Play-off  vs. Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Junior Youth
2015-7-3 (Fri.) - 11:00  Playing Time: 80min (40min x2)
J-GREEN Sakai (Sakai, Osaka)

U-15 Japan National Team   2-0 (1st 1-0, 2nd 1-0)   Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Junior Youth

Scores
21'  FUNAKOSHI Hiromu (Japan)
55'  HOMMA Shion (Japan)

1st Half Members
GK: TAKADA Yuma
DF: IWAI Ryuji, ENDO Hikaru, INOUE Miki, IGARASHI Arata
MF: KANBE Kosuke, FUNAKOSHI Hiromu, YACHIDA Teppei, YAMAMOTO Rihito, MASUTANI Takara
FW: ISHII Kaisei

2nd Half Members
GK: ASANO Taro
DF: KAMIYAMA Kyosuke
MF: HOMMA Youhei, HOMMA Shion
FW: KURIHARA Ibrahim Junior

Substitutes
HT   YAMAMOTO Rihito → HOMMA Shion
62'   KANBE Kosuke → HOMMA Youhei
62'   MASUTANI Takara → KAMIYAMA Kyosuke
71'   ISHII Kaisei → KURIHARA Ibrahim Junior

Match Report

After passing through the group stage of the tournament in the Japan-Mekong U-15 Football Exchange Programme, the Japan National U-15 Team shortlisted squad faced Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Junior Youth on the final day and battled out for the title.

The match came to a deadlock as both teams played hard on the ball and one-on-one situations from the beginning. Japan gradually found their rhythm with collective passing game. In the 21st minute, ENDO Hikaru ran up on the right flank and threaded a through ball to FUNAKOSHI Hiromu, and with only a goalkeeper to beat, Funakoshi composedly put it into the net for the match opener. 

Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Junior Youth also grabbed a chance in the 36th minute when their player dribbled down the middle from the left flank and fired a shot, but it went inches wide. In the closing minutes of the first half, MASUTANI Takara found a golden opportunity but his effort was denied by the opposing goalkeeper before the match ended the first half.

The match continued to be a seesaw battle in the second half. In the 55th minute, however, Japan's HOMMA Shion spectacularly volleyed a cross from Masutani to score his side's second goal of the day. Japan's national team kept showing solid defence led by TAKADA Yuma and Endo and finished the match for a 2-0 win, which resulted in their first title of the tournament.

Players' Comments 

TAKADA Yuma (U-15 Japan National Team/ Higashiyama High School)
I'm happy to win the title with this team. It's a great honour to enter the pitch as the Japan national team captain, listening to the FIFA anthem, and that boosted me a lot. I kept calling out to boost up the team from the back throughout 80 minutes. 

Though we still have something to improve as a team, our mood in the team was getting better by keeping winning, and then we got the best result. Even after getting back to my team, I will keep up my work to sort out problems and develop myself day in and day out.

INOUE Miki (U-15 Japan National Team/ Ventforet Kofu U-15)
Unlike yesterday's match, we focused on the way to get into the match as a team, so we were able to play at our rhythm from start to end. I'm glad we finished the tournament, winning the title with everyone smiling. 

Individually, I was also able to show satisfactory plays like controlling our defensive line and covering space against through balls. But I still need to improve the timing when to push up the line and the intensity on the ball. I will be conscious about those and work on training in my team.

Schedule

Note: The schedule is subject to change due to the team condition, the weather, etc.

Future Schedule

Japan-Mekong U-15 Football Exchange Programme

Wed. 1 July - Fri. 3 July
J-GREEN Sakai (Osaka)
Participating Teams: Five U-15 National Teams of Mekong Countries (Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos), U-15 Japan National Team, Vissel Kobe U-15, Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Junior Youth
More information