A match aiming for the first victory in J1 at Yurtec.S

Entering Sec. 10, the midpoint of the first stage, we now move into the second half of the season. We will face Vegalta Sendai away. In the previous match, we achieved a dramatic comeback to win the Tamagawa Classico, marking our third consecutive league victory and rising to second place. Even when we allowed the first goal, we did not crumble; we changed the flow of the game, showed resilience and determination, and must have gained confidence. However, Ota mentioned, "No one is satisfied with the current situation," and Gonda added, "At this stage, we are not concerned with rankings or points." He emphasized, "We need to review and correct our shortcomings not only when we lose but also when we are winning. While continuing this, everyone is focused on the upcoming match and thinking only about achieving victory." This attitude will be expressed on the pitch as we aim for our first four consecutive wins under Massimo Tokyo.

Sendai, on the other hand, is in 13th place after Sec. 9. They started the season well with 2 wins and 3 draws, but after suffering their first defeat in Sec. 6 against Kawasaki, they have been unable to recover during the consecutive matches and are currently on a 4-game losing streak. However, they have lost all matches by narrow margins. Coach Massimo also mentioned, "Sendai is an aggressive team. They can play using long balls and can also attack quickly." Since they conceded a goal from a free kick in the match against Kawasaki, they need to pay close attention to set plays utilizing the kicks of Sendai MF Yang and MF Nozawa. Their J1 record at Yurtec Stadium Sendai is 3 draws and 3 losses. Not only have they never won in league matches, but they have also never finished a match without conceding a goal.

Tokyo started with Maeda and Azuma, who were brought on in the second half of the previous match, in the starting lineup. The formation featured a two-top with Muto and Maeda, and Azuma playing just behind them. On the other hand, Sendai deployed FW Okuno alongside FW Wilson in a two-top formation. The center-backs were DF Tataru and Ishikawa, with DF Sugai and Futami as the two full-backs. The midfield was structured in a 4-4-2 formation with MF Mogi and Nozawa on the flanks. Yurtec.S has never secured a victory in the J1 League, but they aim to shake off the poor past data and strive for three points in this match.

The match started at 19:04 with a kickoff in Tokyo.

Morishige scores the opening goal! Progressing through the match without haste, leading by one goal at halftime.

The match started 9 minutes in. Sendai's FW Okuno stole the ball in a scramble just outside the right area and immediately turned forward, spreading the play to the right flank. FW Wilson's sharp cross was cut by Tokunaga in the area with a heel, but Sendai's left MF Nozawa reacted to the loose ball. He charged in fiercely and took a powerful shot directly, but it hit the bar and was cleared without incident.

15 minutes have passed, and Sendai has been aggressively attacking since the beginning. In response, Tokyo is trying to apply pressure, but the play is often interrupted by fouls, making it difficult to find their rhythm.

After 20 minutes had passed, in response to Sendai's momentum, Tokyo moved Higashi to left MF and Hanyu to the right. Yonehara and Kajiyama formed a double pivot in a 4-4-2 formation. In the 24th minute, a long ball did not reach Sendai FW Wilson, but it was determined that Yoshimoto committed a foul, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded... In the 25th minute, Sendai FW Wilson took the penalty kick. Gonda stopped it in the bottom right!!!! It was a priceless play.

In the 33rd minute, after clearing the opponent's corner kick, Higashi attempted to launch a counterattack but couldn't advance the ball at first. However, he persevered and regained possession, and from Maeda's pass to the front line, Muto, who broke through, was fouled, resulting in a free kick just outside the left area. Then, in the 34th minute, Ota took the free kick. Morishige on the far side struck a powerful shot with his right foot and scored a GOAL!! Once again, they took the lead from a set piece!

In the early stages, Sendai attacked with momentum due to their quick start and fierce battles for the ball. In response, Tokyo switched to a 4-4-2 formation. In the 24th minute, a foul by Yoshimoto resulted in a penalty kick, but Gonda made a stop!! He defended the goal, and in the 34th minute, from a free kick won by Muto, Ota passed to Morishige, who scored a magnificent goal with his right foot!! After taking the lead, Hanyu and others managed the midfield while calmly circulating the ball in the defense line, proceeding without panic and maintaining a one-goal lead to finish the first half.

Achieved the first victory in J1 at Yurtec.S, securing four consecutive wins in the league

At the start of the second half, Tokyo changed their formation again to the initial 4-3-3 shape. In the 47th minute, Gonda's kick was contested by Maeda, leading to Hanyu on the left and then to Muto. From here, Yonemoto made a run into the area for the cross. A foul was called, and this time Tokyo was awarded a penalty kick. In the 48th minute, Muto calmly converted the penalty and scored!! GOAL!! GOAL!!

In the 52nd minute, Hanyu made a pass to the left front line, drawing out Ota's advance. Ota, who moved up at the right timing, delivered a cross that Muuto connected with, scoring a shot that slipped between the defenders and the goalkeeper for a GOAL!! GOAL!! GOAL!! making it 3-0. Then, 60 minutes had passed. Early in the second half, they scored another goal from a penalty kick, and shortly after, Muuto connected with Ota's cross to get the third goal! They quickly expanded their lead. To secure the win, they need to create their own time and keep Sendai's counterattacks scoreless.

In the 69th minute, Takahashi was brought in to replace Hanyu. He formed a double pivot with Kajiyama, while Higashi and Yonemoto took up positions on both flanks. In the 74th minute, a left cross from Sendai flowed to the far side, threatening to connect with Sendai again, but Muto sprinted back from the front line at high speed to intercept it. Literally, he never stopped hard work on both offense and defense. In the 85th minute, Hayashi was brought in to replace Muto.

In the 87th minute, Maruyama was brought on for Maeda, switching to a three-back formation. In the 88th minute, a right cross from Sendai was returned from the left area, and Sendai DF Ishikawa was right there in the right area. Unable to block this, it was scored into the upper right of the net, resulting in a goal conceded... In the 90th minute, Gonda rushed out against FW Kanazono, who had run into the left area, but the shot-like ball grazed Gonda and spilled into the center... It was directly pierced by Sendai FW Hamon Lopez, who was free in the center of the area, resulting in another goal conceded... They entered the final stages while maintaining a three-goal lead, but conceded a goal due to a gap right after a player substitution. It was unfortunate to allow an additional goal in a panic against a Sendai side that was gaining momentum, but they managed to hold on until the time was up. While leaving some issues to address, they secured their first J1 victory at Yurtec.S, achieving four consecutive league wins with a score of 3-2.

【Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's Press Conference】
"The first 20 minutes showed unstable play, but the match completely changed after the penalty stop. After that, we were able to play our game until the end of the second half, and I believe we created many chances in addition to the three goals. The substitutions were made considering the players' physical condition. Although we conceded two goals at the end of the match, I think it was a very positive experience for the team. We experienced that until the referee blows the final whistle, anything can happen, and we must maintain our focus until the very end, which I believe was a good lesson. From midway through the first half and throughout the match, the players were excellent both tactically and in terms of play content."

【Sendai Coach Harasaki's Press Conference Summary】
* Due to the suspension of Coach Watanabe, Coach Harasaki attended the press conference.
"In the first half, we started very well, but not being able to score during that time led to a difficult situation. I think conceding goals at the beginning of the second half shows the team's weaknesses."

[Player Comments]
Gonda
"Stopping a penalty kick is my job. If there was a feeling that 'Gonda would stop it' or a sense that we could win when it was 3-0, that would be the worst thing. Even at 3-0, we should have been aiming for a fourth goal, and conceding two goals in the final stages is something a team like ours should not do. If there's any complacency, it can lead to slow reactions to second balls, and we might concede when we really don't want to, or we might not be able to score when we really need a goal. Even if we lose 0-1, there may be more points for reflection today than in that match. However, we are a developing team. It's important to correct today's reflections and not make the same mistakes again when a similar situation arises next time. I want to grow more and more, and for that, I need to delve deeper, and I am painfully aware of that again. Still, I am very grateful to everyone who cheered us on from the stands. We had away games during Golden Week, but so many of you came out, and even after conceding two goals, you continued to support us. It doubled our strength."

《Ota》
"(Regarding the free kick that led to the opening goal)
It was a perfect understanding between us. Morishige kicked it beautifully, and it felt great. The shot was good, but there were also players blocking nearby and others drawing marks with fakes at the near post, so it was a goal we scored together as a team. We were able to execute the pattern we practiced perfectly. However, we must not concede any goals. We want to review this together as a team."