I want to stop the losing streak at the last home game of Golden Week

In the league Sec. 12, which will be held two days later, we will face Omiya Ardija at home. In the previous match, similar to the match against Nagoya in Sec. 10, we allowed a goal from a corner kick and suffered a defeat. Improving our defense against set pieces is urgent, but Coach Massimo stated, "There will always be unexpected challenges as we build the team. We want to overcome those challenges." He particularly praised the attack, saying, "We created chances by making space ourselves." He continued, "We want to connect our efforts to results by improving the quality of our finishes and reducing mistakes," expressing hope for the attacking line, which has ended the last two matches without scoring.

Omiya is currently in 15th place with 9 points. As you know, they welcomed Kiyoshi OKUMA as their new manager this season and have made a fresh start, but they have not won in the league since Sec. 5, going seven matches without a victory. However, in the last few matches, they switched to a three-back formation. They have shown resilience with a 3-4-2-1 setup, managing to draw against C Osaka and Niigata. When defending, Omiya plays with a five-back formation, and if they concede the first goal, it becomes difficult for them. Therefore, whether they can score first is key. Above all, Omiya has not won at Ajinomoto Stadium against Tokyo for three seasons since 2010. Concentration and resilience are required throughout the 90 minutes, but with the support of the home crowd, they aim for victory with an aggressive approach. Tokyo has made one change from the previous starting lineup, with DF Yoshimoto starting.

Before the match, there was a light rain mixed in, and under the chilly weather, the match started at 1:03 PM with Omiya's kickoff.

Unable to capitalize on chances, ending the first half scoreless

In the 2nd minute, Higashi's free kick was cleared, but he picked up the second ball and connected it, with Ota slicing a pass to the left front. Takahashi, who was quick to react to the clearance, took a shot from distance. The shot hit the opposing DF in the front line, but Higashi reacted to the loose ball. He took a shot from close range, but it went over the bar... In the 6th minute, Watanabe entered the right area. He cut back inside past the opposing DF and took a shot. In the 8th minute, Yonemoto chased the ball well, and Muto, who circled in from the right, aimed for the goal from just outside the area. They dominated possession and attacked from the beginning, but all their shots were blocked by the Omiya DF, who put their bodies on the line in front of the goal.

Omiya gradually created a simpler attacking shape, and in the 13th minute, right wing DF Imai delivered a cross. It was headed by central FW Toyama, but Gonda caught it. In the 16th minute, FW Zlatan suffered a foot injury and was forced to substitute. As a result, FW Masaru HASEGAWA was brought on. In the 21st minute, from a development by Omiya MF Ienaga, DF Imai advanced and delivered a ground ball to the near post. FW Masaru HASEGAWA made a dive, but Tokyo remained focused and escaped with a corner kick. Shortly after, from the flow of this corner kick by Omiya, DF Kikuchi, who had advanced to the left flank, was turned by Yonemoto, creating an angle for a shot. However, Gonda made the save. Omiya also began to attack boldly, and in the 27th minute, DF Nakamura and then MF Hayato HASEGAWA took long-range shots, but both missed the target and did not create a decisive opportunity.

In the final stages, Tokyo regained control of the rhythm, and in the 36th minute, Takahashi headed the opponent's DF clearance forward, with Hirayama turning and taking a shot from just outside the area. In the 42nd minute, Higashi advanced towards the goal while passing the ball around. Attempting to break down the DF with clever interplay, Hirayama at the far post tried to connect with Watanabe's right cross. However, they could not capitalize on the chance, ending the first half scoreless.

Completely dominated the ball and pushed forward, but was caught off guard just before the end...

At the start of the second half, they connected the kickoff ball, and Ota switched sides. From the right-side Hayama, Muto broke through to the right front line. He sent a negative pass into the area, and Watanabe took a direct shot, creating a decisive opportunity. It narrowly went left, and they couldn't score, but from this point, they almost completely controlled the ball and progressed the match within Omiya's territory. However, in the 58th minute, Higashi's cross from the left side saw Hayama diving in at the far post, but he couldn't connect. The play continued with them passing the ball while looking for chances, but in front of Omiya's solid defense, Ota's crosses and restart opportunities were not utilized, leading to a prolonged period without a finish.

In the 62nd minute, Kono was brought on to replace Watanabe in an attempt to switch the attack in the front line. In the 66th minute, after a left throw-in, Hirayama connected with Mutou on the left, who advanced into the area while evading the opponent, but his shot was blocked. In the 68th minute, Ota delivered a sharp cross, and Hirayama dove in, but the ball flowed behind him and slipped between Higashi and Mutou at the far post. In the 70th minute, Mutou broke through on the left front line. Kono dived in for a negative pass, creating a decisive opportunity, but was thwarted by the goalkeeper... In the 73rd minute, from Ota's through pass, Takahashi seized the opponent's defender's spill and shot after receiving a return from Mutou, but it went wide. Omiya was not allowed to counterattack at all, and chances were created one after another, but they just couldn't break through for a goal.

In the 86th minute, Edu was brought on to replace Muto. Aiming for three points until the end, they attacked in front of the Omiya goal during the four minutes of added time, but in the 90th minute +3, Edu's cross was caught by the Omiya goalkeeper, leading to a long kick sent forward. Omiya forward Hayato HASEGAWA moved up front in response. Morishige was marking him but was turned around and got past him. Yoshimoto slid in as the ball was dropping, but a shot was taken over him... A sharp ball found the net... With one goal far away, they conceded a goal by being caught off guard for a moment, suffering their third consecutive defeat.

[Player Comments]
《Morishige》
"The conceded goal was completely my mistake. I am truly sorry. I was unsure whether to leave it to Yoshimoto or to follow up myself... I made a judgment error. If I had just cleared it normally, there would have been no problem. I can't make excuses. However, the next match is coming up soon, so I need to switch gears properly. The attacking players are doing well, so I think continuing that is the most important thing. Personally, I want to make plays to make up for my mistake."

《Yoshimoto》
"Of course, we were aiming to take all three points, but if we hadn't conceded, we could have earned one point from the game. We absolutely could not afford to concede at that moment. It’s even more frustrating because we were playing well. It's understandable to be called weak in crucial moments, and we have to accept that as our current situation. However, when we face consecutive losses and find ourselves in this situation, it's easy to blame others. But right now, I believe that no one is blaming anyone, and the team is not falling apart. I have confidence that we can regroup here. I want to switch gears and move forward to the next challenge."

【Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's Press Conference】
"In the first half, we had two decisive chances. In the second half, we were attacking for most of the time and were able to play our game. The opponent spent a lot of time playing in their own penalty area. But I think that's how football is; even after attacking for 90 minutes, a single mistake or one shot can lead to a loss. Unfortunately, this is both the beauty and the harshness of football. The players showed such a performance that it wouldn't be surprising if the results matched. I believe the opinion of Omiya's coach would be similar, but sometimes a team that hardly shoots can win against a team that has dominated the match. That's what sets it apart from other sports. We need to overcome today's defeat as a team, and regarding captain Morishige, he has been continuing to play wonderfully, but such mistakes can happen. I believe that when the team comes together to overcome this difficult situation, a strong team can be built."

[Summary of the Press Conference by Kiyoshi OKUMA, Omiya Coach]
"I always send out the players with a strong determination to play. There were really tough times, especially in the second half, and we had injuries, but that determination led to the opponent missing their shots, and we managed to pull through for the victory. Until now, the roles of the starters and substitutes hadn't really translated into results, but today, the player who came on as a substitute for the injured player did a great job. That was very good for the team. I believe that giving 100 percent or more, including the substitutes, helps develop the players and the team. I want to work hard to be able to have such matches again. When I come to Ajinomoto, there is a unique atmosphere and familiar aspects. I wanted to convey that we are also working hard by having a good match there. I had the desire to report three points to our fans and supporters, and I want to keep working hard in the future."