7 academy graduates in the starting lineup. We aim for victory with a calm and calculated game, without leaving any openings!

Only 3 games left in the 1st stage. In the 15th round, which will be held on Sunday, we will face Matsumoto Yamaga FC away. In the Nabisco Cup held on June 3rd, we secured 1 point with a solid performance and advanced to the final tournament. This round will be the last of the 5 consecutive games starting from the 12th round on May 16th, but coach Massimo says, "It's important to always give our best. We want to finish the consecutive games on a good note, but there are no easy games. We will focus on each game and aim to play well, and we need to approach each game with all our strength."

Tokyo, currently in 4th place, is aiming for a winning streak in the league following their match against Kashiwa in order to improve their ranking. However, with the absence of Yonemoto and Hanyu, as well as Morishige being suspended for this match, the team is facing a difficult situation. Manager Massimo stated, "Everyone should understand the importance of Morishige to the team. However, in this situation, I hope that the players who have had fewer opportunities to play will seize their chance," expressing his expectations for the emergence of new players.

Matsumoto, who they will face, is currently in 13th place with 15 points. They already played against each other in the 2nd round of the Nabisco Cup on March 28th, where they faced many attacks initiated by MF Iwagami's kicks and long throws, as well as being pushed back from set pieces. For this match, all 11 starters have been replaced with a "league match-ready" lineup. They will surely come to their home ground with an aggressive press and aim to gather the ball in the front line for a victory. This will be their first match in the J1 league, but they will aim to secure 3 points with a calm and composed game without giving any openings.

Tokyo's captain, Tokunaga, will take over due to Morishige's suspension. Maruyama and Yoshimoto will be in the CB position. Kajiyama will make a comeback in the midfield. Additionally, Hashimoto will make his first J1 start. Although registered as a FW, he will play as a side half alongside Mita, with Takahashi and Kajiyama as a double pivot. Up front, Muto and Lassad will start in a 4-4-2 formation. As a result, 7 academy graduates will make up the starting lineup.

The sun was strong during the day, but a cool breeze also blew, and the game started at 4:04 pm with Matsumoto's kickoff.

Pushed back from the beginning, but with Hashimoto's first J1 goal and Muto's goal, we head into the second half!

The match started with one minute. Matsumoto was quickly brought forward from the kickoff and a left throw-in. Mita tried to bring it to a counter, but Matsumoto's quick switch and intense competition made it difficult to connect to the front line. 15 minutes passed and they were pushed back by the opponent's momentum, but they maintained their focus in front of the goal and tried to connect to the attack from good defense. However, the marking on Muto was strict and there were few scenes where they could bring it forward due to the opponent's intense pressure.

However, in the 27th minute, Maruyama pushed up the line and Ota, who had escaped on the left front line, did not kill the speed of the feed, but pulled the thread. Ota took the ball forward with a trap and crossed it. Hashimoto ran into the goal and kicked it into the net with a perfect shot GOAL!! From Maruyama and Ota's precise and high-quality play, Hashimoto scored a beautiful first J1 goal and took the lead.

At 40 minutes, Matsumoto made a sharp feed from the midfield to the back left area of Tokyo's defense. The opposing MF Maeda touched it with one touch and it fell in front of MF Iwagami who had moved up on the outside, but Tokunaga cleared it with a sliding tackle. It escaped to a corner kick and they were able to defend it. In additional time of the first half, Matsumoto's Maeda passed to the left front line. The opposing MF received it, but Tokunaga once again stopped him with a sliding tackle and they were able to avoid any danger. After that, Tokunaga on the right passed to Takahashi in the center, who then passed to Mutoh on the right area. Mutoh, despite being surrounded by defenders, used his strength to compete and as he tried to move forward, the opposing DF committed a handball. They were awarded a penalty kick. Mutoh confidently buried it in the bottom left corner for a GOAL!! GOAL!!

Matsumoto's aggressive attack pushed us back from the beginning. However, Tokyo remained calm and focused, showing patience. There were few scenes where we could move forward, but in the 27th minute, Maruyama and Ota's precise play led to Hashimoto's first J1 goal! With the lead, our dominance increased and we earned a penalty kick just before the end of the first half. Mutoh scored, marking his 10th league goal and expanding our lead for the second half.

A fast-paced game with constant changes in offense and defense, but we fought hard and emerged victorious!!

In the second half, both teams made mistakes and the game quickly turned into a back-and-forth battle. In the 63rd minute, Dai MATSUMOTO's long throw from the right was unable to be cleared in front of the goal. In the midst of the chaos, a shot from Dai MATSUMOTO's defender Yu OKUBO was deflected overhead and resulted in a goal. Immediately after the goal, Lassad was substituted for Hayashi in the 64th minute. Then, in the 72nd minute, Matsuda was substituted for Hashimoto, playing as the right midfielder. And Mita moved to the left.

Around the 80th minute, Matsumoto was pushed back and the game became chaotic. A left cross was cleared by MF Iwagami in the right area, but he was then robbed and a powerful shot was taken, but Gonda saved it in front of him. In the 83rd minute, Muto broke through the front line and brought the ball into the center from the left area, connecting with a heel pass. Mita, who ran into the left area from the outside, took a shot. However, he was unable to find the target as he was challenged by a defender...

In the 86th minute, Higashi was substituted for Mita. In the 90th minute, a right early cross from the opponent's DF Tanaka was hit with an overhead by FW Obina in the left area, but it was blocked at the falling point. The loose ball was connected and Gonda tried to come out in front, but he lost the ball in a collision with Yoshimoto and it was thrown into the goal from the left. However, Gonda regained his balance and managed to catch it, somehow surviving.

Second half additional time. Matsumoto rushes towards Gonda, who was trying to catch the ball in the area. The ball bounces off and is followed by consecutive shots, but Gonda makes a save by throwing his body. In the end, while Gonda is down, the shot is released but goes wide. In the second half, we were able to catch up with a one-point difference starting from a long throw, but then we were exposed to Matsumoto's fierce attacks. In the final stages, we tried to respond by switching to a 5-back formation, but we couldn't stop their momentum. However, thanks to Gonda's efforts, we didn't allow any additional points and were able to secure a victory away from home, extending our winning streak in the league.

[Player Comments]
"Hashimoto"
"(First start and first goal in J1?)
I thought Ota would cross the ball, so I jumped into the goal area. I'm honestly happy, but I don't remember much (laughs). When I scored, my mind went blank and I didn't even know if it was real or not. It was an out with my left foot, but I don't even remember the feeling (bitter smile).
However, jumping out from the second row is a play that I am good at and my strength. I was able to do that in the game and it led to a good result. I think it was good to score in the first half and it helped the team to calm down. I had a chance to play in the Nabisco Cup and I experienced the atmosphere of an official game. Today, I had the feeling of "I'm going to do it." We were pushed back for a long time against the opponent's long balls, but we were able to endure it together. However, in the scene where we conceded, I was marked outside and got a header. Especially in that position, I think I need to be more involved in chances and be the starting point for counterattacks. There are many things to reflect on and improve, so I want to work on them from practice. I want to contribute to the team and win the next two games after the 1st stage."

"Maruyama"
"We were able to score two goals in the first half, but at halftime we all talked about 'this is where the real battle begins. Let's switch gears and fight again.' We knew Matsumoto would come at us with a power play. We were pushed back, but we were able to withstand it and I think it was good that we were able to get 3 points."
(Regarding the feed that led to the opening goal)
Since the Shonan game, my kicking feeling has been good, so I was aiming to put it in that position. Ota was able to break through with a one-touch and put in a cross for me. Hashimoto also scored well, but I think I was able to show my strengths."

[Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's press conference]
"It was a good game overall. I am satisfied with the players' performance. In the first half, the team played well and was able to take a 2-point lead. However, we conceded a goal from a crowded situation in front of the goal that we were cautious about. We couldn't score a decisive third goal by targeting the opponent's back who came forward, but I think it was a big victory in the sense that we won a close game."

[Summary of Matsumoto - Yasuharu Sorimachi's Press Conference]
"Before summarizing, I want my university junior, Muto, to do well in Mainz. Including the Nabisco Cup, we have had five consecutive losses, which is very frustrating and I feel responsible. Until the final whistle, the players did well, but they lacked the ability to take advantage of a momentary gap. We fought for victory, but it was a very unsatisfying game. It is difficult to break through against Tokyo, who have a solid defensive organization. We did what we could, but I felt that we need to work harder in practice. I want to think that all the players fought energetically, so we are better losers than last time. However, it is regrettable that we could not take any points, and I apologize to the fans and supporters who cheered us on until the end."