BSWW Mundialito 2014 Espinho
Friday, 25 July2014  13:05 Kick Off 　12minutes×3periods（Playing Time）
Portugal/Espinho

Beach Soccer Japan National Team 5-4（1st 1-１、2nd 0-１、3rd 3-2、Extra 1-0） Beach Soccer USA National Team

Scores
2min Goal Against（Beach Soccer USA National Team）
8min YAMAUCHI Shusei（Beach Soccer Japan National Team）
23min Goal Against（Beach Soccer USA National Team）
25min MOREIRA Ozu （Beach Soccer Japan National Team）
26min TOMA Masahito（Beach Soccer Japan National Team）
32min Goal Against （Beach Soccer USA National Team）
34min Goal Against（Beach Soccer USA National Team）
35min MOREIRA Ozu （Beach Soccer Japan National Team）
37min MATSUO Naoya（Beach Soccer Japan National Team）

Starters
GK：GINOZA Tomoya
FP：ODA Hirofumi、YAMAUCHI Shusei、 MOREIRA Ozu 、MATSUO Naoya

Substitutes
GK：TERUKINA Shingo
FP：MAKINO Shinji、 TOMA Masahito、GOTO Takasuke、HARAGUCHI Shotaro

Players not listed on the game roster
FP：AKAGUMA Takuya、OBA Takaaki

Match Report

On 25th, the Beach Soccer Japan National Team took on the United States in the first match of the BSWW Mundialito 2014 in Espinho, Portugal.
Two minutes after the start, Japan conceded an opening goal when a US player over-headed Japan’s insufficient clearance. But in the 8th minute, Yamauchi scored an equaliser to finish the first period 1-1. Players seemed nervous as it was the first match of the tournament. There were not many scenes that Japan aggressively took a risk and pushed the ball up to attack while Marcelo continued directing aloud on that Japan’s fearfulness.

Once the match got into the second period, Japan, being more offensive-minded, created goal scoring opportunities by feeding passes to pivos. But they could not convert them into the net against the US’s solid defence. Then in the 23rd minute, Japan gave up a go-ahead goal and ended the second period trailing 1-2.

A minute after the start of the third period, Moreira struck a long-range shot to level the score. And just after another minute, Toma dispossessed the ball in the opponent’s end and connected it to a goal to take a lead for Japan. With the lead, Japan regained their composure and took the control of the match but was not dominant enough to extend the lead. In the 32nd minute, a pass from Japan’s GK got deflected by an opponent’s defender and unfortunately it rolled into Japan’s goal. And even in the 35th minute, Japan again allowed the US to score another goal to turn the match around once again.

But at a minute prior to the end, Moreira drove his second goal of the day from a distance to level in the nick of time before the match went into the extra time.
In the 1st minute of the 3-minute extra time, Matsuo fearlessly cut into the centre from the left frank and smashed his right-foot effort to the right corner of the goal. It turned out to be the decisive winning goal for Japan to pick up a 5-4 win over the US.
With the overtime win, Japan obtained two points to take the second place in the table following Portugal with three points. Japan will face Hungary in the second match.

Comments

Marcelo Mendez Head Coach
I found myself so emotionally excited when I heard Kimigayo (Japan’s national anthem) for the first time since I became the coach for Japan. Today’s match turned out to be a bit tough for various reasons. It was the first match of the tournament, it was the first official match under my direction, and it was the first international match for some players. The long trip and the short period of time to recover from strain may have affected our performance, too. We created enough chances to decide the match in the second period but couldn’t turn them into a goal, partially because we weren’t lucky enough. And then we allowed the opponent to turn the score around.
I’m proud of my players eventually grabbing a 5-4 win for the close match. We need to concentrate on the next match as it should be a tough match again against a strong opponent like Hungary. But I’m sure our team will be improving as we won the first, tough match. At any rate, I want to congratulate them on the win that we got as a team.

YAMAUCHI Shusei（G.C.Nerine）
On our first international tour as a new team, this opportunity is enjoyable and at the same time important for us, because we have to show what we’ve done in the training camp. On the way to Portugal, the trip didn’t go as planned, but I’ve taken it positively as a good opportunity to learn how to overcome a hard time. Winning the tough game against the US in the first match was very valuable for us. But I believe we were a good enough team to win like 4-0 or 5-0. I regret that we ourselves made the game tougher as well as we’ve left us an assignment on the scoring side. I personally couldn’t turn scoring opportunities into a goal, but it turned out to be something that can make me better for tomorrow’s match. In tomorrow’s match I will try to move this new team a step closer to our first title .

Schedule

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