Final Home Match of the 1st Stage

The match of Sec. 16 of the 1st stage, held as a home game following the Hiroshima match. We will face Albirex Niigata at Ajinomoto.
The last two matches ended in draws, but since the match against Shonan on May 8, the team has gone five matches without a loss in the league. They want to use this as a positive for the team and aim to secure three points in this match, reflecting what they have built up.

In this match, Kono is suspended due to accumulated warnings. Additionally, the lineup has been changed from the Hiroshima match, with Hirayama starting. This will be his first appearance as a starter since the Fukuoka match on April 29, and he will partner with Muriqui in a two-top formation. The double pivot will consist of Yonemoto and Hashimoto. Tanabe will play on the right side and Higashi on the left. Tokunaga returns as the right back, while Ogawa will play on the left in a 4-4-2 formation. Also, Nakajima, who has returned from injury, will be included in the squad for the first time since Sec. 1 against Omiya and will be on the bench.

Niigata, under the leadership of Coach Arata YOSHIDA this season, currently sits in 16th place with 14 points. This match will see FW Rafael SILVA absent due to injury, but based on everyone's hard work, the attack centered around MF Leo SILVA is sharp. We want to suppress the breakthrough power of FW Yamazaki and the attacks originating from both full-backs, transitioning from good defense to good offense.

In this match, which will be the final home game of the 1st stage, we want to seize victory with the support of the fans in the stands.
During the day, it exceeded 30 degrees, but in the evening, the heat eased somewhat, and it started with Niigata's kickoff at 19:03.

Allowed Niigata to take the lead in an unexpected way...

From the beginning, they showed a high level of defensive awareness, preventing Niigata from creating any real chances. From there, they connected to the attack and demonstrated a strong attitude towards the goal.

15 minutes in: An incident occurs for Niigata. Niigata DF Maihoru, who had hit his head during a previous play, is forced to substitute, and DF Masuda comes in at the 18th minute. Immediately after, Tokyo's Higashi passes to Muriqui, who breaks through on the left flank and delivers a low cross. Just before it reaches Tanabe, who is closing in on the goal, the opponent clears it, earning a left corner kick. Ogawa's kick is cleared by the opponent, and Hashimoto attempts a volley on the loose ball, but it hits Higashi, who is in the front line, and does not result in a goal.

23 minutes: Niigata's FW Yamazaki, who brought the ball in from the left flank, aimed for a shot, but Tokyo blocked it, and the ball was caught by Akimoto. However, Akimoto was preparing to send the ball back onto the field, but it was judged that he held onto the ball for too long, resulting in an indirect free kick for Niigata in Tokyo's area. Niigata's FW Yamazaki quickly restarted the play. He sent an indirect free kick from the right area to the center, which was directed into the Tokyo goal by MF Naraoka... With Niigata's first shot, they allowed the opening goal, making it 0-1.
After that, the game was frequently stopped due to intense exchanges of play, and they were unable to seize the momentum.

32 minutes: From a good tempo of passing, Muriqui attempts to break into the left area, but falls between the Niigata defenders and is unable to finish.
34 minutes: Higashi on the left side drops the ball, and Muriqui inside makes a direct pass to the right. Tanabe at the far post reacts and takes a controlled shot that slips between the opposing defenders, but is blocked by the opposing goalkeeper.

First half additional time: Higashi on the left side → Ogawa, who advanced from the inside with a dribble, passed the ball back to Higashi on the side. From there, Higashi sent a pass to Muriqui at the near post, who aimed for a shot from a tight angle, but this was also thwarted by the goalkeeper's save. The first half ended with a one-goal deficit.

Muriqui sets up Hirayama for the equalizer! However, the second goal is still far away...

In the second half, Tokyo replaced Higashi with Nathan BURNS as a left MF, pressing towards the Niigata goal with momentum.
54 minutes: Nathan BURNS broke through the left front line, and from there, Ogawa delivered a cross. It flowed to the far side, but Tokunaga followed up. However, he was pressured by Niigata DF Cortes and lost the ball to Niigata for a moment. But when Niigata MF Naraoka tried to advance on the side, Yonemoto applied pressure, and from there, Tanabe chased after a back pass. The loose ball connected to Muriqui in the right area, and Muriqui controlled the ball with the sole of his foot and turned around. After assessing his surroundings well, he made a final pass to the center. Hirayama, receiving the pass, calmly slotted it into the bottom right while facing the opposing DF, equalizing the score at 1-1.

61 minutes: Hirayama, just inside the left area, controls the pass at his feet while holding off the opposing defender. He sends it back with a heel pass, and Muriqui, who broke into the left area, finds himself one-on-one with the Niigata goalkeeper, but... there was no angle, and the shot was blocked.

69 minutes: Nakajima is brought on for Muriqui. Immediately after, Nakajima reacts to a loose ball in the Niigata area. He makes a dribble, and from a trap just before the box, he takes a powerful shot, but it goes over the goal...

75 minutes: Maeda was brought in to replace Hirayama. After that, Tokyo continued to push forward at a fast pace, getting close to the Niigata goal, but they couldn't capitalize on set-piece opportunities, and it gradually turned into a counterattack exchange. Nevertheless, Niigata was not allowed to finish.

81 minutes: Nakajima made a run to meet Ogawa's early cross in front of the goal, but his outstretched foot just missed it...
83 minutes: A cross sent by Barnes hit the opposing defender and went to Maeda in the right area. Maeda dropped it to Tanabe at the near post, but Tanabe was blocked by the defender and couldn't move forward. The ball slipped between the opposing defender and the goalkeeper, heading towards the goal... but it just went slightly to the left.

Additional time: A free kick awarded inside the penalty arc. Morishige's targeted kick hit the upper right corner but was thwarted by a great save from the GK...

They aimed to maintain their lead until the end, but were unable to score additional points, resulting in a time-up. In the second half, Niigata had 0 shots. Tokyo took 10 shots but only managed to score 1 goal, ending in a draw for the third consecutive match.

[Player Comments]
"Hirayama"
"I was aware of showcasing my strengths, diving into crosses, and playing that leads to goals."
(Regarding the goal)
It was from the opponent's mistake, but Muriqui turned skillfully and sent a good ball. I remained calm and assessed the shooting angle before taking the shot. In the first half, there were many moments when the team did not take risks, but still, Muriqui and others were connecting the ball from the left side. Passes were also coming from the midfield, but I think it would have been better if I could have been more of a starting point in the front line.

《Nakajima》
"The fact that I came on as a substitute means I was going to score. With that in mind, I tried to play actively and not forget to aim for the goal. My body was able to move, and I had no pain in my legs. However, as a result, I couldn't score. I wanted to bring what the team was lacking, but I also feel that I could have done more. There is regret left there."

【Hiroshi JOFUKU's press conference summary】
"It was a game we had to win. The players prepared well in just two days. I wanted to turn that into three points, but the players' efforts did not match the points. I am filled with regret. We allowed Niigata to take the lead, but despite the difficult situation, the players did not fall apart and did not allow any further goals. In the second half, we managed to keep them to zero shots, and we could see a strong determination to go for the points. In an open game, we were able to confirm the foundation we have built so far by not allowing shots, and considering the players' feelings, we really wanted to secure those three points..."

[Niigata - Summary of the Press Conference by Tatsuma YOSHIDA]
"Hayakawa, who has fought alongside us up to this point, was announced to be leaving the lineup due to a serious illness. Today, many Niigata supporters came rushing in, and there was also a heartwarming fundraising activity in Tokyo. First, I want to thank the fans and supporters of both teams. The match started in a somewhat emotional atmosphere, but we scored, and from there the game became even more emotional, with players from both teams showing fierce fighting spirit in their play. As a result, we broke the organization we had maintained until then and focused solely on running and fighting. This may sound negative, but the fact that we have running and fighting as our foundation is what makes this possible. The conceded goal was unnecessary, but I want to acknowledge the effort of those who fought through. The match was ugly, but next time, even if it’s ugly, we want to go for the win and further improve the quality to control the game. We want to value today’s one point and make adjustments for the next match."