On Friday 6 June, the second round of fixtures in the U-16 International Dream Cup 2025 JAPAN took place at J-Village Stadium in Fukushima Prefecture, where the U-16 Japan National Team claimed a 5-1 victory over the U-16 Cote d'Ivoire National Team to mark their second consecutive win.

U-16 Japan National Team 5-1 (4-0, 1-1) U-16 Cote d'Ivoire National Team

Japan made eight changes to their starting line-up from the first match and initially appeared unsettled by the opposition's superior athleticism. However, they quickly adapted and took control of the game. After delivering several dangerous crosses from both flanks, midfielder OGASAWARA Hiro (Kashima Antlers Youth) took a free kick to the far post in the 24th minute. Defender EZEMUOKUWE Chimeziekai (Cerezo Osaka U-18), who admitted that heading is “not my strength, so I’ve been practising a lot,” rose to meet the ball with a header that deflected off the right post and into the net, giving Japan the lead.

In the 31st minute, a cross from defender UENO Kian (Kashiwa Reysol U-18) forced an own goal from the opposition to double Japan’s lead. Moments later, midfielder MIIDERA Shin (FC FUORICLASSE SENDAI), who had only joined the squad the previous day as an additional call-up, earned a penalty after being brought down while chasing a loose ball. Later mentioning, "I am taking the penalty that I have won,” Miidera calmly converted from the spot to make it 3-0.

Japan continued their dominance, and in the 41st minute, a quick series of passes through the centre culminated in Ogasawara providing the final ball to midfielder NODA Ayumu (Rissho Shonan High School), who slotted home a controlled finish to give Japan a four-goal cushion at half-time.

Cote d'Ivoire responded immediately after Noda’s goal by switching from a two-striker to a three-striker formation. As head coach ONO Shingi later reflected, “When the opponents changed their approach, we struggled to break through their press and had difficulty at the back.” Consequently, the Ivorians started the second half strongly and posed a significant attacking threat. In the 55th minute, a long ball from their defensive line found forward YAO Hubert, who beat the Japanese goalkeeper with a lobing shot, handing Japan their first conceded goal of the tournament.

However, Japan regained control in the 68th minute. Midfielder SATOMI Tafuku (Vissel Kobe U-18) took a corner, which defender SATOMI Riku (FC Tokyo U-18) powered home with a header to make it 5-1. Both teams created further chances, but the score remained unchanged until the final whistle.

This victory marks Japan’s second win of the tournament, putting them within reach of their fifth consecutive Dream Cup title. They will play their final match on Sunday 8 June at J-Village Stadium, where they will face the unbeaten U-16 France National Team, who also have two wins, in a championship showdown.

Coach and Players' Comments

ONO Shingi, Head Coach of U-16 Japan National Team
We struggled to win second balls in our first match, so improving our ball recovery rate was a key objective for this game. I think we reacted more quickly than last time. However, midway through the first half, the opposition changed their approach, making it difficult for us to break free from their pressure and push forward. Our back line also found it tough. That's something we’ll need to address going forward. Our next opponents are France, who are at a very high level, so this will be a great opportunity to test ourselves against such a strong side. We are looking forward to the challenge.

DF #5 EZEMUOKUWE Chimeziekai (Cerezo Osaka U-18)
Ogasawara played a perfect ball for the opening goal, and I was glad to be able to make the most of my height and vertical to score. Since heading the ball is not particularly my forte, I have been spending a lot of time in training trying to improve, so it felt great to score with a header. I think that goal really shifted the momentum in our favour. I was disappointed to start on the bench in the first match, but there’s no point dwelling on that. I knew I had to prove myself through my performance, so I focused on carrying the ball forward whenever I had the chance.

MF #8 OGASAWARA Hiro (Kashima Antlers Youth)
After winning our opening match, we recognised the importance of today's game in our quest to win the tournament. Our opponents were very athletic, so we made a conscious effort to stay organised and put pressure on them from the outset without sitting back. France are standout opponents in this age group — they’re an extremely strong team. I want to make my presence felt against such a high-quality team and will do everything I can to help us secure a win.

MF #14 MIIDERA Shin (FC FUORICLASSE SENDAI)
Initially, I was a bit worried if I’d be able to perform well, but once I was on the pitch, I knew I just had to give it my all. My strengths lie in my dribbling skills and my ability to create goal-scoring opportunities, so I went into the match determined to take the initiative. I was the one who was tripped by the defender, so I was determined to take the penalty myself. I’ve missed penalties in the past, but since I started paying more attention to the goalkeeper’s movements before kicking, I've improved my success rate — so I just focused on executing the kick.

MF #17 FUJIMOTO Yoshiki (Gamba Osaka Youth)
The opposition were quick and powerful. Once they broke through our midfield, their attacks became quite dangerous, so I focused on winning the ball higher up the pitch and preventing them from building their play. France, our final opponents, have technically strong players and great team cohesion across the board, so I intend to utilise my defensive skills, which I consider as my main strength, to shut them down. Winning the tournament is definitely on our minds, but we must first focus on winning the match in front of us.

U-16 International Dream Cup 2025 JAPAN

Tournament dates: Wed. 4 June - Sun. 8 June 2025
Participating teams: Japan, Cote d'Ivoire, Colombia, France
Venue: J-Village Stadium (Fukushima) [Free admission to all matches]
Tournament information

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