《Tsuyoshi WATANABE》
(Looking back at the opening goal)
"I was confident that I could win the header if a high ball came in, so I thought I would dive in with all my might."

(Was today's opening goal as planned?)
"We have been practicing set pieces every week, but we haven't been able to convert them into goals, so I really wanted to score today. I'm glad I was able to score in that context."

(Sapporo, who is good at set plays, was able to score from a set play)
"I think it was a very good flow to take the lead with a set play against a team that is strong in set plays. However, I regret that we couldn't secure the win because of that."

(In today's match, there were scenes where both sides heated up)
"I thought that if we backed down, we would lose, so no matter how tough the match was, we fought with the determination to definitely earn the 3 points, even if it was a gritty battle.
There were moments of heightened tension during the battle, but looking back at the entire match, I think it was a game that will lead to the next one.

(The battles continue away)
"From here on, the tough battles will continue, but we are challengers in every match."
I believe that if we prepare well and get our condition right, the away games won't be that tough.

《Yojiro TAKAHAGI》
(It was a match with intense developments)
"To be honest, while I wanted to win, how do we take the fact that we secured one point in Sapporo's unique atmosphere?"
To put it harshly, it wasn't something to celebrate in every aspect, but I want to view positively that we were able to accumulate 1 point at the start of the 8 consecutive away matches.

(Harvests and challenges from today's match)
"In terms of content, I believe that being able to fight tenaciously in a match where either team could have scored the next goal will lead to future success.
I believe the next challenge is to score the second goal and secure the win in a match situation like today.

(Today, there was a sight of hard work more than usual)
"Since it was the Sapporo Dome, it wasn't hot, and I was able to run.
Of course, the fans and supporters have been a tremendous support.
I believe I was able to finish thanks to everyone's support. Next, I want to work on turning this into a victory.

《Tokyo - Summary of the Press Conference with Coach Kenta HASEGAWA》
"I am grateful that many fans and supporters came to cheer for us from Tokyo today."
I think the players delivered a match that met the expectations of the fans and supporters.
In a situation where we took the lead but were caught up, the players must feel the most regret about not being able to capitalize on the chances both teams had afterward. However, last year we lost after leading by two goals and conceding three in the second half, so the players played with the lessons from last year's experience in mind.
From the middle of the match, the game opened up, but even so, the defense line held strong and continued to launch attacks that threatened the opponent's goal, making it a truly exciting game.
It has been a series of matches where the tempo hasn't picked up much in the heat, but I told the players that today would be a high-tempo game in the dome, so I believe they fought until the end today.
It's one point, but I think it's a significant one point, and I want to prepare thoroughly for the next match.

(Although we continue to have away matches, what is necessary to turn today's draw into a win)
"I believe it is important to continue playing tenaciously like we did today. Even after conceding a goal today, Sapporo came at us with momentum, but we fought patiently and managed to bring the game to an even state. We maintained our focus until the end, and although we earned 1 point, it is still 1 point. I hope we can keep climbing the ladder one step at a time."

Summary of the Press Conference of Sapporo Coach Zoran PETROVIC
"I expected today to be very difficult, and it turned out to be so. Tokyo was a very experienced, disciplined, and tough opponent. We started off very well and had chances, but we couldn't capitalize on them and take the lead.
It was good for about 20 minutes, but after that, we dropped too much, and because we dropped back, we couldn't go to win the ball, and since we couldn't go to win the ball, we dropped back even further. It became a vicious cycle.
We ended the first half with a score of 1-0, but in the second half, we stepped up the gear and fought aggressively. It turned into a back-and-forth battle in an open game.
It was good to equalize early in the second half. I think we were particularly sharp on the counter and were able to put pressure on the opponent. Unfortunately, we couldn't convert our chances into goals due to a lack of precision at the end, but if we can improve that precision, we should be able to create more scoring opportunities in the second half as well. However, the second half was a better performance than the first half.
Today's point of reflection is that the defensive block dropped back, allowing the opponent to close in and giving them rhythm. In other areas, we were able to create good formations. Although it was a draw, I believe it is a good thing that we were able to play such a game against Tokyo.
The players ran until the end to turn the game around. There were mistakes, but I want to commend their attitude, and the support from the fans was wonderful. We want to prepare for the next battle and for next week.