Facing off against Sagan Tosu, who we battled against last season, we aim for our third consecutive league win at home.

　The league match has reached one-third of the schedule, and the 12th round against Sagan Tosu will be held. We will welcome them at home. The 5/16 away match against Ulsan in the ACL was a defeat despite taking the lead and having chances. However, coach Popovich said, "The important thing is to give it our all. If we lose as a result, there is no need to look down," and immediately switched focus to the league match.

　Sagan Tosu, currently in 7th place with 4 wins, 5 draws, and 2 losses, is only 1 point behind Tokyo. Last season, both teams fought in J2 and were tough opponents due to their never-give-up attitude and tenacity. This season, they continue to use their hard work as a weapon, with FW Toyota leading the attack and the team's maturity increasing. In addition, in the Nabisco Cup match on the 16th, they showed their strength by winning against Iwata in a high-scoring game.

　Ota, who missed the Ulsan match, is still unable to play due to his physical condition. On the other hand, Ishikawa, who injured his left knee in the Sapporo match, returned to the bench in a "lighter than expected" condition. The defensive line will use Tokunaga as center back, just like in the Ulsan match. Jang Hyun Soo will play as right back, with Mukuhara on the left. In the midfield, Takahashi and Yonemoto will form a double pivot, with Tanizawa and Hasegawa on the left and right wings respectively. Lucas will lead the attack, with Kajiyama playing as attacking midfielder.

　It's going to be a tough game, but we aim for our third consecutive win in the league by calmly avoiding the press from Tosu's front line and playing our own soccer. We want to grab 3 points at home without losing in the consecutive games. The game started at 3:04 pm with Tosu's kickoff at Ajinomoto Stadium, with comfortable weather despite the cloudy skies.

Sagan Tosu gains momentum and concedes the first goal in the latter half of the first half.

　Calmly entering the game, we created a decisive chance in the early stages. In the 12th minute, Hasegawa in the center of the area competed with the opposing DF for Morishige's feed, and Takahashi flew out to the right area and took a decisive shot, but... it went wide to the left. However, in the 16th minute, we failed to connect with a pass from Lucas in the opponent's territory, and we were hit with a counterattack. From the Tosu right side, a precise early cross was sent in, and MF Kan flew out to the center of the goal, creating a decisive opportunity, but the shot went wide.

　Tokyo made mistakes in front of Tosu's press and gave away chances in the 18th and 20th minutes. However, they did not panic and waited for a counterattack. In the 23rd minute, Tanihara → Mukuhara broke through the left side. He cut inside and sent a negative pass to the front of the goal, where Kajiyama in the left area took a direct shot. However, the shot hit the bottom left post and was blocked... They were unable to capitalize on the chance.

　As time passed, Tokyo began to dominate the ball, but they struggled to create effective attacking opportunities against Tosu's defensive block. On the other hand, in the 43rd minute, they lost the ball in their opponent's half and were hit by a counterattack from Tosu. Tosu's DF line passed the ball through MF Fujita to MF Kin, who dribbled up the center. They were unable to stop this, and after covering a long distance, MF Mizunuma ran freely into the right area and received a final pass. Without hesitation, he swung his right foot and scored a spectacular goal that pierced the net...

　In the 44th minute, Tanizawa flew out to the center of the area and passed the ball, which Lucas then received. However, his close-range shot was blocked... They ended the first half behind by one point.

Substitute player Watanabe scores a hat-trick! Dramatic victory with a big comeback!!

　Although they conceded the first goal, they continued to play their own style of soccer in the second half and launched an attack by connecting passes. However, they made a mistake when trying to push forward. As a result, in the 54th minute, Watanabe and Ishikawa were substituted for Tanizawa and Hyun Soo JANG. Watanabe moved to the top, Lucas to the side. Masaru HASEGAWA played as a defensive midfielder, Tokunaga as a right back, and Takahashi as a center back, as they prepared to counterattack.

　However, in the 59th minute, they were unable to connect in the opponent's territory, and Tosu Central MF Hayasaka expanded to the right. MF Mizunuma was attacked and a precise right cross was made. In response, Gonda jumped out, but couldn't touch it. Tosu FW Toyota jumped in and pushed his whole body in... They conceded their second goal.

　However, in the 68th minute, Tokyo made a substitution, bringing in Kono for Yonemoto. Lucas took control in the center, with Kajiyama covering the defensive midfield, and successfully gained momentum. In the 75th minute, Hasegawa and Ishikawa exchanged passes on the left side, with Ishikawa making a final pass to Watanabe, who had just barely stepped offside in the right area. Despite being in a difficult position, Watanabe managed to score a goal on the opposite side, GOAL!!

　Trailing by one point, the stand's counterattack mood rises and they push against Tosu. In the 81st minute, Lucas, near the left front line, receives a throw-in from Mokuhara and keeps it. He turns around and sends a floating cross to the goal. Far player Tokunaga jumps in and crosses the ball back, and Watanabe reacts to it. He pushes it in with his whole body and ties the game!

　In the 87th minute, Kajiyama steals the ball in their own half and launches a counterattack. He earns a free kick from the right side due to a foul on Watanabe. Ishikawa quickly sends the ball into the goal area, but it hits the face of the opposing defender and goes into the net, giving us the lead! Taking advantage of throw-ins and set pieces, Watanabe scores a hat-trick and leads the team to their third consecutive victory in the league.

　【Player Comments】《Watanabe》"I wanted to win, but I didn't expect to score three goals as a substitute... I'm surprised myself. It's my first hat-trick in the Emperor's Cup in my first year as a professional, but it's the first time in the league. When I came on as a substitute, I tried to push forward by moving up front and having Lucon drop back to the second line. We were losing, so I also tried to press forward in defense. No matter what the situation, I always think about what I can do for the team. Even coming on as a substitute, I believe I can contribute to the team if I give my all. I think I was able to do that today."

　《Ishikawa》"The game was exciting for me as well when I was on the pitch. When we conceded the second goal, I looked at the stands and thought everyone might leave...but it was reassuring to see them cheering us on. We didn't want a draw, we wanted to win somehow. I think it was good that we were able to fulfill that role together with Watanabe. We want to continue playing our own style of football and keep building a sense of unity with the supporters to win together."

　[Summary of Coach Popovich's Press Conference] "I am satisfied not only with the result, but also with how we got there. Tosu is a disciplined team and everyone has a sense of responsibility. In the first 15 minutes, we couldn't control the pace and the opponent played aggressively. However, after that, we also created scoring opportunities with our own style of soccer, but we couldn't capitalize on them. The important thing is that even after being down 2 points, we didn't just kick the ball blindly, but we didn't change what we needed to do. I think the key factor that led to the result was that we continued to believe in playing connected soccer and kept doing it."

　I dare say that it was a game that showed something for Japanese football. What kind of opponent did we face and what kind of football did we play to win? Even when we were blocked, we had a machine to break through it today. And we were able to conquer and win against the opponent who pulled back. I think it was a game where we could prove something for Japanese football.

　From the beginning of the season, we have been saying that we want to play attractive football and win, but we were able to give the best gift to the fans and supporters who have come to support us in the ACL and league matches. Today, many people came and we were able to give back in a good way. Today, I want to say "football won". Both teams played a football full of charm, expressing their emotions and I think it was a good game for both Tosu and Tokyo.

　[Summary of Tosu Manager Yoon's Press Conference] "We are grateful for the support of many people who came all the way to Tokyo to give us strength, but unfortunately it ended up in the most disappointing way. After scoring two goals in a good flow as a team, we ended up losing in a comeback, but we couldn't connect the flow of the game well. However, the players fought hard and showed a fight against Tokyo that was more than equal. I think that deserves praise. We want to use this result as a lesson and prepare well for the next game."