After taking one month break since 5th round, Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Youth (U-18) Football League is resuming on Sun. 29 June.

EAST

In Premier League East, Shimizu S-Pulse Youth (Shizuoka) got off to a good start with winning all the five games. As they always conceded the goal first but making comeback win toward end of the game and pick three points,”Every time, they make me nervous” said Oenoki Katsumi, head coach. But they are really competitive for winning the game whatever it takes and the players are confident saying “never feel like losing a game”. They are aiming to keep the top spot as they are waiting for an ace player Kitagawa Kouya to come back who has been away for injury.
All the three teams in Chiba prefecture are fighting hard as well. Second spot Kashiwa Reysol U-18 has been playing confidently even though it was the first time for them to participate in the league. They take control of the game by playing a possession football. The only team they lost the game was Ryutsukeizaidai Kashiwa. But they kept attacking as if one-sided, “Too much difference in the ability” said Honda Yuichiro, head coach of Ryutsukeizaidai Kashiwa. Third placed Ichiritsu Funabashi High School is characterized by outstanding defense. They were unlucky to lose first three matches but they conceded no goal after fourth round matches and winning consecutively since then and started to secure points. The defending champion Ryutsukeizaidai Kashiwa is placed in the fourth, but eyeing for moving up to upper ranks.

※Week 5

WEST

In Premier League West, Nagoya Grampus U-18 (Aichi) is on the top spot and undefeated so far conceding only two goals in five games thanks to stable performance. Every players stick to hard-fighting football never excuse themselves and stop running till the end, “Not just defense players but attacking players were also fighting for a ball all through the game without losing their concentrations” said GK Kojima Ryousuke. Cerezo Osaka U-18 (Osaka), runner up and one point behind top spot Nagoya, has been accumulating points by playing solidly. They won four games with the players in preliminary Japan National Team for respective age including FW Maekawa Taiga, CB Shoji Honoya. Head coach Okuma Yuji looks confident for their prospect saying “They will get much stronger if they don’t lose their concentration after scoring goal”
Both third-placed Gamba Osaka Youth (Osaka) and fourth-placed Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth have ten points respectively and have a good chance of winning the title. Gamba Osaka Youth has been losing no game and on upward trend since the first round. They are aiming to get to the top spot featuring FW Takagi Akito, a top scorer with five goals. On the other hand, Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth made a slow start because main players of last year left the team. But they are maintaining undefeated record by pass soccer, as Mochizuki Kazuyori, Head coach said “It should be OK if you keep on doing what you believe in”

Of course it would be interesting to watch the games between top ranking teams, you should watch rally of the lower positioned team, Consadole SapporoU-18 (Hokkaido) and JFA Academy Fukushima (Shizuoka) in the East, Toyama Daiichi High School and Kyoto Tachibana High School in the West. After the break, please watch how each team make an adjustment and, come and an exciting games between U-18 players at the stadium.

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