I think our defense held up well, and I felt there was a difference in strength. Regarding the build-up, since Tochigi was compact in the center, I thought it would be better to use the fullbacks simply rather than passing to Rucon, Kaji, or Yaza. With so many Tochigi players in the vital area, playing directly head-on makes it difficult to break through or even take shots. In that context, Mukuhara pushing forward and delivering crosses showed a new form of attack emerging. To score goals, I believe we need to use both the inside and outside effectively and stretch the opponent's defense a bit more to create openings. Although we couldn't secure the win and overall it feels somewhat unsatisfactory, I think this is the nature of league matches—repetitions like this. We hit a wall early this season as well, but everyone worked together to overcome it. We want to discuss again how to get past this and continue improving."

　Nakamura: "Tochigi's pressure in the center was tough, but the sides were easy to exploit. When the full-backs pushed up, it created one-on-one situations, so I wanted them to use me simply. However, our strength lies in our ability to attack through the center. I think it's important to balance that. Today, there were more moments to speed up compared to the Toyama match. However, it might have been necessary to do that a bit higher up the pitch. When looking for options in the center and not being able to find them, we ended up making too many sideways passes, and we didn't create many decisive chances. It's also important to connect calmly around the penalty area, just like we do in midfield, without panicking. We had possession, but the situation wasn't very good in that regard. The only way to improve is to win and build confidence. Personally, I want to show more breakthroughs. If I do that, I believe I can gain trust like Yuhei, and I feel it's necessary to take the initiative myself."

　[Coach Okuma's Press Conference Summary] "Recently, we have conceded many goals, so in that sense, I think we were able to care for Tochigi.G's characteristic counterattacks throughout the match. Also, when we tried to shift gears here, there were some disjointed parts where the substitutes couldn't get into the flow. However, there were players who showcased their characteristics, including Nagari's shot. It's not just about the word decisiveness, but rather the combinations and partnerships that lead to scoring. Since Roberto CESAR is no longer with us, there have been changes in the lineup, so I felt it was necessary to reassess that and look for attacking threats, including substitutions."

　[Tochigi Coach Matsuda's Press Conference Summary] "You could say we achieved the minimum result against FC Tokyo away, but the game was set up perfectly for a win by 1-0. There were many wasted opportunities due to a lack of precision at the end. Honestly, I wanted to raise our precision and turn this into a winning match. In the end, we just didn't have enough precision. Not being able to score is a challenge we need to address moving forward. However, I believe the players in those situations know what they can do and should have confidence and courage. I hope this experience will be beneficial in the future."

Tokyo Fail To Find Net In Scoreless Draw

Tokyo's attempts to break the deadlock were dealt a blow as the second half unfolded. Tochigi midfielder Paulinho was stretchered from the field after suffering a leg injury and was replaced by defender Ochiai, signalling a change in tactics from the visitors who sat deeper, rarely ventured forward and played the ball around more at the back. The midfield stalemate continued. Tokyo replaced Tanabe with Ishikawa in the 61st minute in an attempt to inject more pace into the attack.
In the 73rd minute Hanyu intercepted a pass on the right and moved the ball on to Ishikawa, who raced forward before cutting the ball inside to Lucas. The ball ran loose and Hanyu managed to get a shot away before the Tochigi defence closed him down; unfortunately it drifted wide of the post. Following that half-chance the visitors stiffened their defence further and although Tokyo enjoyed plenty of possession they were unable to convert it into clear-cut shooting opportunities. Substitute Nagasato created room for a cross on the left in the 82nd minute, Lucas headed the ball back into the danger area from beyond the far post and Yazawa crashed to the ground in a tangle of bodies as he attempted to reach the ball. The referee ignored the vociferous claims for a penalty.
Tokyo continued to take the offensive. In the 84th minute Ishikawa pushed forward in a central position before slipping the ball out to Nagasato on his left; Nagasato struck firmly but his drive sailed over the bar. In the 90th minute Nakamura tried his luck with a shot from outside the area, earning a corner as the ball deflected off a defender. Ishikawa took the corner and Lucas rose above the Tochigi defence to meet the ball with a thumping header that seemed destined for the back of the net until a Tochigi defender leapt to head the ball off the line from under the crossbar. Tokyo successfully negated Tochigi's threat on the counter attack in the second half but failed to take their own chances, and the game ended in a 0-0 draw.


Players' comments 
Morishige 
"Although we had a new defensive line today we kept a clean sheet and denied them nearly any shooting chances. There was one momentary scare on a counter attack but overall I felt we didn't have any real problems in defence, although I did feel a difference in strength. Tochigi packed the central defensive area so I thought that instead of using Lucas, Kajiyama and Yazawa it was better to bring the side backs into play. It seemed that given Tochigi's vitality in the centre it would be difficult to make a breakthrough there. Morishige pushing forward and getting crosses in also gave us an extra option in attack. I think that we need to stretch the opponents' defences further to give ourselves a better chance to open them up. We can't finish games off at the moment, it feels like something's missing and that's why the games seem to be repeating themselves. When we had problems earlier in the season we overcame them by discussing the issues amongst ourselves and that's what we've got to do again here".


Nakamura
"Tochigi applied a lot of pressure in the central area and the flanks were fairly easy to use today. I told the team that I wanted to play a straightforward role, pushing on to take on the opposite side back. However, our strengths lie in the central area so using both areas properly is important. We speeded up the play far more than we did in the Toyama game but we should be doing it a little further forward. When there was no-one open inside we played the ball straight down the field and didn't really create so many clear openings. We have to keep calm on the edge of our opponents penalty area and also connect our passes in midfield. We largely controlled the game but the circumstances weren't particularly great. Winning is the thing we need to give us confidence and improve the team. On a personal level I want to get forward in attack more. I feel I have to do more in attack as it would also generate more faith in me, the way it has in Tokunaga."


FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"We've conceded a few goals recently and considering that I felt we took great care to blunt Tochigi's counter attacking threat today. And then, when we thought about stepping up a gear the changes we made didn't really add to the flow of the game and were somewhat mismatched. Even so, including Nagasato's shot on goal, some of the players were able to express their individual strengths. Also, it's not the "finishing" but the combinations needed to score goals and the groupings within the team. Roberto Cesar is missing and the line up has changed. We have to look at things afresh and search for ways to carry a greater threat in attack."

Tochigi manager Matsuda
"You could look at the game and say that we came away with the bare minimum from an away game against FC Tokyo, but we could also have won 1-0. There were so many occasions where the accuracy of our final ball let us down. Frankly speaking, it was a match where we wanted to improve our accuracy and win. We lacked precision at the vital times. Scoring goals is going to be the issue for the team from now on. However, it's a case of whether the player on the spot has confidence or nerve. I think they know what they are capable of doing. We'll be fine if they can put that to use from here on."