On Tuesday 27 December, the JFA 46th U-12 Japan Football Championship took place at Kagoshima Fureai Sportsland, where the third match of the first round and round of 16 were played to determine the eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals.

Matsumoto Yamaga FC U-12 (Nagano) and Sagan Tosu U-12 (Saga), both tied on six points, faced off in Group C, which was comprised entirely of J.League youth teams. Tosu gained momentum from an early goal and continued to create chances by connecting short passes from their defence line.

After conceding the equaliser in the 18th minute, KAWASAKI Jin scored his second goal of the match in the 32nd minute to put Tosu in the lead. Kawasaki netted his third goal just three minutes later, sending Tosu through the group stage in first place. Despite losing the match, Matsumoto Yamaga also advanced through to the round of 16, after finishing with the top four record among the runners-up.

The Group G match between Omushi FC (Fukui) and Gonohe Suzukake SC U-12 (Aomori) saw a total of six goals scored between the two sides. The opening goal came in the fourth minute, when Gonohe’s EBINA Yushin responded to a through ball to score with a left footed shot. Five minutes later, FURUKAWA Raia scored from a counterattack to double the lead. Despite conceding a two-goal lead within the first 10 minutes, Omushi rallied with back-to-back goals scored by OKUBO Yuki and TAKEUCHI Tsubasa in the 18th and 27th minutes respectively, to equalise the match.

After the two sides exchanged a goal apiece in the second half, the match ended in a 3-3 draw, which meant that both teams were eliminated at the group stage.

In the round of 16 match between Matsumoto and Sorriso Kumamoto U-12 (Kumamoto), the Kumamoto side took the initiative through their side attacks and runs made by their forwards to penetrate the space behind the opposing defence line. Matsumoto on the other hand, laid a solid block in the centre to defend their goal, as coach YATABE Tasuku told his players, “we need to play tenaciously.”

The match remained scoreless after 40 minutes and the winner was decided by a penalty shootout, in which Matsumoto prevailed to advance to the quarterfinals.

Tournament debutant Oyamazaki SSC (Kyoto) reached the round of 16 after finishing the group stage with a top four record among the runners-up. Despite taking part in this year's tournament with only 11 players on their roster, the team continued to display an impressive performance both as a team and as individuals to score three goals against Vertfee Yaita U-12 (Tochigi) to advance to the quarterfinals.

The quarterfinals and semi-finals will continue to take place in Kagoshima on Wednesday 28 December.

Coaches and Players' Comments

OKUBO Yuki (Omushi FC/Fukui)
In order to advance through to the next stage, we had to score a ton of goals while keeping a clean sheet but ended up drawing 3-3. When I scored the third goal, I received a great pass, so I am glad I was able to convert it. I will try to make the most of this experience to strive to become a better player in junior high school.

EBINA Yushin (Gonohe Suzukake SC U-12/Aomori)
We knew it would be difficult to achieve our goal of winning with at least a five goal advantage. Despite being able to take the lead in the first half, we subsequently gave up a goal due to a careless error. I believe I was able to hit the ball well because the first goal was scored from an angle that I felt confident shooting from. I want to make the most of my opportunity to develop into a player that my teammates can rely on because I am one of the few lefties on this team.

OISHI Asuki, Coach (Zweigen Kanazawa U-12/Ishikawa)
We weren’t able to fully display our abilities in this tournament. We had to do a better job in both offence and defence, especially when facing tougher opponents. This tournament served as a reminder that I have to raise the standards in order for us to compete at the national level. I think this was a great learning experience for the players as well, so we hope to make the most of it to become a better team.

YATABE Tasuku, Coach (Matsumoto Yamaga FC U-12/Nagano)
Sorriso Kumamoto were a competent and technically sound team who were capable of moving the ball in tight areas. We entered the match with the focus of playing solid defence and seeking for our opportunities to counterattack. The fact that we had the experience of playing through a penalty shootout in another tournament helped us take our shots with confidence.

JFA 46th U-12 Japan Football Championship

Tournament Dates: Mon. 26 - Thu. 29 December 2022
Venues:
1st Round/Round of 16
Kagoshima Fureai Sportsland (Kagoshima)

Quarterfinals
Kamoike Auxiliary Stadium (Kagoshima)

Semi-Finals/Final
Shiranami Stadium (Kagoshima)

Tournament Information