Final Qualifying Round, betting on the possibility of advancing to the Final Round

The final qualifying round of the Nabisco Cup Sec. 7 will be held. Tokyo will face Sagan Tosu at home. After suffering consecutive losses against Shimizu and Gamba Osaka, Tokyo has dropped to 4th place in Group A. However, due to the results of other teams in the previous round, there is a possibility of advancing to the knockout stage, including 5th place Tosu and 6th place Kashima, in a tight race. While advancing on their own is not possible, and it depends on the results of the top teams, winning this match is essential above all.

If the points are tied, goal difference and total goals will also have an impact, so we want to score as many goals as possible. This is also true for Tosu, as they need victories built on accumulating goals. Tosu, who has momentum after winning their last two matches, will be a challenge, and Tokyo wants to fight without losing their balance. To show a game plan that takes advantage of their forward play for goals, it is essential not to lose in the battle for second balls and overall effort. This is a match where we want to fully showcase the style we have developed so far and make it the culmination before the break.

Kaku Hijyu made his first start of the season as a center-back. Tokunaga served as captain for this match. The temperature rose compared to yesterday, reaching over 30 degrees on this midsummer day at Ajinomoto, and the match started at 15:04 with Tosu's kickoff.

Allowed the opening goal just before the end of the first half...

Due to the heat, both teams started cautiously. In the 5th minute, Tokunaga connected with Kono on the right flank, who crossed to Edu. Mita in the center controlled the ball with his chest and brought it into the area, but his shot went over the bar. After that, they maintained possession, trying to create time and look for chances, but gradually Tosu began to gain momentum in their forward play.

After 10 minutes, we were continuously given set plays and were pressured. We managed to withstand this, but we often lost the ball in the attacking front, making it difficult to create attacking shapes. Conversely, on the left side, Tosu created opportunities, and in the 25th minute, Tosu FW Ikeda connected with MF Okamoto, allowing DF Kikuchi to advance and take a shot from the middle. In the 27th minute, we again allowed an attack from the left side, and a grounded cross from MF Kin was met by FW Ikeda in front of the goal, but Kaku Hiju responded and managed to contain it.

After 35 minutes, a chance was created from a free kick by Tosu, but we coordinated and defended tenaciously against it. However, in the 44th minute, a series of quick passes from the left side by Tosu led to midfielder Hayasaka entering the left area. Unable to contain this, a pass was made to midfielder Fujita, who broke free behind Yoshimoto in front of the goal. The two consecutive shots taken by Fujita were both saved with determination by Shiota, but the ball spilled again and was pushed in by defender Yasuda... Shiota, Kaku Hiju, and Ota's cover was not in time, and we allowed the opening goal...

In added time, Higashi from our side made a long feed to the front. Edu, who broke free in response, ran into the right area and took a shot, but was thwarted by the goalkeeper's save... We ended the first half trailing by one goal.

Three consecutive losses without scoring... finishing in 6th place in the group

In the early stages of the second half, Tosu took control of the pace. Therefore, in the 50th minute, Muto was brought on to replace Hirayama. In the 53rd minute, Mita launched a counterattack and attempted a dribble shot from the center, but the Tosu defense blocked it. In the 56th minute, FW Ikeda broke through from the left side for Tosu. He cut into the center and aimed with his right foot, but Shiota made the save. Immediately after this, Yonemoto was brought on to replace Mita.

However, in the 57th minute, they failed to clear the right corner kick from Tosu, allowing the second ball to be connected and attacked again. The ball sent into the area by Tosu midfielder Fujita, just in front of the right area, grazed the Tokyo defense and spilled forward, and despite being off balance, Tosu forward Ikeda reacted and pushed it in... they conceded the second goal.

However, with the introduction of Yonemoto, Takahashi and Yonemoto formed a double pivot. Higashi was placed on the side, and in the 67th minute, Matsuda came in as the right back in place of Kaku Hiju. Tokunaga shifted to center back to launch a counterattack. Gaining momentum from this, in the 73rd minute, Takahashi intercepted a loose ball in midfield, and Yonemoto made a through pass to Muto on the left side of the area. However, Muto's shot went wide to the right. Immediately after, Muto pressed on the left front line, and Kono stole the ball and broke into the left area. He sent a negative cross to Muto inside, but the shot went straight to the opposing goalkeeper.

In the 85th minute, a clever pass from Edu in the center of the area found Higashi, who burst out to the left side, to Kono, who was free at the far post. However, Kono's header went wide. In the 87th minute, Higashi on the left side made a one-two with Muto and took a shot from the middle. In the 43rd minute, Muto on the left side made a move, and Matsuda, who overlapped, shot with speed, but both went off target... They kept attacking until the end without giving up, but the goal was elusive, and they lost without scoring. They suffered three consecutive defeats and could not advance to the knockout stage. They finished the Nabisco Cup this season in 6th place in Group A.

[Player Comments]
Shioda
"The result is everything, so I feel disappointed and ashamed. There were moments when I stopped shots, but today we conceded 2 goals, and I've allowed 8 goals in 3 matches, which is my responsibility. There were also parts where we were broken down besides the goals conceded. We are not fighting with patience, and there were times when we went forward aggressively and got caught on the counter. However, it's not impossible to make corrections. I want to properly address various issues during the camp and build on the good aspects."

Ota
"It’s frustrating to be eliminated in the qualifiers with both the content and results not following through. It was a match we had to win, but we gained momentum too late. In the first half, we relied too much on long balls, and there were few opportunities from the sides. In the second half, Higashi became a key player on the left side, with good distance control, and we were able to create chances by expressing what we wanted to do... There have been good matches up to this point, but conversely, there have also been frustrating moments, and I think we need to mature as a team. During the break, I want to establish the style of football we aim for."

【Summary of Coach Massimo FICCADENTI's Press Conference】
"Perhaps due to the heat, the first half was not very good for either team. Many things happened in the second half, but after conceding the second goal, we had at least 4 to 5 clear chances, and not being able to convert those chances affected us. Although we couldn't achieve the result, the players played with determination until the end. Muto, Kono, and Azuma had 4 to 5 clear chances, and I want to commend them for playing with heart until the end. We are entering a break now, but including the staff, we want to be intelligent and wise to correct what didn't go well in the first half of the season. We want to analyze thoroughly as a team and leverage what we have built over the past four months to restart the second half of the season. We must aim for a higher position than last season and have the right ambition. These four months have been an important period to understand Japanese football. Now, we have a clear understanding of our situation and that of our opponents. We want to make a strong restart to rebuild and create a team that can compete at the top level."

【Tosu Coach YOON Jong Hwan's Press Conference Summary】
"We had only a slight chance left, but I want to express my gratitude to everyone who came to support us today. While we achieved a victory, it is disappointing that we could not advance to the Final Round with our faint hope. If there is a bit of regret, it is the feeling that if we had fought a little better in the first one or two matches... However, today, in such hot and harsh conditions, the players fought really hard and dedicatedly, and they fought in a way that connects to the second half of the league. I conveyed that we should firmly play the soccer we need to play without changing from our usual approach, and they fought well. It was a situation where it was understandable to lose concentration due to the heat, but I am grateful to the players for their good fight."