Challenging away for the first league 4 consecutive wins of the season

In the 27th round of the league, Omiya Ardija will face off. It will be an away game following the previous round, but this round is crucial for their first 4 consecutive league wins of the season. With their sights set on further advancement, they will aim to take 3 points. On the other hand, Omiya currently sits at 9th place with 39 points. Although they were in great form in the first half of the season, they have been on a losing streak since the 22nd round (8/24) and brought in new coach Ogura to turn things around. However, they have only managed 1 win and 4 losses since then, and are currently on a 2-game losing streak.

Taking into account the current situation of both teams and the previous away match records (Tokyo has won all 7 matches since 2005 in J1. At NACK5 Stadium, they have won all 5 matches), data that favors Tokyo emerges. However, as Morishige says, "We will fight while being aware of the balance of the team and considering various things. We want to focus on the results by utilizing what we have accumulated and learned, and giving our all in each match."

This round, Higashi, who did not have a chance to play in the previous round, returned to the starting lineup. He will play on the left side and Hasegawa will be positioned as an attacking midfielder, just like in the previous round. The match started at 7:04 PM in Tokyo, with a cool autumn breeze in the air.

Despite allowing a comeback, they were able to score a crucial equalizer just before the end of the first half.

Both teams fiercely clashed from the start, and the game continued at a fast pace with quick transitions. Tokyo also tried to create chances by quickly moving the ball forward with sharp counterattacks against Omiya.

In the 6th minute, Hasegawa expanded to the left area from Watanabe's post-play. From the cross from the east, Watanabe in the right area took a shot. It was blocked by the left post, but in the 7th minute, they approached the Omiya goal in a similar way. The ball went to Omiya once, but East on the left side cleared it and passed it to Hasegawa who was moving up the center. Hasegawa broke through deep into the left area. Lucas in the right area received the minus pass and shot it into the goal.

Tokyo took the lead in the early stages, but Omiya also had a quick start in both attack and defense, with Watanabe on the right MF breaking through the right side in the 13th minute. The resulting cross was cleared by Chang Hyun Soo, but the ball fell to Omiya MF Cho who connected with a heel pass to left side DF Shimodaira, who then crossed the ball. Gonda managed to parry it with one hand, but this time the ball fell to Watanabe on the right side, who was able to shoot through the Tokyo DF and score a goal.

After that, Tokyo continued to create chances through Yonehara's interceptions and side changes, but were stopped by Omiya's tough defense in front of the goal, leading to counter attacks. In the 37th minute, Tokyo couldn't stop Omiya's quick attack on the right side, and a cross from the left was headed in by the free FW Novakovic, with Gonda getting a touch but the ball still going into the goal. They had now conceded a second goal.

Omiya was pushed by the momentum, but they didn't give up. In the additional time of the first half, Higashi sent a perfect ground pass from the east → right area to the center. Hasegawa jumped in with his whole body, but it was saved by the GK and escaped to a CK. However, from the left CK kicked by Higashi, Lucas headed in a goal from the far side. With a passionate goal, they caught up to a tie again and headed into the second half.

Lucas, who is active in both offense and defense! Mita and Hirayama continue, scoring a season-high 5 goals.

In the second half, both teams quickly switched from tough defense to attacking, resulting in a fast-paced back and forth between offense and defense. However, Omiya gradually stretched their line and Tokyo, who maintained their energy and speed, began to face more fouls as a means of stopping them.

In the 65th minute, from a FK obtained on the left front line, Morishige from the far side dropped the ball and Hyun Soo JANG from the right area snatched it, feinting past the opposing DF and shooting near the goal, but it was blocked by the GK. Then in the 66th minute, from the flow of a right CK, Ota from the left area shot the ball towards the goal. Lucas received it at his feet, skillfully evading the Omiya DF with a slide and pushing the ball into the goal.

After Lucas himself scored his first J1 hat-trick and put the team ahead, Hiraoka was substituted in the 70th minute. He quickly judged and calmly avoided Omiya's press, looking to add another goal. In the final stages, Omiya brought on tall FW Toyama and FW Hasegawa in succession, while Tokyo brought on Nemanja VUCICEVIC and Mita. Along with fresh players, Lucas and others pressed and tried to stop Omiya's counterattack.

Defensive function from the front line in the 90th minute. Mita gets the fourth goal by taking advantage of the cooperation mistake between Omiya DF and GK, stealing the ball from the GK and kicking it into the open goal. In additional time, Lucas dribbles past the tired Omiya players and makes a through pass into the area. Hiraoka follows and scores the fifth goal in the upper right corner, sealing the victory. They fought until the end with energy and focus, scoring 5 goals and achieving their first 4 consecutive wins in the league this season.


[Player Comments]
"Lucas"
"Although we were temporarily behind, we had the desire to win even with the burden of being behind. I think we were able to achieve good results by fighting with confidence. I am very happy that many supporters came and we were able to make an important decision in such a good environment. Although I am originally a FW, I don't mind attacking and defending on the side under the direction of the coach. I think that scoring a hat-trick today in a position that is not my usual top position may have a slightly different meaning and value than before."

"Hirayama"
"(Before the game) I was instructed to keep the ball in front, so that the opponent couldn't jump out from the second row. Also, I was told to compete one-on-one when the opportunity arises. In the first half, the transition between offense and defense was quick, and there were many situations in the opponent's area. In the second half, the opponent came at us, but we were able to coordinate well in both offense and defense, including the GK and DF. Omiya was also pushing forward, so our DF line was high. We were able to score the fifth goal by getting through their press. Personally, I feel like we finally did it. I think it was good that we were able to win in this way."


[Coach Popovich's Press Conference Summary]
"What my players showed me cannot be described in words. That is my honest impression right now. There were times when we were dominated by the opponent and they turned the game around, but we were able to play at a high tempo for the entire 90 minutes. The important thing is to continue showing this kind of performance. To keep playing our own style of football. We must continue to grow and show a matured form in every game. We have been able to grow through these matches, so it is important to continue building on that in the next one."

And the big thing for the team was that the young players were able to score goals. That's Lucas and Mita (laughs). If you just look at his play, Lucas is young. His attitude and approach to daily training is something that all young players in the club should learn from. He leads the team and always stands at the forefront during practice, setting an example for others. His humble attitude and hard work have led to today's results. And today, we didn't feel like we were playing away because of the loud support from all of you. I want to thank all of the fans and supporters."


[Omiya and Kokura Manager's Press Conference Summary]
"No matter what I say, we lost badly... However, at the point of 2-2, I felt that either team could have won, but I realized that the flow could change in an instant due to a momentary accident. As for the last goal, it was the result of taking a risk and attacking. It was not the players' fault, but my responsibility as the one who made that decision."