[Runner-up] The Sun Will Rise Again! Victory over our nemesis Zelvia, but falling just short of the title | Kashiwa Reysol vs. FC Machida Zelvia (Matchweek 38)

The final match of destiny. We defeated our nemesis Zelvia, but...

Time has flown by since the final match. Looking back, it was a season to remember, unlike any in recent years. I am leaving this note as a record of that final chapter.

For Kashiwa Reysol, FC Machida Zelvia, with their relentless high press and long balls, is our most difficult opponent. A tough match was expected, but for Reysol, trailing the leaders by just one point, it was a must-win game to snatch the title.

The packed stands at Hitachi Kashiwa Stadium were dyed yellow, and a "One Heart, One Body" choreography emerged in the back stand.

The escort kid who walked out holding Mao Hosoya's hand during the player entrance was the daughter of the late Masato Kudo, wearing his black number 9 jersey. It looked oversized even from a distance, so it was likely the jersey Kudo wore in the 2015 ACL.

The match was a great game that clearly showcased the unique characteristics of both teams. Immediately after the kickoff by Zelvia, Yuki Soma passed the ball back, and Yuta Nakayama juggled it twice in the center circle before launching a high ball into Reysol's half. It was a kickoff style I had never seen before; Zelvia is truly not a team to be taken lightly.

The highlights were the intense duels and ball recoveries. The players clashed in various situations throughout the match. The referee for the day didn't blow the whistle easily, and the intensity only increased as time went on.

Even in such a match, Taiyo Koga, who played every single league game, put in his best performance of the season. He cleared Zelvia's attacks in front of the goal and sometimes pushed up to the center circle to win the ball. Along with the back line, including Keisuke Kojima, they kept possession and looked for gaps in Zelvia's defense.

We went into halftime at 0-0, but there was no sense of stagnation at all.

Then, in the 63rd minute, Teruki Nakagawa picked up a second ball, turned sharply, and surged forward. He must have dribbled nearly 50 meters from the center of our half to the center of theirs. He then passed to the space on the right, and the ball crossed in by Yusuke Segawa resulted in an own goal.

The stadium was instantly filled with an aggressive, attacking atmosphere. Immediately after, we hit the post twice in quick succession. However, the one-goal lead held until the final stages. In the closing minutes, there were scares from Zelvia's signature long balls and corner kicks, but the Reysol defense held firm to secure the victory.

Reysol earned 3 points, bringing our total to 75, but because Kashima Antlers also won, we finished as runners-up.

Yuta Nakayama returns to Hitachi Kashiwa Stadium. A smile breaks out amidst the loud booing.

Nakayama joined the Reysol junior youth team in 2011 as a third-year middle school student and stayed with the club until 2018. After his time in Europe, he joined Zelvia in the summer of the 2024 season, but since he was not in the squad for the Reysol match at Hitachi Kashiwa last year, this was his first return to the stadium in a long time.

In the first half, when Zelvia won a corner kick and Nakayama headed toward the corner flag, a loud chorus of boos erupted from the stands. Every Reysol supporter loves Nakayama. That is exactly why the booing happened.

Nakayama smiled at that loving (?) booing.

Personally, I wish Nakayama would return to Reysol someday, but I'm sure his salary is too high for us to afford. Still, I hope he comes back. I watched him display his presence as a defensive midfielder while thinking just that.

A year of dramatic change. The title will have to wait until next year

Immediately after the match, in a DAZN interview, Koga expressed his frustration, saying, 'How we bridge that one-point gap is something that will carry over into next year and beyond,' leaving a comment that turns the experience gained this season into confidence.

We finished the season with a six-game winning streak after defeating Zelvia. Our final record was 21 wins, 12 draws, and 5 losses. The last time we lost was the away match against Fagiano Okayama in August.

We had the fewest losses among the 20 J1 clubs this season, but we couldn't reach the championship. I didn't dislike the pragmatic football we played until last season, but this year's Reysol football had an excitement and joy to it.

Like in the Urawa Reds match or the Levain Cup semifinal against Kawasaki Frontale, when we entered 'all-out attack mode' at Hitachi Kashiwa Stadium, the entire place, including the stands, became one, and the atmosphere changed into something unstoppable. Once you experience that joy at the stadium, you'll definitely want to go back again. For those who have never been to Hitachi Kashiwa Stadium, I really want you to experience that atmosphere at least once (even though there is the problem of tickets being hard to get...).

The 2026 season will begin with a special season due to the league schedule transition. Since it's a season without the risk of relegation, I expect every club will be making more challenging attempts than usual.

In that respect, Reysol, having undergone a transformation in the 2025 season, is already a step ahead. The excitement only grows as we look forward to how Ricardo Rodriguez will elevate his football in the 2026 season while adding even more appeal. KIIRO ZINE will continue to follow along at our own pace.

[KIIRO ZINE] is a blog where an editor who watches about 25 Kashiwa Reysol matches at the stadium each year posts various articles, including match impressions, reports, and item introductions, with the theme of 'enjoying what you like'.

We leave tactical and strategic analysis, formations, player performance evaluations, match reviews, and breaking news highlights to professional sports journalists, and instead explore our own unique ways of enjoying the game.

If you could 'like' or 'follow' us, it would be a great encouragement. Thank you very much.

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