A crucial match that we cannot afford to lose in order to keep up with the top teams.

In the 13th round of the league, it will be the last match before a one-month break, facing Kashima Antlers away. In the previous round against Shimizu, we scored 2 goals and won with a clean sheet for the first time since the Kawasaki match on 4/27. Following the victory against Niigata in the Nabisco Cup, we have achieved two consecutive wins in official matches. Despite the absence of players such as Kaga, Hasegawa, and Ishikawa, we want to fight as a team and aim for victory in order to keep up with the top teams.

Kashima, on the other hand, currently has 6 wins, 4 draws, and 2 losses. This season, manager Toninho CEREZO has returned. With the addition of FW Davi, they have overcome last season's "slump". They have also secured a spot in the final round of the Nabisco Cup. While their number of wins against Tokyo remains the same, they have been able to accumulate points by displaying their strength and resilience in not losing. In particular, the duo of FW Davi and FW Osako is a threat, so the key will be to prevent them from creating opportunities in the front line.

Tokyo made no changes to the starting lineup from the previous match. Although they have not been able to defeat Kashima in 6 consecutive league matches since 2009, it is most important to not be intimidated by the away atmosphere. Coach Ranko POPOVIC also stated, "We suffered a big defeat in the away match last season, but it is a good opportunity to show our growth from that loss. I want the players to have a strong mentality and fighting spirit without fear of the opponent, and grab the victory." The match kicked off at 5:05 PM at Kashima Soccer Stadium.

Utilizing scoring opportunities effectively, leading by 2 points at the end of the first half

The game started moving from the beginning of the first half. Kashima, who started attacking immediately, was calmly responded by the DF line. Then, in the 7th minute, Lucas from the left side dribbled and attacked, passing Kashima MF Ogasawara in the center. He tried to exchange passes with Li in the area, but Li's floating ball was cut by the opposing DF. However, Li quickly reacted to the ball that spilled out from the scramble. He broke through the line and skillfully placed the ball into the net, taking advantage of the movement of the Kashima GK.

We wanted to take the lead and control the game at a Tokyo pace, but the momentum remained with Kashima. We lost the ball many times in front of their intense press and were pushed back. However, we did not panic and defended persistently at the back, gradually creating scenes of quick attacks. In the 35th minute, we launched a counter attack and Lee dribbled up the middle, passing to Julian who was free on the right. He took a shot just outside the box, but it was blocked by Kashima's defenders.

In the 44th minute, Lee and Higashi exchanged passes on the left side. Higashi briefly held onto the ball, then passed it back to Lee who had freed himself from his defender. Lee then sent a pass to Watanabe who was open on the inside. Watanabe controlled the ball and made a powerful shot to the bottom left corner, scoring an additional point. Throughout the first half, Kashima continued to push forward, but they were able to capitalize on their chances and ended the half with a two-point lead, an ideal game situation.

Unable to stop Kashima's momentum, a frustrating comeback loss

The game continues to move from the start of the second half. In the 47th minute, Kashima FW Davi made a through pass, bypassing the offside line, and was sent out to FW Osako, creating a 1-on-1 scene with Gonda, resulting in a goal. In addition, in the 56th minute, a pass was connected from Kashima's throw-in to MF Endo, who ran out to the right area. Gonda also tried to come out and respond, but was avoided, and the right cross grazed Chan Hyun Soo and went into the net. An own goal was scored, resulting in the loss of the second goal and being tied.

Tokyo, who wants to turn the tide of the attack, substitutes Lee for Tanabe in the 65th minute. This puts Higashi in the top position. However, Kashima's momentum continues. Immediately after the substitution, Tanabe tries to take the ball in front of the area, but it is taken away by Kashima's FW Osako, who quickly breaks through and scores the third goal. Tokyo, who wants to catch up, has a chance in the 78th minute when a pass to the front line falls to the right area. Higashi jumps out and shoots, but is unable to score and the ball goes straight to the goalkeeper.

In the 79th minute, Ota's left cross went through the near side and fell to Watanabe on the far side, but the ball was not able to be finished and went to the GK. In the 43rd minute, Hiraoka and Hayashi were substituted for Lucas and Tanabe. In stoppage time, Hayashi broke through from the left side and ran into the area, taking a precise shot. However, it was saved by the opposing GK and resulted in a corner kick. The game ended with this score. Despite taking a 2-point lead in the first half, they were unable to capitalize on it and suffered a disappointing comeback loss.


[Player Comments]
《森重》
「前半は今季取り組んできたことがしっかりと出せた。後半は今季の僕たちの悪いところが全部出た。前半と後半とで、まるで違うチームになったかのようなゲームをしてしまった。また後半の前に、どういうプランで試合を進めるかが、あいまいになっていたかもしれない。もちろん3点目、4点目は欲しかったが、相手が前に出てくる中で、それを利用してという戦い方もあったはず。自分たちがボールを支配して、少しは余裕をもってプレーすることが必要だったかもしれない。

(Kashima FW Davi's matchup was impressive and ultimately prevented them from scoring?) I've been saying "Davi" all along, but I wanted to contain Kashima's two top players, including FW Osako. I feel really ashamed as a DF because I was beaten by a player I was cautious of.


"East"
"We entered the game by taking the first goal and leading by 2 points in the first half. It would have been great if we could have continued like that in the second half, but we were reversed in the same way as we have repeated many times this season, and it became a very regrettable game. In the second half, our line dropped too much and we couldn't press the two FWs of Kashima. We were all chasing from behind. (Did you become a top player in the second half?) I was thinking of attacking and aiming for a goal. I had my own chances, but in the end I couldn't take them, so that's my challenge."

(Reflecting on the battle so far) I joined to win, and I haven't given up yet, but I still have to win. I really wanted to win today. It's really frustrating. (I will join the Japan national team soon) This is not the end, and I want to continue to be selected from here and appeal through practice. First of all, I want to work hard to make those around me understand my play and be able to show my strengths."


[Press Conference Summary]
《ポポヴィッチ監督》
「前半と後半では違った姿を見せてしまったと思っています。前半は私たちがしっかりとコントロールして、相手に決定機も作らせず求めていたこと、やろうとしていたことができた。ハーフタイムには次の1点を獲りにいくと話をしましたが、後半の入り方は中断期間に入っているような雰囲気を作ってしまった。鹿島もアグレッシブに仕掛けてきたので、そこで受け身になってしまった。私たちのミスもありましたが、そこから立て続けに点をとられたことに関していうと、鹿島はふさわしいプレーをしたと思っています。

In a game like this, it's meaningless if we don't continue to show what we've been doing, and we've repeated this several times before, but in order to win a game like this, we have to believe in ourselves and keep going. In the second half, the distance between players became too far and it's a point of reflection that we couldn't fight together as a team. Congratulations to Kashima, who have the ability to turn the game around in the first 15-20 minutes of the second half.

(Why did you replace Lee?) In the first half, we were able to put good pressure on the opponent's final line and defensive midfielder, but in the second half, that was completely gone. If the front line doesn't put pressure on the ball holder, the final line will also stretch out and leave the vital area open, which was also a cause of being attacked there. In the first half, they showed a very good defense. In the second half, I think there was also fatigue, but the defense there became loose, so I replaced them. I think there were some improvements from there. Both Hayashi and Keigo had decisive chances, but they couldn't make the most of them. I think that's why we ended up with this result."


"Kashima - Toninho CEREZO Manager"
"The opponent didn't have a game in the middle of the week, so we knew they would come out with high intensity and pressure. However, we also made mistakes and conceded two goals. Especially after the second goal, the opponent organized their formation and we couldn't showcase our technical abilities or ball possession. They closed down the space quickly, making it difficult for us to play well. As you all probably felt, we resorted to more long balls, but the timing was off and it became a vicious cycle where we couldn't win the second balls."

I was watching the game with the hope that we could maintain that score until halftime. Normally, one might think that yelling at the players during halftime would be enough, but I believe in the players and their potential to turn the game around. Although 45 minutes may seem short, it is enough time for a comeback. I also worked to boost the spirits of the players who were feeling down after conceding the second goal. In the second half, we played to win and played to win at soccer. I believe the players executed this plan.

When we scored the first goal in about two minutes after the start, I became convinced that we could turn the game around and I think the players' efforts led to our victory. Even in the midst of consecutive games, being able to run 1m or 2m with the support of our home fans was crucial and I believe it contributed to our win. All of our players were pushing towards the goal, making various movements and free runs, and against a high-paced Tokyo team, it was very important for us to have a mid-week game where we could sustain both our technical skills and physical stamina to secure the win.

Defending Tokyo's attacks requires both physical stamina and mental effort. Despite this, the players were able to maintain their energy and even improve in the second half. I am satisfied with the level of soccer we were able to play. I hope we can continue this and make even more progress.