Training Match  vs  Kyoto Sanga F.C. 
2015-8-26 (Wed.) - 11:00　Playing Time: 90min (45min×2)
Nishikyogoku Sogo Sports Park Athletics stadium And Playing Field (Japan)

U-22 Japan National Team   1-2 (0-1, 1-1)   Kyoto Sanga F.C. 

Scores
38'   Goal against (Kyoto Sanga F.C.)
47'   Goal against (Kyoto Sanga F.C.)
88'   MAEDA Naoki (U-22 Japan National Team)

Line-ups
GK: KUSHIBIKI Masatoshi
DF: KAMEKAWA Masashi, NARA Tatsuki, UEDA Naomichi, ITO Yukitoshi
MF: YAJIMA Shinya, HARAKAWA Riki, NAKAJIMA Shoya, KAWABE Hayao, NOTSUDA Gakuto
FW: SUZUKI Musashi

Substitutes
GK: NIEKAWA Ayumi, NAKAMURA Kosuke
DF: MUROYA Sei, IWANAMI Takuya, ANZAI Kazuki, MIYAHARA Kazuya
MF: UCHIDA Kohei, MAEDA Ryosuke, MAEDA Naoki
FW: SUGIMOTO Ryuji, KANAMORI Takeshi, KAMADA Daichi

26'   UEDA Naomichi → IWANAMI Takuya
31'   KUSHIBIKI Masatoshi → NAKAMURA Kosuke
HT   KAMEKAWA Masashi → ANZAI Kazuki
HT   ITO Yukitoshi → MUROYA Sei
HT   SUZUKI Musashi → KANAMORI Takeshi
HT   HARAKAWA Riki → MIYAHARA Kazuya
HT   KAWABE Hayao → MAEDA Ryosuke
HT   NOTSUDA Gakuto → MAEDA Naoki
61'   NAKAJIMA Shoya → KAMADA Daichi
61'   NARA Tatsuki → UEDA Naomichi
61'   NAKAMURA Kosuke → NIEKAWA Ayumi

Match Report

U-22 Japan National Team short-listed squad had a training match against Kyoto Sanga F.C. as a wrap-up of the training camp in Kyoto. The squad members have worked intensively for the Final Round of Asian Qualifiers for the Rio 2016 Olympics that will take place next January in Qatar. It was held in challenging weather with very strong sunlight unlike the cooler weather on previous day.

Japan played in a 4-2-3-1 formation and forward SUZUKI Musashi, midfielder NAKAJIMA Shoya, and midfielder NOTSUDA Gakuto made some good opportunities from the start. However, they didn’t find the net and Japan substituted defender UEDA Naomichi for IWANAMI Takuya in the 26th minute, and KUSHIBIKI Masatoshi for NAKAMURA Kosuke in the 31st minute.

Towards the end of the 1st half, they were attacked more by Kyoto Sanga’s offence players such as OGURO Masashi. In the 38th minute, Kyoto Sanga broke through Japan’s right wing and crossed to Oguro and he headed the ball successfully into the goal. In the 44th minutes, Japan’s Notsuda made a middle shot but it didn’t find the net and the 1st half ended with Kyoto Sanga leading 1-0.

While SAMURAI BLUE, Japan National Team, coach Vahid HALILHODZIC was watching the match, Japan substituted 7 players to push up the team. However, in the beginning of the 2nd half, in the 47th minute, Kyoto Sanga found a tiny chance and made their second goal with a header.

Japan started its counter-attack from the one top player forward KANAMORI Takeshi’s drastic move to the front. After another substitution of 3 players in the 61st minute, Japan’s central attacking forward KAMADA Daichi and right wing player midfielder MAEDA Naoki lead the team to take control of the game again.

At the end of the match, in the 88th minute, KAMATA made a cross to Maeda and his shot could finally find the net. The Training Match ended 1-2, for U-22 Japan National Team, it was the second defeat since they have lost the match against U-23 Korea Republic in the Asian Games last September.

U-22 Japan National Team aims to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games for the 6th consecutive time. The next activity for the team before the Rio 2016 Olympics Asian Qualifiers Final Round, which will be held in January in Qatar, is the training camp in Kyusyu at the end of October.

Coach's Comment

TEGURAMORI Makoto, Coach
We wanted to have this training camp to be held in Kyoto where is filled with Japanese culture; it would give the players good inspiration and motivation to play as Japan’s squad players. It was indeed good that we could do it in Kyoto. I also appreciate Kyoto Sanga F.C. for playing the match against us.

What was missing today was active communication amongst defence players, and it was one of the reasons we lost the match. Defenders’ voice can be strong pressure just like making physical approach to offence players, so I constantly tell them to raise voice in defence, but they haven’t done well yet. They should keep raising voice throughout the match. Having good communication, making suggestions to each other, and staying flexible to adapt themselves in to any position are the issues.

However, it was good for us that we could play against good players like OGURO Masashi this time even though we have been attacked mainly by him; he moves constantly even off-the ball time to get good positioning. They could learn a lot by playing against the former forward squad player who has experiences around the world.

This time I have substituted players many times and the players had to be more nervous in conditioning, but I still wanted them to be more ambitious on the pitch. In the previous match against Costa Rica, they moved forward to the goal once they got the ball and they made 22 shots in the game, whereas they took more time to get to the goal and made more mistakes while creating chances today.

More than anything, they didn’t take many risks. I wanted them to show more of their mental strengths even in this hot weather. They are expected to grow up much quicker. They need to improve their speed, physical strength, and technique in their daily training. They are the requirements to compete at international level.

JFA-TV (Japanese version only)

Schedule