Can they overcome the difficulty of playing against a lower-ranked team in the away match against Omiya?

League Sec. 28 will be held after a two-week interval. We will face Omiya Ardija away. In the previous match, we conceded the first goal to Sendai and Edu was sent off, resulting in a defeat without being able to grasp the momentum. Our unbeaten record also ended at 14 games, leaving us with room for improvement in our approach when the opponent takes the lead. In this match, we will face Omiya, who is currently in 15th place. They are also expected to fight relentlessly in order to escape from the relegation battle, so the key will be how we can break through their defensive tactics.

Edu will be replaced by FW Watanabe due to his suspension, and Mita will be starting due to the absence of attacking players such as Edu and Hirayama, and the desire to have an attacking player in the midfield (Coach Massimo). Considering the upcoming consecutive games, Canini will make his first league start as center back.

Omiya, on the other hand, currently has 28 points, but since September they have been trying to rebuild under new coach Hiroki SHIBUYA and have won 4 out of 5 league matches. In the quarterfinals of the Emperor's Cup held on the 15th (Wednesday), they faced the match with a changed lineup and lost, but their determination to win in the league must be strong. In particular, MF CARLINHOS and MF Ienaga's plays from the midfield, and the aggressive attacks from the side by MF Izumizawa have been leading to goals for the FW. This match, FW Murja, who missed 2 games due to injury, will also return and form a 2-top with FW Zlatan.

The away game against Omiya has been a perfect record of 8 wins since 2008. In terms of data, the J1 league at NACK5 Stadium has been a good match, but Manager Massimo says, "It won't be an easy game. However, Omiya's two top players are also a threat, so it's really important for us to play our own game and surpass their spirit to go for the win."

The game started at 5:04 PM in Tokyo, under clear skies and with noticeable heat during the day.

Fighting with passion, we were attacking but then we were caught off guard by a restart...

From the start, they quickly took the ball with their fast movements and tough defense, and swiftly turned it into an attack. In the first minute, Mutoh received a pass from Mita on the right side and aimed for the goal. In the fourth minute, Tokunaga overlapped and crossed the ball, and Watanabe in the center headed it. Then, Mita won the second ball in a battle on the front line and took a shot. In the sixth minute, Omiya's right side MF Ienaga passed to the center from a match-up with Yonemoto. There was space in front of MF Carlinhos, who aimed for a shot, but Morishige cut it off. Omiya's attack was calm and controlled, and they continued to push forward.

15 minutes, there was an accident where Omiya's MF Kanazawa was injured and was replaced by MF Masuda. However, the flow was in Tokyo's favor, and in the 22nd minute, Kono took a shot at the goal after a clear ball from the opponent's DF, but it was saved by the GK. Around the 30-minute mark, they had consecutive chances with FKs and CKs, but they were unable to capitalize on them. After that, Omiya also pushed up their line, and both teams had a fast-paced exchange of defense and quick transitions, making for a hectic game. Omiya did not allow any clear chances, but they struggled to finish their attacks, only managing to bring the ball up to the front line.

At the 43rd minute, Yonezawa steals the clear ball from Tokyo's cross and aims for a middle shot, but it is blocked and the ball falls behind. Omiya FW Zlatan and Morishige collide as they try to connect with the ball, and Morishige commits a foul. Omiya FW Zlatan falls and as both players struggle, Omiya quickly restarts the free kick. Tokyo is unable to catch up and the ball is carried to the left side where MF Izumisawa → MF Ienaga delivers a precise left cross. DF Takahashi, who has advanced to the front line, is caught offside and is headed in at the last minute... Tokyo concedes the first goal just before the end of the first half, and heads into the second half trailing.

Despite continuing to fiercely attack until the end, the one point was far away... 2 consecutive losses

In the second half, as if shaking off the shock of conceding a goal, they took control from the beginning and went on the attack. In the 48th minute, they were able to get consecutive throw-ins from the left side. However, they were unable to find a way past Omiya's tough defense and couldn't finish. In the 55th minute, Kawano made a run from a long feed to the front line, but was slightly late. In the 66th minute, Mita from the right area turned and made a move. Yonemoto, who followed up on the loose ball, took a shot from just outside the left area, but it went wide. In the 70th minute, Muto from the left area received a pass and turned, but his close-range shot was saved by the goalkeeper... Mita then took the loose ball and Muto tried to score, but the angle was too tight and it only resulted in a corner kick from the right.

In the 71st minute, the front line thickened and Takahashi attempted a shot from the loose ball from Omiya DF, but it was blocked and they were counterattacked. However, the ball to Omiya MF Ienaga, who was trying to break through on the left front line, was cut off by Canini's sliding tackle. They did not give Omiya a chance and in the 72nd minute, Nakajima was substituted for Mita. They continued to attack with a strong rhythm.

77 minutes, Ota takes a low and fast, powerful shot from the left side. It is blocked by the goalkeeper, but Kono, who has taken the loose ball, turns and enters the shooting position while circling around, but is blocked by the desperate DF of Omiya. Immediately after, Nakajima on the right corner of the area passes the opponent's DF and makes a shot-like last pass. Takahashi runs in near the goal to match it, but cannot make the shot. In the 85th minute, Nakajima passes through to the right area. Muto runs free and had the best chance of the day, but... the shot goes wide to the left.

Still, without giving up, in the latter half, Morishige and Canini also moved up to the front line in the flow, and attacked with numbers, but they couldn't break through the Omiya DF wall. In additional time, Watanabe headed in a cross from Canini in the center. It looked like it hit the opponent's DF's hand, but there was no whistle. They showed determination and fought fiercely until the end, but the "one point" was far away... In the first defeat at NACK5 Stadium, they suffered their second consecutive loss.

【Player Comments】
《Canini》
"It was my first start in the league, and personally, I think I played well. That's why it's disappointing that we couldn't win. Omiya's two top players were powerful, and their headers were strong. We were able to defend against such opponents as a team. We didn't give them any real chances, and we created a lot of chances in our attack. In that sense, I also felt a sense of accomplishment and progress. However, we have to reflect on and correct the goal we conceded in one situation. We want to use that as a starting point for the next game."

"Nakajima"
"I stood on the pitch with instructions from the coach to 'do both offense and defense well'. And I was thinking about increasing the number of chances first. I was playing with the intention of turning the game around, so it's frustrating that I couldn't do that. However, the fact that we couldn't win is because we still lack the ability. I want to cherish each day and work hard to get results."

[Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's press conference]
"As you all saw, we played in the opponent's half for 90 minutes. However, they were able to take advantage of the situation in their midfield and score one chance. I think there were also some unlucky moments, such as Muto's scoring opportunity, Morishige's header, and Ota's shot, despite creating many chances. However, the players never gave up until the very end, attacking relentlessly and giving their all, so there is nothing to say. One thing I want to make clear is that we have always played fairly. There was no delay or any other unsportsmanlike behavior. We believe that this sincere attitude towards soccer will not be a penalty, but will come back to us in a positive way."

【Omiya Shibuya Coach's Press Conference Summary】
"Today, many FC Tokyo fans and supporters came and the tickets were sold out, and of course, Omiya supporters also came to support us. We could hear their cheers supporting the players from the warm-up, which was very encouraging. As for the game, at first, the opponent had possession of the ball and we couldn't put pressure on them. However, I had prepared the team for this game. In the away game, we won with FW Masaru HASEGAWA's goal, and Tokyo will come to fight with a revenge mindset. I wanted the players to be aware of that, and I am grateful that they fought a tough battle. We knew it would be a tough game, but I am happy that the players fought tenaciously and patiently until the end. As for the goal, it came from a quick restart, but I always tell the players to "never stop, never give up" during the game. We don't practice quick restarts, but the awareness of not missing a momentary chance led to the goal. Also, I am happy that we kept a clean sheet against Tokyo, who have high-quality players. Our overall defense was maintained by playing tough and patiently. However, there were many dangerous situations, so we need to fix that before the next match."