Take the advantage in the press and aim for consecutive victories!

　Sec. 12, Yokohama F.Marinos played against Nissan Stadium on Sunday. In the previous match against Chiba, they pressed from the front line and won with a coordinated and energetic style of soccer. They aim to continue this momentum and achieve a winning streak that they have not yet accomplished this season.

　There was a one-week interval since the last match, but at the same time, there were activities for the Japan national team and the Olympic team, so the entire team only practiced together for two days. However, Inomoto says, "We can switch gears properly." The Olympic team players also say, "Both the team and the Olympic team are winning, so there is little fatigue," and have prepared themselves in perfect condition for today. Lucas had a fever on the 18th (Fri) and avoided practice, but he will start with the same lineup as the last match. On the other hand, Ishikawa, Kanazawa, and Fukunishi have fully recovered and will be on the bench. It is expected that they will be used according to the situation.

　Yokohama FC is currently in 8th place with 5 wins, 1 draw, and 5 losses. It seems that they struggled at the beginning of the season, but they are trying to turn things around with a pressing style of soccer. When they win the ball, they quickly pass it to forwards Oshima and Sakata, and from there, there is a powerful attack from midfielders Koji Yamase, Yamase Yuki, Yoshida, and the fullbacks who also join the attack. In the previous match against Nagoya, Yokohama FC struggled against a defensive approach and suffered a defeat from a counterattack. In response to this, Tokyo aims to press each other and launch quick counterattacks to seek victory.

　Against opponents who come connecting passes like Chiba, effective pressing was applied. However, against opponents who quickly kick the ball to the front line like Yokohama FM, how much pressing can be applied will be one of the highlights. At the same time, how many second balls can be picked up is also a key to victory. If we can seize loose balls and gain an advantage, Wanchope's fluid movements and Rychely's speed will come into play. Once we've won the ball, let's send it quickly to the front line like Yokohama FM and challenge them head-on!

横浜FMに主導権を握られるが、集中したディフェンスで守り切る

　In the early stages, both teams pressed each other and the game was back and forth, but gradually Yokohama FM started to dominate the ball. They quickly played the ball forward, targeting FW Oshima and Sakata, and pushed Tokyo FC back. In the 9th minute, FW Sakata took a shot from FW Oshima's rebound off the post, but Doi made a save. In the 12th minute, right MF Yamase took a shot from the loose ball after a cross from left MF Yoshida, which was blocked by Tokyo DF and resulted in a corner kick. Although Yokohama FM took control of the game, Tokyo FC's defense line concentrated well and defended tenaciously.

　13 minutes, Rychely goes around from the left and passes to Lucas in the center. Lucas shoots with his toe, but it narrowly misses to the left. In the 15th minute, Yokohama FM's left full-back Komiyama dribbles up smoothly and cuts inside to shoot in the center. In the 27th minute, a loose ball in the midfield is picked up and FW Oshima takes a looping shot from mid-range. However, both shots were saved by mistakes.

　In the 25th minute, Tokyo expanded to the left from Tokunaga's overlap. Rychely challenged the opponent's defender and crossed the ball. However, it was cut by the defender and did not reach Wanchope. In the 30th minute, Yokohama FM persisted inside the field and connected the loose ball, and Kawaguchi from the far side headed the shot, but it went wide to the left. In the 33rd minute, Tokunaga advanced to the goal line and crossed the ball. Lucas headed it, but it didn't meet properly. Despite a stable defense, they couldn't capitalize on the opportunity.

　37 minutes, Yokohama FM MF Yamase Koji's negative pass was followed by FW Sakata, but the shot was caught by Doi. In the 42nd minute, a pass was made to FW Sakata who was trying to break through the back of Tokyo DF from FW Oshima, but Imano marked him tightly and took the ball. Starting with Doi, they covered each other well in the final line and defended until the end of the first half with a score of 0-0.

Fukunishi's splendid long shot is successful, and we win away!

　In the first half, Tokyo aimed to withstand the pressure and keep a clean sheet, with the intention of turning the game around in the second half. As planned, they aggressively fought for loose balls and launched attacks. In the 52nd minute, Noriyuki Suzuki stole the ball and initiated a quick counterattack with Kajiyama passing to Wanchope on the right. However, Wanchope's low cross was intercepted by the Yokohama FM defender. In the 54th minute, Rychely skillfully connected with a long feed to Kawaguchi on the front line, but his shot was blocked by the defender. In the 56th minute, Suzuki passed to Rychely, who was running towards the goal with speed. Rychely got into a shooting position, but the defender made a cut. Rychely managed to connect with the loose ball and took another shot while turning, but it went over the crossbar.

　58 minutes, Kawaguchi is fouled and earns a free kick on the right side of the opponent's field. Kajiyama's kick is cleared by Yokohama FM's defender Nakazawa. In the 59th minute, Wanchope persists in the area and makes a heel pass. Rychely, who ran in from the left, takes a shot. It hit the defender, but they gained rhythm with a speedy attack. In the 62nd minute, Ishikawa is substituted for Kawaguchi, and in the 68th minute, Fukunishi is substituted for the tired Lucas. Kajiyama moves up one row to aim for the goal.

　And it happened just after Fukunishi was substituted. From a right throw-in, Ishikawa's kick was headed by a Yokohama FM defender. Fukunishi picked up the ball and dribbled forward, shooting with his left foot from a distance of about 30 meters. The ball was looped and sucked in, and it's a goal! Fukunishi accurately judged the position of the opponent's goalkeeper and didn't miss the momentary opening. He scored the opening goal with a splendid play that deserves praise!

　Tokyo, gaining momentum, made a bold mid-range shot by Tokunaga in the 71st minute. In the 72nd minute, Rychely took a shot from a counterattack. In the 76th minute, Ishikawa broke through on the right side, moved inside, and took a shot. The ball unfortunately went just wide to the right, but they did not fall back defensively and aimed to score an additional goal. However, Yokohama FM also brought in the tall FW Halfner Mike in the 81st minute, closing in on the Tokyo goal with a power play. Yet, against the balls sent forward one after another, Fujiyama, Konno, and Inoha defended fiercely, and the midfield's work rate did not drop. In the 87th minute, a long ball was sent to Yokohama FM's MF Yamase, Halfner Mike dropped it, and FW Oshima's shot shook the net, but this was ruled offside. In the 89th minute, Asari was brought in, and they focused on defending until the time was up. They earned 3 points away and achieved their first consecutive wins of the season.

　【Player Comments】《Fukunishi》"I was practicing left-footed shots during halftime. The goal may have been influenced by that image. When I dribbled up and saw the goalkeeper coming out, I decided to take a shot. In the first half, we were at a disadvantage and had few shots, so I thought about finishing with a shot and creating time to push my teammates forward to build momentum. At halftime, we discussed with Dohi and others that the goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders, and forwards were all spread out. To continue winning, we need to be united as a team, so I want us to work hard together." 《Fujiyama》"The first half was a bit chaotic, but it was significant that we managed to get through that. The defense was able to cover and protect well. Fukunishi came in and not only scored but also helped control the game. Right now, the distance between players is close, and we are thoroughly executing things like competing and covering for each other. The forwards are also applying pressure. The opponent's tall players target me, but I lose in headers. So, I am defending to prevent the opponent from having freedom. We are maintaining balance, and I think everyone is unified in their intentions."

　[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "Yokohama FM has been applying pressure from the front since the match against Oita. The forwards are also chasing from the front, and I thought they would come out with momentum at home this match. In response, we talked about pressing from the front without falling back, but we were unexpectedly bombarded with long balls. Especially, long balls were kicked towards forward Oshima, and the subsequent loose balls were often picked up by MF Yamase Isamu and Yamase Ko, allowing them to face forward with the ball. Therefore, I instructed Kawaguchi and Rychely to drop back a bit to fill the space. It was significant that we managed to get through that tough situation in the first half. If we had conceded there, we might have been hit with two or three goals in quick succession. At halftime, I instructed Kajiyama to fill the midfield properly. Lucas was showing signs of fatigue, so I replaced him with Fukunishi. I told Fukunishi that the midfield was stretched, so he should align with Inoha to maintain balance. Also, since he is good at distributing the ball, I instructed him to spread the ball left and right, switch the sides, and particularly use the space where Tokunaga was open. It was great that he scored a goal with his first touch right after coming on. Both Lucas and Ishikawa had injuries at this stadium a year and a half ago, so they didn't have many good memories, but it was good that both players finished without injury. In the end, the opponent was able to use power play, but we know that we don't have big players. I thought it would be dangerous if they exploited the sides, but today, F. Marinos were throwing in early, so there were no problems."

　[Yokohama FM Coach Hayano's Press Conference] "We prepared for a week to ensure that we wouldn't repeat the mistakes from the last match against Nagoya. The key point is that, despite being able to play the soccer we aimed for in the first half, we failed to convert our chances. Additionally, from the middle of the second half, our midfield players lacked the courage to penetrate the opponent's backline, and even when we weren't being broken down, we conceded a goal when we lost our rhythm. There was no third movement for the ball that came to FW Oshima, leading to sideways passes or back passes. At that point, we lacked the courage to break forward. We needed to have more desire to score. I think the defense line did their best by putting their bodies on the line, but the midfield players, especially the younger players who came on as substitutes, need to show more spirit than they currently do. We must feel the defensive players' commitment and project the desire to score into the game; otherwise, it won't be beneficial. They are young, so they need to train harder from now on to contribute positively to the attack."