The 2nd stage has begun, welcoming the 26th Tamagawa Classico.

The opening match of the 2nd Stage will be against Kawasaki Frontale in the "26th Tamagawa Classico." We will be heading away for this match. The 1st Stage ended with a record-high 2nd place, but Coach Massimo and the players all agree that "we have achieved nothing." From there, we aim to accumulate more points and achieve results throughout the year, giving our all in each match as we strive for victory.

In this match, Yonemoto, who has recovered from injury, returns to the starting lineup for the first time since the match against Kashiwa on May 30. Kajiyama will play as the anchor, with Yonemoto and Hanyu serving as inside midfielders, and Ishikawa and Maeda forming a two-top in the front line. They will adopt a 4-3-1-2 formation with Higashi positioned as the attacking midfielder. Additionally, newly signed Australian national team forward Nathan BURNS will be on the bench.

Kawasaki is in 5th place with 30 points in the 1st stage. They suffered a heavy defeat of 0 to 6 in a friendly match against Borussia Dortmund, but they likely see it as a valuable experience to get accustomed to the world-class pace and pressure, hoping to build momentum for the 2nd stage. Above all, they must feel strongly that they cannot afford to lose in this season's Tamagawa Classico.

FW Yu OKUBO and FW Renato boast a high attacking power, with a total of 32 goals, ranking second in the league. The focus of this match will be on how well they can remain calm and endure the moments when they need to. To prevent conceding goals, it is essential to maintain concentration, but more than ever, coordination and balance, including the front line, will be required. In terms of attack, they will utilize each individual's strengths, combine everyone's efforts, and take on Kawasaki.

Even in the evening, the humidity remains at Kawasaki Todoroki Stadium. The match started at 18:30 with Kawasaki's kickoff.

The defense from the front line is functioning, not allowing Kawasaki to play freely

Right after the kickoff, both teams engaged in a fierce battle. In the 2nd minute, Kawasaki MF Elsinho showcased his strength, and FW Yu OKUBO on the right flank made a vertical run and crossed the ball. In the 4th minute, Tokyo connected the ball from a set play, and Ishikawa, just outside the left area, made a through pass into the box. Ota made a run to meet it, but the ball was just a step ahead of the goalkeeper. In the 5th minute, Kawasaki again displayed good tempo in their passing, with MF Nakamura taking a shot from the left. Although it was a low trajectory shot, Gonda calmly caught it right in front of him.

Tokyo pressed from the front with a compact formation, and when they regained possession, they launched a quick counterattack. In the 10th minute, they intercepted a back pass from Kawasaki's midfielder Futoshi NAKAMURA and countered. Higashi was fouled, earning a free kick slightly to the right in the opponent's half. Ota aimed directly at the goal, but it went wide to the right. In the 12th minute, after Morishige intercepted a pass, the ball went from central Higashi to Ishikawa, who dropped it back. Higashi received the return pass and sent a through ball behind the opponent's defense. Maeda made a run but just missed the timing. In the 13th minute, a pass mistake from the opponent reached Maeda, who cut back past the defending player from the right area and took a shot, but it went over the bar.

Amidst intense defense from both sides, there were many situations where the opponent was given a chance for a free kick. In the 28th minute, from a quick restart by Kawasaki, FW Renato dribbled through the center. The Tokyo defense had to retreat, leading to a shot that went wide of the target. In the 33rd minute, Tokyo earned a free kick just outside the left area, near the goal line. Higashi sent a sharp kick to the far post, but it did not connect with Maeda...

As time passed, Kawasaki began to dominate possession of the ball, and although they took a few long-range shots, Tokyo's organized defense held strong. They did not allow the opponent to create any clear chances. On the other hand, they were unable to capitalize on their attacking opportunities, including set pieces. The first half ended scoreless.

Allowed the opening goal and fell into Kawasaki's rhythm. Trailed by two goals... defeat

The second half started with back-and-forth play, but the high positioning of right back Takeoka and left midfielder Komiyama on both flanks caused difficulties. In the 52nd minute, from a passing sequence in the center, FW Renato passed to the left area. MF Komiyama sent a pass into the space in front of the goal, and the free MF Elsinho made a run, connecting with a shot using the outside of his right foot. This found the top right corner... and they conceded the opening goal due to being caught off guard.

In the 56th minute, Higashi broke through on the left front line and managed to take a shot despite being marked by a DF, but it was saved by the opposing goalkeeper. Following that, from Ota's left corner kick, Morishige headed the ball but it went over the bar. In the 59th minute, Ishikawa broke into the right area behind the opponent but was grabbed by the Kawasaki DF and lost control. In the 61st minute, Nathan BURNS made his J-League debut, coming on for Higashi. They aimed to launch a counterattack with momentum.

However, Kawasaki aimed to increase the tempo and launched a speedy counterattack. Therefore, in the 65th minute, Takahashi was brought on for Hanyu. He formed a double pivot with Kajiyama, with Yonemoto on the left side and Ishikawa on the right. They changed their formation to a 4-4-2 with Maeda and Nathan BURNS at the top, trying to shift the momentum. However, in a back-and-forth of counterattacks, in the 74th minute, Kawasaki FW Renato dribbled from the right to the center. Unable to stop him, Yoshimoto committed a foul, giving away a free kick just to the right of the penalty arc. FW Renato himself aimed for this free kick with a soft kick, and the ball slipped through the wall and was sucked into the right side... conceding the second goal.

In the 75th minute, Nakajima came on for Ishikawa. They aimed to score a goal back first, but were unable to create attacking plays, leading to a high-precision counterattack from Kawasaki. In stoppage time, they earned a corner kick from a dribbling shot by Nathan BURNS. YoneMoto rushed in on the rebound from Ota's kick, but was evaded by Kawasaki, resulting in a counterattack. In the end, Kawasaki defender Ikawa advanced to the goal area and took a decisive shot. This was saved by Gonda, preventing a third goal, but there were few opportunities to take shots in attack, ending the match without scoring. They fell behind by two goals... and suffered a defeat.

[Player Comments]
《Nathan BURNS》
"I recognized that it was an important match. It was my first time in the J-League, and there were parts where I was confused by Kawasaki's technique and speed, but I also feel that it was good to be able to participate in such a difficult match. Time is needed for coordination and combination play. I want to practice more, gradually get used to my teammates and the team's style, and grow."

《Morishige》
"In the first half, our defense functioned as we aimed, winning the ball in high positions. However, it was necessary to score first during that flow. In the second half, we conceded a goal, and after that, we allowed Kawasaki to play their game. I think we made it easier for the opponent to dictate the match. Both as a team and individually, we need to correct our points of reflection."

【Massimo FICCADENTI's press conference summary】
"Until we allowed the first goal, the performance was good. We were able to apply defensive pressure from a high position, and Kawasaki struggled with their build-up play from the back. I think Kawasaki's only chance was the shot from forward Renato. We had opportunities with Maeda's shot, corner kicks, and set pieces. The fact that we earned many fouls leading to free kicks is evidence that our pressing was effective. However, we lacked precision in finishing. The match was balanced until it became 0-1, but after that, there were periods of stretching out, leading to an open game, and it became 0-2. In the final stages, we had to take risks to attack, which was inevitable. If I were to mention a positive aspect, it would be the return of injured players like Kajiwara, Yonemoto, and Hanyu, who performed well. Still, I think we must praise Kawasaki's high quality today. After they scored first, their performance improved, and they launched attacks utilizing their speed."
(About Nathan BURNS)
A player with speed. Although Higashi is a dedicated player, I wanted to utilize Nathan BURNS' speed in front of the goal, so I brought him in. Although he has just joined the team, a forward can always be a decisive presence in a match. One chance can lead to a goal. We were able to see his attacking ability in several scenes. While it's hard to say he is in top condition yet, I believe he will undoubtedly be a great help to the team.

[Kawasaki - Yahiro KAZAMA's Press Conference Summary]
"After a two-week break, we were able to prepare well. Also, the players' awareness has become higher, and they played a very good game. (Is the change in the players' awareness a result of the match against Dortmund?) This is often said, but our players originally have high awareness. However, they were shown a speed that exceeded our imagination right in front of them, so I think it was a good training match. The atmosphere in practice has also changed, so it is important to continue that."