"Number 10" is back

Everyone has been waiting. For fans who have supported the team since the days of Tokyo Gas FC, the figure of the team's "number 10" should vividly come to mind, and they know how amazing he is. The man who returned to the official match pitch after about 10 months since playing against Bellmare in last year's Emperor's Cup is... yes, "FC Tokyo's number 10" Takashi OKUHARA. Since joining Tokyo Gas FC in 1995, OKUHARA has always been a central player in the team's attack, leading the team to victory. He was also a key player when the team reached the semifinals of the Emperor's Cup two years ago. His playing style is characterized by frequent use of direct passes, where he passes the ball and then sprints behind the opposing defenders at top speed to make decisive plays. At times, he uses his flexible technique to initiate dribbles, charging towards the opponent's goal and aiming for a score. His return is undoubtedly an immeasurable bright topic for a team that will face the most challenging times ahead. This season, OKUHARA has been troubled by back pain since before the season started, causing him to miss more than half of the league matches, but on this day, he made his official match debut in place of Yuki Hiko, who was absent due to accumulated warnings, marking a long-awaited "J2 debut".

The highly anticipated first match of the final round

The kickoff temperature was 35.6℃. I didn't expect to play a game in the highest temperature of the season so close to October. After this, we will face an extremely tough period of "5 matches in 16 days," including cup matches. Considering the players' exhaustion, it was necessary to settle the game in 90 minutes no matter what. The opponent in the first match of the final round was Oita, who is in 3rd place. It became a direct confrontation between the 1st place (Tokyo = 55 points) and the 3rd place (Oita = 46 points), but if Tokyo wins (adding 3 points), the point difference with the 3rd place will be "12," and they will break away from the top group along with Kawasaki Frontale in 2nd place. On the other hand, if they lose, they will once again enter a fierce battle, so they definitely wanted to secure a victory in this match. The crucial match that will greatly affect the future was kicked off under the strong sunlight like midsummer.

Opening goal with Almir's artistic free kick!

When the game started, Okuhara, who stood on the official pitch for the first time in about 10 months, showed a light and agile play that made no difference in his blank period. Okuhara, who was given an attacking position on the right side, stirred up the front line with aggressive runs into the space behind the opponent's defense, along with Okamoto, who entered the left side. In the space created by Okuhara and Okamoto, Amaral and Almir jumped in and bewildered the Oita defense with precise passes and dribbles.

Oita, on the other hand, launched a powerful attack with the combination of the sharpshooter Kanno, who currently ranks second in the league in terms of goals, and Will, who not only creates plays but also has a powerful shot from aggressive dribbling. Edwin, a technician who previously excelled in the midfield for Tokyo Gas, also played a part in their attack. In particular, Edwin, who moves vigorously in the midfield, often gets involved with the ball and builds up the attack by supplying sharp passes to Kanno and Will in the center or by spreading the play to the left and right.

The first goal was scored by Tokyo. In the 18th minute, Tokyo launched a counterattack with right back Umeyama advancing with a dribble of about 60 meters, leading to a foul by Oita's defender just outside the penalty area. In this free kick opportunity, Almir took a low, sharply curved shot that went directly into the net, giving Tokyo the opening goal. Riding the momentum, Tokyo had another chance in the 23rd minute when Amaral received the ball in front of the goal, evaded his marker with a sharp feint, and shook the net with his left foot, but it was ruled offside. That artistic goal became a phantom. Both teams continued to engage in fierce back-and-forth battles. After the 30th minute, when Oita was gaining momentum, Will unleashed a series of powerful shots, but goalkeeper Suzuki made fine saves to deny them. Edwin also broke through on the right side several times, but Tokyo, led by Sandro and Komine, showed stable defense and prevented any decisive actions. Conversely, in the 39th minute, Tokyo finally scored a much-anticipated second goal. From a counterattack, Okuhara delivered an exquisite ball to Okamoto in front of the goal. When Okamoto and Oita's defender competed for the ball, Amaral seized the loose ball, skillfully evaded his marker with a brilliant feint, and powerfully scored the second goal with his left foot.

From Okuhara & Okamoto to Kagamiki & Enomoto

Tokyo, leading by two goals at halftime, struggled in the second half due to the heat and a relaxation from their lead. Particularly, when Amaral in the front line became fatigued and could not allocate energy to defense, they lost their ability to apply aggressive defense, causing Tokyo to play more defensively overall. Oita, gaining confidence in midfield and able to circulate the ball, began to create multiple goal-scoring opportunities centered around Will. Tokyo, who were on the defensive, replaced Okahara and Okamoto, who could no longer threaten the opponent, with the 'fresh combo' of Kaburaki and Enomoto. This changed the flow of the game. Oita, chasing two goals, had no choice but to push forward (i.e., attack), creating space behind the defense. The addition of the two fresh players, who could burst into this space, enabled effective fast breaks (i.e., counterattacks). In the 40th minute of the second half, Almir broke free from a pass from Kaburaki and unleashed a powerful shot that was deflected by Oita's goalkeeper. There, Fujiyama, the left-back who had joined the counterattack, followed up and scored a magnificent third goal. With this momentum, just one minute later, Almir again broke through behind the defense from a counter, and Enomoto surged down the left side. He passed to Kaburaki, who had moved up centrally at the same time, and Kaburaki evaded the marking defender with a sharp turn and shot with his left foot, scoring the fourth goal. In the first half, Okahara & Okamoto, and in the second half, Kaburaki & Enomoto, both starters and substitutes showcased their strengths, posing a threat to the opponent with Tokyo's attacking lineup. Following this, a tough schedule of cup matches and league games is expected, leading to a grueling total war, but the performance of the attackers on this day gave the team confidence. The match ultimately left some points for reflection, such as conceding two goals after losing focus when victory was assured, but above all, securing a definite win in this crucial first match of the final round during a time when results are paramount is significant. <Director Okuma's Comments> There are areas of dissatisfaction, such as the lack of concentration in play towards the end, but at this time, results are the most important. In that sense, it was good to secure three points. I am often asked about 'promotion to J1', but I am not focused on that yet. For now, I will do my utmost to achieve results in the upcoming matches. After this, I want to tighten up for the match against Kashima and strategize to achieve the best results.