Aim for advancement to the Final Round and defeat the tough opponent Hiroshima!

In the Nabisco Cup Sec. 6, we faced Sanfrecce Hiroshima away. In the league match against Nagoya, we lost 0 to 1 without capitalizing on our chances. It was a match where we showed our fighting spirit until the end, but we couldn't stop the losing streak. Nevertheless, the players talk about the importance of continuity, saying, "We will improve each issue in offense and defense and move on to the next. We have to be conscious of this from the practice and preparation stages and keep doing it." Coach Massimo also stated, "To ensure that the work we have done with the players so far is not in vain, we want to turn it into victories. However, whether we are winning or losing, it is important to believe in ourselves and keep going," emphasizing that everyone must continue to fight with a strong mindset for the sake of victory without looking down.

Hiroshima, who faced off, made changes to their lineup in the Nabisco Sec. 5 match held on the 20th (Wednesday), but lost 0 to 1. After four matches, they have dropped to 4th place in Group A with 5 points. It is undoubtedly going to be a tough battle for Tokyo, but this match is also positioned as an opportunity for revenge, taking lessons from the league's Sec. 6. In particular, preventing young and fresh players like Hiroshima's FW Asano, FW Nozuta, and MF Shimizu from gaining momentum will be key.

Tokyo will be without Maeda, Yoshimoto, and Enomoto. Lassad will make his first start in the forward line, partnering with Muto in a two-top formation, while Higashi will play as the attacking midfielder. In midfield, Takahashi will serve as the anchor, alongside Yonemoto and Hanyu. Maruyama will take on one of the center-back positions. Kawai has also made the bench for the first time since the Nabisco match against Matsumoto on March 26.

Hiroshima has changed its lineup from the league match, with only MF Marutani starting from the previous match. The average age of the starting players is 22.91 years. GK Hiroe is also on the bench, bringing a fresh lineup. However, the playmaking ability of MF Kudo and Chajima, as well as the scoring power of MF Nozuta and FW Asano, cannot be underestimated. In contrast, this match aims for victory through hard work on both offense and defense, showcasing a fighting spirit.

Hiroshima felt like summer during the day, but as the sun began to set, it started with a weather that allowed for a breather, kicking off in Tokyo at 19:04.

We created good opportunities, but lacked precision in the front line and went into the second half without scoring.

The match starts with a minute gone. From a restart in midfield, a pass error by Yonemoto is intercepted, and Hiroshima forward Asano counters with a dribble. He carries the ball to the goal area, and although they manage to stop him here, midfielder Nozuta, who moved from the center to the left area, takes a shot. Gonda catches it, successfully overcoming a dangerous situation.

Both teams lack a decisive factor as 20 minutes pass. Tokyo is connecting passes and controlling the ball, but they are not quite in sync at the final moment, resulting in few shooting opportunities. Hiroshima's counterattacks are sharp, and the match continues in a back-and-forth situation. However, in the 22nd minute, Takahashi's vertical feed is not collected by Muto, leading to a counterattack from Hiroshima. The play shifts from left to right, and an early cross is attempted, but it is not connected, and the ball goes out of bounds. In the following 24th minute, a free kick is awarded almost centrally in Hiroshima's attacking zone. The ball sent in front of the goal is cleared by Lassad, but it is thrown back in from the second ball, resulting in a left corner kick. However, they do not allow a shot from the set piece and manage to defend successfully.

In the 29th minute, Higashi drifted to the left side. Lassad made a run into the left area, creating a decoy movement. From there, he passed to the center of the area, behind the opposing defender, and Muto broke free for a decisive shot. However, facing the goalkeeper, he had very little angle... and could not hit the target...

With 35 minutes gone, Tokyo created some good opportunities against Hiroshima's five-man defense, but lacked precision and did not score. Conversely, they were targeted by Hiroshima's midfield ball circulation and faced some vigorous counterattacks. In the 38th minute, Hanyu injured his side, and the match was temporarily stopped. He briefly left the pitch but returned quickly without serious injury. However, in the 42nd minute, he was forced to substitute, and Mita was brought onto the pitch in place of Hanyu.

Tokyo dominated possession and created good chances, but lacked precision in the final third and ended up scoreless. There were moments when they faced sharp counters from Hiroshima, but they did not concede. Hanyu was forced to substitute due to an accident, but the match continues into the second half.

Tied the game with Hayashi's goal, maintaining the top position!

Since the start of the second half, Tokyo changed their formation to 4-4-2. Takahashi and Yonemoto as double defensive midfielders. Higashi on the left midfield, and Mita on the right. In the 59th minute, Kono came in. Adding depth to the front line, Lassad is at the forefront. Kono is positioned just behind him. Both sides are covered by Muto and Mita, forming a shape close to 4-2-3-1. As 65 minutes pass, they are advancing the game in Hiroshima's territory, trying various challenges to break through the opponent's defensive block, but they cannot shake the net.

In the 75th minute, Hayashi was brought on to replace Lassad to invigorate the front line. In the 79th minute, a counterattack was launched from their own half, and Takahashi advanced with a dribble, but while looking for a passing option in the front line, the ball was taken away, leading to a counterattack from Hiroshima. They were unable to stop it. The play was developed from the center to the left, and against a sharp cross from there, MF Shimizu slid in on the right side of the area, resulting in a sliding match... and they conceded a goal.

80 minutes have passed, and Hiroshima has begun to find their rhythm with a player substitution. In contrast, Tokyo has had fewer opportunities to advance the ball, making mistakes during their attacks and allowing a counter to concede the opening goal... In the 85th minute, Hiroshima substituted DF Shiotani for MF Shimizu, who scored the opening goal.

In the second half of stoppage time, Mita broke through the right front line with a one-two with Kono, delivering a ground cross. Hayashi slid in at the near post to score!! He equalized with his second goal in the Nabisco!

Unable to score during a good rhythm, we allowed a counter from Hiroshima due to a mistake, conceding the first goal. However, in stoppage time, Mita to Hayashi marked a miraculous equalizer! Although qualification for the Final Round was not secured, we succeeded in accumulating 1 point. We maintained our top position with a 3-point lead over the teams in second place and below.

[Player Comments]
《Hayashi》
"From the moment I stepped onto the pitch, I was telling both Mita and Ota to 'give it to me near.' The goal was in my usual style, but if a good ball comes like that, even I can score (laughs). However, I was conscious of making multiple movements to lose my marker and not entering too early. I have been a burden to the team for a long time, and I couldn't fully believe in myself; there were times I wondered if the direction I was heading was right... I was frustrated that I couldn't produce results in J1. But... today we earned 1 point, and being able to contribute to that gives me a bit of confidence. I want to contribute more to the team and gain trust from those around me. To do that, I want to work hard so that today’s match isn’t the end, but rather the beginning of consistently achieving results."

《Morishige》
"All the chances we faced were due to our own mistakes. We were able to hold the ball somewhat, but we often got caught up in our play... We needed to be more focused and improve the precision of each play. Hiroshima was aiming for counterattacks from the first half. I don't know how many players on the pitch sensed that atmosphere, but we needed to tighten our focus. Losing due to self-destruction and conceding goals is Tokyo's biggest weakness, in my opinion. That's something each of us needs to reconsider."

【Summary of Coach Massimo FICCADENTI's Press Conference】
"It was a match where the temperature was high and the offense and defense changed rapidly. I think we created more chances in the first half. In the second half, there was a lot of space, and we conceded a goal from a counterattack. In the last 10 minutes, it wasn't a very good development, but I believed in victory. We haven't secured our place in the Final Round yet, but it's a significant point earned."

[Summary of the Press Conference by Hajime MORIYASU, Coach of Hiroshima]
We prepared to win this match, and although overall we deserved to win, it is disappointing to miss out on the three points. However, the players played with courage and aggression. They fought tenaciously with a desire for victory until the end. Although it ended in a draw, there is still a possibility of advancing to the Final Round, so we want to win the next match and fight hard to have luck on our side. I feel sorry that we couldn't deliver a victory to the fans and supporters who came to cheer us on despite it being a weekday night game. The players were able to keep fighting until the end thanks to the support of the fans and supporters.