The 20th All Japan Youth (U-15) Futsal Championship started at the Sky Hall Toyota in Toyota city, Aichi pref. on Saturday, Jan 10. Headed games were made by 16 teams which survived in the preliminary tournament to be the best U-15 team in Japan.

In the tournament, all participants were separated into 4 groups of 4 teams, having 2 league games in the first round. 8 games of 16 games were close matches which resulted in come-from-behind victory. Though 4 teams among them had straight wins, each group hasn't decided the team advancing to the final round with one match remaining, showing exiting development.

In group A, the defending champion Consadole Asahikawa U-15 (Hokkaido 2) and Yamaguchi SC Grace Infinity（Chugoku／Yamaguchi）started the tournament with consecutive victories. Asahikawa won over an opening match with Midorihigashi Football Club (Tokai 1/Aichi) at 1-0 followed by come-from-behind victory against Esprit Nagaoka FC (Hokushinetsu 3/Niigata) at 6-1 even after allowing the opponent to gain a first goal and then equalizing the score at the second half. Yamaguchi FC had upset victories both against Nagaoka FC and Midori Higashi at 4-3, showing its ability in the end.

In group B, the 18th champion Nagaoka JYFC borboleta (Hokushinetsu 1/Niigata) won consecutively. It came from behind to win the game against Malva Ibaraki FC (Kanto 2/Ibaraki) thanks to its teamwork and excellent individual skillful plays while struggling to a difficult situation that the opponent made an opening goal. Date Junior High School (Hokkaido 1) in the same group, though its first game ended in a draw after being caught up by the opponent in the very end, beat FC Twins Aichi（Tokai2／Aichi）at 5-2 with its speedy defence and high-quality offence in the 2nd Sec.

In group C, Brincar FC U-15 (Host city/Aichi) making games by uniting a team and individuals had a match against Nagaoka JYFC Vespa (Hokushinetsu 2/Niigata) with a determination to show "a pride as a representative of Aichi”, bringing a come-from-behind victory over fierce game. It successfully kept control from beginning to end in a following game with Obikita Ambitious (Hokkaido 3), taking successive victorys at 4-0.

Group D was the closest one. Though Matsuyama Mitsuhama Junior High School (Shikoku/Ehime), which won an opening victory, seemed to gain momentum, Maebashi Junior Youth(Kanto 1/Gunma) and FC Regate（Tohoku／Fukushima）realized their potentials to bring the situation that 4 teams staying at the same position in the group with one win and one lost.

A remaining game in each group will be held on Sunday, Jan 11 of the second day for the tournament and the top team in each group will be qualified to the final round. Given each group’s situation that group A and B have a head-to-head matchup between 2 top teams, group C take a three-way struggle and group D face a possibility for all teams to advance to the final round, which teams will finally gain tickets for the best four.

Comments

SATO Jin Head Coach（Consadole Asahikawa U-15）
We could enter into the second game having room to breathe, thanks to getting 3 winning points in an opening game without losing score even if contents of it was not so good. I replaced all members of the team in the second game from the first and players performed actively, attracting a momentum to make good game as a team. Players seem to be confident to win the title with their efforts, as their seniors made a great result to be a champion in the last tournament. I want to have as many games as possible, because this is the final tournament for the team of current members to participate in.

YAMAZAKI Taichi Head Coach（Nagaoka JYFC borboleta）
I participate in this tournament with a determination that a representative team from Niigata will be the third consecutive champion, as our team 2 years ago and FC Igarashi Junior Youth last year won the title. And I hope to meet Nagaoka FC in the final match, if we make it. The reasons why teams from Niigata have made good results are not only that we practice for longer time within doors due to snow, but also we always intend to do trainings that are effective for both football and futsal. I believed my players could show in the game what they accumulated so far, even it was hard to do so under a special pressure of the tournament.

FURUI Shunpei Head Coach（Brincar FC U-15）
I assumed that the game would start in tense mood, because the opening one was with Nagaoka JYFC which experienced to be champion. As the point was how we control the game facing such mood, players could successfully come back from 0-2, gaining a good rhythm. I came to feel that players started to learn various play styles as well as the way to adapt themselves to those of opponent through training with adult teams on a regular basis. We aim to play with its pride, as we participate as one of the representative team of Aichi, and bring the best result in this tournament.

SUZUKI Nobuaki Head Coach（FC Regate）
I believed my players could show their abilities and prides of "we could not lose at this point because we needed to show what we did so far" even under tough situations of both games. We have regularly played futsal on a weekly basis to improve individual skills, judging capabilities and competitions as well as to learn how each player can bring breakthrough in the situation by playing with possessing a ball autonomously. They could not show what they learned from their regular practices today, however, I hope them to play more freely to make their own performances

JFA-TV

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

The 20th All Japan Youth (U-15) Futsal Championship open on 10 January

Sat. 10 January - Mon. 12 January 2015
Skyhall Toyota (Toyota City/Aichi)

More information on the championship