First Step to Restart the League

The J1 League Sec. 14, held on Sunday. We will face G Osaka at home.
It is true that we were unable to advance to the Semifinal Round in the ACL, and we have certainly suffered some damage both physically and mentally. However, there must also be gains and confidence that we have acquired through the harshness of Asia. The coach and players strongly feel, 'We want to stand on this stage again. To seize that opportunity next season, we must improve our league standings from here. This match is the first step towards that goal.'

However, this round will see Morishige suspended due to accumulated warnings. Therefore, Maruyama and Yoshimoto will pair up as center-backs. The rest of the team will consist of the same members as in the ACL match against Shanghai.

G Osaka, currently in 6th place with 19 points after 12 matches, has had ups and downs in the early part of the season and was eliminated from the ACL without a win. However, they have been improving their form recently with 2 wins and 1 draw in the latest league matches.
The attacking lineup featuring FW PATRIC, MF Usami, and MF Ademilson, along with the defense led by GK Higashiguchi, all possess high individual abilities and require sufficient caution. However, Tokyo aims for victory by seizing rhythm from aggressive defense, showcasing dynamism and a strong attitude towards scoring goals.

It was a sunny day, and the humidity was also felt at Ajinomoto. With a record attendance of 37,805, the highest this season (which brought the total attendance for J1 and J2 to over 6.5 million), the match started at 17:04 with a kickoff in Tokyo.

Fought with passion and pushed G Osaka back, but...

Tokyo showed determination from the start, displaying an aggressive attitude. They won the ball in high positions and launched quick counterattacks to press forward.
3 minutes: In the center of their own half, Yonemoto intercepted the ball, which Maeda dropped to the front, and Hanyu made a long through pass to the right front. Mizunuma chased it down and earned a right corner kick.

8 minutes: They gain consecutive corner kick opportunities. However, they are unable to finish, and gradually G Osaka also starts to attack from FW PATRIC, resulting in a back-and-forth battle.
Even so, Tokyo quickly responded with support from Hanyu, Yonemoto, Takahashi, and others in the midfield, and then pushed G Osaka back.

27 minutes: Utilizing intricate passing and coordination in the front line, Higashi moved into the left area, followed by Hanyu entering the center. Although they couldn't take a shot, Takahashi rushed in on the ball that spilled outside the area, aiming for the goal.
29 minutes: Hanyu brought the ball deep into the left area and made a backward pass. Although he was initially blocked by G Osaka, he continued to connect the second ball, and Yonemoto passed to Azuma, who brought it deep into the left area and earned a left corner kick.

34 minutes: Takahashi, who ran onto the ball dropped by Maeda, aimed for a sharp shot from just outside the area, but it hit the opposing defender and resulted in a corner kick. Although they had many opportunities from set plays, they were unable to capitalize on them.

42 minutes: A free kick from Higashi results in a clearance by the opponent that reaches Hashimoto, who takes a one-touch volley from the left penalty area, but G Osaka blocks it.
45 minutes: Mizunuma's left cross was cleared just before reaching Hanyu, who entered the center, but KomeMoto, who was in front of the area, followed up on the loose ball and took a shot. It barely grazed the opposing defender, resulting in a corner kick. Immediately after, from the flow of this corner kick, Tokunaga and then Takahashi attacked the goal one after another. Both were blocked, but Yoshimoto connected with the loose ball, and Tokunaga, just in front of the left area, turned G Osaka FW PATRIC and shot. The ball was heading towards the goal but was saved by the goalkeeper at the last moment. In the first half, G Osaka had 4 shots compared to Tokyo's 10. In the closing stages, a big chance was created, but it could not be converted. The match went into halftime scoreless.

Maeda scores his 149th goal in J1, winning the intense match

G Osaka created the first chance in the second half.
50 minutes: While Tokyo is attacking, they lose the ball, and G Osaka FW PATRIC breaks through on the right flank. The pass from here was directed to MF Usami outside the goal, but it was met by MF Endo who ran in, however, Tokyo DF threw their body to deflect it and escape to a corner kick.
54 minutes: Tokyo's Maeda quickly turned and prepared to shoot from a vertical pass by Yonemoto, but... it was blocked at his feet.
55 minutes: Tokunaga passed to Azuma, and Mizunuma ran in to take a shot, but it went wide of the goal.

Both teams continued to launch quick counterattacks, and the match remained open with chances for both sides.
64 minutes: Abe replaces Higashi. Immediately after, from the flow of a corner kick, Abe headed a right cross from Maruyama, but the softly floated ball hit the post.
67 minutes: G Osaka FW PATRIC was substituted, and after that, MF Usami made side breakthroughs, and they attempted to create chances with one-twos with MF Ademilson, but there were continued moments lacking precision in the final play.

75 minutes: Maeda, in the center of the area, tried to connect with a left cross but fell after colliding with the opposing defender; no foul was called.
80 minutes: Abe was fouled slightly to the left in the opponent's half, earning a free kick. The kicker, Kono, sent the ball forward, and Maeda, who jumped in with momentum, headed the ball. The ball was sucked into the net for a goal. This makes it 1-0. Maeda scored his 149th goal in J1, finally taking the lead.

In the final stages, Gamba Osaka, centered around substitute forward Koya, attempted to launch a power play with midfielder Konno moving up front, but Tokyo managed to control the ball and create their own time, shutting down any counterattacks, including three minutes of added time. With a calm and decisive game strategy, they defended the goal scored by Maeda until the final whistle. Supported by the home crowd, they secured three points for the first time in two league matches.

[Player Comments]
《Maeda》
"I couldn't convert my chances in Shanghai, and I only felt regret because of the result. I had a strong feeling that I needed to deliver results, but today I was able to score a goal to clear that regret. The scoring scene came from a good ball from player Kono. The opponent's line dropped quickly, so I focused on getting into space. (I matched Masashi NAKAYAMA's total of 149 goals in J1, but) I wasn't consciously thinking about that, but I'm happy to have matched the record of such a great player. Above all, I want to work hard to turn this into wins from here on out."

Kono
"We have been preparing for set plays in practice, and today's goal was just as I imagined. For the free kick, I focused on matching it with Maeda and shortened my run-up to concentrate on the kick. We had many chances from corners and other set pieces from the first half, but we couldn't capitalize on them. I felt we lacked precision, so I wanted to somehow connect it to a goal. Today, there was a lot of loud support from the bench, and I feel like everyone's mindset changed after being eliminated from the ACL. I want to continue the team's unity and the determination to never give up until the end."

【Summary of Coach Hiroshi JOFUKU's Press Conference】
“The players have switched their mindset well since the defeat in the ACL five days ago, and despite the difficulties, they prepared thoroughly for today’s match. Regarding the game, we aimed to play aggressively from the first half, showing courage both offensively and defensively, and stuck to the style of football we strive for. However, we couldn’t shake the goal net in the first half, which created an unpleasant atmosphere. There were some tense moments against the opponent’s strong forwards, but we didn’t allow them freedom during the flow of the game and continued to aim for the goal. Later, one of the free kicks we earned in the attacking third was converted. I think the players’ hard work was watched over by the gods. We had been going through a tough league, but finally managed to even out our points here. From now on, together with our fans and supporters, we want to keep moving forward.”

[G Osaka - Head Coach Kenta HASEGAWA’s Press Conference Summary]
"Despite having a lot of support, we once again couldn't win at Ajinomoto, which is truly frustrating. The fans and supporters had high expectations for the team as we were gaining momentum, but it's disappointing that we couldn't meet them. We knew today would be a tough match. Tokyo is a strong club, and we anticipated they would channel their frustration from the ACL into this game. In the first half, we struggled to push back, but we didn't allow them any clear chances. We were patient, hoping to capitalize on one opportunity in the second half. Early in the second half, we had several chances, including set pieces, and if we had scored then, the result might have been different. However, Tokyo controlled the match throughout, which I believe led to Maeda's goal. In the three years I've been in charge, and going back to 2002, we haven't won at Ajinomoto. Last year and the year before, just as we were finding our rhythm, we faced Tokyo and suffered bitter defeats. We approached today with determination, but it shows that we still lack the strength at this stage."