The 20th Tamagawa Classico, a game worthy of this traditional match

　As we approach Sec. 26 of the league, we will face Kawasaki Frontale in the 20th Tamagawa Classico. In the previous match against Shimizu, we made adjustments during the game and regained our rhythm. We are starting to fight by assessing the flow according to the situation. Therefore, in the next 9 matches, we want to take control throughout the 90 minutes, connect it to goals, and accumulate victories.

　Above all, this match is also a "traditional battle." Coach Ranko POPOVIC stated, "We must play a game worthy of the name 'Clasico.' This requires not only the quality of play but also the quality of our fighting spirit. Only by showing both can we connect to tradition," as he aims for victory with a passionate fight.

　Kawasaki is currently in 12th place with 33 points. Back in April, they welcomed Coach Kazama as their new leader, aiming for a style where they take the initiative and make actions themselves. They have struggled without a win in the last six matches, but they are still aiming to secure victories with attractive football. In this match, DF Hiroto Tanaka and Ikawa are suspended, so DF Ito will play as the right side back, and DF Jesse will be used as a center back. FW Kusunoki will be at the forefront, with FW Yamase and FW Oshima on the sides, and MF Koya Kazama positioned just behind the forwards.

　Kawasaki's attacking lineup has the ability to break through individually, and their high level of skill embodies Coach Kazama's strategy. This match features a team that promotes a style of attacking together, but anything can happen in the Tamagawa Classico. No matter how the game unfolds, we want to aim for victory by maintaining our composure and focus while sticking to our style. Under the autumn-like climate, 34,822 people gathered at Ajinomoto. The match started at 19:04 with Kawasaki's kickoff.

Dominating the game and overwhelming Kawasaki, but the first half ends scoreless.

　Tokyo showed coordinated play right from the start and found their rhythm. In the 2nd minute, Ishikawa passed to Kajiyama, who made a cross from a high position on the right flank. Lucas contested in the center, and YoneMoto followed up on the loose ball, aiming for a shot just before the area, but it was saved and resulted in a corner kick. In the 7th minute, YoneMoto intercepted in the opponent's half. He passed to Lucas in front, received the return, and advanced into the left area. In the 10th minute, they launched a speedy attack from their own half, and after a setup by Hasegawa, Ishikawa sent a right cross. However, they were unable to control the ball just before finishing.

　In the 14th minute, Kawasaki created a chance. Kawasaki midfielder Nakamura exchanged passes with forward Yamase in the center of the area, breaking through behind Tokyo's defense and shooting from the left area. It was a decisive opportunity, but it missed the target, avoiding a crisis. As a result, this was the only chance for Kawasaki in the first half. With strict defense, Tokyo did not allow the opponent any freedom, completely taking control and attacking. In the 17th minute, Lucas received a pass in the center and played it directly to the right area. Ishikawa broke through here, creating a decisive opportunity, but lost control as if his foot got caught on the pitch...

　In the 21st minute, Kajiyama's well-aimed shot from distance was blocked by the goalkeeper's save. In the 28th minute, after connecting passes, Tokunaga broke through vertically and sent a sharp ground cross in front of the goal, but Hasegawa couldn't finish. In the 28th minute, Maruyama passed to Lucas in the center, who turned and shot. In the 31st minute, a pass from the DF line by Takahashi was dropped by Lucas just outside the area, and Yonemoto connected with Kajiyama in one touch, passing it immediately to Lucas next to him. With quick direct play, they bewildered Kawasaki and created a big chance, but Lucas's shot went just wide of the target...

　In the 41st minute, Kajiyama struck a powerful shot from distance that was accurately on target, but it was narrowly saved by the goalkeeper. In the first half, Tokyo took 9 shots compared to Kawasaki's 1, but they were unable to score. The first half ended scoreless.

Edmilson scores his first goal, but the two conceded goals weigh heavily...

　It was a second half filled with expectations for a goal, but just after the start in the 46th minute, the ball was stolen when Yonemoto connected to Hasegawa in our own half, leading to a quick counterattack. Kawasaki's MF Nakamura passed to FW Yamase, who found MF Koya KAZAMA making a forward run, and his layoff was directed to FW Kusunoki, who burst out on the right side. From there, he dribbled into the right area, evading the sliding Morishige and the covering Maruyama... and scored the shot... We gave away the opening goal due to a mistake that disrupted the start of the second half.

　Kawasaki gains momentum from this opportunity. Against their speedy attacks, Tokyo finds itself on the defensive. In the 53rd minute, when Yonemoto tried to bring the ball out from his own half, he was pressed and countered. Moriwaki immediately covered for him, but had to commit a foul, giving Kawasaki a free kick. From just outside the right area, midfielder Nakamura sent the ball to the left flank, where defender Jesse, competing with Takahashi, scored with a header... In the blink of an eye, they conceded two goals.

　Still, in the 63rd minute, Nemanja VUCICEVIC was brought in as a left back, and in the 68th minute, Tanabe was also brought in. The formation shifted with Kajiwara moving to the defensive midfielder position to launch a counterattack, and they managed to regain their rhythm. In the 70th minute, Lucas seized a loose ball in front of the Kawasaki goal and turned around. He skillfully slid past the opposing defender just outside the right area and took a decisive shot, but it hit the crossbar... In the 73rd minute, Tanabe held on at the left front, and Hasegawa, who followed up, delivered an early cross. Lucas connected with a perfect header, but it went wide to the left.

　In the 75th minute, Edmilson was brought on to increase the attacking options, aiming for the first goal. However, despite pressing forward, time passed without breaking through the opponent's defense. Finally, in the 88th minute, Nemanja VUCICEVIC intercepted a ball that the opposing DF was trying to clear and quickly launched a counterattack. Drawing the opponent's DF into the area, he sent the ball to the right, where Edmilson made a run and struck a left-footed shot into the net!

　Edmilson scored his first goal after joining Tokyo, raising the mood for a comeback, but... they were unable to equalize against Kawasaki, who solidified their defense. The two goals conceded due to lapses weighed heavily, resulting in a painful defeat.

　[Player Comment]《Edmilson》"I am happy to have scored my first goal, but it is very disappointing that it did not lead to a victory. As a team, we were in a good flow and played a meaningful match, but we were thwarted by the opponent's goalkeeper's great performance. Still, we continued to play our style of football, but we could not achieve the result. Unfortunately, in football, having a lot of shots does not guarantee a win. I have caused trouble for the team due to injuries in the past, but I want to work hard to make up for that from now on."

　"Hanyu" said, "I was conscious of creating rhythm on both offense and defense, and generating a good rhythm for the entire team. In the first half, we were able to create flow and dominated the game. At halftime, we talked about continuing that style of play in the second half while stepping up the pressure even more than in the first half. We were starting to play our game, but... we conceded a goal, and there were parts where we panicked. It felt like we were mentally shaken after conceding during a good flow. It shows that we are still inexperienced. To overcome that, I want us to be able to dominate throughout the full 90 minutes. I believe that is the style Tokyo should aim for, and I want to continue to try."

　[Summary of Coach Ranko POPOVIC's Press Conference] "There are really very few matches after a loss that you can feel satisfied with, but I think today was exactly that kind of match. We couldn't achieve the result, but in terms of the players' fighting spirit and the quality of their play, I can only say 'well done.' I might be accused of not being humble, but regarding the first half, I have rarely seen a team with such attacking play and quality since I came to Japan and started watching the J-League. However, even though we created decisive chances, we couldn't break through to score. We ended up paying the price for that in the form of conceding a goal. As for the goal we conceded, it was more about us showing a gap rather than being broken down by the opponent."

　After conceding a goal, we took control and managed to pull one back. There were scenes that looked like a penalty from the pitch, but that was not the decision. I truly believe that delivering results is the most important thing for the many fans and supporters who came out, but this is not something to blame. The results did not follow. I want to congratulate Kawasaki. And I would like to thank the supporters of both teams for creating a wonderful atmosphere. I believe that what we need to do is to continue playing this kind of football and evolve it to show even higher quality matches.

　【Kawasaki - Coach Kazama's Press Conference Summary】 "I thought it would be a game like this from the first half, but we were under pressure for quite a long time. However, in this week's training, we talked about staying united as a team and focusing on victory without breaking our shape. The players fought faithfully, made adjustments at halftime, and in the second half, we were able to create chances. In the first half, FW Kusunoki was dropping back. It was clear that the opponent wanted to win the ball in midfield, so in the second half, I told them to 'stay up front,' and we immediately scored a goal. I think he was aware of it from the first half, but I believe he performed better in the second half. Overall, I don't think our technical play is good enough yet, but the players focused on using their skills to win. I think it was a game where we made some progress."