A very important match

The J2 League 15th round, which resumed after about a month since the end of May, features a match against Ventforet Kofu at Edogawa Athletic Stadium. During this month, J2 teams dedicated time to conditioning and reaffirming team tactics, focusing on refreshing themselves. They have been preparing their condition with this resumption match in mind. On the other hand, Tokyo (and Oita), which advanced to the 2nd Round of the Nabisco Cup, immediately entered battle mode for the Nabisco after the league match ended, going through two intense matches. While they gained momentum from their convincing victories against J1 teams, they also accumulated considerable physical and mental fatigue. It will be interesting to see how this balance of plus and minus affects the game. In the 1st Round against Kofu held in April, Tokyo won convincingly with three goals from Sandro, Almir, and Naruhito Kobayashi. This victory gave Tokyo momentum, and they continued to advance without any trouble, recording their first four consecutive wins of the season. This became a turning point for the team to ride the upward trend. Meanwhile, the resumption of the league at this time reminds us of last summer's 'nightmare.' At that time, FC Tokyo's predecessor, Tokyo Gas FC, which belonged to the JFL, surged with an unprecedented ten consecutive wins until mid-May, and when the league resumed two months later, everyone believed in Tokyo Gas FC's victory and headed to Yumenoshima (home). However, the result was a loss by an extra time V-goal, which triggered a subsequent four consecutive defeats... In any case, the first match after the league's resumption is a crucial one that must be won. There is no doubt that fatigue is a handicap, and the worst ground conditions due to heavy rain on that day mercilessly drained the players' stamina. It was necessary to 'win' regardless of whether it was a big victory or not.

Worst condition

The rain that had been falling since the morning showed no signs of stopping even as kickoff time approached. To make matters worse, as kickoff drew near, the wind grew stronger, and there were only a few limited spaces in the stands where spectators could shelter from the wind and rain. However, there was a group that supported Tokyo with all their might, undeterred by such a storm. Yes, it was the "Blue-Red Army behind the goal." No matter how bad the conditions, whether at home or away, they always sent strong support to motivate the players. On this day, the "Blue-Red Army" got soaked along with the players and backed them up with even more fervor than usual. In the first half, Tokyo connected well in midfield, trying to build attacks with Amaral as a target man. Despite the poor conditions, Amaral displayed stable ball control, sometimes using juggling to evade opponents, showcasing a difference in level. However, the other players generally lacked precision in ball control, and with Kofu's strong pressure, they couldn't execute their usual beautiful passing plays to break through. Starting with the defensive midfielder Koike, they spread the ball left and right and attempted attacks from the full-backs, but they often lost the ball in midfield, and the attacking contributions from Fujiyama and Umehara were subdued. On the other hand, Kofu, while being defensive, connected well during attacks and launched speedy assaults from both flanks. However, they also struggled with ball control and couldn't create any decisive chances. As the rain intensified over time, it seemed both teams were unsure whether to continue connecting passes or to switch to a simpler style of kicking and running football.

In the end, it's still "KING OF TOKYO"

As the second half began, it was like a storm, with puddles forming all over the field, making it impossible to dribble or pass properly. Team flags were blown off and fell onto the field, and player name signs were knocked over, reaching the worst possible state. However, in contrast, the voltage of the "Blue-Red Army behind the goal" reached its peak. They could not afford to lose. Tokyo brought in the speedy forward Wada in the second half, aiming for chances by running behind the opposing defense. Then, in the 67th minute, the quick forward Kaburaki was also brought in. This led to Tokyo simply targeting behind the defense, causing Kofu's defense to drop back and creating space in the midfield. In the 74th minute, Koike unleashed a powerful mid-range shot from the center. Furthermore, in the 75th minute, Koike sent in a cross from the right that Yukihiko headed, but it just missed the post. After that, Umehara and Yukihiko continuously delivered accurate crosses from the right side, creating chances. Then, in the 77th minute, Koike sent a long vertical pass from deep on the left side that the opposing defense could not cut off, and Wada made a deep run on the left side and centered the ball. Amaral, who was waiting for this, struck it powerfully with his left foot, scoring a valuable goal! Coach Okuma's instruction at halftime to "bring in Wada and let him run" turned out to be spot on. The match continued with Tokyo holding on to their lead, triumphing in the fierce battle in the rain. Next, on July 4th, they will face their "rival" Sapporo away.