Rematch

0 wins, 2 losses, 0 goals scored, 3 goals conceded... this is the record against Niigata this year. In two matches, both ended in shutout losses... This season, including the cup match against J1 (Nabisco Cup), the only team that has defeated us twice is our opponent on this day, "Niigata" (meaning we have not won even once, as we have 1 draw and 1 loss against Kawasaki F). Tokyo, on the other hand, recently defeated Yokohama F.Marinos in the quarterfinals of the Nabisco Cup, becoming the only team from J2 to advance to the semifinals, and in the league, they are currently on a 6-game winning streak (5 consecutive shutout victories) and are leading the first half of the season. However, unlike other J2 teams, the accumulation of fatigue from the intense cup matches (2 matches) against J1 during the league schedule cannot be denied, and there are concerns about the physical and mental impact in the scorching heat exceeding 30 degrees. In any case, this match, which is also the first match of the second half of the season, requires a clear victory to repay the debt, regardless of the reasons.

Solid defense Niigata!?

Coach Okuma started this match with right back Umeyama, who had been sidelined for a long time due to an injury (hamstring strain), and attacking midfielder Yukihiko, who returned from an injury (lower back sprain). Although not fully recovered, they were chosen for their attacking speed and ability to exploit gaps behind the opposing defense, as Niigata's defense was solidly organized in the center. The first half began with a slow tempo, as both teams seemed to consider the physical exhaustion caused by the scorching heat, watching each other's moves. Tokyo, with attacking midfielder Kagami returning after two weeks of poor form, attempted to attack from both sides with the side backs, while Almir from the holding midfield sent sharp passes to forward Amaral, trying to break through the center using wall passes. However, Niigata, having studied Tokyo's attacking patterns well, closed down the spaces on the sides (with both side backs) and solidified the center around tough, large defender Sergio, with two holding midfielders also dropping back, showing no gaps. Tokyo's left side player Fujiyama managed to create a chance through his signature dribbling, but the right side, which was expected to be the key to breaking down Niigata, was ineffective due to the extreme heat, with Umeyama and Yukihiko struggling to perform. The only big chance came in the 23rd minute when Almir, Amaral, and Almir executed a clever one-two in the tight central area, leading to Umeyama overlapping and centering the ball just before the goal line. Amaral was just inches away from scoring. Conversely, Niigata showcased effective counters that seemed to take a page from Tokyo's playbook, creating decisive shooting opportunities through sharp attacking participation from right back Kizawa and simple wall passes with the two forwards, centered around midfielder Ricardo. Tokyo, showing signs of fatigue, struggled with their movement compared to Niigata, particularly failing to mark the intense positional changes of the two forwards, leading to many situations where they were pushed back as Niigata established a high position (i.e., maintained ball possession).

Crying over the same pattern...

In the second half, Tokyo brought in the speedy Kaburaki. Kaburaki moved to the right, while Yukihiko entered the center to reorganize. However, the flow did not change, and conversely, in the 50th minute, Niigata's forward Suzuki, who had made a deep run down the right side from a counterattack, kept possession. Sandro was marking him, but he took advantage of a momentary gap and entered the center, unleashing a long left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area! The stunningly powerful shot pierced the right corner of the goal, beyond the desperate save of Tokyo's goalkeeper Suzuki, who had not conceded a goal in the league. After this, Tokyo brought in midfielder Kobayashi. With his unique dribbling, Kobayashi managed to get past two defenders, allowing Tokyo to maintain possession of the ball for a bit longer. Tokyo then brought in Koike as well. Once they started to spread the ball to the sides, Kobayashi and Yukihiko broke through from the right side, increasing the number of crosses into the box. In the 73rd minute, Sergio, who had been a wall for Niigata, was injured and had to leave the field, prompting Tokyo to move defender Sandro up to forward, creating a twin tower with Amaral. However, just then, in the 80th minute, they allowed Niigata to score an additional goal from a left corner kick. With no time left, Tokyo finally seemed to wake up, launching a furious attack in the last 10 minutes. Despite their monotonous attacks with easy crosses from the sides, Tokyo, with their height advantage, created several scoring opportunities in succession, but Niigata's defense, which had turned to a full team effort with high concentration, remained solid until the end, preventing them from scoring. In the end, just like in the second round, they suffered a complete defeat, conceding two goals in the second half, resulting in a humiliating third consecutive shutout loss against Niigata.

Coach Nagai's Comment

Tokyo was tired today. Niigata won with their energy and sharpness, executing their strategy of "defend well and counter-attack" as planned. I thought that we could win against Tokyo by shutting down the attacking spaces of their fullbacks and stopping their speed.

<Coach Okuma's Comment>

Due to this heat, the attacking prowess of Yukihiko SATO and Osamu UMEYAMA, who have not fully recovered their conditioning, was not evident. The challenge lies in adapting to opponents who defend in a narrow space and pull back. We want to make the necessary adjustments as soon as possible in the future.