Final League Match at Home Ajinomoto

The 2nd Stage Sec. 16 will be held. As the final home match, we will face Vegalta Sendai at Ajinomoto.

In the last match against Kashima, we demonstrated our quick transitions and strong ball contests, dominating both offense and defense to secure the victory. Coach Shinoda emphasized, "While I feel we played a good game, the opponent's style and circumstances are different, so what we achieved in the Kashima match may not be possible in the upcoming Sendai match." He stressed that the key point is whether we can express what we have built up over the 90 minutes on the pitch this week as well.

Especially in the final home match, I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has supported us throughout the year, and to those who watched the match against Kashima and thought, 'I want to go to the next one.' I want to play dynamic football to share the joy of victory with everyone. To that end, I want to show a fighting spirit.

In this match, Kono, who injured his ankle in the previous match, will be absent. Therefore, Mizunuma will be used on the right side. This will be his first start since the match against Jubilo Iwata in Sec. 15 on June 11. Additionally, Hashimoto will continue as the right side back. Muroya will move to the left, and Yoshimoto and Yu In-su will be included in the bench.

Sendai is currently in 12th place in the 2nd stage with 20 points. They are 3 points behind Tokyo in the overall standings, sitting in 11th place. They will surely come at us with all their might to accumulate at least one more point. Above all, FW Jamon Lopez has scored 4 goals in the last 2 matches, so we need to be cautious of their attacking power centered around him. This match will see MF Mita, who is on loan from Tokyo, unable to play, and the defensive midfield will feature MF Tomita alongside MF Fujimura. It is expected that Sendai will also engage in an aggressive battle, but we want to take the initiative on both offense and defense to secure the victory.

Despite the cloudy sky, with occasional glimpses of sunlight and a milder temperature than yesterday, the match started at 14:04 with a kickoff in Tokyo.

Mizunuma showed a performance that met expectations, scoring the opening goal of the season in J1.

Showed dynamism right from the start and launched quick transitions in attack.
2 minutes: Tanabe passed to Higashi, who broke down the left side and sent a low cross to the center. Mizunuma, who ran into the penalty arc at the perfect timing, created a scoring opportunity and took a shot with the outside of his right foot, but... it was saved by the opposing GK, resulting in a corner kick.

4 minutes: Sendai also increased their numbers in the Tokyo territory and in the 5th minute, from a corner kick by FW Nozawa, DF Oiwa made a header shot. There were moments when they were aggressively attacked, but they managed to hold on without panic and transitioned to offense.
8 minutes: Nakajima, who advanced along the left sideline, sent a cross, and Mizunuma charged into the goal area. A foul was called against the opposing defender here, resulting in a Sendai ball.

13 minutes: Maruyama, who intercepted the ball, moved forward and made a vertical pass into the area. Mizunuma, who tried to break through behind, didn't connect with Azuma, but the opponent cleared the ball, resulting in a left throw-in.
14 minutes: Muroya's throw-in is received by Nakajima, who passes it back to Muroya along the sideline, then Tanabe breaks through to the left front line. From there, Nakajima receives the pass and turns around. With a strong dribble, he brings the ball inside, and after a one-two with Maeda in the center, he breaks into the left area and calmly delivers a floating pass in front of the goal.
With a quick combination play, they broke down the left side, and Mizunuma headed the ball into the goal. This was his first J1 goal in Tokyo, and he scored the opening goal in response to the expectations of being a starter.

19 minutes: Mizunuma broke through behind the opponent and crossed from the goal line to the center. Higashi tried to volley it in front of the goal, but it was cleared by the opponent, resulting in a right corner kick. After that, the team gradually became more composed, compacting their lines for a tighter battle. Even within that, when they held the ball in the opponent's half, Nakajima became the key player, continuously switching on the attack.

30 minutes: A free kick is awarded to Sendai on the left side. MF Ryo sends it to the far post, where DF Watanabe, who has made a run from the right area, attempts a high header, but it goes wide of the goal.
33 minutes: Sendai's central MF Tomita passes to MF Fujimura, who sends a vertical pass to MF Yanagi in the center of the area. Mori-shige, who tried to intercept it by stepping forward, couldn't take it away. He was replaced by MF Yanagi, who managed to take a shot, but it went straight to Akimoto.

36 minutes: Maeda, who received a vertical pass, was fouled from behind, earning a free kick in the opponent's central area, about 23 to 24 meters away. Mizunuma took a short pass, and Morishige aimed for the goal but couldn't finish, sending the shot off target.
42 minutes: Hashimoto, Mizunuma, and Tanabe are passing the ball in the right front line, but Sendai is well taken care of, and they couldn't exploit the space. However, Morishige pushed up the line and sent a floating pass further to the right front line. Higashi caught up and delivered a cross from near the goal line, but it flowed to the far side and went out of bounds.

Although they could not score an additional goal, they finished the first half with a one-point lead.

Calmly withstood Sendai's counterattack, achieving three consecutive league victories

47 minutes: Right after the start of the second half, a chance was created. From a free kick near the left sideline, Mizunuma's kick was cleared, but Tanabe, who followed up just outside the area, sent a floating pass to Higashi on the left side of the area. Higashi turned with the opposing defender on his back, and after trapping the ball with his right foot, he took a direct shot, but it was thwarted by a great save from the opposing goalkeeper.
50 minutes: A free kick was awarded to Sendai from just outside the left area, and FW Nozawa's kick was returned at the far post. Following that, a counterattack was launched, and the left cross from that was somehow cleared, but during this period, Sendai maintained possession of the ball and pressed forward.

Nevertheless, without allowing the opponent to take control, Tokyo seized the opportunity to win the ball in a high position and aimed for a counterattack.
58 minutes: Muroya makes a vertical run and delivers a left cross. Although they couldn't finish from here, they regained possession and connected the play, with Tanabe just outside the right area → this time Mizunuma puts in a right cross. However, Nakajima, who was competing with an opponent in front of the goal, couldn't reach the header by a step.
68 minutes: Even though Sendai controlled the ball, we built a solid block to defend. Muroya sprinted up the left side, skillfully maneuvering past two opposing defenders while being marked, and sent in a cross, but it was blocked. Still, we went for the loose ball, regained possession, and delivered a crucial negative last pass from near the goal line. However, it didn't reach Nakajima... Shortly after, Nakajima himself aimed for the goal from his favorite angle, but his foot got caught, and he couldn't hit the target.

73 minutes: Sendai brought in MF Kinkubo, and in the 75th minute, they introduced MF Pablo Jiogo to the front line. Utilizing the momentum of FW Hamon Lopez and MF Pablo Jiogo, they continued to advance towards Tokyo's goal.
80 minutes: Tokyo substituted Nathan BURNS for Maeda. They aimed to maintain their concentration and defend in their own territory, looking to launch a counterattack from there.
83 minutes: Takahashi comes in for Tanabe.
86 minutes: Launching a counterattack from their own half, Nathan BURNS advanced down the right side, but his cross was blocked by Sendai's defense and did not reach Mizunuma in the center or Nakajima at the far post.
89 minutes: Once again, a quick transition leads to a counterattack, with Nathan BURNS advancing through the center. Higashi runs alongside, Mizunuma is on the right side, and Nakajima is advancing on the left. BURNS attempted to connect with Nakajima, but the pass was too weak and was intercepted by the opponent.

Although there were moments in the final stages where they were pushed back by Sendai's momentum, they maintained their concentration and kept a clean sheet, launching counterattacks at key moments. They were unable to secure an additional goal, but they defended the opening goal scored by Mizunuma, celebrated a victory in their final home match, and achieved their third consecutive win in the league.

[Player Comments]
《Mizunuma》
"As a starter, I was conscious of doing what the team needed while showcasing my own strengths. I believe I was able to express my individuality and my style, including plays that energized the team. I expected Sendai to be in good form and to aggressively counterattack, but we were able to fight patiently without being overwhelmed by their momentum. Winning, whether by 1-0 or any margin, is what matters most. It's true that this season hasn't gone as I envisioned, but even during times when I wasn't on the field, I felt something was missing and prepared with the mindset that I would seize the opportunity when it came. All of that has been a plus for me, and nothing has been a negative. I was able to reflect that in today's result."

《Morishige》
"In the match against Kashima, we were able to apply pressure from the front and defend positively, but today we were able to create a block and defend by bouncing back. That must have been uncomfortable for the opponent. Compared to the last two matches, we had longer periods where Sendai held the ball, but I think they were just passing it around at the back. In the first half, there was a moment when Sendai forward Nozawa received the ball and faced forward, but we were able to correct that in the second half. We maintained compactness, prevented him from facing forward, and managed to keep a clean sheet. This season, the coach changed midway, but now we are training well under Coach Shinoda and are starting to bring that into our matches. I am grateful for the support from our fans and supporters throughout the year."

【Summary of Coach Yoshiyuki SHINODA's Press Conference】
We were able to earn 3 points for the fans and supporters who came to Ajinomoto. Thanks to the efforts of the players and staff, and their support, we were able to secure the victory, and I honestly feel good about that. Regarding the game itself, there was a long period from the start where we kept losing the ball after regaining it, so we couldn’t find our rhythm. Still, by scoring the opening goal, we were able to take control of the game. Although the opponent held the ball for a long time, they only threatened us once in the first half. We were able to form a block and defend well. There are still issues with regaining possession, but I think the first half was well balanced and we controlled the team effectively. In the second half, we continued to push for the second goal, but the gear didn’t shift up and we couldn’t find our rhythm as the game approached the final stages. At that point, we brought in Barnes to launch counterattacks, put in Takahashi to stabilize the midfield, and introduced Hanyu to close out the match. I believe the entire team worked hard to secure the 3 points.
From the beginning of my appointment, I sought dynamism from the players, believing that without it, those watching would feel nothing. I think I was able to demonstrate that attitude. While it may not be possible to achieve perfect football, I believe I was able to clearly show the direction we aim for. From here, I want to pursue a style of football that continues to accumulate points.

[Summary of the Press Conference by Susumu WATANABE, Coach of Sendai]
"I heard that over 2,000 Sendai supporters gathered. Ajinomoto has always been a place where Sendai has struggled to win. We knew that data, but we sent the players out determined to create a new history. I feel frustrated and disappointed that we couldn't celebrate the 3 points with our fans and supporters. My impression of the game is that the start was everything. We conceded early, but even before that, there was a scene where the opponent easily entered the box. Thanks to goalkeeper Seki's big save, we managed to hold on, but we got a bit unsettled there. Without that, I think the game would have been tighter. In the past few matches, even when we couldn't play as we wanted, I told the players to focus on the result and be decisive. However, it becomes difficult once the opponent takes the lead. That said, the power and attacking organization to try to recover from that showed what we have built up this season. Still, we couldn't break through Tokyo's back line, which includes two national team defenders, and we had few shots. If we can't break through individually, we need to increase ideas and the number of plays to break through as a group. There is only one match left in the 2016 season, but I want to leave today's frustration at Ajinomoto and turn the final home game into a victory."