Repay last year's debt and aim for a higher ranking

In Sec. 11 of the league, we will face Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo away. In the previous match against Niigata, Mukuahara, who made his first start of the season, shone on the right side, maintaining control throughout the match, scoring 2 goals from stable play, and stopping the losing streak. This match will be another away game, but with about a week of interval, we aim for consecutive wins in a refreshed and well-conditioned state.

　Sapporo, currently at the bottom with 1 win, 1 draw, and 8 losses, achieved their first league victory with a convincing win against C Osaka in Sec. 9 on May 3. The team struggled early in the season due to injuries to key players like midfielder Yamamoto and FW Uchiumi, but FW Maeda, who joined this season, has fit in well, and the team's cohesion seems to be improving. Additionally, they have only lost 2 league matches without scoring. The close matches have made a significant difference, so they should not be underestimated.

　Tokyo avoided participation due to Hanyu injuring his foot. Ishikawa returned to the starting lineup. The key point is how to break down Sapporo's organized defense, centered around DF Jade NORTH and defensive midfielder Kawai. If they can calmly move the ball and create a fast-paced attack, they should be able to create chances. It will be important to see if Lucas and Tanizawa can repeatedly exploit the gaps between the defenders and if Ishikawa's breakthrough ability can help them score the opening goal.

　About five months have passed since last season's match, and although both teams have moved to J1, Mukuhara stated, "I haven't forgotten the regret of last season's final match loss, and personally, there are things I left behind in J2. I want to make up for that." Morishige said, "Of course, we aim for a victory without conceding any goals. However, there is also the pressure of needing to win against 18th place Sapporo, but depending on the situation, we need to maintain a calmness that allows us to at least secure one point. Especially if we aim for the top from here, we cannot afford to have a match with zero points." Both spoke with determination, aiming for victory. The match kicked off at 13:04 in Tokyo at Sapporo Dome.

Took the lead early with a goal from Kajiyama and maintained the lead to halftime.

　A big chance arises in the first minute. Following a corner kick from Ishikawa, Hasegawa dives in at the near post. Although he couldn't make contact, the ball spills out and Ishikawa connects again on the left side, advancing into the area after a one-two with Hasegawa. Kajiyama, at the near post, manages to connect with the difficult angle using the outside of his right foot on the last pass sent into the box. The ball is absorbed into the far net, successfully securing the long-awaited opening goal.

　Furthermore, Tokyo does not ease its attacking efforts. In the 8th minute, Ota broke into the area after a one-two with Kajiyama, delivering a final pass. They earned a left corner kick but could not convert it into a chance. In the 9th minute, following a spill from the left corner kick, they exchanged short passes in front of the opponent's goal. Mukuhara joined in, and Lucas connected with a vertical pass from Hasegawa, but Ishikawa, on the right side of the area, aimed for the goal and hit above the bar. In the 13th minute, Ishikawa sent a right cross, and they passed the ball around with more players up front. While the opponent's defense pulled back to defend, Takahashi, who moved into the central space, aimed for a long shot. However, it was blocked.

　However, gradually, they faced a crisis from the opponent's counterattack, and the momentum shifted to Sapporo.D. In the 30th minute, a play initiated by Sapporo.D forward Maeda could not be stopped. From a through pass, Sapporo.D midfielder Furuta broke into the right area and allowed a decisive shot from close range just before the goal area, but it was saved by Gonda's left foot, resulting in a corner kick. Furthermore, an accident occurred for Tokyo. In the 36th minute, Ishikawa collided with an opponent and injured his left knee, leading to an urgent substitution with Watanabe. Lucas moved to the left side. The first half ended with a one-goal lead.

Gonda's super save emerged, keeping the opponent's counterattack scoreless and securing the victory

　The second half starts again with Tokyo's pace. In the 48th minute, Gonda's long kick is dropped by Watanabe in the front line, and Kajiyama breaks through the right front line to cross. From a large development, Watanabe dives in again with his body in the center, but is blocked by Sapporo.D DF and results in a corner kick. Furthermore, they persistently pick up the loose ball from this right corner kick and attack, with Ota on the left making a short cross parallel to the goal. Although it is cleared by the opposing DF once, Morishige on the left side picks it up and aims for a powerful shot from the middle, but it goes wide of the target.

　In the 56th minute, Sapporo FW Maeda dribbled forward into the center. At the moment Tokunaga and Ota were drawn in, a last pass was delivered to Sapporo MF Takagi, who ran free into the right area, creating a decisive chance, but Gonda made a super save, deflecting it with one hand. In the 64th minute, from a clever through pass by FW Maeda, MF Kondo took a decisive shot aimed at the left post, but Gonda saved it with one hand and deflected it for a corner kick...

　In the 66th minute, Tokyo's Kajiyama picked up a ball that went behind the opponent's defense and made a run towards the goal, but it was cut off. In the 68th minute, Lucas became the starting point on the left flank, and as he passed to Kajiyama in the center, Mukuhara moved up from the right side to take a shot, but it went wide. After that, in response to the opponent increasing their attacking numbers, Tokyo substituted Yonehira for the fatigued Tanizawa and Watanabe, and also brought on Shigematsu, who made his first appearance of the season. Everyone ran around until the end, putting their bodies on the line to defend the one goal and secure the victory. They celebrated their consecutive wins.

　[Player Comments] {Kajiyama} "(About the goal) Before the cross came from Nao, I was able to create space by outmaneuvering the opposing defender. It was early in the match, so I decided to shoot without hesitation. I knew there were players at the far post, so I aimed for the far post just in case it spilled out, and it went in. Recently, we've been starting matches well, and I think we did well today too. However, after taking the lead, we had a long tough period. If we could have maintained our possession a bit longer, I think we could have progressed the match in a better way. Still, we managed to keep the score at zero together, which was a significant factor in our victory.

　"Gonda": "It was truly a match that we just won. Of course, we were able to win because everyone put their bodies on the line at the end, but we weren't able to play our game. Sapporo is not an easy opponent. However, if we think about the style of football we aim for... if it's a game where we defend tightly, we might be satisfied with a clean sheet, but what we aim for is to control the game and take the initiative. However, I also think that in a long season, there will be times when we have matches like this. But if these kinds of matches continue, we will eventually break down. Because we won, I want us to discuss and make corrections together in a good atmosphere."

　[Summary of Coach Popovic's Press Conference] "I think it was a really tough match. However, it wasn't an unexpected match; it turned out to be a tough match that we anticipated. We started the match in the best possible way and were able to score goals effectively. I believe we controlled the game for most of the first half. However, there were several moments when we broke through with beautiful teamwork and combinations, but perhaps we were so captivated by the beauty of our play that we couldn't finish. In the second half, Sapporo played more aggressively and continued to push until the end. I think they played in a way that could have easily resulted in a goal for them."

　It was a difficult and tough match, but we were able to tighten things up at key moments. There were also parts of today's match where we were helped by luck. However, I believe that the attitude our players showed on the pitch was worthy of victory. We completed the match as a team until the end, and I want to say well done to the players who showed a fighting spirit. In any case, I think that securing three points has significant meaning for this match. In an environment like the dome, which is not something we experience often, many of our fans and supporters, as well as those from Sapporo, came out to support us. I want to express my gratitude to both sets of supporters for creating a good atmosphere and a conducive environment for fighting.

　[Summary of Coach Ishizaki's Press Conference] "Today, we conceded a goal from a loose ball after a corner kick in the early stages. We had discussed the need to be careful with ball handling. In terms of the game content, we were able to create good attacks and had decisive chances, but we showed a lack of sharpness in finishing. However, we demonstrated a strong desire to win and I believe we played good football. If we don't convert our chances into goals, we won't be able to earn points. It's disappointing to lose, but we played well, so I want to reflect on today and carry that into the next match."