Breaking through Kyoto's defense, and achieving the first victory in 5 league matches!

　Sec. 18 of the league will be an away match against Kyoto Sanga F.C. In the previous match against G Osaka, we managed to avoid a third consecutive loss and earned 1 point. However, we haven't won a match since the league resumed, so this match, which is the first of the second half, will be an important game for us to fight for the top positions. We want to take advantage of the gains and momentum from the G Osaka match and aim to secure our first victory in 5 league matches, even though it's an away game.

　Kyoto, who is currently in 11th place, has been in good form with no losses in the last three matches after the break, with the addition of FW FERNANDEZ and DF Mizumoto. Coach Jofuku also analyzed, "The new players who joined have become the core of the team and have powered up both in attack and defense." Starting from a solid defense centered around Mizumoto, they launch accurate and fast counterattacks, especially with FW Yanagisawa, who has shown excellent speed and quality in his movements and has scored in the last three matches. In addition, they have players with unique characteristics such as FW Hayashi on the bench, and Shibata also cautions, "The variety of our tactics has increased."

　Tokyo, there are no changes in the starting lineup from the previous match. Ishikawa, who is in good form, said, "I shouldn't be able to aim for the back of the defense as much as in the G Osaka match. However, I want to create chances by continuing to move and finding space to attack. I always want to be aware of moving after passing and use plays that connect actions. I also want to focus on the collaboration with the side back." The point is how much they can break down Kyoto's defensive setup. With no space behind the defense and strong players in the center line, including MF Shijikurei, they want to create a numerical advantage on the side and make their moves.

　Manager Hiroshi JOFUKU declared, "We haven't had any wins in the past few matches and there is fatigue. However, both teams are facing the same challenge of not being able to stop their feet in the heat. In that situation, it is important for us to execute what we need to do. We will harness the players' strong desire for victory and fight with a strong awareness of winning, while not losing to Kyoto's quick start and moving the ball and people in Tokyo's soccer. The match started at 19:04 with Tokyo's kickoff in the hot and humid Nishikyogoku."

The first half ended with no goals from both teams, thanks to Shioda's great save.

　From the beginning, we launched attacks from the sides as planned. Shortly after the start, Ishikawa created a chance from Kajiyama's run, but it didn't reach Cabore. In the 5th minute, Ishikawa took a shot inside the area from a drop pass by Hirayama to Cabore. The opponent's goalkeeper made a save and it resulted in a corner kick. In the 6th minute, Tokunaga and Hirayama made a move on the left side and sent a final pass to Cabore in the center, but it was cleared. Tokyo continued at their own pace, but there were few decisive moments and gradually lost the ball, leading to Kyoto's sharp counterattacks.

　23 minutes, Kyoto long ball from MF Shijikurei → Tokyo inside the FW Yanagisawa drops with a header, FW Fernandinho dribbles fiercely. He shoots from the right area but misses over the bar, avoiding danger. In the 26th minute, left full-back Kakuta dribbles up the center and passes to the free FW Fernandinho in the left area. The shot is punched away by Shibata. Tokyo also seizes chances from counters and earns multiple corner kicks, but all of them lack accuracy and the attacks do not continue.

　At 30 minutes, Tokyo launched a counterattack, with Nagatomo dribbling up the center and breaking through the right front line in combination play with Ishikawa. From the sideline, Kabore headed the cross, but the shot missed the target. After that, Kyoto's FW Fernandinho and Yanagisawa created scoring opportunities. In the 39th minute, Kyoto's MF Sato took a shot from inside the area, but it was saved by Shioda. The end of the first half was dominated by Shioda's excellent saves, and it ended 0-0.

Equalizing goal by Akamine brings the game to a draw

　In the second half, Tokyo changed positions with Nagatomo and Tokunaga. They focused on having Ishikawa play on the side and aim for goals in a wide formation. However, in the 50th minute, Kyoto FW Fernandinho persistently made a move on Tokyo's right side and eventually crossed the ball. Although it was cleared as a corner kick, from the left corner kick taken by FW Fernandinho, DF Mizumoto was perfectly headed and allowed the first goal. After that, Tokyo faced a Kyoto team that gained momentum from the first goal, resulting in more defensive time and unable to launch attacks.

　Then, in the 63rd minute, Asari and Ishikawa were replaced by Otake and Emerson. With Hanyu moving to the center, they calmly aimed to counterattack with their own style of soccer. Gradually regaining composure, they completely dominated the ball. However, they struggled to break through Kyoto's defensive formation and were unable to take a shot. In the 77th minute, Akamine was substituted for Cabore, and they launched a fierce attack. But in the 83rd minute, Otake picked up a defensive mistake by the opponent on the left side and crossed the ball in front of the goal. Akamine headed the ball, but it went wide of the goal.

　Next, in the 84th minute, Otake cut inside the right area and attracted the attention of the defender, passing the ball to Emerson in the center. His sharp shot hit the crossbar. It seemed like the game would end like this, but in injury time, Hirayama was fouled outside the left area, earning a free kick. Emerson took the last chance free kick, and the ball narrowly escaped the hands of the Kyoto goalkeeper, finding its way into the far corner of the goal. Akamine then headed the ball into the net right on the goal line. The game ended immediately after this goal. The never-give-up spirit finally paid off, bringing a tough away match to a draw.

　【Player Comments】《Akamine》"(Regarding participation) I felt that while we could move the ball, we were lacking in shots. I was thinking of taking a shot decisively, so it was good that I was able to score in the end. I was able to react quickly to the ball that came loose. However, if I had been able to score during the flow of the game... Kyoto was solid in defense and launched counterattacks, but surprisingly their line was set high. So I thought there would be space behind, and I was aware of the chance to exploit that. Right now, I am often coming on as a substitute, but if I can produce results, I believe it will lead to the next step for both myself and the team. The team has started to connect the ball better. If we take more shots, there should be more chances, so I want to be proactive in aiming for them. Next, I want to do my best to secure 3 points for the fans." 《Emerson》"It was a tough match. I expected it to be difficult away, but losing the first goal made the situation even tougher. However, I think the fact that everyone did not give up contributed to us earning 1 point. When participating, I was thinking of playing in a way that contributes to the team. For the free kick, I believed it would go in and kicked the ball towards the goal. I think it was great that Shingo scored well. Of course, I wanted to win, but I want to think positively about being able to draw in the end away. (Is there a lack of victories lately?) I think it is necessary to work even harder in practice and for the team to have confidence as well."

【Summary of Coach Jofuku's Press Conference】 "Right now, Kyoto is a very strong team, and we entered the match while paying close attention to key players like DF Shizukurei and FW Fernandinho, as well as Yanagisawa. Regarding the opponent's slow attacks, they didn't create many dangerous situations, but I think we put ourselves in a pinch when we lost the ball poorly and were hit by a quick counterattack. Also, in set plays like corners, there was a noticeable difference in the accuracy of the kicks. The opponent's kicks were precise and had many potential balls, while ours were as you saw. Technique doesn't change overnight, but we must firmly acknowledge that point. It feels like we tightened the noose around our own necks. In terms of our attack, I believe we stuck to what we wanted to do. While we reflect on the poor way we lost the ball that led to the pinch, I want to commend our effort to see it through. Lastly, it was very good that we managed to equalize, and I want to carry forward the fact that everyone persevered and not waste this one point as we look to the next match. (In the second half, did you switch the positions of Nagatomo and Tokunaga?) There are several reasons, but one is that in the first half, we struggled against FW Watanabe Daigo's dribbling. Also, Ishikawa made some mistakes when he came inside a few times, but he is a player who can showcase his strengths better when he stays outside. I wanted to bring Hanyu from the opposite side inside to allow him to focus on his strengths. And regarding who to use outside, I wanted to utilize the energetic Nagatomo as part of that intention."

[Summary of Coach Kato's Press Conference in Kyoto] "After winning against Kashima, the top team in the league, I thought we shouldn't let our guard down, so I talked about showing our best concentration in the first 10 minutes today. However, right after the kickoff, there was a moment when we were broken down from the right and the ball crossed in front of the goal, which I think showed a bit of nervousness or lack of concentration at the start. After the 15-minute mark, we regained our rhythm. Compared to the matches against Antlers and Verdy, when the ball went to our fullbacks, we were pressed quickly, so our ball connection was unstable. We couldn't keep the ball with the fullbacks as we had before and move it into the opponent's half. The opponent has studied us, and at halftime, I mentioned that there are times when the ball is unstable, and the opponent is not taking it easy either. In the second half, we thickened the midfield and created a block on the side of DF Nakaya, who was being exploited in the first half, to prevent being broken down on the flanks. Ultimately, we were scored on from a set piece, but there were parts where we were caught despite having studied our approach well. There was a mistake where the GK came out and couldn't touch the ball, but I think they did well throughout the 90 minutes. It is very difficult to earn a point like this, and I want to use this point as momentum for the second half of the season."