In the midst of consecutive matches, we welcome the Niigata game at home, aiming for our first victory in the 2nd stage.

The second stage, Sec. 2, comes just three days after the last match. We will face Albirex Niigata at home at Ajinomoto. We suffered a painful defeat against Kawasaki with a score of 0 to 2. Coach Massimo analyzed, "The problem was not being able to capitalize on our chances, allowing the first goal, and especially conceding the second. When you lose balance against a high-quality opponent, that’s what happens." However, he vowed, "We want to continue working without losing confidence here, always being aware of our balance and assessing the situation while maintaining continuity as a team."

Therefore, there were not many changes to the lineup from the previous match, but Takahashi was used as a starter. The formation was a 4-4-2 with double defensive midfielders Kajiyama and a side half of Yonemoto and Higashi. Ishikawa and Maeda served as the two forwards. Additionally, following Nathan BURNS from the previous match, the newly joined Sandaza also made his first appearance in the squad and was on the bench.

Niigata, on the other hand, finished the 1st stage with 14 points in 17th place. In the opening match of the 2nd stage, they lost to Kashima after conceding two goals in injury time while maintaining a lead. However, in addition to their organized style, their attack utilizing the height of forwards like Ibusuki is also functioning well. They can be said to fight aggressively and have a strong ability to control the ball. In response, Gonda heightened his caution, stating, "If we don't show our best strength, we will be defeated."

Especially against the passing game centered around Niigata MF Leo SILVA, if we cannot maintain defensive coordination, we will be pushed back. Even if we find ourselves in that situation, we want to demonstrate concentration as a team and regain our solid defense. In attack, it will be crucial to exploit the space behind Niigata's advancing full-backs and see if we can finish with a shot. This match will require us to fight tenaciously, identify key moments in both defense and attack, and seek intensity.

During the day, strong winds blew and it became extremely hot, but in the evening, under a climate where a slight coolness of the wind could be felt, the match started at 19:03 with a kickoff in Tokyo.

Demonstrating synergy, Higashi scores first from Ota's cross!

From the start, we fought aggressively together and aimed for the goal. In the 9th minute, a pass from Kajiyama in the center of our own half was dropped by Higashi, and Takahashi spread it to the left. Ota advanced with a dribble up front and sent a well-aimed low cross from a high position. Ishikawa attracted the opposing defender at the near post, and Higashi, who had run a long distance to the center, rushed in and confidently slotted it into the net with his right foot, GOAL!! We demonstrated speed and coordination, taking the lead early in the match.

Taking this opportunity, they grasped the rhythm and initiated plays from the side. In the 11th minute, Morishige fed the ball to the left front line. Ota's floating cross went over Maeda at the near post, and Higashi rushed in right behind him. However, he was contested by the Niigata DF and couldn't take a shot. In the 20th minute, Higashi from the left front line passed to Yonemoto at the near post. When pressured by the Niigata DF, he calmly spread the ball to the left side. Ota, positioned high, delivered a grounded cross, and Takahashi made a run but only managed to earn a corner kick.

Niigata, aiming for a counterattack, gradually takes control of the ball. In the 22nd minute, central MF Leo SILVA plays a one-two with a player in the area. Tokyo is unable to stop this, and MF Leo SILVA receives a direct return pass, making a clever move into the center of the area. However, the shot is blocked by Morishige's sliding tackle. In the 26th minute, Niigata's MF Leo SILVA breaks through again, and Kajiyama is turned, allowing a pass behind Tokyo's defense. Niigata's FW Yamazaki receives the ball and brings it into the center with sharp dribbling, evading Yoshimoto, but the decisive shot goes just to the right, escaping the danger.

In the latter part of the first half, Niigata had the ball for a longer time and approached the Tokyo defense with direct passes, but even so, they remained calm and fought tenaciously, not allowing any goals. Conversely, in the 36th minute, Takahashi headed the ball from a left corner kick. In the 41st minute, Morishige took a direct volley from a free kick earned by Ishikawa. Although they could not capitalize on the chances centered around set plays, they maintained a one-goal lead as they headed into the second half.

Takahashi scores his first goal of the season, Morishige nets the third, and everyone celebrates the victory!

The match started to move early in the second half. In the 49th minute, Morishige from his own half took a free kick forward. Maeda controlled it with his chest and charged into the area. Despite being sandwiched between Niigata's MF Leo SILVA and DF Oi in the left area, he persistently dribbled and broke free. Then, calmly assessing his surroundings, he made a final pass to the center. Takahashi, who timed his run perfectly, pierced the net for a goal! From the restart opportunity, Maeda demonstrated strength and composure. Takahashi also utilized his forward momentum to score his first goal of the season, adding another point.

In the 52nd minute, Maeda created another opportunity in the left area, receiving the ball freely. Higashi turned away from the approaching defender and created a scoring chance, but the shot was blocked. In the 55th minute, Hanyu was brought in to replace Kajiwara. In the 69th minute, Sandaza made his debut, followed by Nakajima. They continuously brought in attacking players, increasing their forward momentum while maintaining balance, and continued to seize control with counterattacks.

In the 76th minute, Yonemoto sent a pass to the right front line, which Sandaza chased down, crossing from the sideline. Nakajima, who had run into the near post, headed the ball over the bar, but in the 78th minute, Nakajima boldly made a move and earned a free kick on the left side. Ota's sharp kick was met by Morishige, who jumped in and successfully scored the third goal with a powerful header. Aiming for another goal, in the 83rd minute, Sandaza in the left area received a vertical pass from Yonemoto, trapping it to evade the Niigata defender and break free. He created a decisive moment, but the shot lacked power and went straight to the goalkeeper...

In the end, we focused on keeping Niigata's counterattack scoreless, but during the 4 minutes of added time, Niigata MF Naruoka took a sharp shot on target from distance. This was saved by Gonda with a one-handed fine save, resulting in a corner kick. However, in this situation, Morishige committed a foul in the area. Niigata MF SILVA converted the penalty, resulting in us conceding a goal... Nevertheless, we showed a performance that surpassed the conceded goal and managed the match well, winning 3 to 1. It was a cohesive battle, and we secured our first 3 points of the 2nd stage.

[Player Comments]
《East》
"Ota's crosses are Tokyo's weapon. I believed that a good cross would definitely come, so I ran up front. It's not just about me; there is a trust built throughout the entire team. I think we were able to show that form. We scored early on, but I didn't want to neglect other plays just to aim for goals afterward. I wanted us to work together as a team, including defense."

《Sandaza》
"I think both the team and I were able to play well. I came on after we had a two-goal lead, and I thought I should work hard to score another goal. I wasn't able to score myself, but as a team, we managed to get the third goal, and overall, it was a good performance. I thought the fans and supporters in Tokyo were wonderful. It was my first time playing at Ajinomoto, and I am very happy that we could share the joy together at the end."

【Summary of Coach Massimo FICCADENTI's Press Conference】
"We were able to score early in the match. After that, Niigata's forward Yamazaki created a chance, but I think it was a well-balanced game. The midfield players fought fiercely, and we launched dangerous counters against Niigata, who intensified their attack after taking the lead. In the second half, we started well and scored a goal, which allowed us to settle down a bit when it became 2-0. The goal scored by Morishige from the free kick became an important boost for the team's confidence. We had a strong desire to finish without conceding, and we showed good performance. Being able to deliver such a performance allows us to approach future matches positively."

[Summary of the press conference by Niigata's Masaaki YANAGISHITA]
"Regarding defense, I always tell the players that when we are in a bad position or posture, we must not break the rule of trying to take the ball. We failed to adhere to this rule and ended up losing the ball during a challenge. We gave them a chance. The third goal clearly exposed our weaknesses. In terms of offense, the communication between the passer and receiver was not smooth. Although we played well in the previous match, not being able to secure points may have affected us, as we did not start the game well. Since we have another match coming up soon, I want to switch our mindset and approach it positively."