Oh, it's Hiratsuka again!?

Since making its first appearance in the Emperor's Cup in 1994, FC Tokyo has qualified for the tournament for six consecutive years this year (previously as Tokyo Gas FC). Remarkably, they have faced Shonan Bellmare Hiratsuka three times before on this day. This will be their fourth encounter, and to have met four times out of six is certainly a sign of a deep rivalry. The previous match records show that in 1994 (Expo'70), they faced each other in the quarter-finals and Tokyo lost 1-2; in 1997 (Mizuho), they met again in the quarter-finals and Tokyo won 3-2 with a golden goal; and last year in 1998 (Hiratsuka), they faced off in the 3rd Round and Tokyo lost 1-2, resulting in a record of 1 win and 2 losses against them. Among these, the match in 1997 stands out the most. That year, Tokyo, riding high after defeating top J-League clubs Nagoya in the 3rd Round and Yokohama M in the 4th Round, faced Hiratsuka in the quarter-finals. At that time, Hiratsuka was a talented team with many popular players, including Nakata (currently at Perugia), and was reigning as one of the top teams in both popularity and strength in the J-League. The match saw Tokyo's midfielder Asari man-marking Hiratsuka's ace, Nakata, preventing him from playing freely, resulting in a fierce back-and-forth battle. Just before the end of the match, Tokyo equalized in stoppage time, and in extra time, Okamoto scored a dramatic golden goal to secure the victory...

What kind of battle will it be this year? The positions of both teams are different from before. Tokyo has been promoted to J1 next season, while Hiratsuka has been relegated to J2. Tokyo must be feeling the pressure from the expectations of those around them, thinking "we have to win, right?" and Hiratsuka will surely show their determination with the attitude of "can we endure losing?". The unexpected silence before the match gave a sense of anticipation for a fierce battle. At 13:02 in the afternoon, the curtain fell on the first big game of the Emperor's Cup!

Strong, Tokyo!

As the match began, Hiratsuka launched a fierce attack. They stole the ball with intense pressure from the front line and attempted to break through with quick passing in the midfield. Tokyo was overwhelmed by the young power, with an average age of 22.6 years, far below Tokyo's 25.1 years. In contrast, Tokyo's overall movement was stiff, and their reaction to the ball was somewhat slow, seemingly bewildered by the opponent's speed. The cause may be attributed to the fact that their last two matches were against high school students, making it difficult for them to adapt to the speed and physical contact of a J1 team. The first goal conceded also stemmed from a mistake that would be unthinkable in league play. In the 16th minute, Fujiyama, who was holding the ball deep on the left side of his own half, failed to exchange quick passes with Sandro, who had come to support him despite the opponent's persistent defense. When the ball was stolen, a simple pass was made to the now open center, resulting in a goal. Tokyo, having conceded the opening goal from such a poor mistake, continued to repeat easy errors, leading to ongoing crises.

The Strength of Tokyo

Waking up with the first opening punch, Tokyo regained its flexibility and sharpness in movement immediately after conceding a goal. Fujiyama's sharp interception began to shine, and as they became accustomed to the opponent's movements overall, they had more opportunities to steal the ball. After stealing the ball, they spread it from the midfield to the left and right, with Umayama-Yukihiko line on the right side and Fujiyama-Okamoto line on the left side, launching speedy attacks respectively. In the 24th minute, Yukihiko made a breakthrough on the right side and initially got caught by the opponent's defense, but Umayama, who was supporting him, quickly stole the ball and passed it to Almir in front without hesitation. Almir sharply cut inside and delivered an exquisite cross with his left foot to the center. In the center, Okamoto was waiting freely and easily scored the equalizer.

Both teams, eager for additional goals, engaged in a fierce battle for the ball in midfield, resulting in numerous fouls. Amaral, the focal point of Tokyo's attack, was closely marked by the opposing center-back, preventing the usual buildup through him. However, left-sided Okamoto made good movements up front, creating opportunities not only with his runs towards the goal but also with stable hold-up play. On the defensive side, regular player Komine was sidelined with a cold, leading to the sudden inclusion of veteran Kobayashi. He was somewhat similar to Sandro in style, taller than Komine, but there were concerns about his ability to handle quick lateral movements against speedy players. That day, Hiratsuka's two forwards were the tall Sotoike and Nishimoto, known for his sharpness and unpredictability in play, but throughout both halves, many chances were created from Nishimoto's side. In the 40th minute, Sandro was beaten by Nishimoto on the left side of his own half, who then advanced towards the goal and took a shot that hit the crossbar. A player following up pushed the rebound in, allowing the additional goal to be conceded.

Towards the end of the first half, Tokyo conceded another goal and once again found themselves in a position of chasing the game (1-2). However, Tokyo had the confidence that they could always catch up. Just before halftime, Almir, who received a pass on the left side, skillfully evaded the opposing player who came to check him with a brilliant feint, and then immediately passed a perfect through ball to Okamoto, who broke through vertically. Okamoto crossed the ball sharply from the goal line to the center, and Yukihiko, who had made a run, scored a spectacular goal to equalize once again! The unpredictable drama would go on to reach an even more dramatic climax.

Amaral's Super Goal & Okamoto's Dramatic V-Bullet!

Tokyo, who wanted to gain momentum after equalizing in stoppage time of the first half, found themselves behind again just one minute into the second half. A low trajectory pass sent from the left corner kick was met by Sakai, who had just entered the game, diving in to connect with his right foot, and the ball cruelly pierced the left corner of Tokyo's goal. Once again, they fell behind, but that day's Tokyo eleven believed in their own strength and continued to launch fierce attacks. In the 5th minute, Almir charged at a ball that had gone to the left side and shot! It was a decisive moment, but the powerful shot unfortunately went straight to the goalkeeper. On the right side, Yukihiko attempted a daring breakthrough to create a chance. Almir also delivered several decisive through passes that could lead directly to a goal, but each time they were caught by Hiratsuka's shallow defensive line. In the 35th minute, Umehara broke through on the right side and passed to Amaral, who shot but was blocked by the goalkeeper, causing a scramble where a floating ball that resembled a shot almost went into the goal, but it was cleared desperately by Hiratsuka's defense. In the following 37th minute, Fujiyama dribbled through on the left and crossed to Amaral, who headed the ball! Unfortunately, the shot went over the bar. Tokyo was completely in control, but in the 39th minute, the balance was finally broken. Fujiyama, who had repeatedly broken through on the left side, dribbled past three defenders and moved to the center. Sandro, who had moved up, received the ball and lightly passed it to Almir on the right. Almir then passed to Yamao, who had made a run forward, and Yamao delivered an exquisite loop pass directly to the center with his right foot. Amaral, waiting about 20 meters in front of the goal, unleashed a powerful volley shot with his right foot! The goalkeeper couldn't move a step, and the ball pierced the left corner of the goal. At this point, it was clearly Tokyo's game. The difference in momentum between them and Hiratsuka was evident. In the end, no more goals were scored, and the match went into extra time. Many must have remembered the Bellmare match from two years ago at this moment. There was a sense that something was about to happen.

Towards the end of the second half, the DF who persistently fouled Amaral was sent off, and Hiratsuka, who was reduced to 10 men, had no momentum left. In extra time, the game was completely in Tokyo's favor. And in the 6th minute of the first half of extra time, a beautiful pass was connected from Amaral to Okamoto to Enomoto on a counterattack, and Enomoto unleashed a powerful shot with a low trajectory from a slightly distant right 45 degrees! The goalkeeper managed to parry it, but Okamoto, who followed up, easily pushed it in, defeating Hiratsuka with an extra time goal for the second time in two years. And once again, it was Okamoto, the Emperor's Cup hero, who scored the winning goal.

Next, we will finally face this year's J-League champion, Júbilo Iwata (Note: The opponent will be determined on 12/15. As of 12/12, it is just a prediction). We have played against them during the JFL era (back then they were Yamaha), but this will be the first time facing Júbilo Iwata. Naturally, Iwata is favored in the predictions, but if Tokyo, without pressure, challenges with a determined attitude, could we create another wave of excitement? The potential is definitely there. Our goal is to recreate the "Tokyo whirlwind"!

<Coach Okuma's Comment>

At first, the transition from playing against high school teams to playing against J-League clubs didn't go well, but we gradually improved from the point where we conceded the first goal. However, it was disappointing that the goals we conceded on this day were all due to our own mistakes and lack of concentration. If we continue to play like this in the future, we won't be able to win, so we want to make adjustments once again. This will be our first match against Júbilo Iwata, so we want to go all out. I think it will be a valuable match where we can see both the good and bad aspects. Our goal for the Emperor's Cup is not about finishing in a certain position, but rather to compete against as many strong J-League teams as possible and provide a good experience for our players.