Well in Kazuma! |
The Tokyo XI showed three changes from the 2-2 draw with Ulsan on the Tuesday, and that meant that the same XI that started the previous league match against Nagoya were called on here, with Aria Hasegawa, Naotake Hanyu and Lucas all reclaiming their starting spots.
The Gasmen started out on the front foot and we probably should've gone ahead in the third minute, but Hasegawa scuffed his shot somewhat after surging into the box following an interception by Hanyu and a cushioned ball from Lucas. The three players coming back into the XI combining for a goal would've made Mr. Popovic look a genius, but Aria couldn't finish and the Kobe 'keeper parried out for a corner.
Kobe got a foothold in the game and then began to look the more threatening side, with that little weasel Yoshito Okubo buzzing around and looking to stretch our backline. He set up the chance of the first half hour too, when he got to the byline on the left and crossed for his captain Takayuki Yoshida about nine yards out, but luckily for us Shuichi Gionda was up to the task and got down low to save Yoshida's shot on the turn.
With Kobe looking by far the better team, The Gasmen turned back the clock three years and took the lead with a goal that would've brought a tear to the eye of Hiroshi Jofuku... a headed clearance from our box (by Kosuke Ota), Yohei Kajiyama collects the loose ball and releases Ishikawa down the right, then receives the return pass from Nao, holds off his man and plays in Lucas on the left side of the box, the big man spots Nao ghosting in unmarked on the right, belts a cross across the box and Nao smashes home on the half volley... yep, change Ota for Nagatomo and Lucas for Cabore and thats how it used to work for us under Jofuku back in '09, at least until Cabore took the oil money and ran in September...