The team's strength will be tested, Nabisco Cup resumes

Three days after the league, we welcome the Nabisco Cup. In the qualifying league Sec. 4, we will face Sagan Tosu at home. Currently, Tokyo is in 3rd place (provisional) with 5 points after playing 2 matches. Although we suffered our first defeat of the season in the last league match, the players have shifted their mindset, stating, "The Nabisco Cup is also a tournament where we aim for a title. Above all, it is important for the team not to have consecutive losses," as they head towards victory.

However, Morishige, Yonemoto, Kajiyama, Muto, and Canini are each dealing with injuries, and Coach Massimo revealed, "While none of them have serious issues, the absence of five players is an emergency for the team." At the same time, with consecutive matches, the lineup will be changed this round, with Maruyama and Yoshimoto as center-backs. Takahashi will play as the anchor in midfield, with Mita and Hanyu as inside halves. Higashi will play as an attacking midfielder, and the two forwards will be Ishikawa and Hayashi. The captain will be Tokunaga.

Tosu is now under the leadership of new manager Morishita this season. In the Nabisco Cup, they have played one more match than Tokyo, totaling 3 matches, and have earned 4 points. In the league, they have been improving their form with each match and are currently in 3rd place. Perhaps considering the consecutive matches, Tosu has made changes to 10 field players since the last league match. Nevertheless, Tosu is characterized by hard work, strength, and intensity. Both teams will be tested on their overall capabilities, but Tokyo will also strive for victory, emphasizing their fighting spirit and not losing in terms of running.

As the spring rain began to pour, the match started at 19:04 with a kickoff from Tosu.

Withstanding the early momentum of Tosu, Mita scores his first goal of the season to take the lead!

The first chance was created by Tokyo. In the 3rd minute, Ota connected a short corner kick, and Maruyama headed the cross from Tokunaga. However, in the 4th minute, Kobayashi from Tosu executed an overhead shot from a free kick. In the 10th minute, following a corner kick, they allowed a breakthrough on the left flank, and Yamazaki headed in from the cross. After that, Kamada and left MF Tamura aggressively attacked from the sides. Still, Maruyama and Yoshimoto focused and managed to survive the crisis.

Until then, Tokyo had not been able to grasp the rhythm, but in the 18th minute, Tokunaga's early cross spilled into the center, and Hanyu reacted. Although he couldn't shoot from the left of the penalty arc, he quickly passed to Ishikawa on the left. From there, Ishikawa calmly sent a pass to the center where Mita made a run and struck with his left foot. The shot hit the inside of the right post and went into the net! Mita scored his first goal of the season with determination, taking the lead.

After taking the lead, the defense began to settle down, and the time spent holding the ball increased. In the 30th minute, Maruyama sent a feed from his own half to Hayashi, who broke into the left area. Hayashi took a step forward and tried to evade the goalkeeper, but got caught and couldn't finish. They pressed into the opponent's territory but couldn't capitalize, and there were moments when they faced counterattacks from the opponent, but they defended resolutely. In the 39th minute, a side change from Tosu MF Okamoto led to a vertical attack by MF Tamura, but Tokunaga slid in to block. Just before the end of the half, they conceded consecutive free kicks, but Gonda held firm, maintaining a one-goal lead as the first half concluded.

Mita adds another goal! Maintaining high energy until the end, back to first place again

In the second half, Tokyo connected passes from the start and launched a speedy attack. In the 50th minute, Hayashi brought the ball into the area unmarked, but got caught on the pitch. In the 52nd minute, Higashi spread the ball to the right, and Tokunaga broke through the front line to deliver a cross. Hayashi dove in at the far post and attempted a diving header. The shot was on target but was thwarted by the save from the Tosu goalkeeper...

However, in the 57th minute, Higashi and Ishikawa quickly exchanged passes in the Tosu territory. They slowed down for a moment, but Hanyu on the left sideline sent a pass to Ota, encouraging him to advance inside. The opposing side-back tried to cover, but Ota applied pressure, stole the ball, and delivered a negative cross to the center. Mita, who had made a run from the opposite side, connected and scored with his right foot!! They secured an additional goal from a coordinated play.

In the 58th minute, a quick attack was initiated, and from the right, Ishikawa passed to Hayashi in the center, who aimed from just outside the area but hit the crossbar. Following that, from a quick development on the right side by Takahashi and Mita, Ishikawa's shot from the right area was blocked by the left post. Both teams maintained a quick transition, resulting in a counterattack exchange, but no additional goals were scored.

Even so, against Tosu, whose activity level began to gradually decline, Kono came on for Hayashi in the 69th minute. In the 71st minute, Ishikawa, who was injured in a contact play, was forced to be substituted, but Maeda was brought in at that point. They tried to dominate the ball and launch an attack. In the 89th minute, Hashimoto made his debut in Tokyo. Shortly after, Gonda, who attempted to catch a Tosu free kick by jumping, collided with a Tosu player. He fell to the pitch, and the match was temporarily stopped. During added time, they were pressured by a set piece in front of the Tokyo goal, but they managed to hold on without panic, and the time was up. Everyone maintained their activity level until the end, secured a victory without conceding a goal, finished the qualifying league with 2 wins and 1 draw, and once again stood at the top of Group A.

[Player Comments]
《Mita》
"The team lost to Hiroshima, and personally, I hadn't had a chance to play since the league match against Kofu. I felt frustrated, and today I was even more motivated. I absolutely wanted to win. For the first goal, Ishikawa provided a pass at an excellent timing. I focused solely on striking the ball with confidence. The second goal was a shot with my right foot, but I aimed for accuracy. I want to win the Nabisco Cup as well, and I want to stay competitive in the league. I will continue to aim for goals so that the team can keep winning."

《Hayashi》
"I was in good condition, and I wanted to produce results when given the opportunity. I was able to play aggressively, and I think my timing to break through the front line was good. However, saying 'close' doesn't mean anything. The final accuracy is a challenge. I want to improve so that I can definitely score next time."

【Summary of Coach Massimo FICCADENTI's Press Conference】
　"Although Tosu has made many changes to their lineup from the league match, we also made about six changes. After taking the lead, we had chances to score additional goals in the first half. There was a moment when the ball hit the crossbar, but we were able to create many chances throughout the match. However, I personally think we performed better in the second half. Especially in the last 20 minutes, despite the tough moments, we ran hard and improved the quality of our game. Some players had minor issues like bruises, but overall the condition was good. After the defeat against Hiroshima in the league, I could see the strong desire of the players to seize victory today. I am particularly satisfied with Mita. Ending today's match with the result of three points is a significant achievement for the team."

[Summary of the Press Conference of Sagan Tosu Coach Hitoshi MORISHITA]
　"I am grateful for the many supporters who came on a weekday night. Regarding the game, the second goal we conceded was unfortunate. It was a goal we invited ourselves. As I always tell the players, it is disappointing that we failed to control ourselves and did not stay on our feet during challenges, which led to the goal. While they expressed themselves well technically, I felt there was a difference in mental strength among the players. Recognizing that was a valuable takeaway."