Continue our soccer and win four consecutive victories without rushing

　Sec. 26 will face Júbilo Iwata at home. In the previous match against Kawasaki, we achieved a tough victory through the perseverance and efforts of all players. In this match, we aim to achieve consecutive victories at Ajinomoto Stadium and strive for our first four-game winning streak of the season. It will be an important match in terms of being a stepping stone to further climb up the rankings.

　Due to the match being held two days after the previous match, there are concerns about physical exhaustion. However, Coach Shirofuku stated, "In the previous match, we fought with 10 players for that amount of time, so there is definitely fatigue. However, the players have the determination to fight in the top group, and they have high motivation, which allows them to cover their physical fatigue." However, in this match, Konno is suspended. In addition, Hanyu and Akamine are also absent due to injuries. As a result, Asari and Kajiyama will form a double pivot in midfield, with Emerson on the left side and Ishikawa on the right side. Additionally, Hirayama will start for the first time since the 21st match against Urawa. They will face the match with Cabore and a two-striker formation.

　Júbilo Iwata, who currently has 26 points and is in 16th place. Although they welcomed new coach Hans OOFT, they have not won a game since the 17th round on July 17th and seem to be struggling. However, their tactics of deploying FW Maeda and FW Elsinho as the starting points for side attacks, with MF Komano and Murai making plays, are well-executed and have the potential to be dangerous when they click. Coach Shirofuku said, "The key is how to prevent them from creating opportunities in the front line and how to take care of the sides." Additionally, although Akamine, who has scored goals in three consecutive matches and is also known as the "Júbilo Killer," will be absent, the team's goal remains the same: to create chances from quick movements and passing in the front line. Even if there are periods when things don't go well, it is important not to lose balance and to persistently fight with a stronger determination than Iwata. Aim for victory!

　The match started at 16:04 with a kick-off in Tokyo at Ajinomoto Stadium on a clear autumn day.

First goal by Cabore! Conceded a goal from a mistake, but...

　Intense exchanges between offense and defense continued from the start. Both teams fought fiercely to win the ball, but neither could create a scoring opportunity. In the 4th minute, Iwata tried to find their rhythm as midfielder Inuzuka took a shot from the left side. In the 12th minute, Tokyo earned a free kick from the right side and Kajiyama sent the ball into the goal area, but the opposing goalkeeper jumped out and caught it directly. Then, Iwata stole a left corner kick from a cross by right midfielder Komano, and defender Chano jumped in with a header from midfielder Murai's kick, but it went over the bar.

　In the 14th minute, Tokyo launched a quick attack from the left side of their own field, with Shigetaka MOBATA passing the ball to Emerson on the left front line. Emerson then sent a through pass to Cabore, who took advantage of his speed to dribble past the opponent's defenders and boldly aimed for the goal after entering the left area. The shot with his left foot found the net on the opposite side! Taking advantage of Cabore's speed, he skillfully scored the opening goal with a shot!

　After that, both teams launched quick attacks, leading to a back-and-forth of counterattacks. Among them, Tokyo created chances with Cabore and Ishikawa breaking down both flanks. In the 23rd minute, Ishikawa passed to Emerson, who had moved up the right. The cross was initially blocked, but he picked up the loose ball, kept it, and delivered another fast, low cross from the right. Here, Hirayama dove in with his head. In the 26th minute, from a left throw-in, Hirayama and the opposing DF competed on the left flank, and the ball was played back into the center. Cabore quickly reacted to a loose ball from the opposing DF's high ball and took a volley shot, but both went wide of the goal. In the 29th minute, Iwata also launched a quick attack, with right MF Komano sending in a cross, but Shigeno cleared it. Shortly after, the ball was thrown into the Tokyo goal area, and a loose ball from the scramble almost reached Iwata FW Maeda, but the Tokyo DF covered for each other and defended stubbornly.

　In the 33rd minute, we got a free kick in the midfield, and from that momentum, Kajiyama -> Asari -> Kajiyama expanded to the right. Ishikawa broke through on the right side and sent a fast ground cross. Kabore in the center, Hiraoka couldn't connect, but Sasaki, who had moved up in the free kick situation, closed in on the far side and securely scored the second goal. However, in the immediate 34th minute, Ishikawa's back pass was taken by Iwata FW Jiushinho in the area. Shiota jumped out, Nagatomo also tried to hold him back, but he was immediately connected behind and kicked by FW Maeda, who had come up to support, resulting in a goal... We conceded a goal from a mistake and ended the first half with a score of 2-1.

Side rush to the goal! 4 consecutive wins with the first 5 goals of the season!

　In the early stages of the second half, Iwata dominated the ball and continued to be pushed back. In the 50th minute, Iwata launched a major attack and ultimately had a shot taken by the central midfielder Inuzuka. In the 52nd minute, Nagatomo escaped from a breakthrough by Iwata's left midfielder Murai and resulted in a corner kick. Murai's left corner kick was punched away by Shiota. Inuzuka took another shot from the loose ball, but it went wide. In the 54th minute, Tokyo couldn't clear Iwata's attack and the ball was played inside Tokyo's territory, resulting in a header by forward Jiu Shinho from Komano's right cross, but Shiota caught it in front of him. Without rushing, they defended persistently and in the 55th minute, Otake was substituted for Emerson. They regained their rhythm and created chances from the sides, just like in the first half.

　59 minutes, Ishikawa sprinted up the side and sent a cross that was cleared just before reaching Cabore, but in the 61st minute, Cabore jumped out to a vertical pass from Otake, and crossed. The ball hit Ishikawa's heel as he ran into the center, changing the angle and inducing an own goal by Iwata into the net. They scored their third goal. In the following 69th minute, Hirayama → Cabore dribbled into the area from the left side. They advanced to a close distance to the goal and made a precise pass to Ishikawa, who closed in from the far side to the center. This time, Ishikawa kicked it in perfectly, goal! With a speedy development, Ishikawa and Cabore attacked both sides of Iwata and created scoring opportunities. And with Ishikawa's first goal in the league, they took a three-goal lead.

　In the 70th minute, Suzuki Tatsuya replaced Ishikawa, and in the following 72nd minute, Kanazawa was substituted for Cabore. With Hirayama and Suzuki as the two top players, Kanazawa as the left midfielder, and Otake as the right midfielder, they defended against Iwata's counterattacks while also maintaining an attacking posture. Then, in the 80th minute, Asari sent a long feed from his own territory to the front line, and the opponent's defender cleared the ball while moving back. Suzuki Tatsuya fiercely chased after the ball that flew towards Iwata's goal, shook off the diving goalkeeper, and caught up with it in the right area. Then, calmly feinting past the goalkeeper who had quickly returned, he pierced the shot! Suzuki Tatsuya scored his first goal since transferring and secured the fifth goal to seal the victory.

　Each player took their chances and scored 5 goals from 10 shots, effectively suppressing Iwata's counterattacks until the end of the game. They achieved their first four consecutive victories of the season with a goal rush!

　[Player Comments]《Tatsuya SUZUKI》"In the last match against Kawasaki, we managed to earn 3 points in a tough game, but if we lose today's match, that will all be meaningless. So I felt strongly that today's match was important. Everyone created a good flow, so I focused on riding that momentum and not being passive, but rather pushing forward and competing as I stepped onto the pitch. The players who came on as substitutes created an environment on the pitch that made it easier for them to play, so I want to thank everyone. (Regarding the scoring scene) This year, I had several one-on-one situations with the GK, but I rushed and missed them, so I thought I should calm down the moment I got past the GK and turned back. I wasn't thinking about a pass. As a player, I wish to start, but the team is in good form right now. I want to work hard on the tasks given to me to contribute to earning 3 points. The supporters in Tokyo are passionate, and I am honestly surprised that so many people have come to the stadium. Although I have just transferred, I would be happy if today's goal means I have been accepted as a player in Tokyo."《Asari》"In the first half, I may have focused too much on the sides, which made the center weak. In the second half, I made some adjustments and focused on solidifying the center. There were moments at the start of the second half when we were pushed back, but the midfield and defense players communicated and discussed how to effectively fill the spaces. We tried to clearly decide whether to pull back the forwards or for the back line to push up. I believe that our ability to hold our ground there led to a lot of goals. If we aim for the top, we absolutely must win against teams fighting at the bottom. Sapporo scored 2 goals today, so I don't think they are in a bad state at all. It's an away game, but I still want to win decisively."

　【Summary of Coach Jofuku's Press Conference】 "Three days ago, we played a very hard game and earned three points, putting us in a position to enter the upper group. Today, the key point was whether we could concentrate and enter the game with the same tension as the previous match. Our goal is not just to win against Kawasaki, but to always keep the upper group, or the top, in mind as we continue training and playing throughout the year. We confirmed that again and made today a new start. It was a difficult game both mentally and physically, but I believe the players fought with focus. Especially at the start of the first half, we were conscious of maintaining our defensive balance. Even if there were times we had to endure or if the opponent had a higher possession rate, we entered the game with the mindset of not breaking our defense, and I confirmed that we would eventually find our rhythm. There were goals conceded from mistakes, but today we scored well on our chances, which made for an easier game. There was a desire and a sense of speed towards the goal, so in that respect, I felt the players became more focused as time went on."

　[Iwata - Hans Ooft's press conference summary] "If you only look at the result without watching the match, it may seem like a 5-1 overwhelming victory for Tokyo, and that Iwata had no chance. But I see it very positively. Until it was 3-1, there were chances to catch up. So we had opportunities for 60 minutes. However, after the third goal, we fell back too much, giving the opponent space and creating a situation where we couldn't make physical contact. As a result, the opponent was able to score again. I think that was the turning point. Until the 60th minute, we were able to close in well, go for the ball, and prevent the opponent from playing. But we need to do that for 90 minutes. I also thought I needed to change the situation, so I altered the formation a bit, but the field size became larger, and we couldn't stay compact. Therefore, we couldn't slow down. There were two different situations, but up until just before it became 3-1, I think we saw the best football since I became the coach of Iwata. For me, that is the starting point for the future. We need to continue this."