《Keigo HIGASHI》
I am really happy to have fought alongside Tokyo fans and supporters after a long time in such a difficult situation, and to have been able to advance to the next stage.
It was really good to come back like this after playing tough matches away and to be able to fight and win together with everyone.

(Things to be aware of today)
"We had scored an away goal, so there was no need to look down. I believe starting positively helped create a good flow."

(Reflecting on the goal scene)
"Recently, I haven't been able to show results in terms of goals, but I believe that playing for the team in every match has led to today's goal."

(Regarding individual practice with Kodama)
"As an individual, I hadn't been able to score goals, so I was practicing with the thought of doing so someday. Kodama is a senior, and even though he hasn't been able to play consistently, he has been supporting the team, which has been a great help. I feel that such things are very important. I hope to continue working with him going forward."

(I was scoring goals when I was with Omiya, but the difference from that time is)
"The team and my role are completely different from back then, so it's hard to sum it up in one word, but now I am challenging myself to achieve results while adhering to defensive duties and team agreements."

(Collaboration with foreign players is improving)
"I often play with those three and understand my role. If I can get involved in goals there, whether it's assists or enhancing our collaboration, I think it will make it harder for the opponent to grasp us. There are other roles as well, but I want to continue focusing on that."

(About the away match)
"It was a battle without fans and supporters away from home for a long time, so it was refreshing in a way. Just having someone wearing the blue and red uniform was reassuring, and I was able to feel the strength of playing at home once again. I was able to feel the power of the fans and supporters once more."

(After the goal, I showed the captain's armband)
"As a captain, I truly feel a sense of responsibility. When we are losing, there are many thoughts that come to mind. While playing as a captain, I have various feelings, and I was able to prove that in today's important match with a goal. That pose was a natural reaction. I play with responsibility, so I want to continue fighting as a captain with that sense of responsibility and awareness."

Masato MORISHIGE
(In the final stages of the match, Sapporo's tall players all engaged in power play, but we managed to fend them off.)
"Considering the flow of the match, I could predict that it would go that way, so it was a matter of winning or losing that battle. I feel that we were able to defend well together today."

(In a situation where we want to score while not wanting to concede goals, what we were conscious of)
"Rather than fearing conceding goals, we focused on being aggressive in both offense and defense. Either way, we cannot win without scoring, so we approached the game with the mindset of actively going for goals."

(Difference between the first and second goals)
"Mentally, the fact that we couldn't feel secure unless we scored three goals might have helped maintain the team's tension."
If we could have scored the third goal, we might have been able to manage the match more easily.

(I think it was something that made us feel the team's growth by achieving victory among them)
"I believe we have proven that if we can fight with this level of high concentration all the time, we can demonstrate our strength. I think our challenge lies in how much we can do this in the league matches."

(There were scenes in the first half where we actively moved the ball forward, but what were we focusing on?)
"The speed of our forwards is our strength, so I knew that if we could draw the opponent out well, there would be gaps in their defense. There is a large space behind that. I was aware of that."
We knew that if we could move the ball there, we could take the initiative, so we were consciously trying to move the ball forward.

《Tokyo - Summary of the Press Conference with Director Kenta HASEGAWA》
It was a difficult situation, but I think the players fought with their feelings on the front line until the end.
I believe that losing in the 1st leg and then turning it around is no easy feat, and the fact that we were able to advance to the Semifinal Round from that situation means we entered the game with a strong mindset from the beginning. I think the result came from our desire to win.

(How did you think about responding to the opponent's right side?)
"I was in a position to face Adailton.
I believe that we were in a situation where the opponent had to score a point, and we took risks by defending almost in a full-court man-to-man style, which created situations where our forwards were matched up.
Conversely, it created a situation where Adailton had to take a defensive stance, and the second half continued with a difficult development. By rotating Higashi and dropping Diego to the right side, the defense became very stable. Furthermore, with Nagai entering the front line, he started to create points behind the opponent and in the front line, so overall, I think the game progressed in a way that switched to another level.

(Were there any aspects where we could apply the lessons learned from the recent two matches against Sapporo?)
"It's not that we reflected on it, but Sapporo has height in set pieces and good kickers, so there were several set pieces, but I believe everyone concentrated and responded well, including to the second balls."
I think the key point of today's match was the transition in both offense and defense.
In the previous match, we lost our ball in a high position, which led to a free kick and allowed the equalizing goal, and we conceded the winning goal from a throw-in.
Today, they focused on the transition phase and set plays.

Summary of the Press Conference of Sapporo Coach Zoran PETROVIC
"Although we lost, I am proud of the players who fought with all their might until the end."
The inability to capitalize on the numerous scoring opportunities was a major reason for the defeat.
However, the players really fought until the very end without giving up. Even in the midst of five matches in two weeks, they ran and fought well. Although there are many injuries and the situation makes it difficult to substitute players or make effective changes, the players united and fought until the end.
I want to commend the players for their attitude and the content of the match. As a coach, I feel regret that I couldn't help those players win.

(Regarding the substitution of Akito FUKUMORI)
"It was painful for the team that Fukumori had to be substituted due to injury, but there were also about four regular players injured, making it a difficult situation for the match."
In addition to that, Fukumori's injury. However, I think the players fought well, and if they had taken their chances, the course of the match would have changed. I believe it was a match where the team did their best, including those aspects.

(Regarding Fukumori's injury status and the strategy for playing after Fukumori's withdrawal)
"As for Fukumori's injury status, we won't know the extent until tomorrow's examination, but we have received a report from the doctor that it may not be a minor injury."
I think things like that will become clear from tomorrow onwards. After Fukumori's departure, Takamine was placed as the left stopper and Yanagi as the right stopper. Tanaka was positioned as a defensive midfielder.
That was our only option among the current members. After it became 0-2, we brought in Milan TUCIC and DOUGLAS Oliveira, aiming to approach the goal with crosses from the outside.