Aiming for consecutive wins to join the top battle!

　In the 28th round of the league, we will face Kashima Antlers away. In the previous round against Iwata, we achieved a come-from-behind victory by taking control of the game in the second half. While our ultimate goal is to dominate and win throughout the 90 minutes, we are also able to make the right decisions and read the flow of the game, not giving up even when facing difficult situations, including our substitute players. Today's match will truly test our abilities, but we will strive to surpass our opponents with even higher quality football and aim for victory.

　Kashima, on the other hand, is currently in 13th place with 34 points. In the previous match against G Osaka, they were able to equalize in the final minutes, with FW Osako playing as the lone striker and MF Renato in the attacking midfield position. They dominated the match and scored 2 goals against G Osaka. This week, MF Ogasawara and Shibasaki will play as a double pivot in a 4-5-1 formation. In their last 4 matches, they have 1 win, 2 draws, and 1 loss, and their form seems to be lacking. However, their strength is recognized by everyone.

　Tokyo has changed its members since the last match. Watanabe is playing as the top striker, and Jang Hyun Soo is being used as the left fullback. Kajiyama is playing as the defensive midfielder, with Lucas in the attacking midfield and Ishikawa and Hanyu on the wings. In particular, the key will be whether they can finish when they have a good rhythm in their attack. They want to avoid a monotonous passing game and add some variety. It will be important to have dynamic positioning and make quick decisions, with Hasegawa, Ishikawa, and Lucas leading the way and increasing Tokyo's fluidity in the front line to take advantage of the opponent's weaknesses.

　In past match records, Tokyo has a poor record of 5 wins, 5 draws, and 13 losses, and at away Kashima, they have only achieved 1 win in the league in 2007. They are a formidable opponent, as they excel in strategic play and know how to win. However, coach Ranko POPOVIC is determined, saying "We cannot change the past, but we can change the future from here. With that as our motivation, we will strive for success." The match started at 3:03 PM with Tokyo's kickoff at Kashima Soccer Stadium.

Unable to stop Kashima's momentum, they end the first half with a 2-point lead.

　Both teams are trying to take control from the start, and the game continues with a back and forth flow. In the 5th minute, Morishige makes an attacking run and Tokunaga -> Kajiyama also advances up the left side, winning a corner kick. From this left corner kick by Ishikawa, Morishige heads the ball perfectly but the GK saves it. In the 9th minute, Kashima's right MF Endo takes a sharp shot. It grazes Gonda's hand and hits the crossbar, resulting in a corner kick, but the defense holds strong. Due to the light rain and slippery pitch, the ball is difficult to control and both teams struggle to connect passes.

　However, Kashima quickly switches from a focused defense to an attack, gradually pushing Tokyo back with precise counters. Then, in the 18th minute, Tokyo is caught off guard by a quick throw-in from Kashima's right side. Shoma Doi of Kashima makes a run into the right side and sends a sharp ground cross between the goalkeeper and the defenders. Genta Kondo manages to make a save with one hand, but the ball falls to Léo Silva, who scores the first goal for Kashima just outside the left area.

　Tokyo wanted to make a comeback, but the flow remained the same. In particular, Kashima MF Renato and FW Osako's keep power were utilized, and they were unable to keep up with the jump from the second row, creating scoring opportunities. In the 33rd minute, MF Dutra took a decisive shot, but it went over the bar and avoided danger. In the 35th minute, Yuhara, who injured his leg, was replaced by Yonemoto. Kajiyama moved to the top, Lucas became the top, and Watanabe moved to the side.

　However, in the 38th minute, MF Shibasaki, who had entered the area freely from a counterattack, scored and gave an additional point. After that, as the opponent became tired towards the end of the first half, Lucas took consecutive shots but was unable to score. The first half ended with a 2-point lead for the opponent.

Takahashi scores his first J1 goal, but concedes multiple goals on the counter and suffers a defeat.

　Tokyo is actively attacking from the start of the second half. In the 46th minute, Ishikawa and Watanabe combine to attack the area, but Lucas traps the right cross from Tokunaga in the center and shoots straight at the goalkeeper. In the 57th minute, the ball is initially cut off, but Kashima's pass becomes a mistake and falls to Ishikawa who is free in the area. It becomes a decisive opportunity, but the shot aimed at the reversal goes over the bar.

　Edmilson was substituted for Watanabe immediately after. In addition, in the 63rd minute, Nemanja VUCICEVIC was substituted for Chang Hyun Soo. Two attacking players were consecutively substituted, the DF line was changed to 3 back, with Lucas and Edmilson as the top two, VUCICEVIC and Ishikawa on the sides. In the 67th minute, Nemanja made a run into the area from Kajiyama's pass, but was stopped by the DF. However, Edmilson, who had taken the rebound, tried to enter the area again with a one-two with Lucas, but the pass did not go through.

　Tokyo completely becomes aggressive and starts to push the opponent. However, in the 69th minute, the experienced team Kashima does not miss the opportunity. The ball is picked up by MF Endo and passed to MF Renato, who breaks through the defense and scores the third goal. In the 71st minute, Kashima attempts a central breakthrough and draws the attention of Tokyo DF, allowing FW Osako to make a short pass to MF Dutra, who scores a goal with a shot... A consecutive goal leads to a 4-point difference.

　In the 83rd minute, Tokyo, who had no choice but to attack, advanced with Hasegawa and spread to Ishikawa on the right. They earned a corner kick from the right cross. Ishikawa took the short corner and crossed it, which was received by Edmilson at his feet. He turned and aimed a shot, which was deflected by Takahashi at the far post and into the goal. Although Takahashi scored his first goal of the season and in J1, it was too late as they were already behind. In the end, they suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat with an additional goal from Kashima. Their winning streak was not meant to be.

　【Player Comments】《Takahashi》"It feels like all of Kashima's shots were on target... We were unclear on who was supposed to mark who, and Kashima's movements to get behind our defense and their skillful feints before making a move were effective, resulting in us leaving players open. They also had sharp counterattacks after building a block, and confidently made dribble attempts. It's a shame that we ended up being too passive. My own performance wasn't great, but Kashima's skill and strength were even more impressive than we had anticipated. They are completely different from us..."

　"Hasegawa": "We were beaten... We also had the desire to score and went forward, but we conceded goals from Kashima's counterattacks. It was painful to concede two goals in the first half, and in the second half, when we tried to come back, we conceded another goal and the game became even more difficult. As a team aiming for the top, we cannot concede five goals. Even if we lost, we should have finished with a score of 1-2 or 1-3. We conceded four goals in the Sendai match, but today we needed to hold on even more, and in the end, it felt like everyone was scattered. We need to regroup from here and focus on the Nabisco Cup."

　[Summary of Coach Popovich's Press Conference] "It was a really bad result. Looking at the 5-1 score, all we can say is congratulations to the opponent, they played well and deserved the win. Looking back at the game, everything the opponent did went well. On the other hand, we couldn't do what we wanted to do. If the ball had rolled our way in certain situations, the situation might have been different if we had scored first, but that didn't happen today. We couldn't do what we wanted to do. However, there were also moments in the game where we had the upper hand, and if we had scored during those times, the game might have had a different outcome. But the opponent scored during those times, and that's what decided the game."

　(Evaluation of Hyons who played as an inexperienced left back?) He was said to be in an unfamiliar position, but where is his familiar position? Even if it's on the right side, in the center, or on the left, I don't think it matters. I think his strength will be needed in the next game as well. There was also the issue of not having enough game experience to suddenly play as a center back in that game. So I thought it would be easier for him to play in the next game if he played once here. However, as a Tokyo player, whether it's 10m to the right, in the center, or on the left, the quality of play should not change. I think I have to show my strength as usual."

　【Kashima Jorginho Coach's Press Conference Summary】"We changed to a new system from the previous match, but we felt positive about it and there were some things we could feel good about. With MF Endo joining, we can have more time and space to hold the ball in the opponent's half. What I asked for was the team's defensive stability. And we have been aiming to switch quickly from defense to attack and increase our attacking power, so I think it worked well. By playing in a position that MF Renato is familiar with, he can further demonstrate his strength. In particular, I think he can utilize his accuracy in through passes and his wide vision for the attacking line."

　The most important thing is not about scoring or functioning, but rather the emotional aspect. I think each player showed a sense of responsibility towards their own play and their teammates' play, and that feeling was conveyed. As a member of this club/team, there is a duty towards victory. We have always talked about the fact that in order for everyone to fulfill that duty, they must put their heart into playing. In the past, we have transformed into a strong team in games where we played with passion, and that is our true strength. The challenge now is whether we can continue to do so."