On Thursday 29 December, the JFA 46th U-12 Japan Football Championship final took place at Shiranami Stadium in Kagoshima, where Regista FC (Saitama) won the title for the second straight year.

Final

Kashiwa Reysol U-12 0-2 (0-1, 0-1) Regista FC

It was Regista and Kashiwa Reysol U-12 (Chiba) who squared off in the final. Regista reached the final with their collective defence and side-attacks to score multiple goals in all of their matches, while Kashiwa displayed great physical strengths and perseverance to reach the championship match.

The match started with Regista applying aggressive pressure to limit the passing options of Kashiwa, which allowed them to take the initiative from the early minutes. The opening goal came in the fourth minute, when the ball was connected through ADACHI Ippei and WATANABE Shuhari to setup the shot of SATO Tao. Although this shot was initially blocked, Sato managed to convert the deflection to put Regista in the lead.

In an effort to equalise, Kashiwa began to build their attacks by gathering the ball to the flanks as OKAMOTO Haru and INADA Riku delivered numerous crosses into the box, but they were unable to take advantage of their chances in the first half.

Kashiwa stepped up their game in the second half to create opportunities, but when NAKAMOTO Soso came on in the 24th minute, things turned back in Regista's favour, as coach FUJIYA Naohiro noted, “We tried to reinforce our pressure by bringing in fresh players. It also helped us secure the loose balls in midfield.”

Despite the late surge made by Kashiwa, Regista showcased tenacious efforts to defend their goal. Then in additional time, Sato converted an early cross to score his eighth goal of the tournament, tying him for the top scorer.

With this goal, Regista prevailed 2-0 to win the title for the second consecutive year. Sato finished as top scorer alongside ENDO Yua (Takabe JFC/Shizuoka), while the Golden Glove and Boot were given to YOSHIGUCHI Yujiro (Kashiwa), who has supported his team with numerous fine saves and coaching.

Coach and Players' Comments

FUJIYA Naohiro, Coach (Regista FC/Saitama)
In the final, rather than giving them a bunch of tactical instructions, I focused on creating a positive atmosphere and told them to have fun with all their might. Despite taking the lead, we were being pushed back towards the end of the first half, so I told the players during halftime, “We can just score back a goal if we concede a goal.” We were outmatched by Kashiwa in terms of physical strengths, but our players proved that football is not just about physical prowess or athleticism.

SATO Tao (Regista FC/Saitama)
Last year I was watching the final on TV, dreaming of standing on this pitch and raising the championship banner and trophy. I was determined to score when I had the chance because we knew how crucial it was to score the first goal. This match reminded us of the importance of daily training. If I hadn't scored the last goal, I wouldn't have become the top scorer, so I feel fortunate to be in that position when it matters. I hope to become a world-class striker in the future.

MOTOSHIMA Kanta (Regista FC/Saitama)
We were all determined to showcase a solid performance, so I am glad we were able to earn this shutout victory. During halftime, we tried to reset our focus and reminded each other not to waste the goal scored by Sato Tao. I want to use what I have learnt at Regista in my new team in junior high school and become a reliable team player. I want to be a player like NASU Daisuke and Fabio CANNAVARO. I admire their ability to inspire others and win duels, which I am not good at.

INADA Riku (Kashiwa Reysol U-12/Chiba)
It's really frustrating because we were fighting on behalf of our teammates who were injured and those who couldn't make it out here. We were still in contention after conceding the first goal, but one slip up led to another goal. Although we were dominated in the first half, we managed to create some close opportunities in the second half, and we wish we could have capitalised on those chances.

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