Aiming for three consecutive wins, we head into the away match

In the match of Sec. 5 held on Sunday, we will face Shonan Bellmare away. In the previous match against Kofu, we secured our first home victory of the season by holding onto the single goal scored by Ishikawa. While not being able to score additional goals is a concern, we maintained our energy until the end and have kept a clean sheet for three consecutive league matches. This match is also about expressing what we need to do for 90 minutes, aiming for our third consecutive win.

Tokyo continues with Ishikawa starting as a forward, following the last match. Hanyu and Muto, who was substituted during the match against Kofu, are also included in the starting lineup without any major issues. Additionally, Nakajima has made his first appearance on the bench this season. On the other hand, Shonan won the J2 championship last season with overwhelming team strength and has returned to J1 this season. Currently, they are in 7th place with 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. Shonan's characteristics include the ability to run for 90 minutes, quick transitions, and aggressive pressing from the front line.

If we allow Shonan, who aggressively attacks with a strong presence in the front line and sharp runs from the second and third rows, to take the lead, they will gain even more momentum. Therefore, it is essential to not lose in terms of running ability and to fight with patience. If we can score first in that situation, we should be able to take advantage of Shonan's momentum as they push forward and launch a counterattack. We must connect with the first goal at all costs, control the game, and aim to secure three points.

Under the cold wind and cloudy skies, the match started at 16:04 with a kickoff in Tokyo.

Withstanding the early momentum of Shonan, gradually taking control

From the start, Shonan aggressively attacked. In the first minute, they broke through the left side. Although they attempted to dribble, Tokunaga calmly escaped to a throw-in. In the third minute, following a left cross, they targeted the center, but Kajiyama blocked it, leading to a counterattack by Tokyo. Ishikawa, who advanced on the right, dribbled in and aimed for a mid-range shot. In the sixth minute, YoneMoto aimed for a volley from a loose ball after Ishikawa's left corner kick, but both attempts went wide. After the tenth minute, Shonan pushed forward with quick passing, pressing in front of their own goal, and in the thirteenth minute, MF Takayama broke into the right area and took a shot, but Gonda made the save. In the fifteenth minute, the opponent switched sides from right to left, and MF Kikuchi, who dropped back to receive, turned and took a shot, but Gonda safely saved it.

By managing to get through this period without panic, Tokyo began to increase their quick transitions to the front line. In the 17th minute, they earned a free kick from the left sideline in the opponent's half. Ota's low kick was met by Muto, who dove in and changed the direction with a header, but it went straight to the opposing goalkeeper. In the 18th minute, they showed resilience at the ball. Although there was a mistake in their own half, they quickly regained possession and launched a counterattack, with Ishikawa advancing into the area. However, they were blocked by Shonan at the last moment. In the 26th minute, Tokunaga blocked a left cross from Shonan, and Yonemoto quickly transitioned from his own half. Ota's cross was collected by Hayabusa in the area, who tried to shoot but was thwarted by Shonan's quick recovery.

As time passed, there were moments of connecting the ball, but they were unable to break through the quick-returning Shonan defense. In the 35th minute, Ota's cross was headed by Kono in the center of the area. He reacted to the loose ball and aimed for a direct shot, but was once again blocked by the defense. In the following 36th minute, Muto broke into space on the left flank, with Kono in the center. The pass to him was cut off, but Muto stole the ball and took a shot from the left area, but it went to the opposing goalkeeper. In the 39th minute, they applied pressure on the front line, and the opposing defense's clearance went to Ishikawa. From there, Kajiyama spread the play to the opposite side. Ota aimed for a long shot, but it went wide of the target.

In the 41st minute, Shonan launched a strong dribble and entered the area one after another, but Tokyo responded firmly. In the end, when Gonda rushed out to the ball sent to the right area, the ball went out. Throughout the first half, they maintained their concentration, and the tense battle remained scoreless as they headed into the second half.

Muto scores in three consecutive away matches! Tied for first place with three straight wins

The second half started as the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. In the 48th minute, a mistake occurred while trying to connect passes in our own half, allowing Shonan midfielder Nagaki to steal the ball. From there, a pass was sent to the right front line, and a negative cross was met by forward Allison in the center of the area, who took a decisive shot, but Morishige barely blocked it, resulting in a corner kick. After surviving this crisis, in the 53rd minute, Kono on the right changed the side, and overlapping Ota broke forward with a one-two with Yonemoto, earning a left corner kick. Ota's left corner kick flowed to the far post, but Kono sent a sharp right cross. Morishige headed it to the center, and Muto attempted a header, but... it hit the crossbar. Persistently picking up the rebound, Muto headed in Ishikawa's left cross, but it was ruled offside...

Although they couldn't capitalize on the set-piece opportunity, in the 64th minute, Kono initiated a play that allowed Ota to advance and deliver a cross. Ishikawa drew the opposing defenders to the near post, and Mutou, running in from the opposite side, dove in with a low posture to score with his head! This marked Mutou's third consecutive away goal, giving them the opening goal.

After that, they were once again aggressively attacked by the opponent who was on the offensive, but in the 71st minute, Takahashi was brought in to replace Kono. The formation was changed to a double pivot with Kajiyama, YoneMoto moved to left midfield, and Hanyu to the right in a 4-4-2 setup. Taking advantage of Shonan's gaps, Tokyo quickly launched an attack, and in the 75th minute, Hanyu on the right delivered a soft cross, but YoneMoto was a step late in entering the left area, failing to take a shot and only earning a left corner kick. In the 78th minute, Muto broke free to the left front line and made a through pass into the area. However, it slipped past Ishikawa and did not reach Hanyu on the right side of the area.

In the final stages, they were pushed back by Shonan, who did not give up and kept pressing forward, but in the 86th minute, Yonemoto seized a loose ball in their own half and quickly passed it to Mukō. Mukō, while being marked by the opposing DF, advanced into the left area. He tried to get past the returning opposing DF but was unable to shoot after fully getting by. However, without forcing it, he maintained possession, preventing Shonan from counterattacking and shutting them out. Following the previous match, they achieved a 1-0 victory, marking their third consecutive win in the league. As a result, they earned 11 points and tied for first place.

[Player Comments]
《Muto》
"I think it was a goal that showcased my strengths and the team's abilities well. Although I only scored once, I was conscious of contributing through hard work in both offense and defense for the team, and I was glad to have scored a goal that helped the team. However, I also want to continue to improve myself."

Ota
"Today, the ball was moving to the sides from the first half, and I had many opportunities to move up to a high position. The feeling of my kicks was good, so I was conscious of wanting to connect it to a goal. The scoring scene was a goal where everyone's characteristics were displayed, including the connection with Kono, just as we had practiced. Regarding defense, I think everyone's strong desire to keep the 'goal difference at zero' was evident."

【Summary of Coach Massimo FICCADENTI's Press Conference】
"As expected, the match unfolded as predicted. I knew that Shonan would apply pressure from the front with their speed, so it was important to win the second balls first. The players understood what was necessary for this match and approached it accordingly. We were able to apply pressure from the front and create many chances. In the second half, we took the lead in a situation where space opened up, and we were able to create opportunities to aim for additional goals. Our defense played wonderfully and showed a performance worthy of victory. Our characteristic is that we always maintain balance in both offense and defense. Even when we focus on the front, we do not give space behind us and can be tough in one-on-one situations. There were some tough moments in the first 15 to 20 minutes, but I think we were able to keep the ball well, create our own time, and control the game as planned. Finally, I want to praise Shonan's coach. He is the type of coach I like, with a passionate heart. I don't think it is easy to take victory from them."

【Shonan - Coach Cho Kijee's Press Conference Summary】
"I want to thank the supporters who continued to cheer for us until the end, despite the loss. I feel sorry that we couldn't secure the three points. I also have nothing but gratitude for the players who participated, just like in the recent match against Hiroshima. They expressed most of what we wanted to do. It's unfortunate that we couldn't score a goal. The harshness of J1 is that we were caught in the areas we were wary of. However, it wasn't that we felt that by running away; we took the initiative against the opponent and felt it. After the match, the players had expressions of regret, but on the other hand, they also looked fulfilled. They faced experienced players and the Japan national team with courage and confidence. Today, I talked about the Bundesliga in the pre-match meeting. Even in stadiums with 20,000 or 25,000 spectators, they play fast-paced football that delights the fans with quick transitions between offense and defense. I told them to play with the determination to win against the opponent and to catch up with such players, even just a little. We fought with the mindset to win, and there were many sprints. There were passing mistakes and shooting errors that prevented us from scoring. But if we stop running, we won't show our strengths. I think it became a very good game because we continued to push forward. It's easy for others to say, 'This is what we lack,' but as a coach, my main job is to responsibly bring out their strengths. Today, they showed their good points abundantly, and although we lost, it was a match without regrets. However, there is still a feeling of disappointment."