The Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-18 Football Premier League 2022 Final will be held on Sunday 11 December at Japan National Stadium. The EAST champions Kawasaki Frontale U-18 (Kanagawa) and the WEST champions Sagan Tosu U-18 (Saga) will clash for the title of the “True No.1 in Japan” in the high school age group.

Kawasaki F, who won the EAST title in their first Premier League appearance, were unbeatable in the first half of the season with 10 wins and two draws, including a run of eight straight victories along the way. Despite suffering back-to-back losses after the league break, the team steadily accumulated points after that, and with two matches still left to be played, they clinched the league championship.

The team's remarkable run was supported by a solid defence led by TAKAI Kota (#4) and MATSUNAGANE Yuto (#3), who conceded the fewest goals (20) in the league. Additionally, they played aggressive football, similar to their top team, with their striker GOKITA Kishin (#9) scoring 13 goals. Will the Kawasaki side, who has a strong offensive and defensive game, claim the national title in their first season at the Premiership? All eyes will be on them.

Three years after joining the premier league in 2020, Tosu won the WEST for the first time. The team started the season with a 5-1 start to take the lead, and then maintained a steady performance to stay at the top of the table. However, the team suddenly lost momentum from the 17th round, including postponed matches, with four draws and two losses in six matches. The title race with Vissel Kobe U-18 (Hyogo) came down to the wire, but after two consecutive wins to finish the season, Tosu won the championship on goal difference, despite being on equal points with Kobe.

Tosu scored the most goals (54) in the West, but their top scorer was NARAHARA Yoshiki (#7) with 9 goals, followed by OSATO Koma (#11) with 8 goals despite being registered as a defender. FUKUI Taichi (#10), who is set to join FC Bayern Munich in January next year, and first-year striker YAMASAKI Haruki (#26), each scored six goals. The team's ability to score from any position can be said to be one of their strengths. On the other hand, their defence is also tied for first in the league with the fewest goals conceded (28), and like Kawasaki, they are a well-balanced team in terms of offence and defence.

This is the first Premier League Final to be held in three years due to the pandemic, and it will be held at the Japan National Stadium for the first time. Which team will prevail to claim their first Premier League title? Please stay tuned to find out.

Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-18 Football Premier League 2022 Final

Date: Sun. 11 December 2022 13:00
Venue: Japan National Stadium (Tokyo)
Fixture: Kawasaki Frontale U-18 (EAST) vs Sagan Tosu U-18 (WEST)

Match Information