Win on the side and avenge the two defeats!

　The 5th round of the Nabisco Cup qualifying league will be a match between Shimizu S-Pulse and Matsumoto. It will be a home game for Matsumoto. In the previous round against Verdy, we had a great victory with a score of 3-0, and the team's atmosphere is good. However, Shimizu, who is currently in first place in the group, will secure the top spot if they win this round, making it a crucial match. For Tokyo, it is important to secure 3 points and catch up with Shimizu in order to advance to the final tournament. Moreover, since we have lost to them twice this season, it is a match where we definitely want to take revenge.

　Shimizu, on the other hand, seems to be in a difficult situation with a number of injured players, including GK Yamamoto, DF Aoyama, MF Honda, and FW Okazaki, all absent. However, in the previous match, MF Hyodo made a comeback. They achieved victory against Iwata by using fresh players such as MF Yamamoto and FW Omae in the midfield. Their attacking style, which involves connecting passes from tight defense and initiating attacks from the full-backs, is still strong.

　Tokyo, Kanazawa and Tokunaga as left and right fullbacks from the starting lineup since the last match. Akamine has also returned as a substitute. Coach Shirofuku also reflects, "Shimizu's way of playing is thorough and refined. In our two matches against them, we fell into Shimizu's defensive tactics. They quickly formed a block and we couldn't break through." Therefore, the key to victory will be whether we can compete with quick passing and take control on the sides. We want to win the battle on the sides before Shimizu can form a defensive block and penetrate behind their defenders. On defense, it will be important to press collectively like in the Verdy match and create rhythm from tough defense.

　Hanyu said, "I want to be careful about the balance of side attacks. Both sides go up to a deep position and try not to get countered. Also, I couldn't participate in the past Shimizu match, so there is also a frustrating aspect of not being able to contribute to the team. Let's show our soccer and win." He is enthusiastic. Fight with our own rhythm and break Shimizu's strong defense for victory! The match started at 14:04 with Tokyo's kickoff at the Matsumoto Hirano Comprehensive Park General Ball Game Field, where cold rain was falling.

Take the lead with Bruno Quadros' goal and go into halftime with a one-point lead

　Tokyo started the game with quick attacks from the side. In the 4th minute, Kanazawa and Cabore had a decisive shot from a cross by Asari -> Hanyu, but it was blocked by the Shizuoka DF. In the 8th minute, Asari cut off Shizuoka's throw-in and passed the ball to Hanyu on the left side with a direct pass. Hanyu brought the ball to a deep position near the sideline and crossed it. Bruno QUADROS jumped in and volleyed the ball into the net while jumping! Following the Verdy game, Tokyo took the lead with the combination of Hanyu -> Bruno QUADROS.

　In the following 10 minutes, Emerson on the right side dribbled inside and made a pass. Hiraoka reacted to the ball and took a decisive shot from the left area, but couldn't score. After that, Shimizu also had a shooting chance from a free kick, but couldn't break through the goal defended by Shioda. In the 20th minute, Emerson -> Cabore -> Bruno QUADROS launched a quick attack, Hiraoka kept the ball near the area and dropped it to Hayu, but the timing was off and he couldn't take a shot.

　Shimizu tries to put the ball forward from the defensive line, but Sasaki and Fujiyama calmly intercept. Especially Fujiyama repeatedly makes sharp interceptions, not allowing the opponent's forwards to work. After 30 minutes, they launch an attack with Emerson as the starting point. In the 34th minute, a pass is sent to Hirayama, who ran up behind the defensive line from the right side where Emerson was, and then to Cabore who moved up in the center. However, the trap is slightly long, and it is saved by the Shimizu goalkeeper. In the 35th minute, Emerson carries the ball from the right side to the center, exchanges passes with Cabore, and shoots with speed, but it goes over the frame.

　In the 39th minute, Cabore's volley from the right FK by Tokunaga, followed by a left cross, shook the net, but it was offside. Towards the end of the first half, Shimizu was attacked from both sides with crosses, but they defended well. There were also moments where both teams made noticeable mistakes on the slippery pitch, but Shimizu did not allow them to dominate the ball and went into the second half with a one-goal lead.

Caught up at the end, ending with a painful draw

　In the second half, immediately after the start, Tokyo created chances with Emerson and Hirayama, but then Shimizu took control. Against Shimizu, who started moving and getting the ball away quickly, with MF Fujimoto coming on as a substitute, Tokyo's energy dropped, they couldn't press, and couldn't pick up second balls. Still, in the 58th minute, Hirayama brought the ball inside from a left throw-in and took a shot, but it went over the goal. In the 59th minute, the ball went from Kanazawa to Emerson to Cabore, who turned and took a shot, but it hit the opponent's defender and resulted in a corner kick. Despite being pushed back, they tried to regain their rhythm somehow.

　In the 65th minute, Ishikawa was substituted for Emerson. Then, in the 69th minute, Cabore dropped the left throw-in and Ishikawa swung his foot sharply. He shot with great determination, but it went just wide of the goal. In the 70th minute, Tokunaga ran up the right side from a counterattack and crossed the ball. It was cleared once, but Ishikawa picked up the loose ball, quickly moved to the right area, and took a shot. Cabore also jumped in from the far side, but he couldn't touch the ball. In the 75th minute and beyond, Shizuoka MF Fujimoto led the attack and created consecutive chances, but they were able to defend with Shioda's save at the center.

　Tokyo also tried to change the flow by introducing Akamine and Motoniwa. In the 81st minute, after Ishikawa's kick from the right corner kick, Tokunaga and the opponent competed for the loose ball, and Sahara on the outside took a decisive shot with his right foot, but it was blocked by the goalkeeper. In the 85th minute, Fujiyama passed to Ishikawa who was going up on the right, and they countered. Akamine slid to the cross from Ishikawa, but the shot hit the bar and went out. Unable to score an additional point, the difficult situation continued, but they defended with their bodies and it seemed like the game would end like this, but then an accident happened.

　In the 86th minute, Sahara received his second warning of the day and was sent off. At the same time, this play gave Shimizu a free kick, and MF Fujimoto directly aimed for the ball, which bounced and went into the goal... They immediately started a counterattack, but it was already too late. They were caught up to a tie in the final moments from a free kick and ended up with a painful draw.

　[Player Comments]《Bruno QUADROS》"I think we played a good game, but we conceded a goal at the end and ended up with a draw. It's something that happens often in football, but I didn't want it to happen this time. Unfortunately, the result was a draw. (As for the scoring scene?) It was a situation from a quick counterattack, and I came in late, but the cross from Hanyu came right to me, and I was able to score. He sent a good ball. My strength is to push forward quickly after winning the ball. I think I was able to do that. Of course, I also have to follow what the coach said. I want to move on to the next game to get more chances."《Fujiyama》"It was a game we had to win. In hindsight, there was also the red card for Hide, which shouldn't have happened. The coach was strict about it, but I think he understands that the most. Everyone is working hard for results. However, we managed to get one point, and we didn't lose. If we win the next match against Verdy, there is still a chance. But as a team aiming for the top in the Nabisco Cup, this was a game we shouldn't have played. We should all reconsider that. I want to win the next match and advance to the Final Round, and I believe the supporters feel differently about it. I don't know if it will go as smoothly as last time. Today, the second goal was crucial, but overall, we need to level up as a team. In the upcoming match against Verdy, we all want to go for the full three points. Next, Hide won't be able to play, but this year we are rotating players, so I’m not worried about who will play. I've been playing with Moni since last year, so there are no issues. Verdy is strong, so I want to make sure we stop them properly."

　[Summary of Coach Jofuku's Press Conference] "I think today was a game we had to win. In the last moments of the second half, we were pushed back and there were dangerous situations, but considering the flow of the match up to that point, it was a game where we had to secure 3 points. In the first half, we were able to execute our attacking and defensive strategies to a certain extent, and while we scored one goal, I believe we could have scored two more. That is a point of reflection from the previous match, as we couldn't push through in the final moments. Also, in the second half, we held onto the ball a bit too much in the midfield and couldn't move it simply. There were players in the midfield trying to handle things individually, which led to us losing the ball and entering a difficult period. With such a prolonged tough time, going down to 10 men, and having such good kickers, things like that can happen. We should have avoided playing in that area before that. (It seemed like Ohtake was prepared for the third substitution, but why did you use Moniwa?) As time was running out, I was considering whether the opponent would come at us with height or on the ground, so I kept one substitution for the end. Since players like FW Marco AURELIO and FW Oomae, who are strong with their feet, came on, I thought about moving Fujiyama forward to respond."

　[Summary of Shimizu Coach Hasegawa's Press Conference] "I am very satisfied that we were able to earn 1 point today. Given that we had injured players and some players making their first starts, I believe those who played did their jobs well, and we were ultimately able to equalize thanks to the team's unity. A team that has not been performing well in the league was able to catch up to a team that has been doing well, and to earn 1 point away like this will allow us to compete more favorably in this qualifying round. However, there is still one match left in the Nabisco, so I want to play solid football and finish strong. (What adjustments were made after a good second half?) In the first half, I told the players not to push forward too much. We conceded one goal, but we switched well and managed to keep it at zero after that. In the second half, we brought in MF Fujimoto and FW Marco AURELIO to activate the front line, and our original form came back. Additionally, I think it was significant that MF Iwashita, playing as a side back, dealt with Hirayama and was able to feed the ball forward from there. I believe the second half was a game with many gains in various ways."