match Match Schedule & Results

[Reserves]
GK: 1, Shohei Ishida
DF: 2, Atomu Nagai
MF: 8, Issei Okumura, 28, Tsubasa Nihei

●Match Digest
The opponent in the Round of 16 of the 21st Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Youth (U-18) Soccer Championship was Aomori Yamada High School. The match started at 1:20 p.m. under cloudy skies with high humidity and muggy weather.

Both teams started by showing attacks using long balls, and at the 6th minute, a cross from the opponent’s left connected to a player in the center, causing a tense moment, but Hiroki firmly closed in, and goalkeeper Miura rushed out to secure the ball. Both sides had strong defensive awareness and couldn’t move the ball effectively in midfield, resulting in many plays built on long balls. Especially the opponent frequently launched early balls toward the vital area from anywhere, making it a tense situation, but throughout the match, Kobayashi consistently repelled the long balls.

At the 10th minute, a pass from Sasaki reached Eguchi on the right side, who then followed it laterally to Sasaki. Sasaki carried the ball inside and took the team's first shot of the match with his left foot, but it went straight to the opposing goalkeeper. Then, Hashimoto received the ball from Sasaki in the center and took a mid-range shot without hesitation, but it missed the target. At the 15th minute, Muto faced forward in the center and passed to Muramatsu, who was running up the left side. Muramatsu, maintaining his speed, sent a direct cross, which Maeka tried to connect with, but the opposing defender cleared it first. Conversely, immediately after, a ground cross from the right side was left unchecked, and a free shot followed, but goalkeeper Miura caught it.

At the 18th minute, Matsufuji won the ball in a deep position and firmly passed it to Muto → center to Maeka → right side to Eguchi. Eguchi’s cross reached Muto, who ran in from the opposite side. Muto trapped the ball and evaded the approaching opposing defender, leaving only the opposing GK in front of him, but his shot was blocked by the GK, missing the chance. At the 24th minute, Muto held the ball deep on the left side and passed it back to Muramatsu. Muramatsu’s cross was initially cleared, but Hiroki picked up the rebound, carried the ball to the left, and took a shot, which the opposing GK caught.

At the 32nd minute, with the stalemate continuing, a long feed from GK Miura following a back pass from Hiroki flowed due to a mistake by the opposing DF, and Akioka, who kept running without giving up, found himself in a one-on-one with the opposing GK and calmly slotted the ball into the goal to score the long-awaited opening goal. Then, at the 34th minute, Akioka won the race to a ball behind the opposing DF from Matsufuji, and when the cross hit the opponent’s leg and spilled loose, Muto took a direct shot but was blocked by the opposing DF.

At the 39th minute, when Eguchi headed the ball to the center to SASAKI, SASAKI carried it forward, created space, and passed to Akioka on the left. Akioka then beautifully finished it into the right corner of the goal with his left foot, scoring a valuable additional goal. The first half ended with the score at 2-0.

Entering the second half at the 48th minute, the ball was slowly circulated along the DF line, and when the opponent came to press, Matsufuji made a long feed to Akioka, who had run behind the opposing DF. Akioka crossed the ball, and Muto, running in from behind, took a direct shot, but the opposing goalkeeper caught it.
Conversely, at the 50th minute, when the ball was connected from the right side and a through pass was made at the end, GK Miura quickly rushed out and stopped it. At the 55th minute, in a situation where the opponent almost broke through with a through pass, Kobayashi made a last-moment sliding block. Then at the 59th minute, after a counterattack, a powerful shot was taken; GK Miura initially spilled the ball but caught it faster than the approaching opponent. In this play, Miura injured his hand after being stepped on by an opposing player but continued playing. At the 65th minute, after another counterattack and a cross from the right side, the opponent’s header missed the target, narrowly escaping danger.
In the second half, there were increasing situations where the opponent launched shots from counterattacks, and the ball was moved around more, leading to more time spent under attack. However, goalkeeper Miura, along with center backs Matsufuji and Kobayashi, firmly solidified the defense in the middle, preventing the opponents from taking free shots and not allowing any goals.

At the 75th minute, Nozawa was brought on to replace Sasaki, and Iwata came on for Maeoka. Immediately after, Muto was fouled while making a sharp dribble on the left side, earning a free kick. Nozawa then made a short pass to Muramatsu, and Matsufuji connected with a header to Muramatsu’s shooting cross, but it was denied by the post. Conversely, at the 82nd minute, after a mistake in the defensive line led to losing the ball, the opponent seemed about to carry it freely, but Kobayashi stopped it with a sharp sliding tackle. At the 85th minute, the ball was circulated and they were pressed, and finally a shot with altered timing was taken, but GK Miura made a diving save.

Despite facing a relentless counterattack and being on the defensive, the four players on the back line solidly held the center and skillfully responded, protecting the goal with their bodies at the crucial moments. Midfield and forward players also pressed back, preventing the opponents from playing freely and managing to hold on. Against the opponent’s power play, they remained mindful of conceding a second goal and responded accordingly. They did not allow any players making runs to get free or make an impact. GK Miura stayed focused on handling free kicks and defended resolutely, securing a 2-0 victory. They successfully advanced to the quarterfinals.

Thank you very much for all the passionate support today as well.