match Match Schedule & Results

[Reserves]
GK: -
DF: 5, Yasuaki Tokuda, 6, Masaki Koizumi
MF: 34, Wataru Sasaki, 38, Ryu Watanabe
FW: -

○ Match Digest
After completing the 4th round of the group league in the Japan Club Youth Soccer Championship (U-18) Kanto Tournament, FC Tokyo U-18 secured their spot in the national tournament in the previous round. However, the battle is not over yet. This match, a direct confrontation with the second-place Kashima Antlers Youth for the top spot in the group league, is one they absolutely cannot afford to lose, especially to avenge last year’s defeat. Although the lineup is missing starters Nozawa, Iwata, and Aoki due to injuries, the team has prepared thoroughly and is highly motivated with no concerns. They headed into the humid Antlers clubhouse after the rain, and this fiercely contested match kicked off at 1:00 p.m.

From the beginning, Tokyo aggressively launched attacks mainly down the left side. They approached the goal through the combination of Yoshida and Kawakami, and the partnership between Nihei and Takahashi also shone, creating chance after chance. However, in the 7th minute, they were troubled by Kashima's side change and faced a shot, but GK Baba made a fine save to avert danger. Despite facing a pinch, there was also a decisive moment in the 11th minute.
Yoshida dribbled up from deep in his own half, and Ninpei received the ball and sliced through the opposite side with a dribble. From this flowing attack, they earned a free kick. Ninpei took the kick himself, and Kawakami connected in front of goal, but the opposing goalkeeper deflected it. Tokyo, strong in ball contests and firmly collecting second balls, began to gain momentum. Against the opponent’s tall forward, first-year center back Onishi won aerial duels repeatedly, and even when the opposition penetrated their defense, each player maintained tight marking, shutting down every attack from Kashima. On the offensive side, Amos at 27 minutes, Ninpei at 28, Ito at 38, and Tamiya at 44 all took aggressive shots, but they could not break through Kashima’s block, and the first half ended scoreless for both sides.

At halftime, the players thoroughly corrected and confirmed things among themselves. Coach Motoyoshi sent them out onto the pitch for the second half saying, "The first half wasn’t bad. Let’s keep it up. Apply solid pressure on the opponent, firmly win contested balls, and connect them to our attacks."

Right SH Amos and left SH Nihei switched positions.
In the second half, they took two consecutive shots early on, and it seemed they would take control of the pace, but the opponent suppressed the source of the ball. However, they responded tenaciously, and even during difficult moments, Kawakami sent long balls forward to create attacking opportunities by exploiting the opponent's gaps. Then, at the 61st minute, from Nihei's right corner kick, Amano, starting his first match of the season, headed the ball perfectly to score the long-awaited opening goal!! After that, Kashima launched a fierce attack to try to reset the match, and Tokyo was pushed back into their own half for a period. However, they fought hard with Baba's excellent saves and the whole team's committed defense. The intense match combined with the heat began to show signs of fatigue in the opposing players.
At the 76th minute, Nagasawa was brought on to replace Amos, and at the 79th minute, Kamoike, who had returned from injury, was sent onto the pitch for Ito. Then, at the 82nd minute, Tamiya, who overlapped from Nagasawa’s position, delivered a cross, and Takahashi took a shot but hit the crossbar, missing the goal. After that, they continued to press towards Kashima’s goal. At the 84th minute, Nihei took a shot after Kamoike cut the ball back from the center. At the 85th minute, Amano and at the 86th minute, Yoshida pushed forward to finish, continuously running in pursuit of an additional goal. However, in stoppage time at the 91st minute, goalkeeper Baba, who had been showing stable defense until then, collided with an opposing player and was injured. Ohno was sent onto the pitch as a substitute. Despite this accident, the entire team concentrated on defense and held on to the one goal scored by Amano, securing their first clean sheet victory in this tournament!!

This victory secured our advancement as the top team in the group league. In the next stage, the placement matches, we will participate in the 1st to 4th place tournament. Tough battles await against teams that have advanced from each group, but we want to use today’s win with confidence and prepare thoroughly aiming for the Kanto Tournament championship.

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