The 20th annual Menicon Cup 2014 Japan Club Youth Soccer (U-15) EAST vs WEST took place on Monday 15 September at Mizuho Park Rugby Field in Nagoya, Aichi, and the team WEST won the match 3-2.

The Cup is held every summer and regarded as an all-start match for U-15 generation where many of the Japan Club Youth Football Championship participants play divided into EAST and WEST based on their club’s geographical locations. Many players who played in this match in the past including Hosogai Hajime and Morishige Masato have turned to be J. Leaguers and the national team players.

The captains of the both teams exchanged ceremonial pennants because the match day was in the middle of JFA Respect Fair Play Days.

Five minutes after the first half was kicked off, WEST’s Taki Yuta (Shimizu S-Pulse Junior Youth) scored the first goal of the match with his right foot but soon in the 11th minute, EAST’s Ishizu Hayato (Kashima Antlers Junior Youth) tied back the match.

After allowing the equaliser, WEST started to build up by moving the ball carefully from the backline, but EAST’s cohesive defence prevented WEST from going deep into EAST’s end. EAST also could not score the second goal even though they successfully got the ball with their aggressive pressure and took it simply to firing shots. The seesaw battle was played for a while where Takayama Toui of WEST (JFA Academy Fukushima) and Shimabuku Kazuyoshi of EAST (Urawa Reds Junior Youth) scored a goal for respective teams. Then a few minutes before the end of the first half, when everyone was expecting the break, WEST’s Kin Ryoya (Nagoya Grampus U15) scored the eventual match-winning goal.

In the second half, both teams created countless crucial opportunities and excited the big crowd of 9, 574, no goal was scored and WEST won the match 3-2. It was certainly a match played at a high level, just what everyone expects from an all-star match.

Awarded Players

Most Valuable Player Award winner
Team WEST - KAWAMURA Takumu (Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Junior Youth) 

Fighting Spirit Award winners
Team WEST- KIN Ryoya (Nagoya Grampus U15)
Team EAST - SHIMABUKU Kazuyoshi (Urawa Reds Junior Youth)

Special Support