The Prince Takamado Trophy JFA 31st U-15 Japan Football Championship final took place at Ajinomoto Field Nishigaoka on Saturday 28 December, where Gamba Osaka Junior Youth (Kansai2/Osaka) faced Sagan Tosu U-15 (Kyushu1/Saga).

The match started with Gamba Osaka taking the lead in the fourth minute, when SUZUKI Hiroto responded to a long ball to break through the Tosu defence and delivered a lobbing shot that found the back of the net.

After taking the lead, the Osaka side showcased great organisation in defence to take control of the match, as their second goal came in the 22nd minute, when MINAMINO Harumi converted a cross sent from the left side to double the team’s lead. Despite taking only four shots in the first half, Gamba Osaka managed to enter halftime with a 2-0 lead.

The second half saw Tosu’s defensive midfielder FUKUI Taichi dropping deeper in position to utilise the width of the field and keep the ball moving. With their fullbacks pressing up the flanks, the Kyushu side created multiple opportunities through their side attacks but fell short from scoring a goal.

Leading by two goals, Gamba Osaka kept their composure to take control of the game, as they sought for opportunities through counterattacks to threaten the opposing goal. With the Osaka side recording their fourth clean sheet in five matches, the team claimed their fourth title, which was their first title in seven years.

Coaches and Players' Comments

UMEZU Hironari, Coach (Gamba Osaka Junior Youth)
It has been three years since I took over this team, and I am glad we were able to win this title. We worked hard for this title and managed to showcase a well worth performance to claim this title. I though our defence line would play more passively, but they did well to keep the line high. Their decision allowed our team to initiate short counterattacks and showcase our strengths as a team. However, I feel like we could have scored more goals, so that is an aspect we must continue to improve on. I wish them the best luck in their next stage of their career.

SUZUKI Hiroto (Gamba Osaka Junior Youth)
I was able to take a good look at the opposing goalkeeper to score that opening goal. Although our team was winning matches, I wasn’t able to score much goals, so that goal meant a lot for me. The team entered the final with a strong commitment to win the match and I was eager to help the team by scoring a goal, so I am very happy with this result. Once I enter the youth category, I will work hard so that I can earn myself a starting position from the first year.

MORI Keisuke, Coach (Sagan Tosu U-15)
During the 80 minutes, we had our moments where we had control over the match. We managed to keep our composure and utilise the width of the field to penetrate the open space but fell short from scoring a goal. It tells us that we lacked quality in the final third. We gained great momentum by winning the Japan Club Youth Football Championship in the summer and our team showcased great improvements through this tournament as well.

FUKUI Taichi (Sagan Tosu U-15)
I really wanted to win this tournament. Our overall performance was not too bad, but we allowed our opponent to capitalise on their few chances, while we failed to convert our opportunities, which ultimately cost us the match. After winning the Japan Club Youth Football Championship in the summer, we saw great improvements in our mental aspect. We were also able to improve our football style and we were eager to win our second title at this tournament. Although it is disappointing that we couldn’t win the title, we showcased a positive performance so we should be proud of ourselves.

Prince Takamado Trophy JFA 31st U-15 Japan Football Championship

Tournament Dates: Sat. 21 - Sat. 28 December 2019
Tournament Venue:
1st Round - Quarterfinals
Koei Maebashi Football Center (Gunma), Maebashi Athletic Stadium (Gunma), J-GREEN Sakai (Osaka)
Semi-Finals - Final
Ajinomoto Field Nishigaoka (Tokyo)

Tournament Information