17th Asian Games （2014/Incheon）
Sunday 14 September 2014    Kick Off at 19:30   90minutes(45minutes halves)
Incheon Football Stadium（Incheon, Korea）

U-21 Japan National Team 4-1（1st 1-0  2nd 3-1） U-21 Kuwait National Team

Scores
43min　OHSHIMA Ryota（U-21 Japan National Team）
50min　SUZUKI Musashi（U-21 Japan National Team）
70min　YOUSEF Najaf（U-21 Kuwait National Team）
74min　IWANAMI Takuya（U-21 Japan National Team）
84min　SUZUKI Musashi（U-21 Japan National Team）

Starters
GK　NIEKAWA Ayumi
DF　IWANAMI Takuya、NISHINO Takaharu、UEDA Naomichi
MF　MUROYA Sei、HARAKAWA Riki、OHSHIMA Ryota、YAMANAKA Ryosuke
FW　NOTSUDA Gakuto、SUZUKI Musashi、NAKAJIMA Shoya

Substitutes
GK　POPP William
DF　ENDO Wataru
MF　KANAMORI Takeshi、YAJIMA Shinya、KIDA Takuya、YOSHINO Kyohei、NOZAWA Hideyuki、AKINO Hiroki
FW　ARANO Takuma

76min　NOTSUDA Gakuto → YAJIMA Shinya
83min　SUZUKI Musashi → ARANO Takuma
88min　HARAKAWA Riki → KIDA Takuya

Match Report

The Japan national under-21 team seemed to be stiff on their body moves, which often happens when any team play their first contest, early on, nevertheless they dominated the ball to take the momentum, threatening the Kuwait goal. But they lacked elaboration in from of the goal and were unable to score.
While the game was thought to enter halftime, however, a single play by the Japan captain changed the deadlock.
On 43rd minute, OSHIMA Ryota, who ran up from the anchor position, received a lateral pass from HARAKAWA Riki and composedly made it into the left corner of the goal to get Japan on the scoreboard.

Japan added another in the second half. On 50th minute, UEDA Naomichi returned a far-side corner kick launched by NOTSUDA Gakuto, and SUZUKI Musashi headed it into the net.
It gave Japan more vigor and kept overwhelming Kuwait, who gradually lost their energy, and created scoring opportunities one after another.
But Japan weren’t able to capitalize on the chances, Kuwait finally put up one from a set play on 70th minute.
With that goal, Kuwait once were re-energized, but soon after Japan extended their lead again. On 74th minute, HARAKAWA returned a pass and UEDA through-ed it. And then WANAMI Takuya, who came in the opposite side, put it into the goal.
Japan kept pounding Kuwait and SUZUKI kicked a returned pass fro MUROYA Sei into the net for his second goal of the match on 83rd, making the score 4-1. The contest eventually ended as it was.

The young Samurai, who are looking at their consecutive championship of the tournament, took the important first game with a victory.

Comment

TEGURAMORI Makoto, Head Coach
I’m satisfied that we were able to win this first game first off. Because I asked our players to play conservatively, were a little stiff in the first half, but after we scored a goal off a set play, the players got loose and became able to have better attacks. Yet we gave up a goal from a 2-0 score, and that’s something we have to reflect on.

Foot ball Men, TV broadcasting schedule

19:50-22:00 on Wed, Sep. 17th, Group stage 2nd game against Iraq, NHK BS1 (Live)
※As broadcasting schedule is subjected to change without notification, please reconfirm the latest TV program listing.

U-21 Japan National Team Match Schedule

17th Asian Games （2014/Incheon）Groups