On Thursday 10 November, the U-18 Japan National Team, who have been holding a training camp in Marbella, Spain since Thursday 3, played a friendly match against the U-18 Belgium National Team.

The match started out to be closely contested, but it was Japan who took the lead in the 19th minute, when a cross from the right side was played into the Belgian box. Although this delivery was parried by the goalkeeper, TAKAHASHI Hikaru (Omiya Ardija U18) was there to collect the ball and assist the goal of SATO Josei (Oita Trinita U-18). Belgium then made use of their speed to break down the left side and close in on the Japanese goal, but thanks to the superb saves made by goalkeeper TAMURA Sosuke (Vissel Kobe U-18) and the tenacious defence of VAN EERDEN Shawn (Yokohama FC Youth), who wore the armband this day, prevented them from scoring the equaliser. Gaining momentum from their defence, Japan double their lead in the 42nd minute, when Sato delivered a through ball to setup a one-on-one situation for Takahashi Hikaru, who calmly converted the opportunity to give Japan a 2-0 lead at halftime.

The second half continued to be a closely contested affair, with both sides defending the ball well and not allowing any chances to be created. The Belgian side made use of their substitutions and actively went for the goal, but Japan kept their focus and defended tenaciously to the end, with players communicating well with each other, as the match ended 2-0.

The two sides will play again on Saturday 12.

Players' Comments

GK #12 TAMURA Sosuke (Vissel Kobe U-18)
I was a little worried about whether I would be able to play to my strengths and compete on the world stage in my first match for the Japan National Team since junior high school, but I was able to show my strengths in training and in the training match against Algeciras CF, so I felt confident going into this match against Belgium. I was able to improve the accuracy of my passes to the side-backs and wingers in the build-up, which had been an issue in training, and I was able to stop shots, which is my strong point, and we were able to finish the match without conceding a goal. However, there were also issues such as the ball getting too close to my feet when receiving the ball in the build-up which hindered my ability to pass the ball where I wanted to, and a lack of risk management during when we were on the offensive. So, those are some of the areas I will be focusing on in our next match. I hope we can enjoy our last match and finish the tour on a high note.

DF #4 VAN EERDEN Shawn (Yokohama FC Youth)
The last SBS Cup was my first call-up to the national team, and I was in a position where I was being supported by my teammates. However, now that this is my second call-up, I came with the mindset that I will be the one leading the team. The first match against Algeciras CF didn't end well, so we worked on the issues we saw from that match and improved on them in practice the next day. There are still areas to improve in terms of teamwork, but I think we managed to make some good adjustments, especially in the way we communicated with each other and how we connected the ball in our build-ups. We also found a lot of issues that we still need to sort out before the next match. I was given the armband for this match against Belgium, and it was my first time to be named captain for the national team, so I was relieved to be able to win 2-0. There are many experiences here that I would not normally get to have, so I would like to absorb as much as possible to improve myself as a player.

DF #13 TERASAKA Shogo (Vissel Kobe U-18)
Being on a tour abroad, there are many things that I cannot experience in my everyday life that are so stimulating, so I will do my best to make use of all of these experiences to become a better player. This match against Belgium was a great opportunity for me to see how well I could compete with foreign players, so I went into the match with the intention of giving everything I had. Although we weren’t able to possess the ball in the early minutes, the opening goal gave us confidence and allowed us to play more aggressively. By taking on challenges without fearing failure, I believe that this tour will be a good experience for me to find my own challenges and to grow up as a player. I also want to give my utmost effort in all matches and training sessions so that I can be a part of the U-19 Japan National Team.