The Prince Takamado Trophy JFA 32nd U-15 Japan Football Championship final took place on Monday 28 December, where Sagan Tosu U-15 (Kyushu2/Saga) won their second national title.

The match between Sagan Tosu U-15 and Kashima Antlers Tsukuba Junior Youth (Kanto3/Ibaraki) saw early action. In the seventh minute, Tosu’s AKASAKI Ryojiro made an attempt to break through the flank and earned a FK. With HAYASHI Sotaro delivering the ball into the mix, it was KITAJIMA Fumiya who connected with the ball at the far side, striking a header into the net.

After conceding the opener, Kashima Antlers Tsukuba started to create chances through their passing game. A close opportunity was created in the 18th minute, when the Tsukuba’s final pass found SUEHARA Jyuto inside the box, but the shot taken by Suehara deflected off the cross bar. In efforts to change the dynamics of the match, Tsukuba made three changes during halftime, as coach NEMOTO Yuichi later mentioned, “I wanted to give opportunities for all senior players and still win the national title.”

In the 53rd minute, three Tsukuba players made attempts to connect to the cross delivered by MIYAMOTO Kengo but fell short from scoring. Including the 57th minute shot taken by OTA Shungo, Tsukuba struck the cross bar three times in the second half alone. Despite their misfortune, Tsukuba finally managed to equalise the match in the 66th minute, when HIRAYAMA Kyogo converted a loose ball following a CK.

With the match tied at 1-1, both sides showcased a great battle in search for their next goal, and the intensity level rose even higher when the match entered overtime. After a lengthy stretch where the two sides went back and forth, it was Tosu who prevailed at the end. The golden moment came in the 96th minute, when OGASAWARA Haruto carried the ball upfront before sending the final pass to SAKITA Ryusei, who drove inside the box and ripped a left footed shot through the near side, giving Tosu the lead and the victory. After finishing in second place last year, Tosu came back to claim the title against a strong Antlers side who showcased a strong performance in their first tournament appearance.

Coaches and Players' Comments

MORI Keisuke, Coach (Sagan Tosu U-15)
Although there were tough stints, we managed to attack the spaces and utilise our mobility to pick up our pace. We also managed to make small adjustments in defence to help our attackers create more chances. We worked to heighten the quality of our plays in the attacking third, especially around the box, so it was great to see it getting paid off at the national stage. We were worried that the lack of match experience can have a negative effect on our players, but the players showed great enthusiasm in our daily trainings. I told them that we can improve ourselves through this tournament, and I feel like they have done just that.

SAKAIYA Keisuke (Sagan Tosu U-15)
We wanted ride the momentum after scoring the opening goal, but we ended up conceding the equaliser and play through a very tough match. I had a mixed feeling of wanting to score the goal myself and wanting to help my teammates score goals. It was great to see my teammate score the deciding goal at the end, but I wish I were able to score that goal. We were very disappointed after finishing in second place last year, but it gave us the motivation to train hard and allowed us to win the title this year.

NEMOTO Yuichi, Coach (Kashima Antlers Tsukuba Junior Youth)
This was a disappointing result, but with our opponent playing with tremendous intensity, we were able to showcase a great match full of excitement. We were denied by the cross bar many times during this match, and it is hard to win matches when we cannot convert those opportunities. The two side’s ability to convert chances turned out to be the big difference in this match. I hope our players will continue to work hard to heighten their skills and become players that can thrive at stages like this. This was a wonderful learning experience for our players.

OGURA Kosei (Kashima Antlers Tsukuba Junior Youth)
Although we conceded the opener, we managed to utilise the width of the field, while also anticipating for our opponent’s the counterattacks. It was also great to see our side convert the few chances we had. We gave everything we had, so there are no regrets, but I wish we could have won the match. This team was a great team, but we saw plenty of great players throughout the tournament, and it made us realise that there are better players out there. It gave us the motivation to work hard and strive for a higher level.

Prince Takamado Trophy JFA 32nd U-15 Japan Football Championship

Tournament duration: Sat. 12 - Mon. 28 December 2020

Tournament Information