Aiming for victory with an aggressive and calm play even though we are away!

Sec. 16 of the league, which will be played only 3 days after the previous round. We will face Albirex Niigata away. In the Kashima game, we took the lead with a splendid goal by Mita, but were caught up in the end and ended up with a draw.

Players reflect on not being able to win, but also see it as a chance to showcase what they have been working on during the break. Coach Massimo also emphasized the importance of continuing to grow and gain experience, saying "The Kashima game was a wasted opportunity. We needed to score more goals and close out the game, but we must continue to grow with consistency. It takes patience and confidence to move forward." This week's training focused on improving team decision-making and accuracy while also maintaining physical condition.

Niigata, on the other hand, is currently in 8th place with 22 points. In their first game after the restart, they lost 0-1 to Urawa, but their total goal difference so far is 13. While their total goals scored is only 14, they can be considered a team that "organizes themselves tightly with a compact formation (Manager Massimo)". Despite DF Kim Jin-Su transferring to Germany during the break, they have added MF Yamamoto from Iwata and FW Shibukusa from Spain, aiming for further improvement. Up front, they have speedy FW Suzuki and MF Tanaka who boasts great attacking power, making it impossible to underestimate their offensive capabilities.

Tokyo will face the Emperor's Cup for the third consecutive game with the same starting lineup. Niigata will also have a similar starting lineup as the previous game. Lee will be used as a side back. FW Kawamata or a non-member. Today's game is an important one where the ranking will change if they win. They will aim for victory with an aggressive and calm play, even though it is an away game.

Niigata's Denka Big Swan, covered in thick clouds. The temperature is not too high, but occasionally, light rain mixes in and the humidity is high. The game started at 7:03 PM with Niigata's kickoff.

Despite being constantly attacked by Niigata, we maintain a one-point lead going into the second half!

In the 7th minute of the match, a loose ball was taken by Niigata MF Leo Silva after a mistake in their own zone, and quickly brought to the front of the goal. Tokyo DF responded near the area, but Niigata FW Suzuki followed up and brought the ball one step into the area, in shooting position. However, this was also blocked, and the high floating ball was caught by Kanda. In the 9th minute, Mita tried to aim from the right area, but was blocked by the opponent. Connecting this loose ball, Yonemoto and Edu linked up, and finally Yonemoto from the left area tried to head back a cross from Kono on the right side. However, they were unable to hit it due to their unstable position.

After that, the attack and defense continued to go back and forth, and in the 17th minute, Tokyo launched an attack. Starting from the right side, Kono moved to the left, becoming free outside the left area, and a fast, low cross was made in front of the goal. Muto slid in from the far side, competing with the opponent and touching the ball first, GOAL!! In the 20th minute, Muto stole the ball that became loose in the Niigata DF line and rushed into the left area while carrying the Niigata DF on his back. No one was there to support him on the far side, and Muto chose to shoot, but the angle was not good and the opponent's GK saved it.

Around 35 minutes have passed, and Muto was hurt in a competition, but he quickly returned to the pitch without any serious consequences. However, in the following competition, both players were warned by Yoshimoto and Niigata MF Silva. After that, they were unable to take the second ball and couldn't move forward. They were in a state of being attacked by Niigata.

Tokyo was dominated by Niigata from the beginning, but in the 17th minute, Kono skillfully took advantage of the gap in the opponent's DF and Muto fully utilized the one chance to take the lead. After that, they were unable to win the second ball and allowed Niigata to attack throughout the game, but the DF line held up well and they maintained a one-point lead heading into the second half.

Show your determination for victory and take valuable 3 points!

The start of the second half saw the opponent create chances through CKs, etc. However, in the 54th minute, Tokyo quickly launched an attack and Muto, who was running on the right side, tried to score from the center of the area, but was stopped by the defense of Niigata's Oi, who threw his body in front of the ball.

In the 56th minute, Niigata FW Suzuki broke through the left side and Yoshimoto responded. However, the clearance from here was too short and connected to Niigata, and MF Tanaka Aya passed through the center and found MF Kobayashi free on the opposite side. The shot hit FW Okamoto's foot just before the goal and deflected to the right... They escaped danger, but were overwhelmed by Niigata's quick passing game.

65 minutes have passed, and Tokyo is keeping a high line, trying to defend against Niigata's attacks. However, when they try to counterattack, they cannot connect and immediately lose the ball to Niigata, leading to a counterattack... It's been a tough period of time. In the 68th minute, Edu receives a warning, his fourth overall. He will be suspended for the next match.

73 minutes, left CK kicker is Yonemoto. Chasing the ball to the far side, Senma sends a minus grounder into the central space. It was a decisive opportunity, but no one was there and they couldn't connect. In the 76th minute, Higashi was substituted for Kono. In the 82nd minute, Higashi and Tokunaga try to keep the ball in the right front line and create time, but it is stolen here and Niigata quickly switches to attack. The ball is swung to the right front line, and MF Leo Silva's shot through the middle grazes the Tokyo DF and goes out for a right CK.

In the 83rd minute, Edu broke through the opponent's DF line and calmly tried to slip past the GK and score into the empty goal... but was stopped by Niigata DF Matsubara who came in for cover, unable to score an additional goal... In the 85th minute, Hayashi came on as a substitute for Mita. In the following 87th minute, Niigata was given three consecutive right corner kicks. The third one was cleared but picked up and crossed in, but somehow bounced back and showed resilience. As additional time began, Higashi kept the ball on the right side and made a vertical breakthrough. He passed the opponent's DF and made a minus last pass in front of the goal from the right area. Edu's shot was... decisive, but it grazed the opponent's DF and the bar and went out. Right corner kick.

Tokyo struggled to maintain their pace against Niigata, who launched a counterattack in the second half. Despite trying to maintain their DF line, they were unable to connect after regaining possession and were constantly pushed back, making for a difficult period. However, they remained focused on defense and managed to hold on. They were unable to capitalize on late counterattack opportunities and secure an additional goal, but they fought hard and were able to secure 3 valuable away points.

[Player Comments]
"Muto"
"In the previous match against Kashima, I was responsible for dropping two points, so I wanted to score and lead the team to victory. Regarding the goal, I thought my speed was superior to the two Niigata defenders who were closing in, so I focused on getting to the ball first and pushed it in with the sole of my foot. I am the type to attack with dribbles, but the coach told me, 'When the cross comes in from far, with your speed, you can definitely go forward and score.' I was asked to go for the cross, and I think I have grown by being able to do that and expanding my options."

"Gonda"
"It would have been nice to score an additional goal, but in order to win 1-0, it was such a tough game... I think it was a game where we had to work hard until the end, pressing from the front and the three substitute players working hard. Everyone was prepared for it. It was good that everyone was able to concentrate until the end and defend well, but I don't think we should just be satisfied with that. It's meaningless if we don't continue to win, so we need to make sure to fix the things that need to be fixed and prepare for the next match against Sendai."

[Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's press conference]
"We were able to approach the game carefully. I think we played a very good game by not giving the opponent time and space easily and not allowing them to create decisive chances. Regarding Niigata, they haven't been getting results recently, but I had the impression that they were playing very good football. Even in the previous match against Urawa, we didn't get the result, but I felt that the performance was good. Because of these things, I thought this would be a difficult match. If there was one thing missing in this match, it was not being able to score a second goal and finish the game more easily. We want to work on this issue as a team. Even without that, I think today's match was really great and the performance was perfect."

[Niigata - Masaaki YANAGISHITA's press conference summary]
"It's inevitable to make technical mistakes in the final part, but we need to correct plays that involve judgment errors or predetermined movements. Our performance was disrupted in those areas, and we couldn't create many chances in the end. However, our intentions are not bad, so we want to continue. We have a game in three days, so we want to improve our condition as much as possible and approach the next game."