[U-15 Musashi] 7th Day of France Expedition
[7th Day Activity Report]
The first match was against Toulouse. We successfully took the lead early on, but conceded a goal from a set piece near the end of the second half. Despite showing resilience until the very end, the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
The next match in the upper league was against Marseille. Undeterred by their superior physique, we continued to apply aggressive pressure. We sharply intercepted their build-up play and quickly spread the ball to the flanks. From there, we perfectly connected with a cross to score a valuable opening goal. In the second half, we faced intense attacks from the opponent, but maintained focused defense to protect our goal and secure the victory. As a result, we advanced through the upper league and qualified for the quarterfinals of the final tournament!
Today, we will play one more match: the quarterfinal against Stade Rennais.
The first half saw a tense battle with neither side giving ground. In the late second half, we lost possession under the opponent’s pressure during their build-up, conceding a goal on the counterattack. Just two minutes later, we regained possession from their build-up, broke sharply through the center, and although the shot was blocked by the goalkeeper, we pushed in the rebound to score a determined equalizer. The match ended at full time, leading to a penalty shootout. Each player faced it with strong resolve, but we fell just short and suffered a heartbreaking defeat.
In this tournament, the path to the championship ended here. Even so, the players who fought bravely until the very last moment received great applause from the stands.
After the match ended, the French legend Didier Deschamps, who has won the World Cup both as a player and as a coach, came to the reception.
The players spent an enjoyable time listening to stories and taking photos, relaxing in a comfortable atmosphere.
The tournament is not over yet. Tomorrow is the placement match. Using this experience as a foundation, the team will unite and fight through to the very end.
◇The report for Day 1 is here
◇The report for Day 2 is here
◇The report for Day 3 is here
◇The report for Day 4 is here
◇The report for Day 5 is here
◇The report for Day 6 is here
