U-16 Japan National Team vs U-16 Uzbekistan National Team
2016-3-4 (Fri.) - 15:00　Playing Time: 90min. (45min.×2)
JAR Stadium (Uzbekistan/Tashkent)

U-16 Japan National Team   2-0 (0-0, 2-0)   U-16 Uzbekistan National Team

Scores
74'   SUGAWARA Yukinari (U-16 Japan National Team)
83'   YAMADA Hiroto (U-16 Japan National Team)

Line-ups
GK: AOKI Kokoro
DF: KANO Kanato, SUGAWARA Yukinari, KOBAYASHI Yuki, KUWAHARA Kaito
MF: FUKUOKA Shimpei, HIRAKAWA Rei, NAKAMURA Keito, KUBO Takefusa, SEKO Ayumu
FW: MIYASHIRO Taisei

Substitutes
GK: TANI Kosei, OUCHI Issei
DF: KEMMOTSU Takumu
MF: AWANO Kento, SUZUKI Toichi, SEHATA Gijo, KOZUKI Soichiro
FW: YAMADA Hiroto

62'   NAKAMURA Keito → KOZUKI Soichiro
76'   MIYASHIRO Taisei → YAMADA Hiroto
84'   HIRAKAWA Rei → SUZUKI Toichi
85'   KUBO Takefusa → AWANO Kento
87'   KUWAHARA Kaito → KEMMOTSU Takumu

Match Report

“00JAPAN” got the title of the Central Asia - Japan U-16 Football Exchange Programme for the first time. In the last match of this competition, U-16 Uzbekistan National Team 2-0 away from home.

Japan kicked off the match with very high motivation – they knew that they would win the title by winning this match, and from the beginning they overwhelmed Uzbekistan by pressure from the front line and 1-on-1 situations. In the 4th minute, defender SUGAWARA Yukinari raised a sharp and low cross from the right wing and forward MIYASHIRO Taisei tried to catch up, but it was judged offside. In the 19th minute, forward FUKUOKA Shimpei fired a long shot from a goal mouth scramble, but it was finely blocked by the opponent’s goalkeeper. Then, in the 26th minute, Miyashiro sneaked out to make a shot but it went over the crossbar. Japan kept attacking throughout but the 1st half ended in a scoreless draw. 

In half time, Japan’s Coach MORIYAMA Yoshiro told the players: “there are the matches that you can’t score after a series of attacks but you all should not be negative; this is the time that you are encouraged to think in a positive way by appreciating yourselves for keeping good defence. Calm down, and keep communicating well.” The players kept good combination both in offence and defence, and never gave Uzbekistan any chance by moving a lot. 

In the 54th minute, Sugawara ran up to the front from side wing and made a shot, but it was blocked by the goalkeeper. Japan kept attacking and in the 56th minute midfielder HIRAKAWA Rei stuck to the ball and raised a cross to Miyashiro and he hit the shot but it was blocked again. 

Another shot made by forward KUBO Takefusa in the 58th only hit the goalpost. Japan just couldn’t score since the kick off. However, Japan carried on playing calmly and broke the deadlock finally in the 74th minute. Sugawara entered into the center from the right wing after exchanging the ball with Hirakawa and fired a shot; the ball successfully found the left corner of the net. A long awaited opener for Japan. 

Uzbekistan started to attack Japan aggressively to get an equaliser, but Japan kept calm and tried counterattacks. Then in the 83rd, Hirakawa made another long pass to the space behind the Uzbekistan defenders and substitute forward YAMADA Hiroto calmly beat the 1-on-1 situation against the goalkeeper and doubled Japan’s lead. 

Until the end, Japan held their concentration and kept a clean sheet. They beat Uzbekistan 2-0 and got the title of this competition for the first time. It was the awaited title since they finished the previous one in 3rd place. 

"00 JAPAN" is the nickname of the U-16 Japan National Team that consists of members who were born after 2000.

Players' Comments

AOKI Kokoro (JFA Academy Fukushima U15)
For the last match of this competition today, we all were well prepared mentally and physically. It was good that we kept communicating with each other and maintained a good level of concentration to defend throughout the match. As an individual player, I still have to improve combination with our defensive line, and to get even more cautious about restarting our offence after stealing the ball so that I can help offence players more. We still have another match so we will keep united well to win. Whichever goalkeeper will be chosen for the next one, we just want to keep a clean sheet again.

SEKO Ayumu (Cerezo Osaka U-15)
Even though we kept attacking, we couldn’t score in the 1st half and that made us nervous and we couldn’t manage the game as we wanted. In the 2nd half, we communicate with each other to make good combination and that worked well. It was good that we could be patient and concentrated on defence when it was necessary and could start counterattack to get the additional goal. This team has such a good mood but we still have unstableness that we may be broken down just by one mistake, so we want to build up the team as a consistent and tough team which never gives chances to opponents. The day after tomorrow, we have another match. We will play as if it is the quarter final of the AFC U-16 Championship India 2016, and finish this trip with a very good result.  

KUBO Takefusa (F.C. Tokyo U-15 Musashi)
Today we couldn’t score as many as the shots we actually made, and this is our big issue to improve. I also found that we need to make good tactics in breaking through defenders by having good combination or other approaches when we are surrounded by them in front of their goal. For the next match, we will do our best in defending from the front line and make the space between the opponents much narrower. More than anything, I want to contribute to the team’s victory by scoring. 

Schedule

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