match Match Schedule & Results

The opponent in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Club Youth Soccer U-13 Championship Final Tournament was Forza. The match kicked off at 5:15 p.m.

In the early stages, their usual passing game was stifled by the opponent’s intense pressure from the front line. After 10 minutes, from a long feed, Yazaki broke through on the left side and Koike aimed for a goal with a header from the cross, but it went straight to the goalkeeper. After that, the team struggled to find attacking opportunities due to the opponent’s quick pressing. The defenders persistently tried to build up play, but the team continued to be pushed back by short counters.
At the 25th minute, the opponent picked up a loose ball from a clearance and launched a cross from the left side, creating a dangerous situation. Matsushima somehow punched the ball away, preventing a goal.
Although the pressure continued afterward, the defense held firm with physical play in the final moments, and the first half ended.

From the second half, we brought in Hishiyama, Shunsuke Watanabe, and Taku Watanabe to try to seize the momentum.
At the start of the second half, the opponent continued their high press, but finally, the passes began to circulate with crisp movements.
At the 35th minute, after exchanging passes between the defensive midfielders and switching the side, Hishiyama played a through ball, and the overlapping Yazaki was free to cross. Although this resulted in a kicking error, attacks characteristic of Fukagawa began to emerge. Subsequently, effective passes started flowing from Taku Watanabe’s ball retention to Yanagi, Okuma, and Yazaki, who moved up to forward midway through. We succeeded in easing the opponent’s press, but it was still difficult to create clear chances in front of goal. The opponent’s attacks mainly consisted of long vertical feeds with speed, but Takuya Watanabe and Nomura’s stable defense prevented them from creating opportunities.
In the final moments of the second half, Okuma cut in from the right side and aimed for the goal with his left foot, but the opponent's defenders physically blocked him, not allowing a shot. The second half then ended.

The match went into a 5-minute-per-half extra time. The defense remained solid, not giving the opponent any chances. Although the attack found its rhythm, no clear scoring opportunities were created, and the extra time ended scoreless.
The outcome of the match was decided by a penalty shootout.
The first penalty taker for Fukagawa was the game captain, Okuma. He calmly placed the ball opposite the goalkeeper and scored perfectly. The second was Takumi Watanabe, the third Oikawa, and the fourth Yazaki; all executed their shots flawlessly. With the opponent having missed one, the fifth taker was Takuya Watanabe, who had stabilized the defense by coming in as a center back in the second half. This was the winning kick, and he calmly scored, bringing the intense battle to a close.

We want to carry forward today’s victory, achieved as a united team, into the coming weeks. Thank you for your support despite the cold weather today.