match Match Schedule & Results

[Reserves]
GK: 30, Tsubasa Ishihara
DF: 3, Yusuke Asano, 5, Yasuaki Tokuda, 6, Masaki Koizumi
MF: -
FW: -

○ Match Digest
FC Tokyo U-18 advanced to the 1st to 4th place playoff in the Kanto Tournament of the Japan Club Youth Soccer Championship (U-18). Their first opponent is Verdy Youth. To advance to the Final Round, this Tokyo Derby is a match they absolutely want to win.
The intense match kicked off at 3:00 PM at the Nasu Sports Park Central in Tochigi Prefecture.
From the start, Tokyo formed a solid defensive block while moving the incoming ball compactly, concentrating the ball on Iwata to approach the goal. However, at the 17th minute, a wedge was inserted into the vital area, and they conceded a goal by allowing the use of the space behind. After that, Verdy kept possession of the ball. Tokyo tried to launch counters by sending vertical passes early and building attacks from side changes with Kawakami as the starting point. However, at the 39th minute, despite having enough players to respond, they failed to repel Verdy's attack and conceded another goal. Tokyo's Kawakami and Takahashi took shots but missed the target, and the first half ended 0-2.

At halftime, the team confirmed, "Although we conceded two goals in the first half, we are expressing our style of play. However, we can connect the passes more! Let's avoid playing too many vertical balls at inopportune times and keep the ball moving" as they headed into the second half.
Substitutions were made from Kamoike to Nozawa and from Ito to Nagasawa, heading onto the pitch for the second half with a new formation.

From the start of the second half, FC Tokyo pressed aggressively from the front to win the ball back, connecting passes while increasing the tempo. Then, in the 51st minute, Iwata received the ball near the goal, dribbled to the left side while evading the opposing DF, and was charged, earning a penalty kick. Nozawa calmly converted this PK to narrow the score to 1-2!! Furthermore, in the 63rd minute, they won the ball back through pressing from the front, and when Nihei on the left side dribbled forward, the opposing DF fouled him, resulting in a free kick. Nihei took the free kick himself, and Iwata, positioned on the far side, powerfully volleyed the ball in from a tight angle, leveling the match!! It seemed Tokyo was mounting a comeback from here, but Verdy scored consecutively. In the 67th minute, an early cross came in from the left side, and after a scramble, the ball was pushed in, conceding a goal. In the 72nd minute, the opponent created an opportunity from the right side and finished with a shot from the center, conceding again. To add more strength to attacks from the flanks, Tokyo made a substitution in the 77th minute, replacing Takahashi with Amos. Nagasawa was positioned as the attacking midfielder, Nihei shifted from left SH to right SH, and Amos took the left SH position. However, in the 78th minute, they conceded a fifth goal from a lob shot. Tokyo fought back without giving up until the end but could not score, and the match ended 2-5.
As a result of this outcome, advancement to the third-place playoff has been decided. The opponent will be Yokohama F.Marinos Youth, whom we faced in the Prince League. Tomorrow will also be a tough battle, but we want to thoroughly prepare to aim for third place by correcting the issues revealed in today's defeat.

Thank you very much for your passionate support today as well.
We kindly ask for your continued warm support for FC Tokyo U-18.

* There are no photos included in today's match digest. Thank you for your understanding in advance.