Training Match vs U-17 Hokushinetsu Selection
2016-7-14 (Thu.) - 16:00   Playing Time: 60min. (20min.×3)
Ijimino Park (Shibata City/Niigata)

U-17 Japan National Team　1-1 (1st 0-1, 2nd 0-0, 3rd 1-0)　U-17 Hokushinetsu Selection

Scores
9'　Goal against (U-17 Hokushinetsu Selection)
55'　TSUBAKI Naoki (U-17 Japan National Team)

1st
GK: WAKAHARA Tomoya
DF: NAKAGAWA Sou, IRUMAGAWA Keita, HIYAMA Yuya, ISHIHARA Hirokazu
MF: IZAWA Haruki, SENBA Taishi, FUJIMOTO Kanya, TSUBAKI Naoki
FW: NAKAJIMA Motohiko, TAGAWA Kyosuke

2nd
GK: WAKAHARA Tomoya
DF: NAKAGAWA Sou, IZAWA Haruki, HIYAMA Yuya, IRUMAGAWA Keita
MF: KOBAYASHI Mao, MURATA Masaki, FUJIMOTO Kanya, HORI Kenta, WATAI Masaki
FW: TAGAWA Kyosuke

3rd
GK: SARUTA Haruki
DF: NAKAGAWA Sou, IZAWA Haruki, HIYAMA Yuya, ISHIHARA Hirokazu
MF: SENBA Taishi, MURATA Masaki, WATAI Masaki
FW: NAKAJIMA Motohiko, HORI Kenta

Match Report

The U-17 Japan National Team had a training match against the U-17 Hokushinetsu Selection in Ijimino Park on 14 July. The match consisted of three 20 minutes games.

The match kicked off at 16:00 in the cloudy weather.

In the 1st game, the U-17 Japan National Team took control from the beginning and kept the ball. However, they couldn’t make shots. Gradually the U-17 Hokushinetsu Selection got their rhythm and Japan conceded an opening goal by a mistake they made.

After the first goal, Japan continued to keep the ball longer than their opponent, and breaking through Hokushinetsu’s defence and faced only with the goalkeeper, but they couldn’t score again.

In the 2nd game, they took control and moved the ball, raising crosses from combination plays, but they couldn’t score due to wrong timing or lack of accuracy.

In the 3rd game, very strong rain started to come down and the players couldn’t see the pitch well. Even in this bad pitch condition, Japan made many chances from good combination play especially in the middle.

In the 15th minute of the 3rd game, Japan’s TSUBAKI Naoki jumped out of the opponent’s defence line in a good timing and faced only their goalkeeper. He calmly pushed the ball in to the net. Japan made other chances but their precision was not enough; the match ended 1-1.

Tomorrow they will have their final training before the 20th International Youth Soccer in Niigata. They will correct the issues found today to prepare for the first match against Mexico on the following day.

Players' Comments

MF #17  TSUBAKI Naoki (Yokohama F・Marinos Youth)
I was very surprised to be called up to the squad for the first time. The National Team is the place I had been aiming for so I am very happy now. I feel that I have to practice more and more after joining the team; for example, after joining a pass training session which is of such a good quality, I got to understand my pass quality is not good enough at all. My strength is speedy dribble, so I want to show this more in this opportunity.

In this training match today, it was good that I could score, but I missed some other chances. I want to improve to be able to score in any chances. This is the only chance for me to play against foreign players as the national team, so I want to show off my strengths and work hard as a team member to win the title.

GK #18  SARUTA Haruki (Kashiwa Reysol U-18)
This is my first time to play for the national team and I was a bit nervous, but that disappeared gradually by playing, and now I am more able to be involved in the build up play of this team. After experiencing the training for goalkeepers, I understood the importance of preparing yourself in the best way to avoid any mistakes in the match; this is more important than saving the goal in the best way.

In the training match, it was good that I could keep a clean sheet as a goalkeeper. I could contribute to the team making a good combination with defenders by my coaching. In the 3 matches that we will have during this weekend, I want to contribute to the team’s victory, utilising my advantage of contributing to building-up play and keeping a clean sheet.

MF #8  SENBA Taishi (Sanfrecce Hiroshima Youth)
I have been called up after 1 year, and I gradually got familier with the mood of the team and I can show my characteristics more. I have been able to play in a good condition. In the training match today, we conceded the goal with our minor mistake, so we will be careful not to make any more mistakes and win all 3 of the matches this weekend.  Personally, this is a good chance for me to play against foreign players, so I just want to test my advantage which is stealing the ball, to see how much I can compete with them.

Schedule

*The schedule is subject to change due to the team condition, the weather, etc.