Surpassing the momentum of Chiba, aiming for a 5-game winning streak!

　Sec. 27 is an away game against JEF United Chiba. In the previous match against Shimizu, it was a tough game at the beginning, but we managed to overcome it and scored two goals to win. Although the performance was not great, the fact that we were able to secure 3 points shows the current momentum of the team. In addition, Kono mentioned, "We have been communicating and making adjustments together, even for small points that we used to overlook. This is also a factor for our victories during the matches," highlighting the impressive comeback after the 4 consecutive losses in August.

　Chiba, on the other hand, is in 11th place with 34 points. In the last 4 matches, they have scored 12 goals and conceded 2 (Tokyo has scored 12 goals and conceded 1), showing a balanced attack and defense. Their counterattacks, which quickly come from the midfield and defense after winning the ball, are threatening. As for Tokyo, they not only need to clarify their marking and passing, but also want to regain possession through aggressive pressing and aggressive defense. It is also important to avoid "strange ways of being taken (Manager Hara)" with half-hearted plays.

　And in this match, the key will be the transition between offense and defense. If Ishikawa and Kurisawa can exploit the spaces on the sides of Chiba's 3-back formation with even faster transitions than before, they should be able to create plenty of chances. Akamine, who starts moving quickly, will be the catalyst, and Fukunishi and Konno will also coordinate their movements to disrupt the opponent's defense, aiming for a fast and powerful attack.

　Shiota calmly analyzes the battle so far, saying, "Recently, everyone has been working hard and there has been a seamless coordination between offense and defense. However, we can't just aim for the same level of play. We want to aim higher and achieve results." He is also highly motivated. One step ahead of the opponent. Following the Shimizu match, they aim to achieve victory with soccer that surpasses Chiba's momentum. The match started with Chiba's kickoff at 19:02.

No way to stop Chiba's fierce attack. The first half ends with a 2-goal deficit.

　Tokyo attacks from the start of the match. In the 1st minute, Ishikawa on the right side boldly cuts in and crosses. It didn't reach Lucas, but Imano, who closed in on the opponent's defender's clearance, took a middle shot. He showed an aggressive attitude, but the shot didn't hit. To the goalkeeper. In the 2nd minute, they approached Chiba's goal and won two right corner kicks. Imano in the far post dropped Ishikawa's kick, and Akamine, who jumped in from the right, aimed for the goal but was blocked by the opponent's defender. They continued to attack rhythmically and pushed Chiba back, maintaining their momentum.

　However, after that, Chiba took control. In the 4th minute, Chiba FW Niino broke through Tokyo's right side and sent a ground cross. Chiba right MF Mizuno ran freely into the area and took a powerful shot, but Shigeki blocked it with his body. However, in the 9th minute, Chiba took the lead on a counterattack. The ball that FW Maki and FW Niino competed for from MF Mizuno's feed reached FW Niino, who dribbled and shot from the left outside the area, scoring to the right of the goal.

　Contrary to expectations, Chiba kicked the ball to the front line, causing the defensive line to drop back and allowing the ball to be picked up between the midfielders and defenders. They lose in the competition and are unable to take the ball at all. Even if they seize the chance from free kicks or corner kicks, they are countered and unable to create decisive attacking opportunities. Then, in the 30th minute, the defenders are one step behind in response to Chiba's counterattack. Shaken by midfielder Mizuno's pass on the right side, they are connected to forward Sato in front of the goal. Although they initially cleared it, midfielder Kudo, who closed in on the area from the front, took a shot. It was scored in the left corner, conceding the second goal.

　Immediately after conceding a goal, Ishikawa moves up the right side, cuts inside, and takes a shot while carrying the opposing defender on his back, but it is saved by the goalkeeper. However, the flow of Chiba's game remains unchanged. A powerful shot from Chiba's midfielder Mizuno's free kick is saved by Shibata, and a shot from close range by defender Nakajima from a corner kick hits the post. It could have easily been another 1 or 2 goals conceded, but somehow they manage to finish the first half with a 2-goal deficit and look forward to the second half.

The determination to win pushes Chiba to the end, but falls just short

　At halftime, Coach Hara told me, "We are losing to Chiba in both competitiveness and physicality. We can't end the game like this for the fans who came to support us." So I went back to the pitch. And unlike the first half, we took control from the beginning. Akamine suddenly made a run to the front line and fell down in a challenge inside the box, but there was no foul. In the 46th minute, Ishikawa broke through the right side and crossed. Kurizawa closed in from the opposite side, but the trap failed and the opponent's goalkeeper caught the ball. We persistently responded to the one-on-one challenges and regained possession of the ball, launching 2 or 3 subsequent attacks.

　In the 51st minute, Rychely and Noriyuki SUZUKI were substituted for Ishikawa and Kurisawa, further accelerating the momentum. In the 54th minute, Rychely evaded the opponent's DF in the area and took a decisive shot, but it went over the upper right corner. In the 55th minute, Fukunishi from the right area was in shooting position from the restart. However, it was blocked by the DF and resulted in a right corner kick. In the 56th minute, Rychely carried the ball up on the right side and crossed it. The opponent's DF cleared it and resulted in a right corner kick. Norio SUZUKI kicked the ball again from the loose ball and crossed it. Lucas and Akamine jumped into it with their whole bodies, but narrowly missed. In the 58th minute, Rychely cut inside from the right and took a powerful shot. However, it was saved by the opponent's GK.

　However, in the 60th minute, Chiba took advantage of a momentary gap and quickly passed the ball to the front line on the counterattack. Chiba's forward, Shingai, dribbled and rushed towards the goal, but Tokunaga brought him down inside the penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick and conceding the third goal. It was a painful goal to concede considering the good momentum in the attack, but Tokyo continued to attack without giving up or getting discouraged. In the 65th minute, Hiraoka was substituted for Kanazawa, forming a two-top with Akamine. Lucas moved to the left, and Noriyuki Suzuki took care of the side-back position, creating an ultra-attacking formation.

　Then in the 68th minute, Suzuki's left FK is cleared in front of the goal, but Tokunaga picks up the loose ball on the opposite side and crosses it again. Shigekiho crosses it back, and Imakano heads it into the goal. They get one point back. After that, Hirayama and Akamine break through behind the defense and dribble into the area, but they are caught by a CK. In the 74th minute, Akamine competes and quickly Imakano passes through to the front line. Fukunishi breaks through in front of the goal and shoots with his left foot, but it is blocked by the goalkeeper. However, in the 77th minute, Motonii, who stole the ball, moves up to the front line and sends a well-timed through pass. Once again, Fukunishi breaks through in front of the goal and gets fouled from behind, earning a penalty kick. Lucas confidently converts it, bringing the score to a one-point difference.

　With more than 10 minutes remaining, the fans are getting excited. In the 82nd minute, a free kick is awarded just before the central area. Noriyuki SUZUKI takes a powerful left-footed shot, but it is deflected by the wall. In the 86th minute, Lucas is substituted for Hirayama on the left. Fukunishi, who advanced to the sideline, delivers a cross. The Chiba defender's clearance goes out of bounds, resulting in a corner kick. Noriyuki SUZUKI's left corner kick reaches Hirayama, but the trap is not successful. Even in stoppage time, the attack continues. First, Akamine's post leads to Hirayama skillfully breaking free in front of the defender, shooting from just outside the area. However, it goes wide to the right of the goal. Next, Kondo's long feed is dropped by Hirayama, and Akamine takes a one-touch shot. It was a good opportunity, but the distance was slightly too far, and the ball veered left. Finally, from Tokunaga's long throw, the clearance is connected, and Tokunaga delivers another cross from the right. In front of the goal, Hirayama attempts a shot with a right-footed heel in a difficult position, but the goalkeeper catches it. They pressured Chiba until the very end, but fell just short. It ended in defeat.

　[Player Comments] Konno: "We became a different team in the first and second halves. In the second half, we had more movement and our spirits were high. I regret the way we fought in the first half. Today was not the match against Chiba that I had anticipated. They didn't connect the ball and instead kicked it forward to evade our press. We couldn't respond, and the space opened up between the front and back lines. I was paying attention to space marking, but when they kicked it, I thought it was strange... and that was how the first half went. They picked up the loose balls, and when we tried to defend, they connected and moved, making it difficult for us. In the second half, it was clearly our pace, and I wanted to somehow turn it around, but... we didn't have enough strength." Norio Suzuki: "I wanted to break through the side with Rychely and score a goal. We were down by two goals, but I thought if I played my usual style, it would be fine. We had chances, but not being able to finish them is a challenge. If I had scored from a free kick or during the flow of the game, I should have been able to start. However, I think we are starting to play football that is characteristic of Tokyo. Many fans came all the way out in the rain, and I am really frustrated that we couldn't win. In the next match against Yokohama FM, we lost at Ajinomoto Stadium in the Nabisco Cup, so I want to win and dispel that unpleasant image."

　【Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference】 "In the first 5 minutes, we were able to attack as planned and had chances to shoot. However, I felt that JEF was kicking the ball to FW Maki earlier than expected. The loose balls were picked up by MF Sato and FW Niinai, which changed the rhythm. JEF was marking closely, so I instructed the players to aim for space rather than connecting at their feet. However, the opponent's quick start led to situations where Ishikawa was dispossessed while trying to hold the ball, resulting in many counterattacks. I think that allowed JEF to establish their rhythm. In fact, we conceded the second goal in that manner. JEF's quick breaks made it difficult for us to respond. In the second half, when we tried to connect closely on the same side, we were dispossessed and countered, so I instructed the players to keep it simpler. However, it felt like not much changed, so I brought in speedy players like Norio Suzuki and Rychely. Rychely's breakthrough and Norio Suzuki's left foot shifted the momentum to us. If we could score one goal... we conceded a penalty from a counterattack, which made it tough. However, everyone worked hard from there, and there were moments where we thought, 'Can we catch up?' I want to commend the fact that we didn't give up until the end, but we should have done that from the start. I think we were overwhelmed by JEF's strengths from midway through the first half. However, Hirayama and Rychely, who came on as substitutes, also did well. With 7 matches remaining, I want to bring in fresh players and continue to fight."

　[Summary of Coach Amal's Press Conference] "It's unfortunate that September doesn't have 280 days. The next match is in October. Let's see what happens. (After winning 5 in a row, we are in 10th place?) To stay in J1 next year, we need 5 or 6 more points. We must not forget where we were a month and a half ago. We have the same coach and players. (Although the first half was perfect, we struggled in the second half?) I think it was a good match for the spectators. However, for me, it was a tough match. It's disappointing that we couldn't control the second half like we did the first. A few days ago, I mentioned in an interview that 'matches against Tokyo always have a lot of goals. It will probably be that kind of match,' and it turned out to be true. Of course, with Tokyo having such momentum and changing their lineup in the second half, I think it's understandable that it turned out this way. I also believe that today's match revealed that Jeff is still not a mature team. A mature team would score additional goals to win when leading 3-0. However, we cannot do that. I think that's the difference between us and Gamba or Frontale. (What was the reason for controlling the opponent in the first half?) We were playing soccer for the first 60 minutes, so we could control the opponent. The remaining 30 minutes, we were playing rugby. That's why the momentum shifted to the opponent. It's an exaggerated way to put it, but in reality, Tokyo can play a match like rugby. When it becomes that kind of match, we cannot respond, which is the current situation. In that sense, Tokyo was better in the last 30 minutes. It wouldn't have been surprising if we had conceded a third goal."