The final fixture of the JFA 26th Japan Futsal Championship took place at Hamamatsu Arena on Sunday 7 March, where F.League division 2 campion Toruela Kashiwa (F2/Chiba) squared off against division 1 side Fugador Sumida (F1/Tokyo).

The match started out with an intense atmosphere, as the first half ended scoreless. With SAKAI Daniel Yuji scoring opening goal in the 27th minute, it was Kashiwa who took the initiative in the second half, as Sakai later reflected, “I wasn’t so sure of my condition yesterday, but today I was able to play pain-free, which allowed me to play more offensively.”

With momentum on their side, the F2 side increased their dominance on the court, but Sumida showcased a tenacious effort to keep the score intact. As time was running out, Sumida deployed their power-play with four minutes remaining on the clock, which led to the shot of ONITSUKA Shokei in the 37th minute, as he later reflected, “The opponents were dropping deep, so I figured I can take a shot from distance.” The shot taken by Onitsuka deflected off Sakai and found the back of the net, equalising the match and sending the match into overtime.

Sumida came close to take the lead in the early minutes of overtime, as the shot taken by GARRINCHA struck the cross bar. Two minutes into the first overtime, Kashiwa’s SATO Tatsuya converted a cross at the far side to retake the lead. With Sumida once again initiating their power-play, Kashiwa showcased great composure in defence and took advantage of the situation by scoring three consecutive goals from counter attacks. Despite the close matchup that went down to the wire, the match ended in a lopsided score of 5-1. Kashiwa, who had a perfect season at F2, became the first F2 side to win the Japan Futsal Championship title.

Coaches and Players' Comments

OKAYAMA Kosuke, Coach (Toruela Kashiwa)
I am very happy. I feel so fortunate to have such wonderful squad, and they have really carried me to this victory. Our veterans have been striving to get better and my hat goes off to them. They have been great role models for the young players, and they have contributed to the team in so many ways.

SUGA Takehiro, Coach (Fugador Sumida)
Kashiwa has defeated Urayasu, Nagoya, and Oita, which is not an easy task to do even at the F.League, so kudos to them. Our game plan was to apply enough pressure to keep Kashiwa from moving the ball, and our players did a great job of executing the hard task despite playing at a pressure filled stage, so I am proud of my players.

FP #11 NAKAMURA Yusuke (Toruela Kashiwa)
Our win at the second round really gave us confidence that our futsal can be effective against top teams. We have been able to stick together as a team and execute our game plan. Our style is to apply aggressive pressure from the front line, and I was given the role to initiate the pressure, which I feel like I was able to accomplish in our matches. With the semi-final and final taking place at my hometown, I was super motivated, and very satisfied with our result.

FP #4 MOROE Kengo (Fugador Sumida)
We knew we were facing one of the strongest opponents out there, and they certainly deserved the win. Although we were able to take control of the match toward the end of the second half and beginning of the overtime, we weren’t able to convert the opportunities. With Garrincha striking the cross bar and NAKADA (Shuto) coming close to scoring, it was a close match that could have gone either way. But at the end of the day, we simply didn’t have what it takes to claim the title.

Final 3/7【Highlights】Toruela Kashiwa vs Fugador Sumida

JFA 26th Japan Futsal Championship

Tournament duration: Fri. 19 February – Sun. 7 March
Venue: Mie Prefectural Sun Arena (Mie), Komazawa Olympic Park General Sports Ground (Tokyo), Hamamatsu Arena (Shizuoka)

Tournament Information