If Lucas scores, we won't lose! Hirayama's additional goal secures the victory

In the second half, where the stakes are high, a decisive chance is created at the start. In the 46th minute, Ota sends a free kick from the right side to the front line, and Morishige connects it to Lucas, who shoots straight at the goalkeeper. In the 52nd minute, Yonemoto passes to Vucicevic, who breaks into the left area and passes to Lucas in the center. This was also a crucial moment, but just before the shot, he was blocked by a sliding tackle from Sendai's defender, resulting in a corner kick. However, immediately after, in the 53rd minute, Kaga connects the loose ball from the corner kick and shoots from the right area. This was blocked, but Kaga retrieves the second ball and crosses it back to Hasegawa, who sends a right cross. Lucas in the center of the area volleys it in for a goal!!

"The players who need to score will score," and the atmosphere heated up both on and off the pitch. Surrounded by this intense atmosphere, Tokyo found their rhythm, launching plays from the sides and executing sharp counters. In the 60th minute, Ota's overlap led to a pass into the area, where Watanabe made a run and took a shot. In the 67th minute, a counter was initiated from Yonemoto's interception, and substitute Ishikawa created a decisive chance in front of the opposing DF, but was blocked by Sendai DF just before the shot.

On the other hand, Sendai brought in forward Nakahara in place of left-back Hashizuka in the 70th minute. They thickened their front line to launch a counterattack. There were moments when they were pushed back by the momentum, but they responded with focus. They then launched effective counters against Sendai, whose defense began to falter. In the 89th minute, they substituted Heiyama for Lucas. In the added time, they pressed in the opponent's half, and Tokunaga intercepted the ball from Yonemoto, bringing it forward and crossing from the right area. Heiyama headed it in from the center of the area, securing the second goal and pulling away from Sendai.

As a result, the league standings are 8th with 54 points. Additionally, Lucas has extended his record of 'not losing in matches where he scored' for 5 seasons since joining G Osaka (after Sec. 25 in 2009). He finished the final league match with a victory and is heading towards the last tournament of the season, the Emperor's Cup.


[Player Comments]
《Lucas》
"I think today's match was perfect. The team's victory was my top priority, and within that, I was able to score. I have always wanted to win and have played with passion. I hoped to convey a message through my play, and I believe I was able to communicate that to everyone. I am truly grateful to the fans and supporters. This gratitude is not just for today, but for all the times they have supported us, whether we were doing well or facing tough times. I want to combine our energy and fight together until the very end of the Emperor's Cup."

《Shioda》
"In the first half, we struggled against Sendai's style of play. However, I mentioned that if we could endure, it would become our time. In the second half, it was our pace, and I was confident that we could win in front of so many supporters. Since I joined the team in the same year as Rucon, I am grateful for the chance to stand on the pitch together in the last league match. That's why I wanted to win and send him off, no matter the content of the match. There were various feelings, and it could have become a pressure, but what you can do in such times is the quality of a professional. I believed in myself, and above all, I believed in my teammates. Ending with a victory was the biggest achievement."


[Summary of Coach Ranko POPOVIC's Press Conference]
"The performance in the first half and the second half was different, showing two faces. In the first half, Sendai played better. The only good thing for us was that we didn't concede a goal. We were more anxious than usual and lacked concentration. However, in the second half, we increased our plays towards the goal rather than just moving the ball, creating many dangerous plays for the opponent. Winning the final home game is significant. We have to wait three months until the start of next season. During that time, we can still savor the taste of today's victory.

And for Lucas, who has decided to retire, this was his last league match. It was very good that he scored a goal in that match and we were able to win. I hope Lucas takes his time to rest and cherishes time with his family. Until now, the burden on his family has been significant, so I want him to spend time together with them from now on. For us, Lucas is the best example. Both Lucas and Nemanja are 34 years old, but they showed a professional attitude by giving their all in training and demonstrated the quality that can be achieved even at 34. I hope young players can learn from that and apply it in the future.


【Sendai - Summary of Coach Makoto TEGURAMORI's Press Conference】
"As a correction from the previous match, we aimed to play an aggressive game with high intensity. At the same time, if we could enhance our caution, timing of passes, and positioning within that aggression, we believed we could exploit the gaps behind Tokyo's full-backs. In the first half, we demonstrated that aggression and clever breakdowns, with FW Yanagisawa as the starting point, while MF Sasaki and MF Ota attacked the flanks. However, after conceding the first goal in the second half, we became a bit flustered, and our attacking precision dropped. Given Tokyo's performance in the first half, conceding that goal was a painful setback while we were in a dominant position. Even so, I thought we could bounce back from one goal, but ultimately it did not bear fruit, and instead, by taking risks, we conceded a second goal. This turned out to be a fitting tribute for Lucas's retirement match.

I want to clear this frustration in the Emperor's Cup, and for my career starting next season, I believe I must cultivate a greater toughness towards victory and move forward. I am deeply moved that so many Sendai supporters came to Ajinomoto again this year, just like last year. This season has been a challenging one, but I told the players, 'We have nothing to lose today. The only thing we must not lose is our pride. The supporters hold that pride and fight alongside us.' Seeing the supporters gather in such numbers at the final match away and the players who tried to deliver a victory confirmed the bond of Sendai. I think this is a significant achievement, and seeing this scene makes me feel a sense of reluctance to leave Sendai myself. However, I believe that if we can continue this style, we will surely become a symbol of Tohoku.