The fifth sec. of the Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-18 Football Premier League 2021 WEST took place on Saturday 1 May, where Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth (Hiroshima) faced Ozu High School (Kumamoto).

Pick-up Match

Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth 1-0 (1-0, 0-0) Ozu High School

After starting the season with back to back victories, Hiroshima had tied their third and fourth sec. matches, giving them plenty of motivation to get back on track, as TANADA Ryo (#10) later reflected, “We knew this was a match we had to win, so we were highly motivated for this match.” By showing great intensity from the early minutes, Hiroshima came close to scoring the opening goal in the second minute, when TAKAYANAGI Eijiro (#9) struck a header off a cross delivered by FUJINO Kazuki (#8).

With momentum on their side, Hiroshima took control of the match as MITSUHIRO Kento (#6) and IKEDA Yuzuki (#14) led the midfield to keep the ball possession. However, the home side struggled to break through the opposing defence line, as Ozu’s MORITA Daichi (#10) later mentioned, “We face superior opponents week in and week out at the Premier League, so we are always focused on our defence.” TERAOKA Junichiro (#5) also shared that he had extra motivation facing the Hiroshima side, “I used to play for them during junior high school, so I really wanted to win this match.”

Hiroshima kept their composure even when facing the tenacious defensive efforts showcased by Ozu, and their balanced attacks led to the opening goal scored by Tanada in the 19th minute. The goal came when the striker received the ball from MORIMOTO Sorato (#11) and dribbled into the penalty area, as he looked back on the scene after the match, “My coach has been telling me to be more aggressive in the box, so I was committed to taking a shot when I received the ball.” Although it seemed like there was no angle, Tanada managed to squeeze the ball into the net, putting his side ahead in the match.

Despite conceding the opening goal, Ozu remained poised to equalise the match, as Teraoka mentioned, “We knew we had to be patient, so that we can rally back in the second half. Although we conceded a goal, we were focused on rebuilding our momentum.” The second half saw the Kumamoto side creating more chances, as HIDAKA Haruto (#3) struck a close shot in the 50th minute, followed by the attempt of KAWAGUCHI Atsushi (#7) in the 76th minute, but their efforts were denied by the Hiroshima defence led by Mitsuhiro and HADANO Soshi (#1).

Hiroshima came close to extending their lead in the closing minutes when Ikeda broke through from a counterattack, as the defensive midfielder mentioned, “I have been anticipating for my chances to make runs from the defensive midfield position.” Despite missing out on this opportunity, the home side walked away with a 1-0 victory, marking their third win of the season, and taking the provisional lead in the WEST.

Coaches and Players' Comments

TAKATA Tetsuya, Coach (Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth)
We looked fatigued from the matches we played week in and week out, as we seemed to lack composure in offence. It would have been better if we could use the width of the field more effectively. Although we allowed our opponent to take control of the ball possession in the second half, our players stayed on the same page to anticipate for our chances to counterattack. This was not the prettiest match, but it was great to see our side squeeze out a win in a tough match like this .

FW #10 TANADA Ryo (Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth)
Although this was our first time facing a high school team at the Premier League this season, we knew Ozu was a very skilful team. We struggled against their five-back formation, but the early goal allowed us to have a mental edge over our opponent throughout the match. We were forced to be in the defensive end for the most part of the second half, but our defence and GK showcased great composure to keep a clean sheet. This win was earned through a total team effort. I had been kept scoreless for the past four matches, so I am glad I was able to score the decisive goal that led the team to victory today.

YAMASHIRO Tomohiro, Coach (Ozu High School)
We had been showing strong second half performances in our recent matches, so despite being down by a goal, we were feeling pretty confident heading into the second half. With our opponent dropping deep in their territory, we focused on utilising the width of the field to build our offence. However, our opponent did a great job keeping us out from the box. Despite dominating the ball possession, we weren’t able to finish our plays with firm shots, so that is an aspect we must improve ourselves in order to do better at the Premier League.

GK #1 SATO Ryusei (Ozu High School)
We were able to enter the break with a score of 0-1, which was within our tolerance, as we were planning on taking the initiative in the second half. Although we were able to control the match in the second half, we weren’t able to create enough shooting opportunities. This match made us realise that we must be able to broaden our playing style in order to be successful at this league.

Results of other matches

Postponed Kyoto Sanga FC U-18 vs Sagan Tosu U-18
Postponed Jubilo Iwata U-18 vs Gamba Osaka Youth
Postponed Vissel Kobe U-18 vs Higashi Fukuoka High School
Postponed Cerezo Osaka U-18 vs Nagoya Grampus U-18

Other four matches in the WEST were postponed in response to the state of emergency announced by four prefectures. The new dates for these matches and upcoming schedule will be announced in due course.

Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-18 Football Premier League 2021

League Duration: Sat. 3 April - Sun. 5 December 2021

League Information