match Match Schedule & Results

[Reserves]
GK: 30, Katsuya MATSUSHIMA
DF: 33, Makoto OKAZAKI
MF: -
FW: -

○ Match Digest
The summer national tournament, "adidas CUP 2014 38th Japan Club Youth Soccer Championship (U-18) Tournament" 1st Round Day 2. Tokyo rode the momentum after defeating A.C AZZURRI YOUTH 10-0 the previous day. Today's opponent is the crucial match in the qualifying group, Vissel Kobe U-18. This team is currently ranked 6th in the Premier League WEST this season. On Kobe's first day, they were unable to break down the defensively solid Ehime FC Youth and ended with a scoreless draw. If they do not win today’s match against Tokyo and earn 3 points, it will be difficult for them to advance from the qualifiers. On the other hand, Tokyo comes into the second match after a big win with 10 goals in the first game. If Tokyo wins today’s match against Kobe, they will have 6 points and secure a spot in the top two of the group, making this a very important game.

Before kickoff, during the team meeting, Coach Sato encouraged the players, saying, "We are the challengers. The opponents are superior teams belonging to the Premier League. Let's challenge ourselves to see if what we've done so far will work." "Let's play gritty and tenaciously," he motivated the players and sent them out onto the pitch.

The temperature at kickoff was 36.4 degrees. The match kicked off with Kobe in possession. In the early stages, Kobe carefully connected passes and attacked inside Tokyo's territory. However, Tokyo's organized defense prevented the opponent from making vertical passes. Since Kobe drew 0-0 in their first match, they aggressively aimed for a goal from the first half. Using a traditional 4-4-2 formation as the base, they built their attack in a 2-4-4 style during offensive plays, keeping two center backs back.

Calmly responding to the opponent's attack, Tokyo scored the opening goal from a set piece in the 5th minute. MF Takahashi intercepted the opponent's pass and quickly passed to MF Hasukawa on the left side up front. Hasukawa dribbled forward and delivered a cross from a deep position. This cross hit the opponent's DF's foot, resulting in a corner kick. MF Nagasawa, the kicker, sent a low ball to Hasukawa. Hasukawa's shot did not hit the target, but DF Takada, who stayed forward near the touchline, crossed it back to the center, where FW Okuma took a free shot and shook the net!!

Tokyo, who took the lead early, scored an additional goal three minutes later at the 8th minute. Kobe, having conceded the first goal, launched another attack trying to equalize quickly. However, pushing forward left a large space between Kobe's defensive line and goalkeeper. DF Onishi did not miss this space. After intercepting the opponent's ball at the defensive line, Onishi delivered a brilliant long ball behind the opponent. Responding to this ball, Hasukawa dribbled past and entered the penalty area, where the opposing defender was forced to foul him, resulting in a penalty kick. Hasukawa powerfully struck the penalty into the net, scoring the second goal!!

Having taken a 2-0 lead, Tokyo seemed to be controlling the match, but in the remainder of the first half, Kobe maintained possession for extended periods. However, Tokyo responded calmly with tenacious defense, not allowing the opponent to score. At the 14th minute, an opposing player dribbled down Tokyo’s left side in their own half, but defender Takuya Watanabe slid in effectively to prevent a dangerous situation. At the 21st minute, a free kick conceded in the central area was directly targeted, but goalkeeper Ito reacted well to the ball and denied the goal. Kobe’s period of dominance continued, but after the water break, Tokyo carefully connected passes within two touches to avoid losing possession easily, creating moments where they controlled the game.

However, Kobe, who has no room for error if they do not accumulate points in this match, pressed forward to score a goal in the first half. At the 25th minute, they suffered a counterattack from a corner kick, but DF Yamagishi firmly covered and dealt with it. Just past the 30th minute, a through pass was played through the center, bringing the ball close to the goal, but DF Takada responded tenaciously. Immediately after, they allowed an opponent to break through with a dribble on the left side of their own half, who then brought the ball to the center and took a free mid-range shot, but it went off target. After this, they conceded consecutive corner kicks, but thanks to GK Ito’s punching and the concentrated defense of the DF line,
they did not allow a goal. It seemed they would head into halftime with a 2-0 lead, but at the 40th minute, they gave the opponent a clear chance. A cross was sent from their own left side to the center. GK Ito rushed out to intercept the cross, but the opponent touched the ball a step earlier and took a shot. The ball rolled toward the goal, but it was cleared right on the goal line by captain Onishi.

The first half ended with a 2-0 lead. Halftime. The players discussed the points for improvement they noticed during the first half on the bench. Coach Sato encouraged them by saying, "Let's create a little more of our own time," and "Let's maintain a good balance of passion, composure, and intelligence and fight with unity," before sending them back onto the pitch for the second half.

In the second half, the sun rose higher than at kickoff, and the sunlight beat down. At 42 minutes into the half, Takahashi stole the ball from the opponent and drove forward with a dribble shot, shifting the momentum. At 44 minutes, Takahashi played a vertical pass to Hasukawa in the center. Hasukawa simply laid it off to Koyama on the left side, but this was ruled offside. Meanwhile, Kobe launched a long ball behind Tokyo’s defensive line at 5 minutes. The opposing forward reacted, but GK Ito came out quickly to prevent the danger. Then at 46 minutes, a cleared ball was picked up high, and from a tight angle on the left side, a powerful shot was fired near side, but GK Ito made a fine save and did not concede a goal.

Tokyo, having lost the rhythm to the opponent, made a substitution in the 51st minute, replacing Okuma, who scored the opening goal, with midfielder Sasaki. Then, immediately in the 53rd minute, Nagasawa, Hasukawa, and Sasaki combined up front to create a scoring chance. On the left side, Onishi quickly closed down the opposing ball holder and won the ball high up the pitch, then carried it forward and sent a cross into the center. Sasaki in the center let this cross pass through to Nagasawa on the right side. Nagasawa could have taken a shot but instead delivered a final pass to Hasukawa, who cut in from the left side. Hasukawa took a free shot, but the ball took an irregular bounce and did not connect with his foot. Although they created a clear chance, they could not hit the target.

At the 55th minute, Tokyo sent MF Ryuu Watanabe onto the pitch, replacing Hasukawa, who scored his fourth goal in two consecutive matches in this tournament via a penalty kick. Sasaki firmly held the ball up front, creating space and beginning to take control of the game.

At the 56th minute, the substitutes Sasaki and Ryuu Watanabe formed a vertical connection up front, exchanging passes to create a focal point in the center and then spreading the ball to the sides, but it did not lead to a clear scoring chance. Tokyo increased their playing time in the opponent’s territory, but they were unable to get shots off and there were moments when they lost the ball and faced counterattacks. However, the defensive midfielders Takahashi and Abe maintained good spacing between each other and quickly pressed the ball holders, continuously cutting off the opponent’s chances.

After this, Tokyo scored the decisive third goal. The third goal was a solo effort by Ryu Watanabe. Receiving the ball from Abe on the left side, Watanabe dribbled forward without hesitation. The opposing defenders could not stop Watanabe’s precise dribbling, leading to a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Although the opposing goalkeeper rushed out, Watanabe calmly placed the ball into the net, shaking the net.

With about 10 minutes remaining, Tokyo led 3-0, but Kobe did not give up and continued to push for a goal until the end. However, Tokyo, centered around Takada, Takuma Onishi, and Takuya Watanabe, defended tenaciously. Defender Yanagi, who came on as a substitute, smoothly integrated into the match and calmly dealt with the opponent's attacks. In added time, Kobe had a free header from a corner kick, but Tokyo, focused until the very end, saw goalkeeper Ito make a fine save to keep the net untouched. The match ended with Tokyo maintaining a clean sheet and securing a 3-0 victory.

Although it was a match where the initiative was taken away in the severe heat, Tokyo firmly capitalized on a goal from a set piece and scoring opportunities. With this, they have reached 6 points and secured advancement to the Final Round without waiting for the third day. Tomorrow (26th) is a rest day for the tournament. We want to properly take in nutrition and rest, and carefully prepare for the third day’s match against Ehime FC Youth and the first match of the Final Round. We sincerely thank everyone who came to the match venue in the heat today and gave warm support to the players. We ask for your continued warm support for FC Tokyo U-18.

≪E Group Standings (As of 7/25)≫
1st Place FC Tokyo U-18
(Points 6 / Goals Scored 13 / Goals Conceded 0 / Goal Difference +13)
2nd Place Ehime FC Youth
(Points 4 / Goals Scored 9 / Goals Conceded 0 / Goal Difference +9)
3rd Place Vissel Kobe U-18
(Points 1 / Goals scored 0 / Goals conceded 3 / Goal difference -3)
4th place A.C. AZZURRI YOUTH
(Points 0 / Goals scored 0 / Goals conceded 19 / Goal difference -19)