48,521 people of "You'll never walk alone"

　The J1 League, which resumed after the Japan national team's Kirin Cup, is decorated with the best stage befitting the Tanabata Night in the 13th round match against Kashima today. In the first "sold-out" Tokyo Stadium in history, the Gospellers sang "You'll never walk alone" before kick-off for this night. In the quiet stadium, as if the waves had calmed down, they played a splendid harmony, saying "You are not alone in difficult and painful times. Let's walk together." Their "play," which is recognized by themselves and others as soccer freaks, gives us courage, and the stadium reaches its best atmosphere. With this reassuring support and a large crowd, the players cannot help but be fired up. It was the kick-off towards a victory at home and the first three consecutive wins of the season.

Passionate Home "Tokyo Stadium"

　Tokyo, Amaral's top one. In the midfield, Kelly is in the center, Masamitsu KOBAYASHI is on the left, Sato is on the right, and Shimodaira and Asari form a double pivot. The defensive line consists of Komine on the right side, Fujiyama on the left, and Sandro and Tetsuya ITO in the center, starting with the same starting lineup as the previous match. On the other hand, Kashima is in a difficult situation with many injured players and the absence of FW Yanagisawa, who has been in excellent form in the Japan national team due to accumulated warnings. However, on the pitch, both teams played with great determination.

　2 minutes into the game, Tokyo's Sato breaks through on the right side. In the following 3 minutes, a fast and long ground pass from Kobayashi on the left side is played behind the Kashima Antlers' defense, into the space in front of Sato. Although neither of them could finish, Tokyo today has a strong awareness of "moving forward quickly" and is aggressively attacking from the start. In the 9th minute, Amaral, who moves up with a double, is pressed by the Kashima Antlers' defense, but he doesn't miss their weak clearance and steals the loose ball, gaining momentum for a shot! However, the ball hits the crossbar, and a big chance is missed.

　Kashima took a shot in the 13th minute, with Hiraishi heading the ball from a free kick. This was their first shot, but they gradually gained momentum by stealing the ball with intense pressure and started to find their rhythm. In the 22nd minute, Nakata headed the ball from another free kick from the left. However, GK Doi made a save by putting his body on the line. After that, Kashima's Nakamura on the left side created several chances by running up, and they also showed a variety of attacks with developments from Bismarck, long passes, and mid-range shots. However, Tokyo responded without losing focus and did not allow any decisive chances. In the 28th minute, a long ball was sent to the right space of Kashima, and Nogawa, who had run up, almost had a one-on-one scene with the GK, but Ito quickly returned and prevented the danger.

Kelly explodes with 2 goals!

　However, in the 31st minute, Kobayashi entrusted the ball to Amaral on the left side. Amaral, with a comfortable dribble, looked over the pitch and sent a long pass behind Kashima's shallow defensive line. The ball reached Kelly, who had run into the goal area, with pinpoint accuracy, and he immediately shot and scored! While Kashima continued to dominate the ball and control the pitch, they managed to get a clear chance. Amaral and Kelly's coordinated play resulted in the opening goal.

　Tokyo, which is gaining momentum, passed from midfielder Amaral to Kelly on the right side in the 33rd minute. Kelly dribbled up to the goal by himself and took a shot, but the goalkeeper made a save. After that, the match became even more intense, with both teams engaging in tough tackles. In the 35th minute, Kashima defender Ikenouchi was injured, and in the 38th minute, Komine was bleeding. This intensity of the match was evident, but the first half quickly ended with a dense content, and the second half began.

　Both teams are fiercely battling it out in the second half, but Tokyo's Kelly and Amaral are effectively holding the ball up front and trying to attack from the sides. In the 51st minute, Kelly perseveres near the right end line, turns his body, and delivers a cross in front of the goal, where Amaral, waiting unmarked, connects with an inside kick for a shot. However, the ball goes over the bar. Trying to bounce back from behind, Kashima gradually regains ball control, just like in the first half. But taking advantage of the openings in their attack, Tokyo launches a counterattack. In the 54th minute, Kelly connects with a loose ball from a Kashima corner kick, and Amaral and Sato push forward to make it 3 against 3, but Sato's shot goes over the goal. However, in the following 56th minute, Amaral heads down a goal kick from Doi to the front line, and despite competing with a defender, Kelly skillfully keeps the ball, dribbles in front of the goal, and shoots!! The ball grazes the hands of goalkeeper Sogahata and shakes the net, scoring an additional goal in just a few seconds of attack. It was a valuable second goal showcasing Amaral's good judgment and Kelly's quick reactions and technique.

Never lose the fighting spirit... a resounding victory in a great game

　However, as Coach Serezo mentioned after the match, "The determination to fight until the end was the same for Kashima." In the 62nd minute, midfielder Motoyama was brought on, followed by forward Hayato Hasegawa in the 70th minute, and in the 71st minute, defender Uchida was substituted for Honda. They moved Narahashi up one line to create an attacking formation with three forwards and three defensive midfielders, pressing towards the goal. However, Tokyo, led by Komine, stifled Kashima's attacking opportunities with intense play, preventing any shots in the penalty area. "We matched the ball to Hasegawa in the center and did not allow any crosses from the sides (Coach Okuma)," which meant they could not create any real chances, resulting in a convincing victory after 90 minutes of battle. Intense play led to Kelly and Komine receiving warnings, resulting in suspensions for the next match due to accumulation, but they want to build momentum for the last home game of the first stage and then towards the final match. Today's match, which took place behind the scenes of Iwata's championship race, is a great pride as they were able to celebrate a good game with a victory, along with gratitude to the large crowd.

[Coach Cerezo's comments]

"It was a game where Tokyo demonstrated their strength in order to win. Amaral and Kelly were utilized well, and especially the second goal was broken through by Kelly's perfect individual skill, creating a difference in that area. Kashima also had a decent performance, but sometimes the ball just doesn't go into the net, that's how it is. However, the players showed their fighting spirit until the end, so I think it was a game that will lead to the next one."

[Coach Okuma's Comment]

"Today, I think we were able to express what we wanted to do on the pitch for 90 minutes without interruption. It is important to continue playing this kind of game, and I want to continue playing soccer like today consistently, even if there are injured players in the same team, by preparing mentally and physically. I want to do my best in the next game as well."