Rematch

The J2 League, which continues to be tumultuous, has completed one-third of the total schedule (36 games) after the previous round, with FC Tokyo in 4th place with 20 points. 1st place Niigata, 2nd place Oita with 23 points, and 3rd place Kawasaki F with 21 points. 5th place Yamagata has the same 20 points as 4th place Tokyo, and 6th place Sapporo has 17 points, with 6 teams tightly competing within a 6-point difference. With only 2 more games left, the teams will enter a one-month interval, so each team wants to win and maintain their position in the top. In such a situation, Tokyo's opponent for this day is Montedio Yamagata, who is currently tied in points. In the 1st round, despite pushing the game forward, they missed a penalty kick and couldn't convert their chances, gradually losing their rhythm and conceding a goal in extra time, suffering a humiliating V-goal defeat at home. This match on the away field is a perfect opportunity for revenge.

Reliable Ace Amaral!

The match starts with action right away. In the opening minutes, Yamagata deploys a fluid attack with forwards Tsutop and midfielders Hirama and Takahashi freely changing positions. Tokyo, confused by this, struggles to mark effectively and allows Yamagata to move the ball rhythmically. In the first minute, against Tokyo's weak press, Yamagata defender Iwamoto joins the attack and takes a decisive shot from the right side of the penalty area. The ball, despite Horiike's desperate save attempt, finds its way into the left corner of the goal. Yamagata continues to exploit Tokyo's unstable defense, creating critical chances with sharp counterattacks, but goalkeeper Horiike makes fine saves to prevent further goals. The defense led by Sandro gradually regains its usual composure as time passes, and the intense pressing from Asari and Shinjo in midfield begins to function. Meanwhile, in attack, the ball is gathered around Amaral, who starts for the first time in a while, trying to establish rhythm from there. Although Amaral is closely marked, the attacking participation of full-backs Fujiyama and Umeyama, along with Almir's stable play as a central pivot, creates opportunities. The back-and-forth battle continues, but in the 39th minute, Tokyo equalizes when Amaral heads a cross from Fujiyama on the left side back to the center, which Yukihiko finishes with a volley from his right foot. With this, Yukihiko repays the debt from the first round (penalty miss), and Amaral strongly asserts his presence by making a decisive contribution.

Waiting for this man's comeback!

Tokyo, having finished the first half in good shape, launched a fierce attack in the second half. However, just 46 minutes into the second half, a penalty was awarded against Tokyo for pulling down Yamagata FW Mutail, who was keeping the ball in the penalty area. Tokyo's fans and officials were stunned by the nightmarish scenario, which was exactly the same as the previous match against Niigata. However, the 'guardian' GK Horiike, who had a fantastic performance that day, made a wonderful save against the penalty kick taken by Yamagata's kicker, preventing an additional goal. This allowed Tokyo to gain complete momentum, while Yamagata lost their shine. Tokyo created several close chances in quick succession: Okamoto's volley shot in the 11th minute, Asari's powerful middle shot in the 12th minute, and Yuki's super long shot in the 14th minute. In the 67th minute, Tokyo made a move. Despite being tied, Tokyo, wanting an additional goal, substituted the defensive Shinjo for the offensive Kagami. This paid off. Kagami, who was selected for the Best Eleven in last year's JFL, had not been performing well this season and had often been on the bench. His play had tended to be passive, but on this day, Kagami was different. The ball was glued to his feet, and he had good ball release, showcasing elegant passing work with Almir in the midfield. Then, in the 80th minute, Amaral dropped a cross from the right by Yuki with his chest, and Kagami unleashed a powerful right-footed middle shot from the center. It was a clean shot that left Yamagata's GK unable to move, turning the game around. Ultimately, Tokyo continued to attack and managed to hold on, successfully repaying the debt from the first round away. With this victory, Tokyo rose to 3rd place and will face Oita, who is at the top of the league, at Nishigaoka on 5/29. It is painful that Almir will be unable to play due to accumulated warnings, but there are many bright factors heading into the decisive match, such as Amaral's recovery and Kagami's resurgence.