Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup Dubai 2014 - 2nd Game
Tue. 5 November 2014    Kickoff 17:30    12min x 3 periods
Dubai International Marine Club(UAE/Dubai)

Japan Beach Soccer National Team    4-7(1st 2-1, 2nd 2-3, 3rd 0-3)   Russia Beach Soccer National Team

Scores
11min    GOTO Takasuke (Japan)
12min    MOREIRA Ozu (Japan)
12min    Goal against (Brazil)
13min    Goal against (Brazil)
14min    Goal against (Brazil)
15min    GOTO Takasuke (Japan)
19min    MOREIRA Ozu (Japan)
19min    Goal against (Brazil)
25min    Goal against (Brazil)
34min    Goal against (Brazil)
35min    Goal against (Brazil)

Starters
GK： TERUKINA Shingo
FP： ODA Hirofumi, MOREIRA Ozu, HARAGUCHI Shotaro, AKAGUMA Takuya

Substitutes
GK： SUGITA Tetsuji
FP： MAKINO Shinji, TOMA Masahito, GOTO Takasuke, MATSUO Naoya

Non-registered members
FP： TAKIGUCHI Takashi, OBA Takaaki

Match Report

On the second day of the championship, Japan played against Brazil, who is the 2nd-ranked team in the world. It was a good opportunity for Japan to fix their issues and show their real ability, after a large defeat against the world's top-ranked team, Russia, in their first match.

Japan started the game very well, concentrating and playing neck and neck with the world’s second strongest team. The situation changed at the end of the first period. Goto Takasuke and Moreira Ozu consecutively struck goals, building a two-goal lead against Brazil. Although Brazil scored once, Japan sustained a one-goal lead in the first period.

Japan played an ideal style in the first period. However, in the second period, Brazil got warmed up and struck two goals, turning the game around. Japan never gave up. Goto had a successful shot on goal for the second time, leveling the match. Then Moreira also for the second time scored a skillful goal and built a one-goal lead to Japan. Although Japan wanted to keep their lead and take the initiative, Brazil scored again from the kick-off. The game went into the third period at 4-4.

In the third period, Japan tried hard until the last whistle. Despite the fact they created goal-scoring opportunities, they could not find the back of the net. They conceded three goals, and lost the game 7-4.

Tomorrow Japan will play their third match in the group stage against the US national team.

Comments

Marcelo MENDES, Heaad Coach
The most important thing today was that the players refreshed their minds from the defeat against Russia and rebuilt the team, and that they could show the Japan National Team’s real ability. They played neck and neck with the Brazil national team, showing their potential and proving what we’ve been trying was right. As for the result, I think we could have won this game. I’m very satisfied with their solid defence and general performance. It would have been better, of course, if we had won the game. However, we have many young players in our team and the match gave them some great experience. At first we aimed at getting through to the quarterfinals. Now we just focus on the tomorrow’s match and play well to secure the fifth rank in the consolation final.

TOMA Masahito (SOL MAR PRAIA)
We focused and concentrated so well on playing as a team today, which we couldn’t do in the match against Russia yesterday. I felt confident we could do well in the first period and we did score two goals. The issue was it was difficult to sustain the lead till the next period or take the initiative in the game. One of the reasons was we conceded a goal just after we scored ones. We tend to lose our energy quickly, if an aggressive team, such as Brazil, keeps possession. So we need to learn tactics to sustain possession and lead the game as a team, and in order not to make the same mistakes in the future.

MATSUO Naoya (Pracia YAMAGUCHI)
The second match in this championship was against Brazil. It’s the third time for me to play against Brazil as a member of the Japan National Team. The first time, Japan lost 5-4, which I was watching from the bench, and the second time 4-3. I thought this time would be different. It was like a seesaw game until the second period, and I believed we could win. However, we conceded goals consecutively in the end and lost the match. I have found it difficult to win games internationally because of a narrow gap in skill, which we’ve had for two years now. Personally, I managed to create several goal-scoring opportunities, but couldn’t finish them. As the championship continues, I’d like to not only win the games, but also play with that pressure at the back of us. 

Schedule