U-16 Japan National Team Practice Match vs. Kokoku High School
2015-6-23 (Tue.) -10:00    Playing time: 60min. (30min. x 2)
J-GREEN SAKAI (Sakai City, Osaka)

U-16 Japan National Team   1-0 (1st 0-0, 2nd 1-0)   Kokoku High School

Score
52' NAKAMURA Shunta (U-16 Japan)

1st Half Members
GK: OKI Yuya
DF: NISHIYAMA Taiga, HASHIOKA Daiki, NAKAYA Yuki, TANAKA Kosuke, MIZUTA Kazuma, NISHIYAMA Taiga
MF: SAITO Mitsuki, HORI Kenta, ARAI Hikaru, ITO Hiroki, FUJIMOTO Kanya, YOSHIDA Ayumi, SHINADA Manato
FW: NAKAJIMA Motohiko, NAKAMURA Shunta, KATO Takumi

2nd Half Members
GK: OSAKO Keisuke
DF: NISHIYAMA Taiga, HASHIOKA Daiki, NAKAYA Yuki, TANAKA Kosuke, MIZUTA Kazuma, NISHIYAMA Taiga
MF: SAITO Mitsuki, HORI Kenta, ARAI Hikaru, ITO Hiroki, FUJIMOTO Kanya, YOSHIDA Ayumi, SHINADA Manato
FW: NAKAJIMA Motohiko, NAKAMURA Shunta, KATO Takumi

Non-Registered Member
(suspension, injury, etc.)
DF: OKAMOTO Soma

Substitutes
20'   NAKAYA Yuki → MIZUTA Kazuma
20'   HORI Kenta → ARAI Hikaru
20'   NAKAJIMA Motohiko → NAKAMURA Shunta
20'   YOSHIDA Ayumi → FUJIMOTO Kanya
20'   NISHIYAMA Taiga → SHINADA Manato
HT   OKI Yuya → OSAKO Keisuke
40'   KATO Takumi → AKAJIMA Motohiko
40'   ITO Hiroki → NAKAYA Yuki
40'   SAITO Mitsuki → HORI Kenta
40'   TANAKA Kosuke → YOSHIDA Ayumi
40'   HASHIOKA Daiki → NISHIYAMA Taiga

Match Report

The U-16 Japan National Team will participate in a new international championship “the U-16 International Dream Cup 2015 JAPAN Presented by JFA”, which will be held in Osaka from 24 June. Japan will meet one of the strongest teams from each continent, namely Chile, Costa Rica, and France, and aim to become the first champions of this new championship.

The U-16 Japan National Team held a 30-minute-half practice game against Kokoku High School in preparation for the opening match against Costa Rica.  Although Japan pressed the opponent, passing the ball around, from the beginning, they could not create goal-scoring opportunities due to a lack of the accuracy in passes and crosses.

In the second half, the players started to pass the ball more effectively, creating several attacking opportunities. However, they could not find the back of the net against an aggressive Kokoku High School defence.

Japan focused on the space behind the opponent’s defensive line to change the situation. After 52 minutes, NAKAMURA Shunta, who received a through pass from ARAI Hikaru, slotted the ball calmly through the goalkeeper, striking the much-awaited opener. Japan had several more goal-scoring opportunities, including a free kick, but the score stayed the same. They won the game 1-0.

In the evening, the four participating teams of the championship attended a reception. They performed some exhibitions and exchanged their football shirts to get to know each other.

Players’ Comments

YOSHIDA Ayumi (Funabashi Municipal High School)
I was surprised to have been chosen for the national team. I’d like to play as hard as I can to face the strong international teams. In today’s training match, I was pleased I could steal the opponent ball and pass it to the front swiftly, creating a goal-scoring opportunity. I need to focus on each play. Also as we need to improve the quality of crosses, I’ll work on that to improve accuracy. I’d like to contribute to the team’s victory with a good spirit, getting ready for tomorrow’s match.

SHINADA Manato (FC Tokyo U-18)
I’m proud of playing for the national team. I’m looking forward to seeing how much the individual skill will work on one-on-one plays or near the ball against a physically stronger opponent. As I found there was still some room for improvement in today’s practice game, especially in the defence, I’d like to contribute to the team in tomorrow’s match by taking the initiative in both the attack and defence.

NISHIYAMA Taiga (Yokohama F-Marinos Youth)
I’m pleased to be chosen for the national team for the first time. I’d like to learn to encourage my teammates even when I make a mistake or concede a goal as a defender. I would also like to know how much I could play against the strong teams in the world, while I learn as much as possible through good plays from the opponents or my own teammates. I’ll try not to be intercepted in tomorrow match, passing the ball precisely among my team. Whenever and whichever position I’m on the pitch, I’ll do my best to win the game tomorrow.

NAKAJIMA Motohiko (Cerezo Osaka U-18)
I’d like to show off my strengths, as I was chosen to play for the national team. I’d like to play, bearing in mind how to receive the ball or get through to the space behind the defensive line against a physically stronger opponent in tomorrow’s game. As my position is required to get a good result, I’d like to stay ambitious for goals or assists to contribute to the match.

KATO Takumi (Yamanashi Gakuin High School)
We’re required to do a lot in this championship and there are many things I have to learn through the training sessions and practice matches as well as off the pitch. I’d like to try my best. In tomorrow’s match, I’d like to compete well against the defenders of a strong team, using strength and height in front of goal. We’ll play as a united team, using our body to defend our goal to win the game.

Schedule

Note: The schedule is subject to change due to the team condition, the weather, etc.

Future Schedule