All representative members have joined, and the league matches have resumed.

After a one-week interval from the Nabisco Cup, the league matches resume. In Sec. 4, we will face Ventforet Kofu at Ajinomoto. The match against Matsumoto in the Nabisco ended in a draw, but this means we remain unbeaten in five official matches this season. During this time, Gonda, Morishige, Ota, Muto, Nara, and Nakajima, who participated in activities with the Japan national team and U-22 Japan national team, have rejoined the team. We will approach this match with a full squad.

However, Higashi injured his ankle during practice in the middle of the week. He will miss this match due to lingering pain. On the other hand, four players from the Japan national team are returning to the starting lineup. Additionally, Ishikawa (since the Nabisco match against Niigata on March 18) and Mita (in the previous Nabisco match against Matsumoto) will make their first league starts, with Muto and Ishikawa forming a two-top formation. Hayashi, who has returned from injury, has also made the bench.

Kofu, under new manager Yasuhiro HIGUCHI this season, is working on a new style while maintaining the solid defense and counter-attacking play they have developed so far. However, in last season's matches, they ended in draws both times, so for Tokyo to secure a victory, breaking through Kofu's "5-back defense that eliminates space" will be key. This is a match where they want to increase the number of shots and chances through aggressive play and aim for their first league win at home.

Although April has arrived, Ajinomoto is still chilly. The match started at 16:03 with a kickoff in Tokyo.

In the league match, it's been 1 year and 4 months since the last time, and with Nao's second goal of the season, we take the lead!

Right after the start, Kajiyama advanced and earned a corner kick. Showing an aggressive attitude, Kono ran onto a ball that flowed from Ishikawa on the right flank to the opposite side and aimed from the left area in the 3rd minute. In the 6th minute, the opponent's forward Takuma ABE utilized his speed to break through on the right flank. He attempted to return a short pass in front of the goal, but Tokyo's defense calmly cut it off, resulting in a corner kick. In the 10th minute, Yonemoto's switch led to a cross from Tokunaga. In the 14th minute, Muto's drop was passed from the right by Ishikawa to the center where Yonemoto dropped it, and Kono brought it out to the left, but his shot missed the target. In the 15th minute, Muto broke through into the left area, catching the opponent off guard, but was cleared just before the shot.

Although they couldn't capitalize on the chances until now, just 15 minutes later, Kofu spread the ball to the side, and Ota cleared it with a header. Near the halfway line, Yonemoto immediately sent a floating pass to the front line. Ishikawa skillfully broke through behind the defense, controlled the ball with his right foot, and struck with his left foot from the left area! The arcing shot beautifully found the net, marking Ishikawa's second goal of the season following the Nabisco Niigata match, and it was the first goal in league play since Sec. 33 of 2013.

After that, they quickly initiated an attack, and in the 30th minute, Ishikawa was fouled just outside the left area, earning a free kick. Morishige took a direct shot on target, but it was caught by the goalkeeper. In the 31st minute, Kajiwara quickly reacted to a loose ball from a Kofu throw-in in the Tokyo half. He gained possession and made a long pass to Muto on the right flank. Muto slid centrally to evade the opposing defender and took a shot aiming for the bottom right corner, but it just went slightly to the right.

Kofu did not allow any real chances, but in the 33rd minute, a clearance from the opponent's right corner kick floated high, and Kofu MF Shimoda took a direct shot. In the 35th minute, from a loose ball after Kofu's free kick, MF Shimoda took another shot, but both went wide of the goal, avoiding conceding a goal. In the 39th minute, from the right side, Ishikawa passed to Kajiyama, who advanced to the right area, and Ota ran in to take a shot from the left, but it went over the bar. Although they could not secure an additional goal, they maintained their lead and ended the first half.

Defended the lead with high concentration, achieving back-to-back wins in the league!

An incident occurred at the start of the second half. Muto, who had been suffering from back pain since the first half, was unable to continue playing and was forced to be substituted in the 51st minute for Maeda. Nevertheless, they continued to attack quickly, and in the 60th minute, Ishikawa broke through from a pass by Maeda on the right side. Mita, who had moved inside, dropped the ball, and Yonemoto followed into the area. They launched a robust attack with quick passing, but were unable to finish in the end.

With the opponent's counterattack, the ball was exchanged rapidly, and in the 72nd minute, Ota sent a free kick from just outside the right area into the box. A clear ball from Kofu hit the opponent's defender again, resulting in a handball foul and a penalty kick was awarded. However, Morishige's penalty kick hit the left post of the goal... Unable to score an additional point, shortly after this, Hanyu was brought in to replace Kono. Hanyu and Mita were positioned on both sides, with Yonemoto and Kajiyama forming a double pivot in a 4-4-2 formation.

However, Kofu sent a long ball to the substitute FW Morita, launching a counterattack. Tokyo was unable to maintain possession of the ball, leading to a frantic development. In the 74th minute, they could not stop the powerful dribble of Kofu FW Takuma ABE, who delivered a through pass behind the defense. FW Adriano rushed towards the goal, but Canini cut it just before the shot, resulting in a corner kick.

In the 79th minute, Hanyu held on in the front line and earned a right corner kick. Morishige jumped in on Ishikawa's kick and delivered a powerful header, but it was blocked by the upper right post of the goal. After that, there was a period where we couldn't break Kofu's rhythm, but in the 88th minute, Takahashi was brought on. In the final stages, we adopted a somewhat five-back formation, maintaining our concentration and work rate to keep a clean sheet until the end, securing our first home victory in the league by protecting the single goal scored by Ishikawa.

[Player Comments]
《Ishikawa》
"We hadn't been able to win at Ajinomoto in the league matches, so I definitely wanted to win. I think everyone's strong desire for victory was evident throughout the 90 minutes."
(About the goal?)
I had aimed for that shape many times. There were moments when I was caught offside, and even when the pass didn't come, I made sure to pull the opposing defenders and always aimed to break through behind them. In the scoring situation, I calmly broke free, controlled the ball, and was able to take a shot. Last season was frustrating, but I believe that the accumulation of what I persevered through during that time has led to results like today. It is necessary not to stop here and to continue to connect it to more shapes.

《YoneMoto》
"I am happy that I was able to provide an assist that led to a goal, and it gives me confidence. When I received the cleared ball from Ota, I saw Ishikawa start to move the moment I lifted my head. I have played with Ishikawa for a long time, and we have a good feeling together. Before the match today, he told me, 'I will start moving, so pass it to me,' and that was exactly the image I had. Coach Massimo told us to 'move the ball quickly against Kofu's defense.' I think we were able to execute well what we prepared for this week, including our awareness of vertical play."

【Summary of Coach Massimo FICCADENTI's Press Conference】
After taking the lead, we regained the ball in midfield, created chances repeatedly from counterattacks, and maintained a good rhythm. In the first half, there were many scenes where we regained the ball in the opponent's half and were able to create opportunities. Although we couldn't score the second goal, we entered the second half with that momentum and hardly allowed Kofu any shooting chances. After the penalty scene, even during a tense period where it seemed like the atmosphere could turn negative, we continued to play calmly, which was excellent. In the second half, Kofu relied heavily on long balls and pushed us back, but we were able to respond in an organized manner. The players understood tactical adjustments such as switching to a 4-4-1-1 formation or using five defenders, and they responded wonderfully. However, there are areas where we lack precision in our attacking play, including penalties and set pieces. If we had been able to score the second goal, we could have managed the game more comfortably.
(What was the aim of having a speedy two-top?)
I understood that Kofu's defensive line sometimes became five players, making it difficult to easily control the offside line. Therefore, the two forwards were prepared to target behind. In the first half, Muto had a decisive chance, and Ishikawa was able to create the desired shape. Regarding Muto's injury, he has a bit of pain in his lower back. I think he will be able to join the team in 2-3 days, and I can say it's not a major issue.

[Summary of the Press Conference by Kofu Coach Yasuhiro HIGUCHI]
"I am disappointed that the game turned out to have many negative elements along with the results. During the two-week preparation period for this match, I strongly emphasized the need for quick transitions and intensity in challenging for the ball. However, especially in the first half, we struggled to compete for the ball, and our slow transitions were noticeable. I couldn't help but feel that some players were playing with a fear of making mistakes. That is very disappointing, and I want to strongly encourage growth in that area. One of the factors contributing to our inability to score is the lack of improvement in the quality of our passes. There have been too many easy mistakes in the buildup phase, preventing us from creating breakthroughs. There are issues with the tempo of moving the ball, but we were not able to perform as we normally can today. However, we can only recognize the current situation and continue training. The matches won't wait for us, so I want the team to come together and keep trying."