The 28th Valentin Granatkin International Football Tournament Match　9th place playoff　vs．U-18 Kazakhstan
2016-1-11 (Mon.) - 14:30   Playing Time: 90min. (45min.×2)
Peterburgsky SCC (Russia/Saint Petersburg)

U-18 Kazakhstan National Team　2-3 (2-0, 0-3)　U-18 Japan National Team

Scores
28'　Goal against (Own goal) (U-18 Kazakhstan National Team)
32'　Goal against (U-18 Kazakhstan National Team)
61'　ITO Hiroki (U-18 Japan National Team)
64'　ITO Ryotaro (U-18 Japan National Team)
84'　MORISHITA Reiya (U-18 Japan National Team)

Line-ups
GK: WAKAHARA Tomoya
DF: HASEGAWA Takumi, MORIOKA Riku, MORISHITA Reiya, NISHIMOTO Takanobu
MF: MIYAZAKI Kiwara, SAITO Mitsuki, ITO Hiroki, FUJIMOTO Kanya
FW: CARDONA Zen, SUGA Daiki

Substitutes
GK: OSAKO Keisuke
DF: TANAKA Riku, TOMIYASU Takehiro
MF: KAJIYAMA Kanta, SASAKI Takumi
FW: NAKAMURA Shunta, YOSHIHIRA Tsubasa, ITO Ryotaro

HT　SUGA Daiki → ITO Ryotaro
HT　CARDONA Zen → NAKAMURA Shunta
HT　SAITO Mitsuki → SASAKI Takumi
HT　MIYAZAKI Kiwara → KAJIYAMA Kanta
HT　MORIOKA Riku → TOMIYASU Takehiro
HT　WAKAHARA Tomoya → OSAKO Keisuke
81'　FUJIMOTO Kanya → YOSHIHIRA Tsubasa
88'　HASEGAWA Takumi → TANAKA Riku

Match Report

Japan, who finished in fourth place in the qualifing group, met Kazakhstan in the ninth-place play-off.

In the first half, although Japan took the initiative, passing the ball around, the team struggled to send forward passes to initiate attacks or take shots. After 28 minutes, the opponent intercepted the ball to attack in Japan’s area from Japanese mistakes in decision-making and passing. Japan unfortunately scored an own goal with a cross from the left side, gifting the opener to the opponent. Then in the 32nd minute, the team gave Kazakhstan a free kick from a careless foul in front of the goal. Kazakhstan slotted it home, and the game went into the second half at 2-0.

Japan made significant changes to the team after halftime, and attacked back aggressively and fiercely in the opponent’s area. In the 64th minute, ITO Ryotaro sent the ball in front of the goal from a corner kick, ITO Hiroki, who ran from the left side, headed home, closing the gap to one goal. Then ITO Ryotaro, who received the ball in the left side, dribbled up to the centre of the opponent’s penalty area, and struck a superb goal to level the game.

In the 84th minutes, after SASAKI Takumi sent a swift ball in front of the goal from a right-side corner kick, the captain MORISHITA Reiya struck a goal with a header, turning the match around. Japan won an upset victory 3-2. Unfortunately, Japan could not win the championship, but the team pulled themselves together after two losses from the beginning and finished in ninth place with two victories, two losses, and one draw.

Coach and Players' Comments

UCHIYAMA Atsushi, Coach
The players never gave up. Consequently, we could get an upset victory in the last game. We lost the first and second game, and failed to win the championship. However, the team performed better and better through the matches. I could see the impact of our training since last year, especially around scoring. We have been gradually improving as a team. I hope that the players will learn from this experience and improve themselves even more for the future, and change their performances based on what they learned in these matches. Also I hope they will return to play for the U-19 Japan National Team to participate in the AFC U-19 Championship.

SUGA Daiki (Consadole Sapporo U-18)
I regret that I was in poor condition due to some careless self-management during this championship. I couldn’t move enough when I wasn’t on the ball, and I could have ran toward the space behind defenders more often. Since I am a forward and I couldn’t score a goal, I’d like to tackle my problems back in my club team. I’m glad we could win the final game.

FUNAKI Kakeru (Cerezo Osaka U-18)
We earned a victory today, and finished in ninth place. Although we struggled against an opponent, who moved forward with power, and we conceded goals by mishandling long-distance balls, we could improve ourselves through each game. We couldn’t get past the opponent in attack. We could have shared more ideas among the team to beat the defenders. I regret that I could only play in the first game against Slovakia during this tour due to injury. I’d like to practice hard back in my club team, so that I can play for the national team again.

MORISHITA Reiya (Cerezo Osaka U-18)
We were determined to win today’s game, since it was our final chance in this championship. However, we conceded two goals from mistakes in the first half, despite the fact we kept possession well. In the second half, the players who came off the bench, stopped the opponent well, and we could move the ball around to create goal-scoring opportunities. We scored confidently through those opportunities, and turned the match around 3-2. As I couldn’t score with a header in the previous game, I’m pleased I did it this time. I’d like to learn from the experience of this tour, so that I can raise the level of my game.

Schedule

*Local time

The 28th Valentin Granatkin International Football Tournament Group Rosters

Group A : Saint Petersburg, Belarus, Slovakia, Japan, Lithuania
Group B : Finland, Kazakhstan, Estonia, Moldova, Russia
Group C : Slovenia, Azerbaijan, Latvia, Bulgaria