Pick-up Match

Vissel Kobe U-18   0-2 (0-0, 0-2)   Gamba Osaka Youth

The Prince Takamado Trophy U-18 Premier League WEST had its matchday 17 on Saturday 28 November, where league leaders Gamba Osaka Youth (Osaka) took on fourth-placed Vissel Kobe U-18 (Hyogo). 

Before the match started, Gamba Osaka needed only one more win to clinch the championship. The match turned out to be thrillingly close. As Kobe’s NAKASAKA Yuya puts it "they were the toughest opponents that we had ever seen before." Gamba Osaka took the early initiative with their up-tempo ball movement. However, Kobe’s defence, led by HIGASHI Junya, tenaciously prevented the Osaka side from firing shots. Although TAKEDA Taichi left off his defender and attempted to shoot off a through ball from ICHIMARU Mizuki in the 27th minute, the effort was denied by opposing defenders.

Ichimaru remembers the early part of the match, saying "we couldn’t score goals, and the match was moving forward 0-0. I didn’t feel very good." In the second half, Kobe started pushing toward Osaka’s goal. Despite allowing Kobe repeated shooting opportunities early in the second half, Gamba Osaka maintained their defensive concentration as well.

While the match was being tense for an extended stretch, Gamba finally scored the much-awaited opening goal when Takeda headed in Ichimaru’s corner kick from the right in the 68th minute. Takeda later said of the moment "I couldn’t play well in the first half at all, so I was looking to take advantage of a few limited chances I would get in the second half."

Immediately after that in the 71st minute, Gamba gave away a very crucial chance to Kobe’s Nakasaka due to their defensive breakdown. But his shot just went off wide. Kobe’s attacks continued from there, as Gamba regained their focus and kept denying them.

Then in the additional time, DOAN Ritsu sneaked up passing by Kobe’s offence-heavy formation to score the second goal for Gamba to seal the win. With one more matchday still remaining, Gamba clinched the title of the Premier League WEST for the first time.  

Coach and Players' Comments

NODA Satoru, Coach (Vissel Kobe U-18)
The result was 2-0, but I think we were fairly even because we had our own stretch keeping the ball. But they were better individually including blow our check off with only the ball touch. They are the generation who won triple crowns when they were in the junior high school. It seemed that made them accustomed to a pressured situation as well. We showed carelessness in front of goal and we couldn’t score goals. It hurt us that we couldn’t take advantage of the chances we made in the second half.

NAKASAKA Yuya (Vissel Kobe U-18)
First of all, of course it was allowing them to win the championship in front of us. It was also me missing the chance I had in the second half. That would have changed the course of the match. So all those things add up disappointment. They pushed us back, our backline was pushed back and we had too much space in the middle of our formation. That made it a very difficult match for us. It was the last home match this season today. There were many ups and downs, but I am really glad that I have been playing with this team. We have supported each other both in good times and bad times, so we really wanted to win today.

UMEZU Hironori, Coach (Gamba Osaka Youth)
This year’s third graders have always been expected to win a title. Last year we were leading the league with three matchdays remaining only to let it slip away. So I am relieved that we won the championship this year. Our players have failed to win titles until now, and I think they understand that if one single player in the team doesn’t put his full effort the team will lose. Today our past experience reflected in the result. I have wanted them to develop individually and come together as a good team. I think it is finally happening now.  

HATSUSE Ryo (Gamba Osaka Youth)
In recent matches we were able to score in the first half. But today Vissel were defending well, so we couldn’t score early. But we kept our composure and told each other during the half time that we would be able to do it and we just had to stick to our plan. I think that resulted in the two goals in the second half. The situation before the match was that the win in this match would give us the championship, so there was some nervousness. But everyone was putting everything out even during the practice, so we were able to play with confidence.

Other Matches

Nagoya Grampus U18   7-1 (3-1, 4-0)   Cerezo Osaka U-18
Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth   3-1 (2-0, 1-1)   Higashi Fukuoka High School
Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-18   2-2 (2-2, 0-0)   Oita Trinita U-18
Riseisha High School   3-0 (2-0, 1-0)   Kyoto Tachibana High School

Nagoya Grampus U18 (Aichi) welcomed Cerezo Osaka U-18 (Osaka) at home and scored early three goals in the first half including KITANO Seiya’s opener four minutes into the match. They added four more in the second half and kept their hope to avoid relegation alive.

Seventh-placed Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C Youth (Hiroshima) defeated Higashi Fukuoka High School (Fukuoka) 3-1. 

Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-18 (Kyoto) and Oita Trinita U-18 (Oita) ended up with a draw to give both one point each after both tallying two goals in the first half.

The battle between eighth-placed Riseisha High School (Osaka) and Kyoto Tachibana High school (Kyoto) sitting at the bottom of the table had Riseisha come out with 3-0 win. As the result, Kyoto Tachibana’s relegation has been decided since they have no more chance to get out of the last place with only one more match to go before the end of the season.  

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