A battle to aim for 4 consecutive victories with the team united as one in an all-out war!

Entering the 8th round of the 2nd stage, Nagoya Grampus faced off against Toyota Stadium away. In the previous round, Yonemoto scored his first goal of the season. Without being shaken by the accident, the team showed their determination to win and Nathan Burns scored the winning goal, securing their 3rd consecutive victory. As a result, they accumulated 48 points for the year, the same as last season's final score. However, Coach Massimo calmly stated, "It is a positive factor, but the season is not over yet. Going forward, it is important to continue to value each game in front of us and continue to grow."

Tokunaga has recovered for this match, but Morishige is suspended due to accumulated warnings. The situation continues to be difficult, but Coach Massimo stated, "We have some problems as a team, but we have been able to train well. Yoshimoto and Nara are also in good condition, and we will send them onto the pitch with confidence while assessing their state." Regarding the center-back position, he mentioned that there are several options and that preparations have been made with Maruyama, Yoshimoto, and Nara.

Nagoya, on the other hand, finished 9th in the 1st stage and couldn't break into the top positions, but in the 2nd stage they have improved their scoring ability and are currently in 5th place. They have the same 13 points as Tokyo, and FW Leandro Domingues, who was sidelined due to injury, has returned. DF Toshiaki Tawara has joined the build-up, and caution is necessary against the attack led by FW Kanamata and FW Nagai.

In the first stage of the match, Tokyo took control of the game and created many chances, but they were unable to capitalize on them and suffered a devastating defeat due to an own goal. They keenly felt the importance of capitalizing on opportunities and not giving the opponent any chances, and this is also a match where they want to achieve revenge.

Tokyo, with Maruyama and Yoshimoto as center-backs. Nara is also on the bench, and the rest of the team is the same as the previous match. Additionally, Yonemoto will make his 150th appearance in J1. On the other hand, Nagoya, MF Danilson is absent, but MF Leandro Domingues is on the bench. FW Kawamata is in the front line. FW Nagai and MF Koyamatsu are the two shadows. MF Ogawa and DF Yano are on both sides. MF Isomura and Yada form the double pivot in a 3-4-2-1 formation.

For Tokyo, it is truly a crucial moment where they must approach the game with all their might. In order to achieve victory, it is essential to enhance the shared awareness on the pitch and fight together as one. The match started with Tokyo's kickoff at the Toyota Stadium, where the sun was shining brightly and the lingering summer heat was intense.

Create chances from the counter, but it remains scoreless going into the second half

The match was in the 8th minute of the first half. From a quick counterattack, the ball was quickly brought up to the front line, and Hayabusa, who moved up on the right, crossed the ball on the ground in front of the goal. It was a close chance, but Nathan BURNS narrowly missed it... He couldn't capitalize on the scoring opportunity.

At the 20-minute mark, Nagoya allowed Tokyo to dominate possession. There were moments when they were pressed by quick passing and penetrating movements, but they defended tenaciously and Tokyo quickly switched to the attack. In the 25th minute, Maruyama carried the ball forward, evading the opponent's press and spreading it to the left. Maeda ran into the left near area in response to Kono's cross and turned towards the goal to take a shot, but he couldn't find the target.

In the 27th minute, they persistently defended against the opponent's precise passes, stole the ball in front of their own goal, and launched a counterattack. Kono, who went up on the right, connected with Maeda in the center, but he was fouled and awarded a free kick. The free kick was taken from a position of about 30 meters in front of the opponent's goal. Maruyama aimed for a powerful shot, but it hit the wall and the ball spilled into the back area. However, in the end, it was saved by the Nagoya GK.

In the 31st minute, a pass from the left side in their own half was not controlled by Yoshimoto, and it was taken away by Nagoya's forward, Nagai, who then took a shot, but GK Enomoto made a super save with one foot and escaped danger. After that, there was a slightly chaotic situation in the face of Nagoya's quick passing game. Enomoto made a great save and didn't allow a goal, but they wanted to regain their rhythm.　

However, they were unable to establish a rhythm and were troubled by the opponent's quick passing and movements to exploit the space. On the other hand, they were unable to fully capitalize on the chances created from counterattacks. The score remained 0-0 going into the second half.

We attacked until the end, but lacked the decisive touch... The match ended in a scoreless draw.

Entering the second half, 56 minutes. Maeda, in front of the left area, dropped a pass from the left side with one touch, and Kono, who received it, dribbled past the opponent and skillfully passed it to Burns who broke through. Burns aimed for a shot, but... there was no angle and it went straight to the goalkeeper. In the following 57th minute, Nagoya took the ball away from Tokyo while they were attacking, and MF Ogawa -> FW Nagai countered. Takahashi chased after him, but he dribbled up to the front line and shot from in front of Yoshimoto, but it missed to the upper right. 60 minutes have passed, and in the second half, Tokyo also controlled the ball and created attacking opportunities. The development is back and forth.

In the 61st minute, midfielder Yonemoto passed a long ball to Maeda on the left front line. Maeda sent the ball inside and created an opportunity from the counter attack... but Burns couldn't control it at his feet... Then, in the 63rd minute, there was a chance from a corner kick. Yoshimoto from the far side jumped to meet Kono's left corner kick, but narrowly missed...

68 minutes, Nagoya substitutes MF Leandro Domingues and FW Novakovic here. After that, MF Ogawa crosses from the left in the flow of a corner kick. The ball is headed by DF Toiwo in the area, but Tokyo DF clears it!

In the 72nd minute, Tokyo substituted Sandaza for Nathan BURNS. Then, in the 76th minute, Nakajima replaced Kono. In the 77th minute, Nagoya FW Nagai's right cross was controlled by Maruyama, but it went out of bounds and resulted in a right corner kick. This was followed by a left corner kick, and from Nagoya MF Leandro Domingues' kick, DF Toriio had a perfect header... but it missed the target and the danger was averted. 80 minutes had passed, and both teams were gradually stretching the line as they chased a goal each. The game developed into a counter-attacking situation. The period of time that required concentration continued without panic.

In the 82nd minute, Nakajima, who made a move inside the opponent's territory, was intercepted, and Nagoya MF Yada quickly countered. He was able to break through into the area and deliver a decisive final pass in front of the goal, but it narrowly missed FW Novakovic. The shot also missed to the right of the goal... and nothing happened.

Additional time has come. Switching quickly in the front line, Takahashi → Nakajima dribbles into the area. Although he was brought down by the opponent's DF, Torio, he manages to get a free kick just outside the penalty area. Matsuda takes the free kick as a decoy and runs ahead, while Maruyama, who positioned himself on the right, directly aims for the goal, but the shot is blocked by the wall. Both teams continue to attack until the end, with a flurry of counterattacks in the final moments. Despite enduring in the midst of it, they did not concede a goal, but they were unable to capitalize on their chances. The match ended in a scoreless draw.

[Player Comments]
《Enomoto》
"I think getting 1 point away is the minimum job. We have been focusing on winning, had chances, and were able to do what we aimed for, so there is still a regrettable part. I want to carry that feeling over to the next game. I am not satisfied, but even in the current situation with many injured players, we were able to demonstrate the team's strength. If we lose in this situation, it will leave a bad impression, so I think the result of a draw is proof that the team is maturing. However, I think we may have lacked the ability to win completely. We want to improve on that in the upcoming league matches."
(What were you thinking in the one-on-one situation with player Ryo NAGAI?)
I was aware of Ryo NAGAI dribbling with speed, so my first priority was not to be beaten. I was also thinking about getting close and reacting. If the ball was hit in a difficult direction, I thought there was nothing I could do about it, so I had a mindset of accepting it and fortunately, the ball came towards my feet, so I reacted firmly."

《Yonemoto》
I think it showed the accumulation of this season that even if we couldn't score in the front, we were able to close the game without conceding a goal.
But we have to win these kinds of games by 1-0, so I want to prepare thoroughly for the next match during the week.
(Although I was aiming for a shot with determination?)
Because I was able to face forward between the midfield and the defense line, the coach also told me to aim for it. I think the opponent will find it harder to defend if there is a possibility of a shot, and it is my challenge to contribute to scoring, so I want to continue playing like that."

[Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's press conference]
"I think it was a good game. From the beginning of the match, we created chances with crosses and through passes, and also created scoring opportunities in the last 30 minutes. We had chances in the second half as well. There were times when Nagoya had control of the ball, but I think they struggled to find solutions from there. There was one dangerous play from Yoshimoto, but that was the only gift we gave them. Nagoya is in a good state and an improving team. On the other hand, we fought well despite having so many problems. In that sense, I am satisfied. We tried to win for the full 90 minutes, including free kicks, and maintained a never-give-up attitude until the very end. We were able to circulate the ball well in the build-up. The only thing that was lacking was goals. Honestly, I think it was a game with good content."

[Summary of Nagoya Manager Akira Nishino's Press Conference]
"FC Tokyo may have been lacking key players, so I didn't think they would approach the game according to various scouting reports. However, within that, we aimed to put pressure on the opponent's defensive line and disrupt their smooth functioning. Including the two shadows, we wanted to put pressure on Tokyo's final line of four and secure space and time in the midfield. I think we were able to create that kind of time. We had some control of the ball in the midfield line and had time to build up. However, I think if we could have used side changes more effectively against the opponent's defensive line and the two sides of the three midfielders, we could have created even more chances. However, although there were scoring opportunities, we couldn't quite crack the defense in the box. There is still a lack of coordination and connection between the front line and the midfield, even while controlling the ball in the midfield. We lost the ball easily and were countered even when we were pushing forward. We were cautious of those counters, but we ended up conceding a few in the first half. We couldn't break through. It feels like we struggled to attack throughout the 90 minutes."