Overcoming the fear of away games, challenging for a winning streak

　The postponed Sec. 6 was held, facing Yokohama FC away. In the previous match, we won 3-0, achieving a league record-tying 6 consecutive wins. However, the next two matches will also be away games. All losses this season have been away. It is expected to be a tough battle this time as well amid a demanding schedule, but it is a match to test our growth. We want to maintain concentration throughout the 90 minutes, completely dispel our discomfort with away games, and aim for further consecutive wins.Yokohama FC, on the other hand, currently sits 15th with 31 points. They have not won in the last 7 league matches and lost to JFL's Matsumoto Yamaga in the Emperor's Cup, seemingly losing confidence. However, in the previous match, they returned to basics and fought hard, engaging in a shootout with Gifu. Although they were eventually overturned, they have regained their stamina and fighting spirit. Above all, centered on FW Caio, with FW Miura, Nanba, and others, their attacking lineup is diverse.For this match, they lined up with FW Caio at the front, FW Miura as the attacking midfielder, and MF Nanba and Arahori on the sides, a different formation than before. Coach Okuma said, "Yokohama FC will come at us fearlessly at home. Still, whether we can properly express the parts we have cleared through experience even away is the question," aiming to win by surpassing the opponent's tactics.Tokyo will field the same members as the previous match, including the bench. With the temperature dropping sharply and the chilly Nipatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium, the match kicked off at 19:33 with Yokohama FC starting.

Tokyo Aim To Dispel Away Day Blues

In a fixture postponed from gameweek six FC Tokyo took on Yokohama FC. Following a comfortable 3-0 win over Okayama on Sunday that earned a record-tying sixth consecutive win, Tokyo faced two away trips in succession, aware that all the defeats suffered this season had come on the road. Although the match was expected to be a challenging encounter it would serve to show how far the team had developed. Maintaining full concentration over the 90 minutes to banish the away day blues and earning a win to extend the winning streak was the order for the evening. 
Opponents Yokohama lay in 15th place with 31 points at kick off. The side was mired in a seven-game winless streak and had crashed out of the Emperor's Cup to Matsumoto Yamaga of the JFL. The team had tried to regain confidence by going back to basics with a hard-running performance in the previous outing against Gifu; although that game had also ended in defeat the dynamism and fighting spirit showed signs of returning. Forward Kaio was the focus of a diverse attack, supported by Miura and Namba. 
The hosts lined up in a slightly different formation than usual: Kaio led the line with Miura playing a more withdrawn role, while Arabori and Namba played on the flanks. Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma commented, "Yokohama fear no one at home. Even so, the game will be a matter of whether we can reproduce what we've learned up to now in an away setting." Tokyo were unchanged from the previous game. 
The temperature had fallen sharply after dusk and there was a chill in the air at Mitsuzawa Stadium as Yokohama FC kicked off shortly after 7:30pm. 

With our fighting spirit at the forefront, in an intense game

　The match became intense from the start. Against Yokohama FC's tough pressing, Tokyo also competed fiercely for the ball and engaged in quick transitions between offense and defense. Although they couldn't create chances early on, they fought calmly and gradually increased the number of opportunities leading to finishes. At the 18th minute, Yanazawa dodged an opponent near the right sideline and cut inside, delivering a final pass in front of the goal. Kajiyama at the near post let it through, and Tanabe in the center faced a perfect shooting chance, but was challenged by a defender just before and couldn't make contact. At the 23rd minute, Tanabe's breakthrough was stopped by a foul, earning a free kick slightly to the right outside the area. Morishige curved the ball aiming directly, but the goalkeeper saved it. At the 25th minute, Kajiyama quickly switched to attack after an interception and passed to Lucas who sprinted forward. Lucas controlled the ball with his back to the defender and took a shot with his right foot at an early timing, but the shot went high. Then at the 26th minute, a powerful counterattack was launched; Tanabe dribbled up the center and switched to the right. Yanazawa received and crossed from the right, and Tanabe rushed to the front of the goal again to attempt a diving header, but it veered to the right... At the 31st minute, Yanazawa took a tricky free kick, sending a grounded ball from the right side to Tokunaga who was free in the center. Tokunaga took a direct shot but it was weak and hit the wall in front of the goal, causing a scramble. Konno reacted to the loose ball inside the area and shot, but couldn't hit the target. The first half ended scoreless.

Grit To The Fore In Fierce Encounter

The game began at a furious intensity with Yokohama FC pressing Tokyo hard. The visitors responded by aggressively attacking the ball as the game rapidly shifted from end to end. There were few chances created in the first quarter but Tokyo slowly began to move the ball into threatening positions. In the 18th minute Yazawa evaded a defender down the right, took the ball to the byline, then cut inside and stroked a pass across the face of the goal. Kajiyama stepped over the ball at the near post, leaving Tanabe with what seemed like a golden opportunity to give Tokyo the lead until a defender stepped in to clear the danger at the last moment. Tanabe was clattered to the ground as he broke through the home defence in the 23rd minute, earning Tokyo a free kick just outside the penalty area to the right. Morishige curled his effort on goal but Seki, the Yokohama keeper, was able to make the save.
In the 25th minute Kajiyama intercepted the ball in midfield and quickly played it forward to Lucas. Lucas controlled the ball neatly and held off a defender before taking an early shot that flew well wide of the target. Tokyo launched a stirring counter attack in the 26th minute, Tanabe racing forward before finding Yazawa out on the right. Yazawa crossed and Tanabe, having continued his run into the box, flung himself at the ball, making contact but steering it wide of the post.
Tokyo won a free kick in a central position in the 31st minute. Yazawa attempted to catch the Yokohama defence off-guard by laying the ball off to Tokunaga on the right instead of shooting himself; Tokunaga shot but the effort lacked pace and hit the defensive wall, provoking a scramble for possession. Konno reacted fastest and pounced on the ball first but was unable to direct his shot on target.
The first period ended 0-0.

In an atmosphere of a draw, Nao scores a priceless volley!! A dramatic victory with 7 consecutive wins!

　In the second half, they managed to evade Yokohama's intense press and create chances. In the 56th minute, they launched a robust attack starting from the left side with quick passing, and Takahashi received a decisive pass from Tanabe for a shot in the left area. However, it was blocked by the focused Yokohama defense. In the 59th minute, Ishikawa was brought in for Tanabe. Immediately after, they capitalized on a chance from a left throw-in, and Mukuhara's cross was slightly touched by Takahashi at the near post, flowing back to Hanyu in front of the goal, who took a volley but was thwarted by the crossbar...

　Yokohama did not give up and pushed forward, with intense changes in offense and defense. In the 62nd minute, Yokohama's midfielder Takachi cut in from the left flank, creating a one-on-one situation with Gonda. However, Morishige and Konno quickly covered, and Gonda managed to block the shot with his body.

　In the 69th minute, Roberto CESAR was brought on to replace Hanyu, but in the 73rd minute, Ishikawa broke through the opposing defense and moved to the left flank. He sent a powerful cross, and CESAR, standing in front of the goal, attempted a header but missed the target by a large margin. In the 78th minute, following Konno's advance, the ball went from Ishikawa on the left to CESAR in the center. Although his shot was contested by the opposing defense and could not be taken, it went to Kajiwara, who moved up from the inside. Kajiwara took a shot from just outside the area, but it went wide... The time continued without scoring in front of Yokohama's concentrated defense.

　In the 88th minute, Cesar was fouled just outside the right area, earning a free kick. In this play, Yokohama defender Nakano received a second warning and was sent off. However, this led into stoppage time. Seizing the last chance, Ishikawa intercepted a loose ball from a left corner kick and sent in a cross. Konno's header grazed the ball, but Kajiwara slid in to redirect the ball back into the box, and once again Konno took a shot! However, it went across the frame... It seemed like the match would end scoreless.

　However, just after that, from a free kick situation, Tokunaga advanced up the right side and sent in a cross. The clearance by the Yokohama defender spilled to Ishikawa just outside the area, and without hesitation, Ishikawa volleyed it directly! The ball went over the goalkeeper's outstretched hand and into the bottom right corner! Just before the end, Ishikawa scored a priceless goal that saved his team, achieving a dramatic victory and their first seven consecutive wins.

　[Player Comments] {Ishikawa} "As the cross ball was rising, the image of last season's Emperor's Cup (Fukuoka match) goal came to mind. I thought about waiting until the last moment to kick it, so it wouldn't float. I believe staying calm in any situation led to the goal. (Regarding the cradling performance) I had actually forgotten about it. Then everyone gathered around me... not only that, but the supporters in the stands celebrated with me, which made me really happy. I want to become stronger and get promoted to J1. I'm still in that process, but I feel that we are building something even in tough times. The schedule is tough, but I want to fight with all our strength."

　Konno: "The game wasn't satisfying in terms of content, but the players who came on as substitutes, especially Ishikawa, scored, and I was excited myself. There was a sense of unity, and it was the best. Yokohama FC changed their system somewhat from what we analyzed beforehand and set up a compact formation to prevent us from playing our passing game. Once they regained the ball, they surged forward with great momentum, and they were really aiming to win. Still, we managed to respond calmly. I think our defense wasn't bad either. By turning the atmosphere of a draw into a win, I believe the team will gain momentum."

　[Coach Okuma's Press Conference Summary] "Today's 90 minutes became a match that symbolizes the struggles we've faced so far. We have also studied our opponent, but Yokohama FC has come up with different strategies using a 4-1-4-1 formation. Their defensive awareness is very high, and their counter-attack intentions are clear, making it feel quite challenging to break through. In that context, Ishikawa, who came on as a substitute, delivered results. With this schedule and the tenacity of J2, we cannot fight with just the starting members. It's not just about 11 players, but 18, and now I believe it's a victory earned by 32 players. The matches are still ongoing, and even with scouting, there will definitely be different countermeasures taken. While we have increased our adaptability and options, we want to further expand our strategies, fight with the same tenacity as today in each match, and achieve our goals."

　[Yokohama FC Coach Kishino's Press Conference Summary] "Since it's a competition, we must win. However, the players gave their all aiming for victory and showed their fighting spirit through their play. The support from the fans was incredibly motivating, and I think the players fought hard until the end. However, conceding a goal at the end means... even if we have a player sent off, I want us to be able to defend together. I want to continue playing at least this level of game, and think about attacking more, connecting more, and pushing forward more."

　(What were the adjustments since the last match?) There are several, but I focused on marking Lucas and Hanyu. In the first half today, there were several moments when Tanizawa moved inside and became free, so we made adjustments at halftime. I think we were able to control the line better than usual, and the tight marking and preventing the creation of starting points were at a high level today. We were very focused. (Was changing to a 4-1-4-1 formation a factor in being able to play a game like today?) FC Tokyo has high individual skills, so if we increase ambiguity, they will exploit it. Therefore, I first clarified my marking assignment. From there, it was about how to maintain defensive width. That was the adjustment since the last match.

Dramatic Last-gasp Winner Earns Tokyo 7th Straight Victory

Tokyo continued to create sporadic chances in the second half. In the 56th minute some neat pass-work allowed Tokyo to attack in force down the left, Tanabe eventually setting up a shooting opportunity for Takahashi on the left of the Yokohama area. Takahashi let fly but a defender blocked his effort away. Ishikawa replaced Tanabe in the 59th minute. Moments later Mukuhara crossed following a throw-in on the left, Takahashi made the faintest of connections at the near post to flick the ball on into the middle where Hanyu crashed a volley against the bar.
The hosts began to push forward themselves as the end to end nature of the game intensified. In the 62nd minute midfielder Takachi broke through on the left with only Gonda to beat. Morishige and Konno raced back to cover, while Gonda blocked the shot away with his body.
Roberto Cesar replaced Hanyu in the 69th minute and was presented with a chance to break the deadlock shortly after but headed Ishikawa's whipped cross over the bar from a good position. Konno pushed forward in the 78th minute and found Ishikawa on the left. Ishikawa moved the ball inside to Cesar who was prevented from getting a shot away by the close attentions of a defender. Cesar laid the ball off to Kajiyama whose shot from the edge of the area sailed narrowly wide of the post. Yokohama’s solid defence continued to frustrate Tokyo.

In the 88th minute, Yokohama defender Nakano fouled Cesar outside the area on the right, receiving his second yellow card of the game and leaving the field early. The game moved into extra time still tied when Tokyo won a corner on the left, which seemed to be the final chance of the match. Ishikawa stroked the ball into the danger area where it glanced off Konno's head and went beyond the far post; Kajiyama slid in and redirected it back towards Konno once again. The Tokyo defender shot but agonizingly wide of the post.
That appeared to be the end of the game, but moments later Tokunaga collected a free kick and advanced down the right wing before launching a cross into the penalty area. The home defense cleared the ball but only as far as Ishikawa, on the edge of the penalty area. Ishikawa took aim and lashed a ferocious first-time volley that beat Seki's desperate dive and bulged the net. With virtually the last kick of the game, Ishikawa earned Tokyo a vital win that extended the winning streak to seven games, a new club record.


Players' comments
Ishikawa
"As the ball was in the air the image of the goal I scored against Fukuoka in the Emperor's Cup last year burst into my mind. I just tried to keep my shot down and waited until the last moment before I hit it. No matter what the situation keeping your composure will bring goals.
What about the cradle-rocking celebration? I'd forgotten about it myself. Then everyone got together and we celebrated with the fans in the stands. It was a very happy moment. I'm getting stronger and I want promotion back to J1. We're in the thick of the fight right now but it feels like we're getting somewhere. The schedule is relentless and we have to fight on with our full power."

Konno
"It wasn't a satisfactory performance but Ishikawa scoring the winner was incredibly exciting. The feeling of team unity was unbelievable. We analysed Yokohama in advance but they changed their system slightly, keeping a more compact formation to prevent us playing our passing game. As soon as they won the ball they pushed forward powerfully and were really up for the match. Nevertheless, we kept our composure and dealt with it. Our defence wasn't bad at all today, I felt. Snatching victory from a game that seemed to be heading for a draw like that will give us a great boost in the future".


FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"The 90 minutes tonight was like a condensed version of all the hardships we've suffered over the course of the year. We researched Yokohama thoroughly but then they changed to 4-1-4-1 formation. Their defensive concentration was extremely high, they counter attacked crisply and I felt it was going to be very difficult to prise them open. And then substitute Ishikawa got the result for us. You can't play against this schedule and the persistence of J2 teams with only your starting eleven. It's not 11 but 18, and today's win was earned by the whole of the 32-man squad. The games keep coming and even though we scout them teams will change their tactics, that's for sure. We have to play it by ear and adapt ourselves to the circumstances to win hard-fought games like today's and to achieve our overall objectives."


Yokohama FC manager Kishino 
"It's a contest so you have to win, I believe. However, our players gave their utmost today. The fans gave the team incredible support and it was amazing the way the team fought to the bitter end. That said, we want everyone to defend, even if someone is sent off. This kind of performance has to be the standard, with more in attack, more possession football and more forward movement. 
What did we change from the last game? There were a few things but mainly we focused on stopping Lucas, their prime mover, and Hanyu. Several times during the game Yazawa came inside and escaped his marker and we put that right at half time. Our line control was much better than usual, I felt, our marking was tight and the way we prevented them from putting moves together was top quality. We concentrated very well. 
What was the main reason for shifting to a 4-1-4-1 formation? Tokyo have technically gifted players and we felt that if there was any ambiguity about marking responsibilities then they could make us pay. The formation was used to clearly assign marking duties. That's what we modified from the last game".