Aiming to surpass the opponent with our spirit and advance to the quarterfinals

　The Emperor's Cup 5th Round will be held at Marugame Stadium, facing Sagan Tosu. In the final match of the league, we were struggling against the opponent's momentum, but the team united and endured, taking the victory. The Emperor's Cup is a single-elimination tournament, so the result is more important than the content. We simply seek victory, surpass the opponent with our spirit, and aim to advance to the quarterfinals.

　Tokushima, on the other hand, finished 8th in J2. However, they have been undefeated in their last 5 league matches since the 48th round on October 28th. In the Emperor's Cup, they defeated Tsukuba University in the 3rd round and eliminated Albirex Niigata with a score of 3-2 in the 4th round, reaching this stage. Their momentum is on the rise, and their attacking style, which combines solid defense with speedy counterattacks, should not be underestimated. Additionally, Tokushima's ace, FW Fujita, who has scored 24 goals in J2 this season, is sidelined due to injury. However, another FW, Kanemaru, has been in excellent form recently, constantly aiming for the goal and delivering sharp shots. Extra caution is necessary.

　Tokyo, BABA, who injured his leg in the Kofu match, as well as KANAZAWA and INOHA, did not make the squad due to their leg conditions not being in perfect shape. Nori SUZUKI will play as the left full-back, KURISAWA as the left midfielder, and Lucas and KAWAGUCHI will form the front two. Coach HARA said, "Sagan Tosu should have high motivation to 'defeat J1'. It's a different stage from J2, and it will attract attention that is different from usual, and they also have momentum. Even if we try to win with skill, it won't work. Each play, such as competing for the ball and who gets the second ball, will determine the outcome, so the most important thing is not to lose in those aspects."

　Kurisawa plans to "take control, of course, but even if there are times when things don't go well, he wants to patiently adjust the balance and create their own rhythm." With the season ending if they lose, he wants to continue winning no matter what, with a strong determination and an unyielding spirit. The match started with a kickoff in Tokyo at 13:04.

Despite falling behind, Kajiyama's powerful shot equalizes the score

　Intense competition has continued since the start of the match. However, gradually Tosu sends the ball to the front line at the right timing and gains rhythm. In the 8th minute, FW Kan is released offside by a one-two from the left side and is shot, but the pinch is avoided by Shioda's good save. However, immediately after in the 9th minute, a scramble occurs in front of the goal from MF Nozaki's right cross on the counter, and FW Joze's shot is kicked in by MF Eto, resulting in an early goal. They conceded while unable to create a good rhythm.

　However, without losing heart, they counterattacked. In the 11th minute, Kurizawa carried the ball into the right area and passed a lobbed ball to Lucas, who was in the opposite area. Lucas tried to connect with Kawaguchi in front with a header, but the goalkeeper came out and caught it. In the 16th minute, Kawaguchi crossed from the right side goal line. Tokunaga picked up the loose ball from Tosu's defense and made a fierce advance. He sent a cross from the right side, but it slightly missed the timing with Lucas in the center, and the shot couldn't be completed. Kajiyama followed up on the ball that drifted to the far side, but couldn't make it to the shot.

　And in the 19th minute, Tokunaga → Ishikawa cut inside from the right side and took a shot. The ball rolled without hitting anyone, but Lucas quickly snatched it and passed it backwards. Kajiyama, who was close to the ball, swung his right foot with all his might. The beautiful shot flew past the goalkeeper's fingertips and found the top right corner of the goal, equalizing the score. In the 23rd minute, the opponent's defender cleared Kajiyama's side change to the right with a header. Lucas picked up the loose ball and passed it to the left, where Suzuki Nori was running towards the goal, but he missed the target by a wide margin. It seemed like they were regaining their momentum, but Tosu still launched a quick attack starting from the defensive midfielder.

　In the midst of a back-and-forth battle, Kurisawa was positioned in the center, while Kawaguchi was placed on the left, aiming to control the source of the passes. In the 40th minute, Lucas dropped a right cross from Ishikawa, and Kajiyama, just outside the box, pretended to take a shot before passing it to the left. Kurisawa then attempted a shot from mid-range, but it narrowly missed the top left corner. In the 44th minute, Imano near the goal attempted a header from Tokunaga's cross, but it went straight to the goalkeeper. Ultimately, both teams lacked precision in their final plays, and the first half ended in a 1-1 draw.

Hirayama's goal pushes away Tosu and secures a come-from-behind victory

　In the second half, Tokyo took control of the ball and advanced the game. In the 47th minute, Inomoto → Noriyuki Suzuki advanced from the left side and crossed from the goal line. Kurizawa jumped in from the center and took a perfect shot, but it was saved by the goalkeeper. In the 53rd minute, Sagan Tosu's MF Leonardo took a direct free kick that flew into the bottom right corner of the goal, but it was saved by Shioda. However, after that, neither team could create chances and time passed. In the 63rd minute, Asari was substituted. Kajiyama moved up a row and Inomoto also attacked to aim for a goal.

　66 minutes, Kajiyama dribbles from the left and passes to Imano in front of the goal. He gets into a shooting position, but the ball hits the defender and goes straight to the goalkeeper. In the 75th minute, Ishikawa on the right passes to Lucas in the center, who then passes to Kawaguchi on the left. Kawaguchi enters the penalty area and takes a shot. However, the defender blocks it and the goalkeeper catches the ball. On the contrary, in the 76th minute, Leonardo, the midfielder, sprints through the left side of the penalty area. He makes a final pass in front of the goal, and Eto from the right jumps in. It was a decisive moment, but Suzuki firmly blocks Eto's body, causing the ball to slightly deviate to the left and avoiding a dangerous situation. In the 77th minute, Hirayama comes in. Ultimately, this substitution proves to be effective.

　At the 80th minute, after a battle for the ball on the right side, Hirayama passed it sideways to Kajiyama who was in the center. Kajiyama ran towards the front of the goal and sent a lobbed pass, which Ishikawa received while competing with the defender on the right side. Ishikawa then connected the ball to Hirayama who was waiting. Hirayama took one step and shot the ball with his left foot, scoring a sharp goal and brilliantly taking the lead. Tosu tried to counterattack with a shot, but Shioda made a great save and held them off until the end of the game. They won the 5th round and secured a spot in the quarterfinals for the first time since the 2004 season. The opponent for the next match will be the winner of the Iwata vs Hiroshima match, which will be held on the 15th.

　【Player Comments】《HIRAYAMA》"I thought I would score because Nao-san connected well. Previously, Coach Hara told me to 'move well in front of the goal and create chances. Also, defend well.' So, I think I was well prepared today. In a game where losing means the end, the desire to play longer led to the goal. I will continue to do my best to contribute to the team play, whether it's scoring or defending."《KAJIYAMA》"I could only see the position of the goal for the shot. I couldn't see the goalkeeper. I had been told 'shoot more' all the time, so I'm glad I could score. The most important thing is to be used by Coach Hara and respond to that. There is only a little time left to play with this team. I didn't want to lose with that feeling. (About HIRAYAMA's goal?) Sota was talked to by Coach Hara the other day. And Moni-san told him, 'Hara-san has expectations for you.' It seems like his feelings changed. Although his appearance hasn't changed (laughs)."

　[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "After the match against Kofu, I have been watching videos of the matches of Tosu. They haven't lost recently, and the stronger the opponent, the better football they play, so I thought today's match would be difficult. Before the match, I talked to the players about focusing on loose balls, competing firmly in one-on-one situations, and not losing. However, we couldn't do any of that with the early goal conceded, and we were caught off guard by the opponent's quick reactions. The fact that the goal was conceded so early was a good thing. After that, I think we were able to calm down and restart our football. Regarding Asari's substitution, we were losing balance because the opponent's two forwards were getting the ball and distributing it, so I placed him in front of our defensive line to maintain balance. I clarified Kanno's role and aimed to utilize the attacking power of Kajiwara and Kanno by stabilizing the back. Hirayama has shown some lack of motivation in his recent substitute appearances. I was concerned that it might negatively affect the other team members, so I left him out of the lineup for the Kofu match. After that, I spoke with him, and he has been able to play with more commitment in the last few days. During the match, when I asked him, 'Are you going for it?' he clearly replied, 'I will!' so I thought it would be fine. As everyone knows, he has the ability, so I want him to be able to show it consistently. His goal is very pleasing. Tosu is a very good team. Everyone works hard, and there are many things we should learn from them. Next is Kumamoto against the winner of the match between Iwata and Hiroshima. I want to fight firmly in each match."

　[Summary of Coach Kishino's Press Conference] "The absence of Fujita is irrelevant; the most important thing is that we attack as a team and defend as a team. When we took the lead, everyone showed a willingness to move forward. There were other chances in the first half, but we needed to decisively finish the game there. A 1-0 score can be seen as an interesting match in retrospect, but we definitely needed to score a second goal. As a game, we performed well today, and the players who fought today showed great fight. Right now, I am filled with regret, but Sagan Tosu is a very good team. I think we can be confident. In the scene where we conceded a goal, we failed to do what we always say, which is to close in on the opponent. Even after scoring a goal, there was no awareness of defending. However, from the middle of the first half, we ended up with one extra player in our back line, which led to us being pushed back by the opponent. In the second half, it was about what we could do while both teams were struggling. In terms of individual precision, I have to admit there was a difference. However, soccer is not just about that. In that sense, I don't think there was a difference between the teams at all. As a result, we lost, and it may be seen as an excuse, but I believe that Tosu and Tokyo are almost the same. Including the supporters and club staff who supported us, the entire team has leveled up. I can feel significant growth. I am not satisfied with the results at all, but this season has been a fun time for me, and I think we have become a good team."