The previous away match against Chiba unfolded ideally. While Chiba's momentum initially pushed us back, we scored the opening goal just before halftime, Araki's first since returning to Antlers. Then, in the 88th minute of the second half, Moro'oka, who came on as a substitute, scored an additional goal, utilizing his strengths to make it 2-0. We held onto that lead, securing a 2-0 shutout victory.
With this win, Antlers secured the top spot in the EAST. Coach Oniki, smiling, said, "Personally, I'm relieved," regarding this outcome with one match remaining.
However, at the same time, the coach also looked ahead, stating, "This also means we have more time to prepare for the next challenge." As we approach this final match, it's about "how we connect this to the playoffs, that's what's important," as we strategize for the remaining "three matches."
Our opponent is FC Tokyo. Ironically, they were the team that handed us a bitter penalty shootout defeat in the opening match of this tournament. We must exact our revenge and move forward. This is a game to show the pride of Antlers Red.
