On Sunday 19 March, the JFA 28th Japan Futsal Championship final took place at Komazawa Olympic Park, where Shonan Bellmare (F1/Kanagawa) and Fugador Sumida (F1/Tokyo) clashed.

The match’s first big opportunity was created by Sumida in the 13th minute, when SHIMIZU Kazuya broke loose to face the goalkeeper one-on-one, but his shot went off the goal post. Three minutes later, HOSHI Ryuta struck a shot that nearly captured the goal, but his shot was also denied by the woodwork.

Shonan responded with a shot taken by TAKAHASHI Kodai in the 18th minute, but his attempt was saved by the Sumida goalkeeper KISHI Shota. HAGIWARA Manatsu tried to convert the ensuing corner kick, but his shot was blocked by the opposing defence.

With less than one minute left to be played in the first period, Sumida was once again denied by the woodwork, as the shot taken by MIYAZAKI Satoshi went off the left goal post. The deadlock was broken following this play, when Shonan created a chance from a counterattack, which saw UCHIMURA Shunta deliver the final pass to setup the superbly executed lob shot of TSURUYA Haruto, which gave Shonan a 1-0 lead at halftime.

Despite conceding the lead for the first time in the tournament, Sumida continued to create opportunities in the second period, but still struggled to break down Shonan’s tenacious defence. Even when Uchimura, one of Shonan’s key players, was ejected after receiving his second yellow card in the 12th minute, Sumida was unable to capitalise on the numerical advantage give for the next two minutes.

The long-awaited moment for Sumida arrived in the 14th minute when Hoshi's equaliser was set up by a pass from NAKADA Shuto. Sumida tried to ride the momentum to take the lead but were stopped by excellent saves made by Shonan goalkeeper FIUZA. Shonan also attempted to end the game by using their powerplay, but the game went into overtime without a goal.

Following a scoreless first period, the decisive goal was scored by Shimizu in the third minute of the second period, as the striker later reflected, “It was a battle with myself. I thought maybe today wasn't my day, but my coach and teammates continued to encourage me. I kept hitting the woodwork and thought how much the goal hated me, but I was able to maintain my determination to score, thanks to my teammates.”

With their backs against the wall, Shonan made their final surge to equalise with their powerplay but fell short from finding the back of the net, as Sumida won the match 2-1, earning their first title since being promoted to the F. League.

Shimizu was named tournament MVP while the Fair-play award was given to Nagoya Oceans.

Coaches and Players' Comments

IKUMA Yosuke, Coach (Shonan Bellmare)
I think we were able to play a really great match thanks to the passionate support of our fans. The results are out, but only two teams get to play until the last day. In a game where one of us wins and one of us loses, we ended on the losing side. We are in the process of building up the team, with the goal of becoming Asian champions. It's difficult to switch our minds to the next season yet, but all in all, we were able to see the growth of the youngsters and I think it was a season that will lead us to the future.

OGIKUBO Takashi, Coach (Fugador Sumida)
We didn't know what was going to happen after we conceded the lead, but we were able to fight until the end because of the encouraging presence of our supporters. I told the players that we need to repay them with a victory, so I am happy that we were able to win the championship. To be honest, I can’t believe that we actually won. Before the match, I was caught crying in the dressing room, and the players told me that I was ahead of myself. I am thankful to the players for allowing me to witness this scene.

FP #8 SHIMIZU Kazuya (Fugador Sumida)
It was a tough match. It was difficult to score goals and I myself struggled dearly. However, my teammates and I both continued to have faith that I would score at the very end, which helped me score that goal. I was in tears of joy, that's all I remember, but it was one of the best moments I've ever had. I always envied Nakada Shuto, who had scored five goals in this tournament, so I am relieved to be able to score in today’s match.

FP #6 MIYAZAKI Satoshi (Fugador Sumida)
When I decided to retire, I thought I would finish my career without a title, so I am very happy to have won this title. It makes it even more meaningful considering that we lost in the final two years ago. Although I wasn’t able to convert the chances I was given, I am just glad that we were able to come on top at the end. I had thought about quitting a number of times, but I kept going and never thought I would end my career on such a high note.

【Highlights】Shonan Bellmare vs Fugador Sumida

JFA 28th Japan Futsal Championship

Tournament dates: Sat. 11 - Sun. 19 March 2023
Tournament venue: Ecopa Arena (Shizuoka), Kishiwada City Gymnasium (Osaka), Kobe Central Gymnasium (Hyogo), Komazawa Olympic Park (Tokyo)

Tournament information