Tamagawa Classico Sec. 25 at Home

The 9th match of the first stage, known as the 25th Tamagawa Classico, will see Kawasaki Frontale host the match. In the previous match, they were pushed back by Niigata but managed to endure as a team and capitalized on a single free kick opportunity to secure victory. Following the match against Yamagata, they have taken 6 points in consecutive away games. Now, just two days later, they face this match. The heat has also increased, but Coach Massimo reveals, "Due to the absence of Ishikawa and Canini, we are not in a situation where we can rotate 7 to 8 players." They are facing the difficulty of managing consecutive matches, but regardless of how the game unfolds, they will push forward with a fighting spirit and are determined to win. Tokyo sees the return of Kajiwara from suspension to the starting lineup, and they will also deploy Hayashi, who will make his first league start as a forward.

Kawasaki currently sits in 5th place with 4 wins, 2 draws, and 2 losses. Their total goals scored so far is 17. They have conceded 12 goals, which is in contrast to Tokyo, but their goal difference is both "+5". This is a "direct confrontation" where the rankings could change based on the results of this match. However, in the previous match against Kashiwa, Kawasaki only managed to score 1 goal from a free kick while conceding 4 goals as they pushed forward. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how they adjust their balance for this match, but above all, their attacking lineup is diverse. For this match, they will deploy a formation with forwards Yu OKUBO and Funayama as the two strikers, and midfielders Renato and Kobayashi on both sides.

In contrast, Tokyo needs to maintain its usual style of play and keep the opponent from scoring for the full 90 minutes, or as Hanyu said, "even if we concede one goal, can we fight without falling apart?" This year's Tamagawa Classico is expected to be a heated battle, but we want to demonstrate concentration, patience, and resilience throughout the 90 minutes and secure a victory.

Under the clear weather that became the hottest of the year, with a record crowd of 42,604 in the stands, the match kicked off at 16:04 in Tokyo.

Allowed Kawasaki to dominate and conceded a goal from a set piece

From the start, they competed fiercely for the ball without losing out, battling intensely. In the 5th minute, Hanyu and then Kajiyama persistently stole the ball from Kawasaki and connected it to the front line. However, the ball played to Kono on the left front line was contained by Kawasaki's DF, and they could not turn it into a chance. In the 7th minute, Muto was fouled on the left side of the midfield, earning the first FK of the day. Ota sent YoneMoto running forward, and YoneMoto delivered a cross through the gap between the opposing DF. From the scramble in the center, Kono, just outside the left area, aimed directly but was blocked before he could make solid contact.

Up to this point, they maintained a compact formation and did not allow Kawasaki to find their rhythm, but gradually they were evaded by the press, allowing Kawasaki to dominate possession. In the 20th minute, Muuto fouled Kawasaki MF Renato during a dribble, giving away a free kick from slightly left of the Tokyo defensive area. In the 21st minute, in this situation, Kawasaki MF Nakamura sent a kick over the center towards the far post, and FW Yu OKUBO, who had jumped in from the wide side, headed it in... This was the first goal conceded since the match against Hiroshima on April 18, allowing the opponent to take the lead.

In the 33rd minute, from another free kick by Kawasaki, this time DF Ikawa in the right area shifted his mark to block Tokyo's DF, allowing MF Kobayashi to break through from the outside and take a direct shot. It was a decisive moment, but the shot went across the goal and avoided conceding a goal. In the 45th minute, from a free kick at the left corner of Kawasaki's area, it was returned to FW Yu OKUBO at the far post, but this was caught by Gonda. Although they were pressured, they did not collapse and did not allow an additional goal. However, in attack, they were unable to advance the ball past Kawasaki's defense to the front line. They ended the first half without creating any chances.

Change the flow, dramatic comeback victory with goals from Ota and Muto!

In the second half, Tokyo substituted Kono for Higashi. In the 50th minute, Maeda came on for Hayashi. They aimed to seize the momentum with an aggressive attitude and pressing from the front. In the 52nd minute, during a counterattack exchange, YoneMoto on the left made a through pass to the front. Maeda let it go, connecting with a free Muuto in the center of the area. It was a decisive moment, but Muuto couldn't make a good connection with the shot. In the 60th minute, after a battle for aerial dominance in front of the Kawasaki goal, Muuto received the ball in the right area and crossed it from close range, but it went across the goal line.

In an offensive push, in the 64th minute, Kajiyama intercepted a pass from Kawasaki MF Nakamura in his own half and initiated a counterattack. Muto charged through the opponent's territory with a dribble. He was fouled by Kawasaki DF Kurumaya just before the left area. DF Kurumaya received his second warning for this play and was sent off. Immediately after, Tokyo took a free kick from this situation, and Azuma, who jumped in at the near post, connected with a right-footed shot. It was a decisive moment, but it was thwarted by the opposing goalkeeper's save. In the 68th minute, a feed from Kajiyama reached Azuma, who had broken into the area. He controlled it with his chest, but was closely marked by Kawasaki DF Elsinho from behind, preventing him from taking a shot.

In the 71st minute, Muto was fouled just outside the right area, earning a free kick. Ota aimed directly for the goal with a sharp kick, sinking it into the bottom left corner for a GOAL! Ota once again capitalized on a set-piece opportunity to equalize.

After that, even with 10 players, Kawasaki did not give up and utilized their inherent attacking power to push forward. Encouraged by the atmosphere in the stands, they displayed concentration and shut down the counterattack. Then, in the 86th minute, from a quick attack by Tokyo, Higashi advanced through the center and attempted to slip the ball through the legs of Mutou on the left side of the area, but was blocked. However, they persistently picked up the loose ball and earned a free kick from the left flank near the goal line.

In the 87th minute, Ota's kick was perfectly timed for Muto to dive in, heading the ball into the net for a dramatic go-ahead goal! Both goals came from set pieces, but they also seized the momentum during the flow of the game, dramatically winning the Tamagawa Classico in a fierce match! This also marked their third consecutive victory in the league.

【Player Comments】
《Muto》
"In the first half, we couldn't play as we wanted, and we couldn't apply pressure. We were dominated by Kawasaki and conceded a goal in the process, but in the second half, we switched to pressing from the front. I think that worked well. In the goal scene, I had been at the far post the whole time but moved to the near post. There, Ota sent a wonderful ball. Before that, I missed a clear chance and also gave away a free kick that led to a goal. I wanted to somehow make up for those negatives."

Ota
"Our current theme is to keep the goals conceded to zero, and allowing an early goal was, in a sense, unexpected. However, we tried to switch our mindset and endure the first half. We aimed to stay calm, not leave any spaces, and focus on being patient first."
(About the equalizer)
At that time, we were able to create quite a few chances from corners and other set pieces. I was able to make good kicks and felt the responsibility of being in charge of set plays. I understood the characteristics of Kawasaki GK Nishibu, so I made him think I would kick to the near post with my timing and deception, but I kicked to the far post. I believed that as long as I could get it over the wall and into the frame, I could score. Right now, everyone on the pitch, including the substitutes, is working hard for the team. I think we are seeing the results of that effort.

[Press Conference Summary of Coach Massimo FICCADENTI]
"Kawasaki's front four have high quality and were aggressive from the start. I think we were able to respond as planned. We conceded a goal from a set piece, but after that, the quality of the game improved. At halftime, I told the players, 'This is the expected development.' I also mentioned that the opponent's stamina would drop in the second half, and I was confident we could definitely turn the game around. I was aware of the players' condition, which led to that confidence, and I think we were running twice as much as the opponent from the 11 vs 11 point. Higashi, who was brought on in the second half, entered the game with good momentum and pressed from the front. We started the second half actively and aggressively, showing incredible physical condition. Even after equalizing, we took risks to seek victory; it was a wonderful match. Kawasaki, boasting one of the top attacking forces in the J.League, is a team worthy of respect and has excellent players. Winning against such an opponent is a significant victory."
(Wasn't it a significant victory in the race for the championship as we reach the halfway point of the 1st stage?)
We do not think about titles; we only focus on the upcoming matches and this moment. I believe that valuing each day and being able to concentrate solely on the match at hand is a strength. The players deeply understand what mentality they should have and possess the wisdom to know their limits. Today, I think the fans and supporters were able to enjoy a wonderful fighting spirit, goals, and plays, but the team still has much to build upon. Time and dedication are essential to achieve something, and consistency in our daily efforts is important. We believe we can still grow even more.

【Kawasaki - Coach Kazama's Press Conference Summary】
"Unlike the previous match, we aimed to attack the center firmly, and the players performed very well from the first half. In the second half, we knew how the opponent would respond, but the players were not flustered. However, it was an unexpected turn of events when we had to send off a player just as we were regaining our tempo. Still, even with one less player, if we could score in a situation where we needed to, I think we had some luck. I really wanted to deliver a victory for the many fans and supporters who came. However, I believe the players did very well."