Breaking free from the fierce competition!?

The fiercely changing J2 top race has been in a "bunch state" where no team has pulled ahead, but Niigata and Oita, who greatly energized the first half of the season by always being in the top group, have somewhat slowed down recently. As a result, Tokyo and Kawasaki Frontale, who have consistently been at the top, have started to pull ahead a bit. Niigata faced a crucial three-match direct confrontation against Tokyo, Sapporo, and Kawasaki Frontale at the start of the second half of the season, achieving the best result of two wins and one draw, and wanted to ride the wave, but they couldn't extend their points with a painful draw against the lower-ranked Kofu, remaining in third place (37 points). Additionally, Oita has also been unable to escape a five-game losing streak, gradually dropping in rank to fourth place (35 points), allowing Tokyo (42 points) and Kawasaki Frontale (44 points) to break away from the tight competition. If Tokyo wins the match on this day within 90 minutes, they can extend their points to 45 and maintain their top position, but if it goes to extra time and they win, they will have 44 points and fall to second place due to goal difference against Kawasaki Frontale. This match has become one they desperately want to win to widen the gap with teams below third place.

Unable to find a clue to the attack...

The match was a slow-paced affair with both teams cautiously observing their opponents. Tokyo wanted to launch attacks from both wings (i.e. full-back positions), but due to accumulated warnings, their right full-back Umayama was absent, resulting in a lack of attacking options on the right side. Almir, who was expected to be a key player alongside Amaral in a high position, struggled to make an impact against Tosu's tight marking and lost the ball frequently, disrupting the team's rhythm. As Almir gradually dropped deeper (i.e. to the position of a defensive midfielder) to get involved in the play, the burden on Amaral in the forward line increased, and their attacking options became even more limited due to thorough man-marking. Fortunately, the proactive involvement of left full-back Fujiyama in the attack created a few chances and even produced some decisive moments, but the difficult situation remained unchanged, with the attack struggling to build up play towards the right side.

Sagan Tosu, on the other hand, showed a simple style of soccer by aggressively pressing and stealing the ball, then delivering it to their forward, Takehara (J2 top scorer), to create opportunities on the wings. However, Sagan Tosu's attacks were hindered by frequent passing mistakes near the final third, and Takehara was tightly marked by Furube, while Sandro, who excels in aerial duels, consistently cleared crosses, preventing any clear-cut chances. Tokyo, on the other hand, maintained a numerical advantage in defense due to the limited involvement of their right full-back in the attack, ensuring balance and stability. However, there were concerns in the midfield and defense, as they were vulnerable to counterattacks due to easy (horizontal) passing mistakes.

Leading by two points, they shake off Tosu's fierce pursuit!

As the second half began, Tosu aggressively attempted to break through Tokyo's solid defense with long-range shots from the center. In the 50th minute, a powerful shot from the center was saved by goalkeeper Suzuki with a fine save. Meanwhile, Tokyo, following the coach's instructions at halftime, confirmed their strategy to actively target the opponent's defense from behind. Substituted player Go KABURAKI began to make dynamic movements with speed, causing the opponent's marking to gradually shift, allowing Amaral, who had not been effective in the first half, to start functioning. In the 59th minute, both teams finally seemed to be able to play their usual game. Yukiho, who had hardly delivered effective crosses in the first half, persisted on the right side and sent a pinpoint cross to the center. Almir, who was waiting, made a powerful diving header to score the opening goal, breaking the deadlock. Riding the momentum, Tokyo scored their second goal in the 67th minute when Amaral, with a light step, evaded the defense and struck with his left foot. However, just as they were looking to secure a third goal in the 70th minute, KABURAKI received a second yellow card and was sent off, changing the situation dramatically. Tokyo, now trying to defend their two-goal lead, inevitably became more defensive and began to face a fierce attack from Tosu, who pushed forward with all their players. Amaral, who had been active in defense, started to tire, and Tokyo, already at a numerical disadvantage, lost control of the midfield to the energetic Tosu. Although they were not completely broken down, they faced several powerful shots from the center, but on this day, goalkeeper Suzuki's reactions were perfect, making fine plays to deny Tosu any goals despite shots that could have easily resulted in two goals. In the 80th minute, Tokyo seized a decisive counterattack opportunity from a Tosu mistake, but failed to score, leading to a defensive struggle for the remaining time. In the 85th minute, a careless sideways pass from Asari, which had shown signs of trouble since the first half, was intercepted, and they finally conceded a goal. There were nine minutes left (including four minutes of stoppage time), but they lost the ball due to half-hearted time-wasting and faced more attacks. However, with Suzuki at the center, they maintained their focus until the end, managing to hold on despite a challenging match with a shot count of 9 to 14, shaking off Tosu's fierce pursuit.

<Coach Okuma's Comment>

While we were in a situation where we could aim for the third goal, we ended up in a difficult position due to our own mistakes (red card), and we will reflect on and correct this as a learning experience for the future. In terms of attack, Almir dropped back too much and we couldn't take the initiative to exploit the opponent's weaknesses, which led to a difficult development where we couldn't establish a rhythm. However, it was a big help that we were able to withstand Suzuki's defense well. Regarding the current situation of being in first place, I don't think there is much to be happy about yet, as there is still a long way to go. Right now, we just need to change our mindset and focus on the next matches against Sapporo and Kawasaki Frontale.