The Prince Takamado Trophy U-18 Premier League WEST has its Matchday 11 on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August.

Second-placed Gamba Osaka Youth (Osaka) face Higashi Fukuoka High School (Fukuoka). Gamba Osaka have maintained their unbeaten run since Matchday 3, but their concern is that they have a lot of injured players such as HATSUSE Ryo.

Higashi Fukuoka, who just claimed the back-to-back championship at the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament this summer, lack WAKINO Atsushi on the next matchday because he is away with U-17 Japan National Teams currently travelling to Czech. The overall strengths of both teams are to be tested.

Kyoto Tachibana High School (Kyoto) play against Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth (Hiroshima). Kyoto Tachibana are at the bottom of the table, but they managed to stay in the Premier League last year by getting back in form after the summer break.

They look to restage that this year. Meanwhile, Hiroshima kept a clean sheet only in one match so far. They need to rebuild their defence and look to seize a chance to move up.

Riseisha High School (Osaka), welcoming Vissel Kobe U-18 (Hyogo) at home, were away from winning at the early stage of the season due to a string of injures. But with their key players back in the lineup, they have high motivation to come back, as YASUDA Hiroto says, "Our true start is here at this point."

Fifth-placed Kobe also seem to be getting back in the swing as ace NAKASAKA Yuya was involved in all the goals the team scored in the last match against Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-18 (Kyoto).

How attackers execute is a must-see in the contest between Kyoto and Cerezo Osaka U-18 (Osaka). The key for Kyoto's offence is NUMA Daiki, whose "goal is to win the top scorer" at the end of the season. He scored eight goals in the last six matches and his teammates expect he shows another great performance in the next one.

Cerezo Osaka players recognise that "the combination (between two strikers) has got better as we play matches." The twosome of KISHIMOTO Takeru and INOUE Taito will certainly draw attention.

[Pick-up Match - WEST Matchday 11]
Nagoya Grampus U-18 vs Oita Trinita U-18

Nagoya Grampus U-18 (Aichi) and Oita Trinita Youth (Oita), both of who found a way to climb up the league table during the break, square off against each other this week. Nagoya had been winless in the first six matches since the season began. But as coach TAKATA Tetsuya says, "We are surely getting better" Nagoya became in shape after grabbing the first victory of the season against Riseisha on Matchday 7.

They also reached the last 8 in the 39th Japan Club Youth Football Championship (U-18) in July, and the players became more confident before coming out for the second half of the season.

In the meanwhile, Oita have not shown their hard-running game in the last three matches since Matchday 8 of the Premier League. Oita coach YAMAZAKI Tetsuya says, "We ran out of steam because of heat and weren't able to put up a good result."

Yet in the 39th Japan Club Youth Football Championship (U-18), they characteristically played very actively as Yamazaki says, "It was the first time to play our game since we did that a while ago." Both teams have an eye to catching the momentum by winning the first match after the season resumes, and the match is likely to be heated.

Date: Sunday 23 August, Kick-off at 6:00 p.m.
Venue: Toyota Sports Centre
Access: Get off at Meitetsu Toyota Line "Miyoshigaoka" station and walk for about 10 minutes.
Direction to venue (Japanese version only)

Premier League WEST Matchday 11

8/22 (Sat.)
17:00　Gamba Osaka Youth  vs  Higashi Fukuoka High School (Gamba Osaka Training ground)
8/23 (Sun.)
11:00　Kyoto Tachibana High School  vs  Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth (Takaragaike Stadium)
17:00　Riseisha High School  vs  Vissel Kobe U-18 (Riseisha ibaraki ground)
17:00　Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-18  vs  Cerezo Osaka U-18 (Kyoto Sanga F.C. Higashijoyo ground)
18:00　Nagoya Grampus U-18  vs  Oita Trinita U-18 (Toyota Sports Centre)

A list of each team registration player changes from Matchday 11 (Japanese Version Only)

JFA-TV (Japanese Version Only)