Left-back Shuhei Tokumoto scored and set up another as FC Tokyo held off 10-man local rivals Kawasaki Frontale 2-1 at National Stadium on Friday, kicking off the weekend's top-flight fixtures celebrating the 30th anniversary of the J-League launch.
Tokumoto's stunning opener and assist gave Tokyo a two-goal cushion just 25 minutes into the Tama River derby as they ended a two-game losing streak, while Yasuto Wakizaka's straight red seven minutes after the break was a blow for Kawasaki whose three-game winning run came to an end.
Before a crowd of 56,705, Tokumoto scored his first J1 goal in memorable fashion in the 12th minute after a cross from the opposite side fell to him near the byline. Having cut inside, Tokumoto rifled in a shot with his weaker right foot and found the far top corner beyond diving keeper Naoto Kamifukumoto.
"It was a split-second decision to have a crack, rather than sending in a cross, that produced that wonderful goal," said the Okinawa-born 27-year-old. "I was over the moon. This has been my dream venue."
He turned provider for the second after Diego Oliveira won possession deep in the opposition half. The Brazilian forward found Tokumoto bursting down the left and the defender rolled in a perfect ball for Shuto Abe to slide home.
Kawasaki's Taisei Miyashiro had a fierce strike denied from just meters out moments before halving the deficit in the 39th minute. Tatsuki Seko made a good drive up the field to feed the ball into the box and the forward's swift finish took a tiny deflection off a defender before arrowing inside the far post.
But their chance of finding a leveler took a hit after Wakizaka's tackle on Teruhito Nakagawa's calf. The midfielder was initially shown yellow before being given his marching orders following a VAR check.
Both clubs came close in the second half. A deflected drive off the boot of Ryoma Watanabe rattled the bar in the 54th minute, while a fine volley from Kawasaki's Daiya Tono forced a superb close-range save from keeper Jakub Slowik in the 78th.
