Fight with spirit and aim to capture 3 points away!

The 2nd Stage Sec. 10 will be an away match against Nagoya Grampus.
In the previous match, we fought tenaciously to defend the goal in the east and narrowly defeated Yokohama FM. Since then, we have continued to engage in high-intensity training for this match.

Coach Shinoda said, "I have continued practicing in my own way for about a month. The players may be reaching their peak fatigue, but right now, something greater is reflected in the results." He continued, "If we weren't getting results, the players would simply feel that it's 'tough.' However, with a record of 3 wins and 1 loss, there is a change in the players' mindset. This is not just about increasing the amount of running. By simulating matches and training in a way that is close to the game, I believe the intensity of play and the speed of decision-making have also improved."

On the other hand, Nagoya is currently winless in 17 league matches and is in 18th place in the 2nd stage. Overall, they are in 16th place.
Due to the ongoing difficulties, the coach was replaced after the last match. Coach Bosco DJUROVSKI has been appointed as the new commander.
Additionally, DF Toriou's return has been confirmed, but at this time he is not registered for the league, so he will not be able to participate in this match.

In response, Coach Shinoda and the Tokyo players analyzed their feelings, saying, "We can clearly understand their desire for victory." However, they expressed their determination, stating, "We do not want to lose to that feeling. Also, while Nagoya's way of fighting may change, regardless of the opponent, we want to carry out what we need to do."

Nagoya has adopted a 5-4-1 system in the last few matches, and due to the injury of FW Shimobitch, FW Nagai has been playing as the lone striker, but they have switched to a four-back formation. On the sides, FW Nagai and FW Kawamata, with Noda starting as the center forward.
　
Tokyo, with the same members as the previous match, surpasses Nagoya in terms of team cohesion and aims to secure 3 points despite being an away game.

As the kickoff time approached, the humidity was high at Toyota Stadium. The match started at 18:04 with a kickoff in Tokyo.

Conceded a goal just before the end of the first half, trailing 0-1 at halftime

7 minutes: Takahashi steals the ball in the opponent's half. Takahashi passes to Azuma, who takes a shot, but it hits the back of the opposing defender.
11 minutes: Higashi broke through on the right side and delivered a low cross in front of the goal. It was a chance, but the opposing defender who came in front of Maeda cleared it.
18 minutes: Higashi takes a mid-range shot from about 25 meters away from the goal. This does not hit the target.

32 minutes: Tokyo firmly picks up the loose ball, and Higashi passes to Muriqui, who advances into the left side of the area. Muriqui delivers a ground cross to Kono, who dives in front of the goal, but it just misses.
36 minutes: Muriqui and Maeda brought the ball into the left side of the area, creating a chance with two crosses, but did not result in a shot.
37 minutes: Muroya, who evaded an opponent on the right side, delivered a low cross towards Kono in front of the goal. However, the ball was blocked by a Nagoya defender's outstretched foot just before reaching Kono.
39 minutes: Muroya once again brings the ball forward with a dribble, feinting as he advances inward. He takes a shot just before the area, but it does not result in a goal.

45 minutes + 1: Nagoya's MF Taguchi's middle shot is saved by Akimoto, but the rebound is followed up by FW Noda for the goal. They concede the first score.
Nagoya conceded a goal just before the end of the first half, finishing the first half one goal behind.

Nakajima's equalizer earns one point away

48 minutes: Muroya's cross does not connect with a teammate and flows to the left side, but from there Tanabe takes a grounded mid-range shot. It did not hit the target, but they are increasing their offensive pressure from the beginning.
53 minutes: Nakajima comes on as a substitute for Kono.

55 minutes: Tokyo has made substitutions, with Nakajima on the left side, Higashi on the right side, and Muriqui in the center.
57 minutes: Counterattack by Nakajima and Muriqui. A pass from Muriqui, who drifted to the left side, reaches Nakajima just in front of the area, but he fails to make contact with the shot.
58 minutes: A through pass to Muriqui running into the center of the area from Higashi. Muriqui, who received the pass, attempted a shot, but GK Narasaki made a save right in front.

62 minutes: Maeda to Nakajima, a floated ball is sent to Higashi in the area, but it just misses.
64 minutes: Insoo YU is substituted in for Maeda.
70 minutes: Nakajima delivered a cross from the left side, but it went straight over the goal line. After that, Muroya on the right side created a chance. However, they couldn't get a shot off.

73 minutes: Nakajima and Insoo YU's one-two, Nakajima advances into the area. He returns the ball just inside the goal line, but it doesn't connect with his teammate.
74 minutes: Kajiyama comes in for Takahashi. He takes the position of a defensive midfielder.

78 minutes: Nakajima takes a mid-range shot with his right foot from outside the area. It bounces in front of the opposing goalkeeper but is deflected away by a body.
81 minutes: Nakajima shoots from the left corner of the area to the right of the goal. The inswinging shot is saved by the opposing goalkeeper.

85 minutes: Muriqui broke free from a through pass by Kajiyama and passed to the open Insoo YU. Insoo YU aimed for the goal with a chip kick, but the shot went over the goal. Unable to convert the scoring opportunity.
90 minutes + 1: Muroya → Muriqui → Higashi connects with the ball in front of the area, and Nakajima, who received the pass from Higashi on the left inside the area, takes a one-touch shot with his right foot! This results in a goal. They equalized at 1-1 and aimed for the lead, but the match ended at 1-1. Nakajima's goal in the second half's additional time brought them level, earning 1 point away.

[Player Comments]
Nakashima
"The scoring scene was a result of a deflection off the opponent, so I want to practice to kick it exactly where I aim next time. I want to continue playing towards the goal in the future."
Q=I want to score points when I play in a match, and it was truly a play that put words into action.
"Since we were losing, of course we had to aim for a goal, and the first half was quite difficult, so I thought I wanted to change that atmosphere somehow and went out onto the pitch."
Q=It was a shot coming in from my strong left side to the center, but didn't my teammates understand that shape and pass the ball accordingly?
"That's right. Since they trust me with the ball, it's easier for me to play aggressively and face forward."
Q=It was a shot while turning around, but did you see the opponent's position?
"I was thinking about taking strong shots, no matter what. If the opponent is in front of me, I have to shoot to score, so I think I would have hesitated to shoot before going to the Olympics. Players like Neymar and top players overseas have an amazing attitude towards going for the goal, so I want to emulate the good aspects of that."

Kajiyama
"It was a difficult match, but I’m glad we were able to keep playing our game without giving up until the end, and ultimately catch up. The coach told us to create the game and participate in the attack. The opponent was leading, so they tried to defend deep. There was no pressure in the midfield, and I was thinking of bringing out the strengths of Muriqui, Azuma, and Nakajima. Setting aside accuracy, I think we were able to shake the opponent well."

【Summary of Coach Yoshiyuki SHINODA's Press Conference】
"From the start, I thought today's game would be very difficult. We wanted to overcome Nagoya's motivation and the stadium atmosphere. However, in the first half, we often seemed to be on the defensive. We couldn't shake Nagoya's defensive line, and there were many moments when we had to drop back during build-up. Still, I hoped to finish the first half without conceding, but after conceding a goal, we had to use our energy from the start of the second half to go for the score. At halftime, I told everyone that it would be meaningless not to challenge and that we must all show an attitude of going for the goal. The players really ran hard. If we had been able to equalize a little earlier, I think we could have finished off the opponent, but that is today's challenge. I believe we were able to work together with the fans and supporters to tenaciously earn points. I want to continue moving forward while talking with the players so that we can firmly connect today's points to the next league match."
Q&A
Q=You put Kajiyama in the defensive midfield position; was the intention to play more offensively?
"I wanted to increase the tempo of ball circulation and asked him to work on through passes and spreading the ball left and right. The ball for the counter came from Kajiwara to Muriqui. I believe that by bringing him in, who can see even further, that situation was created. While creating rhythm in the midfield, I asked him to do the work that directly connects to the goal."

【Summary of the press conference by Nagoya's coach DJUROVSKI】
"I think we played a very good game. Against Tokyo, both teams played good football. The first half was a balanced game, with both teams going on the attack, and I am satisfied with the first half. Especially in terms of our attacking play, what we have been working on this week showed. However, in the last 15 minutes of the second half, fatigue affected our performance. I want to analyze this thoroughly and make changes. Ultimately, it ended in a 1-1 draw, but the opponent also played well enough to deserve that result. However, if we had scored one more goal to make it 2-0, we might have secured the win. After all, winning 1-0 at home is not enough. Overall, I think what we have been working on this week was evident."