The Prince Takamado Trophy U-18 Premier League resumes this weekend as Matchday 11 of its EAST league has five fixtures on Sunday 23 August.

JFA Academy Fukushima (Shizuoka) face Aomori Yamada High School (Aomori). They have settled for the bottom of the table but gradually got in shape as seen in their straight wins in the second stage of the season.

"With the straight wins, the players must have become more confident," says coach MANAKA Mikio. Since they got a scoreless loss against Aomori Yamada in the previous leg on Matchday 2, they want to win three points in the next match held in Fukushima and look to come back in the table.

Consadole Sapporo U-18 (Hokkaido) welcome Kashima Antlers Youth (Ibaraki) at home. Sapporo are in eighth place, which is out of the relegation zone. But it doesn’t hide the fact that they have struggled, levelling with ninth-placed Ryutsu Keizaidai Kashiwa High School (Chiba) and Academy Fukushima with six points.

Of their eight losses, they suffered five slender losses and failed to add up points in close contests. During the break, coach YOMODA Shuhei took up the post in charge of their senior team. Starting from the match against league-leading Kashima, their new challenge will begin under new coach KAWAGUCHI Takuya.

Fourth-placed Ichiritsu Funabashi High School (Chiba) meet second-placed Omiya Ardija Youth (Saitama). This summer of their runners-up finish was frustrating for both teams as Ichiritsu Funabashi missed the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament title and Omiya lost in the final of the 39th Japan Club Youth Football Championship.

While the Chiba side are without NAGATO Ayumu, recruited to Montedio Yamagata, due to injury, KUROKAWA Atsushi withdrew from U-17 Japan National Teams' Czech tour due to poor condition. In the title decider, their team strengths are to be tested.

F.C. Tokyo U-18 (Tokyo) host Ryutsu Keizaidai Kashiwa. Just before entering the break, the Tokyo side grabbed a 1-0 win against Kashima, who had kept the unbeaten run. They snatched three points and hang on to the title race with defensive tactics, which coach SATO Kazuki says, "We used it for the first time in this season."

In the next match, they face Ryutsu Keizaidai Kashiwa, who reshuffle their lineup every summer and enhance their determination to win. It is interesting to see which team get off to a winning start in the third stage.

［Pick-up Match - EAST Matchday 11］
Kashiwa Reysol U-18  vs  Shimizu S-Pulse Youth

Defending EAST champions Kashiwa Reysol U-18 (Chiba) square off against runners-up Shimizu S-pulse Youth (Shizuoka). Kashiwa have struggled in the league with just two wins so far, yet on Matchday 9, they clinched a comeback win over Sapporo with two second-half goals from two-goal down. Coach SHIMOTAIRA Takahiro also has confidence, saying "The players are now not hesitating to run hard until the end."

The opponents Shimizu conceded many late goals in each half in the early stage of the season but improved on Matchday 9 and Matchday 10. They added points with straight wins. Of four wins they earned, the three wins are with a clean sheet. One of the keys in the Kashiwa match is likely to be to start it off with focusing on defence.

Date: Sunday 23 August, Kick-off at 4:00 p.m.
Venue: Hitachi Kashiwa Sogo Ground
Access: Walk 20 minutes from JR Joban Line & Tobunoda Line Kashiwa station East Exit.
Take Tobu Bus from platform 1 at Kashiwa station East Exit and get off at Midorigaoka or Hitachi Kashiwa Soccer Stadium-mae, and walk for 1 minute.

Direction to venue (Japanese version only)

Premier League EAST Matchday 11

8/23 (Sun.)
10:00　JFA Academy Fukushima  vs  Aomori Yamada High School (Torimi Mountain Park)
11:00　Consadole Sapporo U-18  vs  Kashima Antlers Youth (Sapporo Soccer Amusement Park)
11:00　Ichiritsu Funabashi High School  vs  Omiya Ardija Youth (Funabashi City Field/Grasspo)
16:00　Kashiwa Reysol U-18  vs  Shimizu S-Pulse Youth (Hitachi Kashiwa Sogo Ground)
16:00　F.C. Tokyo U-18  vs  Ryutsu Keizaidai Kashiwa (Tokyo Gas Musashino Ground)

A list of each team registration player changes from Matchday 11 (Japanese version only)

JFA-TV (Japanese Version Only)