Get 3 points at home in the league game coming in 2 days!

　The league moves to the battlefield, and the 19th round is held. They will face Albirex Niigata at home. In the Nabisco Sendai match, there were still some challenges, but they took the lead with goals from Watanabe and Ishikawa. Despite facing the next round in just two days, coach Popovich stated, "It is important to continue the good performance from the Sendai match. We must play our own game, demonstrate our full potential, and strongly focus on achieving results through our performance." With determination, they will fight with all their might for victory on the pitch.

　Lucas, who was substituted in the Sendai match, was not seriously injured despite having only one day of preparation for this match. The starting lineup will be the same as the Sendai match. Kajiyama will return to the bench for the first time since June 23rd.

　Niigata, on the other hand, is currently in 16th place with 17 points. Although they have not been able to escape from the bottom, they welcomed Masaaki Yanagishita as their new coach in the middle of the season and have since achieved 2 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss (against Kobe on June 23). Originally known for their strong defense and sharp counterattacks, the team has become more tenacious and has developed the ability to win close matches or secure draws.

　There is a two-week interval from the previous round in Niigata, and they should have been preparing for this round. However, for Tokyo, it is a home game and a crucial match where they must secure 3 points. The key will be whether they can avoid making mistakes for the full 90 minutes and continue to exploit Niigata's weaknesses. This round, the location of Ajinomoto Stadium has been reversed for the first time, and even though the sun has started to set, the temperature on the pitch is still over 30 degrees as the match kicked off at 6:34 PM in Tokyo.

Unable to break through Niigata's solid defense due to sluggish movement.

　Tokyo created a chance early on. In the 2nd minute, Watanabe in the midfield sent Shioda's kick forward with a header, and Taniyama ran in for the ball in the area to take a shot, but was unable to control it due to being challenged by the opponent, and it went over the bar. In the end, this was Tokyo's only shot in the first half. They tried to establish a rhythm not only with short passes but also with big plays, but struggled against Niigata's quick start.

　In the 15th minute, Niigata tried to counterattack, but Nakamura intercepted and dribbled up the field. However, he was fouled by Niigata and lost the ball. In the 16th minute, midfielder Hasegawa made a no-look pass to the area, where Ishikawa ran in from the right, but their timing was slightly off and the ball went to the Niigata goalkeeper.

　Tokyo dominated the ball and passed it around, but they were unable to make effective movements. In the midst of struggling to attack, they were caught off guard in the 28th minute when Niigata MF Michel took advantage of a gap and sent a long pass between Tokyo DF. In response, MF Tanaka made a run towards the center of the area. Although the ball narrowly missed his head, in the 32nd minute, Niigata MF Mikado intercepted a pass from Morishige to Takahashi, allowing them to advance towards the front line.

　Niigata MF Mikado passed to the previous FW Michel, and advanced into the area. Tokyo was unable to contain MF Michel here, and was once again connected to the area, allowing DF Mikado to be caught off guard and concede a goal. In the midst of lacking attacking power, they were hit by Niigata's counterattack and gave away the crucial first goal. After that, Niigata took control and ended the first half in a lackluster manner.

Kajiyama makes a comeback but allows an additional point for Niigata, resulting in the league's second consecutive loss...

　Substituting Edmilson for Tanihara in the second half, they launched a counterattack. In the 47th minute, Watanabe carried the ball vertically from the left side and crossed from the sideline. Edmilson tried to connect near the goal, but was blocked by the DF and only managed to get a corner kick. However, after that, Niigata continued to create chances. In the 52nd minute, they stole Tokyo's pass and sent a through pass behind the DF, where left back Kikuchi took a decisive shot, but Shioda made a save and kept it under control.

　Therefore, in the 55th minute, Kaga was replaced by Kajiyama. Takahashi first aimed for the equalizer by switching to DF. With this, they began to grasp the rhythm and in the 57th minute, they connected from Ishikawa on the right side to Edmilson in the center to Lucas on the left. However, Lucas was unable to hit the target with his left foot shot.

　In the 58th minute, Niigata pushed forward and Hasegawa followed up on a loose ball from a crowded front line. He spread it out to the left side and Edmilson's cross earned a right corner kick. In the 59th minute, Edmilson intercepted a pass from Niigata's DF. He dribbled up and created a decisive opportunity, but the opposing DF quickly returned and the shot was weak and straight at the GK.

　Unable to take advantage of chances during a good rhythm, they were instead caught off guard in the 67th minute. Tokyo's left throw-in was headed forward by Niigata DF Oi. Central MF Mikado → FW Micheleu connected directly, and FW Bruno Lopes expanded to the left. In response, substitute MF Alan Mineiro charged into the left area. He evaded Nakamura who had returned to cover, and confidently scored in the far net. Tokyo conceded their second goal in a counterattack from a throw-in situation...

　In the 72nd minute, Watanabe was replaced by Yonemoto as a defensive midfielder. Kajiyama and Hasegawa pushed forward to put pressure on Niigata, but they were unable to create any decisive opportunities against Niigata's solid defense. Lucas and Ishikawa attempted shots from mid-range, but they were blocked by Niigata's quick defense and the game ended without a goal. They suffered a home defeat and their second consecutive loss in the league.

　[Player Comments]《Kajiyama》"It was good to be able to return to the game, but we couldn't get the results we wanted. Overall, we felt heavy from the first half and there were many moments where we rushed too much. In terms of playing, we wanted to make the opponent run in the heat, so we were conscious of calming the game down and connecting our passes. It was painful to concede an additional goal. Personally, I think I need to make plays that directly lead to goals, and as the heat continues, we need to reexamine our team's way of playing and come together as one."

　"Edmilson" "There are many points to reflect on because we lost. In terms of attack, the number of shots was low and we couldn't score. However, it's not just the DF's fault that we conceded. The midfield and us FWs also need to make adjustments. Above all, I think we need to score the first goal. I had a chance to score as well, but I couldn't convert it and I feel sorry. However, we are a strong team as well. It's a shame today, but we need to lift our heads, have a good practice next week, overcome our challenges, and do our best to win."

　[Summary of Coach Popovich's Press Conference] "I'm not feeling good about the 0-2 result at home. We also lost the first goal from the opponent's first shot, but we also got nervous at the start of the game. We need to talk to the players about that. We need to be patient and persistent, but it seemed like we didn't have confidence today. The opponent simply had more energy and movement. However, we can't allow that and we can't make excuses."

　I have a desire to make a team that can surpass any match with physical strength, mental strength, and strength in the ball. It is true that there are injured players and we cannot rotate players, but I want to think about what we should have done in terms of movement. What was it like when we won? What was missing today and what should we have done? I think it is necessary to remember and regain the attitude and actions we had when we were winning and continue to fight.

　【Niigata・Yanagishita Manager's Press Conference Summary】"Tokyo had a game in 2 days, so I thought their bodies wouldn't be able to move at the start, and I told the players to push the opponent and dominate from the start. We couldn't score in the first 15 minutes, but the Tokyo players were still heavy and slow in switching between offense and defense. We were able to score the first goal, but if we had scored the second and third goals right away, I think it would have been an easier game. The most important point was the first 15 minutes of the second half. When Tokyo came forward, the team was able to keep the score at zero by coming together, which led to today's result. The players were also highly focused and fought aggressively. I feel confident that we can continue to fight with confidence."