Closing with 4 consecutive wins, "I want to send Muto off feeling good."

As we approach the final match of the 1st stage, we will face Shimizu S-Pulse at Ajinomoto Stadium. In the previous match, we caught up to a tie with Nakajima's first J1 goal and turned the game around with a PK, achieving our third consecutive win. As a result, we are currently in 3rd place and if we earn 1 point in this match, we will secure our highest ever 3rd place finish. There is also a possibility of rising to 2nd place with the help of other teams, but our priority is to secure a victory ourselves. This will also be Muto's final game before his transfer to Germany, making it a highly anticipated match. We hope to end the 1st stage with a win, with focus and unity.

Shimizu, on the other hand, is currently in 18th place with 13 points. They had a big win of 5-2 against Kawasaki in the 14th round, but then suffered consecutive losses against Urawa and Kofu, and it can be said that they have not been able to overcome their difficulties. However, they have scored 20 goals so far, which is not much different from Tokyo's 21, showing that they have a strong attacking force. With FW Omae and FW Peter UTAKA leading the way, they have a speedy attack and a midfield filled with players with both technique and running ability. The key will be how long they can hold off conceding goals. They have conceded in 8 consecutive league matches, but they will need to endure and take advantage of the opponent's high line to score the first goal.

Tokyo will face the match with the same starting lineup as the previous round, with Mita and Higashi on both sides in a 4-4-2 formation. In addition, Hayashi, who has recovered from an injury, will make a comeback to the squad for the first time since the May 27th Nabisco Hiroshima match and will be on the bench.

Every teammate praises Muto as "a fun and reliable player to play with" and says, "We want to win and send him off with a good feeling." The remaining time as a "current team" is only 90 minutes. Over 40,000 spectators have gathered at Ajinomoto Stadium for the third time this season, and we will unite as one on the greatest stage to achieve the best result.

East scores the first goal of the league with Kajiyama's ball interception!

Both teams aggressively pushed forward from the beginning and fought offensively. In the 7th minute, Higashi dribbled up the left side and passed to Muto who was running up the outside. Muto sent a low cross to Maeda who tried to score. In the 12th minute, Maeda dropped a right throw-in inside the Shimizu box and the opposing goalkeeper punched away a right cross. Ota ran in from the opposite side and aimed for a middle shot on the loose ball. The game progressed at a fast pace and the two teams constantly switched positions in an intense battle.

At 22 minutes, Ota made a vertical run and passed Shizuoka DF Edamura, sending a cross from the sideline. East in the left area headed it perfectly, but it went wide and couldn't find the frame. At 26 minutes, Shizuoka connected a direct pass in the midfield, with MF Kawai as the starting point on the left side, and FW Peter UTAKA making a run into the area, but the shot was caught by Gonda. At 35 minutes, a pass was intercepted, and Shizuoka FW Omae → MF Mizutani was free on the front line. A shot was taken right away from the area.

After a mistake, a scoring opportunity was created, but thanks to Shimizu's missed shot, the team was able to avoid danger. In the 38th minute, they connected from a right throw-in in Shimizu's half, and Mita tried to aim from the right area, but it was blocked. However, from here, Shimizu's MF Kaneko tried to bring the ball up, but Kajiyama pressed and stole the ball, advancing forward. Then, from the left, they sent a through pass to East, who had just barely escaped offside. East took the ball forward, dribbled past the oncoming GK, and kicked it in with his left foot, GOAL! This was East's first goal in the league, giving the team the lead.

In the 43rd minute, Higashi created a chance on the left side and sent a well-aimed cross to the left area. Takahashi made a run into the box. In the first half additional time, Takahashi was able to get to a loose ball from a cross on the right and took a shot, but was unable to score a second goal. They maintained a one-goal lead going into the second half.

Maeda scores 2 goals! Defeating the shootout and reaching a record high 2nd place.

In the second half, Shimizu took control of the rhythm. In the 46th minute, a pass from the left side of Shimizu's pass work was sent behind DF Edamura, and a pass was made there. It was offside, but it created a dangerous scene. In the 48th minute, Shimizu's left DF Inukai crossed. Then Shimizu MF Kawakai dribbled to the left area. The shot was blocked, but Tokyo's defense was slow to respond. In the 51st minute, a feed to Shimizu's front line was sent to FW Peter UTAKA. Morishige, who chased after him, was turned around and a negative pass was made in front of the goal. From here, Shimizu MF Mizutani's shot hit the bottom right post and bounced back... From the rebound, right DF Edamura sent a low cross to the front of the goal. FW Omae reacted to this and turned with his right foot, then slid the ball into the goal with the same right foot... The score was now tied.

Tokyo made a substitution, bringing in Hanyu for Mita in the 53rd minute. In an attempt to regain balance in both attack and defense, they reached the 60th minute when midfielder Kajiyama fought hard and passed to the front line. Maeda, who received the pass, launched a counter attack and connected with Muto in the area. Muto was surrounded by Shimizu defenders, but calmly passed to Maeda who had made his way up to the right area. Maeda evaded the sliding Shimizu defender and scored past the goalkeeper! Kajiyama and Muto took advantage of Shimizu's gap and Maeda's goal, his first since the 12th round against Urawa, gave Tokyo the lead.

At 66 minutes, they got a FK from the left side, and Maeda scored a GOAL with a sharp kick from Ota's assist!! Maeda scored his second goal in a row! They extended their lead to 2 points! In the 77th minute, Ishikawa was substituted, and in the 81st minute, Hashimoto was brought in to push Shimizu further back.

However, in the humid heat, fatigue was felt and in the end, an open match was played. In the 83rd minute, Shonan passed the ball to Shimizu and was unable to press. Shimizu DF Takeuchi → left side FW Sawada → MF Ishige, who received the ball in the center, was free to take a middle shot. The sharp right-footed shot was sucked into the upper right corner... losing the second goal and allowing a comeback.

However, Tokyo continued to gather the ball to Muto on the front line, posing a threat to Shimizu. Although Muto himself did not score, they managed to fend off Shimizu's counterattack until the end of the game. With their fourth consecutive win, they rose to second place as Hiroshima drew, achieving their highest ranking and concluding the 1st stage.

[Player Comments]
"East" "When the opponent had 3 backs, we were able to create chances from the side when we went forward after taking the ball. I think it went well as an approach to the game. I was able to score thanks to a good ball from Kajiyama. It's a bad habit of mine to panic after receiving the ball, but today I was able to stay calm in a 1-on-1 situation with the GK. I also wanted to score for Mutoh."

"Maeda"
"I couldn't score for a long time and it was tough. Especially at Ajinomoto Stadium, I wanted to score quickly. I was finally able to score, but Muto and Ota sent me really good balls. I'm happy that I was able to contribute to the team's victory more than anything. Muto is a really good player. I want him to keep working hard and we want to come together as a team and head towards the 2nd stage."

"Muto"
"I wanted to express my gratitude for everything so far by scoring a goal in the end. However, I think I was too tense and my legs cramped in the early part of the second half, and I was nervous myself (bitter smile). Still, my teammates scored a goal today, won, and sent me off. I am here now thanks to all the fans, supporters, teammates, coaches, trainers, and everyone involved with the club. I had decided not to cry after the game... but I couldn't stop crying when I thought about the past 13 years since I joined FC Tokyo from school and all the people who supported me. In order to show my gratitude and repay everyone, I want to show my performance with the Japan national team and in Germany. Thank you very much."

[Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's press conference]
"I expected it to be a difficult game. Shimizu is lower in the standings, but they have very good players. They played well today with their speed, and I want to praise them. We had a tough time, but after scoring a goal, we found a good rhythm and I think the substitution of Hayabusa in a difficult time was effective. Shimizu's second goal was also a fantastic one. After that, the game became fast-paced again, but we were able to win. I think today's game was a reflection of our strengths. We finished 2nd in the 1st stage, but the season is only halfway through. We want to look to the future with confidence, having accumulated 35 points so far. As for Urawa, who won the 1st stage, we have to acknowledge their results."
(What were the reasons for finishing in 2nd place?)
Factors such as the implementation of tactics that began a year ago and the growth of players can be cited. We also need to respond firmly to Muto's departure. The most important thing for us is the growth of all players.
(Where should we focus our efforts: on winning the stage or on the overall results throughout the year?)
I have also told the players that we cannot just give half of our effort and then take a vacation. Continuity is important for the team, and I believe it will lead to good results. It is important to give our all in every game while looking at the big picture."

[Shimizu - Coach Katsumi OENOKI's Press Conference Summary]
"In the last game of the 1st stage, we really wanted to get 3 points. We were able to pressure the ball from the front line and attack from behind, just like we have been doing so far. We created several chances in the first half, and if we had been able to score there, I think the flow of the game would have changed. The first goal was taken from a mistake, which was a shame. However, we played well in the first half and were able to equalize at the beginning of the second half. We pushed the opponent as planned, but we conceded the second goal from a counter attack that we were aware of. We were slow to respond and then conceded another goal from a set piece. We were able to get one goal back, but we couldn't create many chances after that. It's all my responsibility that we ended up in last place in the 1st stage. I will reflect on this and make sure to turn things around in the 2nd stage."