Pick-up Match

Kyoto Tachibana High School　0-11 (0-6, 0-5)　Nagoya Grampus U18

In the 18th leg of the Prince Takamado Trophy U-18 Premier League West, Kyoto Tachibana High School (Kyoto) took on Nagoya Grampus U18 (Aichi) at Nishikyogoku Sogo Sports Park Athletics stadium on 6 December.

While Kyoto Tachibana had already determined to finish in the last place in the last leg, a ninth-place Nagoya had a chance to remain in the league depending on the results of other teams. As KAWASAKI Kentaro said that the team needed to win with big score margin and he focused on scoring, Nagoya came on aggressively from early and TANAKA Shoma put a loose ball in to give the team a 1-0 lead on 1st minute.

Nagoya extended the lead to 4-0 as Tanaka completed a hat trick in the first 10 minutes. Kyoto Tachibana coach YONEZAWA Kazunari later put it, "the game was determined in the first 10 minutes of the first half." But the team earned a free kick in the left side of the box on 22nd minute and IWASAKI Yuto tried to score, yet it was saved by Nagoya goalkeeper KATO Taichi.

Nagoya added two more goals late in the first half and entered halftime with a 6-0 lead, but they wouldn't get loose in the second half. Grampus scored their seventh goal when Tanaka initiated an attack from the right side and Kawasaki scored on 48th, and then SUGITA Masahiro netted another on 63rd. Nagoya's offensive assault didn't stop there. On 66th, KITANO Seiya scored a ninth goal and a minute later, Sugita had his third goal of the day for a hat trick to make it a double-digit goal for Nagoya. On 85th, ace MORI Kota fired a shot into the goal to wrap up Nagoya's lopsided victory.

Because the eighth-place Riseisha High School (Osaka) ended in a draw elsewhere, Nagoya tied with Riseisha in points earned and did get past Riseisha in goal differences by three for the eighth place in the standings. Nagoya miraculously remained in the Premier League in the last moment.

Coach and Players' Comments

YONEZAWA Kazunari, Coach (Kyoto Tachibana High School)
Nagoya is a capable team and we knew that they are on a roll since they finished second in the J. Youth Cup. Today, we came in the game trying to escape their pressing by connecting passes, predicting that they would come and try to get the ball from up front. But Nagoya were a lot better than the last time we played against them, and we allowed four goals in the first 10 minutes while we couldn't do what we wanted to. We ended up taking a big loss, but I felt that our players tried to rotate the ball and they did their job.

OGAWA Reita (Kyoto Tachibana High School)
We played a low-level game. When we allowed the first goal, I should've changed the mood of our team, but we would let it go and keep allowing goals afterwards. Yet all of us tried to connect passes, but our judgements were too slow and we were also slow to switch after we made mistakes. Had our demotion not been determined, it would've been a different game, but I realized that it's too late to notice that after we were done.

TAKATA Tetsuya, Coach (Nagoya Grampus U18)
I didn't think a bit that we would score 11 goals. But as we scored right into the game, it would set a fire on our players' heart, making us think that maybe we could go for a double digit. That we scored six within the first half gave us the momentum too. Today, our players did their best, but it's a little shameful that we are celebrating this much for just having remained in the league. Looking at how we've done in our recent games, we are a team that should not be in this position and it was a year that we should've done better.

FUKE Noriki (Nagoya Grampus U18)
Since our game against Cerezo Osaka U-18 in the previous leg, we've determined to remain in the league and we were able to exhibit the heart in today's game as well. It was a situation that we couldn't make it happen by our own result alone, but I was only focusing on scoring, believing in our team, so it was great that we could stay in the league. I was slow to gear up and it was what I need to reflect on, but I think I was able to put up my own potential in the very final contest, and I'm satisfied with that.

Other Matches

Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C. Youth　5-1 (3-0, 2-1)　Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-18
Higashi Fukuoka High School　5-2 (1-1, 4-1)　Vissel Kobe U-18
Oita Trinita U-18　0-0 (0-0, 0-0)　Riseisha High School
Cerezo Osaka U-18　2-4 (1-2, 1-2)　Gamba Osaka Youth

Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C. Youth (Hiroshima), who were in the seventh place before this leg and had a possibility to get demoted, overwhelmed Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-18 (Kyoto) with their merciless offensive assault. YAMANE Towa completed a hat trick and KATO Mutsuki clinched a scoring leader's title with his 14th goal of the season in Hiroshima's 5-1 win. Hiroshima finished the season in the fifth place.

Higashi Fukuoka High School (Fukuoka) entered the second half, being tied up, but MOCHIYAMA Taiki scored three goals as Higashi Fukuoka posted a 5-2 win.

A matchup between a pair of first-year teams, Oita Trinita U-18 (Oita) and Riseisha (Osaka), both teams were unable to score goals and ended in a scoreless draw.

Oita finished third in the standings while Riseisha were demoted. In an Osaka derby between Cerezo and Gamba Osaka Youth, Gamba notched four goals to win.

"The 2nd Prince Takamado Trophy Premier League Best Goal Campaign" is now going on! (Japanese version only)