The 2nd All Japan Youth (U-18) Futsal Tournaments started at the Xebio Arena Sendai and the Sendai City Gymnasium in Miyagi on Wednesday 20 August. The 16 participating teams were divided into four groups to play the first round, and the top two teams of each group will advance to the final round, the knockout stage, to decide the best team among the U-18 generation in Japan.

At the Xebio Arena, both Espaco U-18 (Tokai/Shizuoka) and Kumiyama High School (Kansai 1/Kyoto) in Group A showed off their strengths. Espaco U-18 won a sweeping victory over Hokkaido Shimizu High School (Hokkaido 4/Hokkaido) 8-2 with four goals from ICHIKAWA Sora.

They also beat Yomitan High Shool (Kyushu/Okinawa) 9-4 in their second game, in which Ichikawa scored a double hat trick with six goals. The team booked a place in the final round.

Ichikawa later noted, sharing his aim: “I had at least six more goal-scoring opportunities. I’d like to improve my scoring skills, so that I can strike ten more goals in this tournament.” Kumiyama High School also displayed their players’ high skills, scoring 15 goals in total in two games. They also got through to the final round.

There were two matches in Group C. SC Seiwa Gakuen (Host area/Miyagi) won the game against Sano Nihon University High School (Kanto 2/Tochigi), earning three points, while Sapporo Otani High Shool (Hokkaido 2/ Hokkaido) drew with Teikyo Nagaoka High School (Hokushinetsu/Niigata) 4-4. The top two teams have not been decided in Group C.

At the Sendai City Gymnasium, Group B, in which all four teams participated in the previous championship, and Group D, in which all four teams were newcomers, played their matches. CLARK Memorial International High School (Kansai 2/Hyogo) and Sakuyo High School (Chugoku/Okayama) drew their game 1-1 in Group B.

Then the previous champions, FC Seiwa Gakuen (Tohoku 1/Miyagi) beat Thank FC Kuriyama U-18 (Hokkaido 1/Hokkaido). CLARK Memorial International High School won the game against Thank FC Kuriyama U-18 4-2, claiming one victory and one draw. Sakuyo High School, on the other hand, beat FC Seiwa Gakuen 5-3, earning four points in total.

In Group D, P.S.T.C. LONDRINA U-18 (Kanto 1/Kanagawa), the second team of Shonan Bellmare from the F League, beat Takamatsu Commercial High School (Shikoku/Kagawa) 4-3. The current F League player, UEMATSU Koto, struck a goal to decide the match.

In the other game, Hokkaido Kushiro Hokuyo High School (Hokkaido 3/Hokkaido) beat Seiwa Gakuen High School Futsal Club (Tohoku 2/Miyagi) 4-3, claiming the first victory for Hokkaido teams.

The remaining matches of the first round will be held on the second day of the tournament, on Friday 21 August, to decide the quarterfinalists for the final round, which will start on Saturday 22 August.  

Coach and Players' Comments

KIKUTANI Atsushi (SC Seiwa Gakuen)
Although I scored two goals, all I had to do was take the last shot, as my teammates passed the ball well in both cases. In terms of the second shot, the lob shot, I saw the opponent running towards the goal, when I turned forward.

So I expected the ball would hit him and go into the goal, if I could send the ball in front of the goal. Yes, I mean, I aimed to do so. Our aim is to win this championship. I’d like to win each coming match until then.

FURUSAWA Toru (Teikyo Nagaoka High School SC)
The first match against Sapporo Otani High Shool was really very interesting. We struck two goals first against the opponent’s solid defence, but then conceded two goals through counter-attacks.

Although I wasn’t sure what’d happen after we conceded the third and the fourth goal, the players stayed very calm. If I’m quite honest, I wish the players scored through their goal-scoring opportunities to win the match, rather than drawing. Having said that, I appreciate that we could play such a game in this excellent environment. I expect that this championship will be a very exciting one.

MOTOUCHI Tomoya (Hokkaido Shimizu High School)
It was a different level from our usual standard. We couldn’t cope with such teams, which we rarely find in Hokkaido. Although Kumiyama High School was a strong team, the reason we lost to them with a nine-goal difference was that we couldn’t strike goals with our opportunities.

In the first half, after the opponent’s goalkeeper saved the goal, we became too cautious and took fewer shots. Even though we were pressed, things may have been different, if we had taken shots. I think I realised that “this is a nationwide championship.” We lost two games, but I’d like to win one match before going back to Hokkaido.

JFA-TV (Japanese version only)

Group A - Highlights

Group B - Highlights

Group C - Highlights

Group D - Highlights

The 2nd All Japan Youth (U-18) Futsal Tournament

Thu. 20 August – Sun. 23 August 2015
XEBIO ARENA SENDAI, Sendai City Gymnasium / Miyagi 
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