On Saturday 3 November, the JFA 6th O-40 Japan Football Tournament opened its actions in Ichihara, Chiba, as the matches of the first round took place.

16 teams, representing each region, including the host city, participate in this championship. Teams were divided into four groups in order to play a round-robin group stage, where the leaders of each group can advance to the final round.

In group A, FC Kagawa (Shikoku 2/Kagawa) struck the opener, but the match intensified as time progressed and BM-saga (Kyushu 2/Saga) succeeded in levelling the match just before the final whistle. They drew the match and shared a point apiece. The match between FC Funabashi (Host/Chiba) and VANKEI.FC40 (Hokkaido 2) ended in a scoreless draw, leaving all four teams of the group with one point each.

Each of the two matches in group B were decided by a mere goal difference. Tokushima FC (Shikoku 1/Tokushima) took the initiative against KYOTO MAYUMAMARO FC (Kansai 1/Kyoto) by showcasing great ball movements. Despite the Tokushima side’s dominance in the match, it was KYOTO MAYUMAMARO FC who struck the only goal of the match with an opportunity just one minute before the final whistle. Tsuruoka FC Dream (Tohoku 2/Yamagata) showcased great patience and defended tenaciously, however, the team conceded a goal just before the final whistle and gave Sakai Phoenix Legend (Hokushinetsu/Fukui) the full three points.

In group C, newcomer Football Club Seibudai Senior (Kanto 2/Saitama) challenged Rashinban Club NAGOYA (Tokai/Aichi), who won the title two years ago. Both teams showed off their skills, but Seibudai Senior succeeded in striking the opener with a fast break at the beginning of the second half. They then extended their lead from a counter attack, to win the match 2-0. With the match between Morioka FC Masters (Tohoku 1/Iwate) and Hyogo Soccer Club (Kansai 2/Hyogo) ending in a 1-1 draw, Football Club Seibudai Senior took the lead of the group after day one.

Regulars of this tournament faced up in group D as they displayed heated competitions. After finishing as the runners-up in this tournament three years ago, Hiroshima Forties (Chugoku/Hiroshima) were eager to take down the title. The Hiroshima side got off to a good start by scoring the opening goal in the eight minute, however, T・Dreams (Kanto 1/Tokyo) struck the equaliser just five minutes later off a penalty kick. Although Hiroshima seemed to have outran the opponents, it was T・Dreams who captured the go-ahead goal to take down the match. Okinawa Kaiho Club (Kyushu 1/Okinawa) attacked aggressively but struggle to find the back of the net against Ossandole Sapporo 40 (Hokkaido 1). The team finally converted an opportunity from a set piece, scoring the deciding goal in the final 10 minutes of the match.

Day two of the tournament will see the rest of the first-round games play out to decide the final four teams who will compete in the final round.

Players' Comments

TSUKISHIRO Seiichi (Sakai Phoenix Legend)
Although I felt a little nervous about our first game, I believe we managed to display our playing style. We played in haste, as we struggled to score the goal, but we still managed to win the match, which meant a lot to us. Our team consists of old teammates from selection teams as well as graduates from Maruoka High School and Ohno High School. It’s been three years since we established this team. We won two games in the previous tournament but could not get through to the next stage, from which we learned a lot. A nationwide championship is a big thing regardless of age. We’re participating in this tournament with a strong desire to win matches.

NANJO Kazuhiko (FC Kagawa)
We let the opponent score the equaliser at the last moment when we started to show fatigue, and it was quite regretful. Although we performed well in the first half, we could have played with more composure when we were pressed in the second half. I feel frustrated that we couldn’t win today, but we still have more matches to play tomorrow, so I’ll give my best in the remaining matches. Winning the national tournament is never easy. But that is why it’s so fun to play regardless of the age, and it is what motivates me to keep on playing.

KUSHIDA Yuzo (Football Club Seibudai Senior)
As a newcomer, our goal is to display what we’ve been working on and to become the passing team in Japan. We don’t know how far we can make it, but it was great to play against excellent teams. I love competitive matches. I think this tournament is amazing, because despite our age, everyone here is all committed to play the game seriously. Also, the turf is very good. We grabbed a good result today. I am looking forward for tomorrow to see how far we can go.

HIRAKI Ikushi (Hiroshima Forties)
I expected our first match against T・Dreams to be our toughest challenge, as we have heard that they are a very strong team. I was hoping to win the match, and because we were able to put up a competitive match against them, this result really hurts. Due to the disaster caused by torrential rains, we could not concentrate on our practices this year. However, we practiced hard as a team and managed to earn our ticket into this tournament. As Hiroshima did well in the pro baseball and in the J. League this year, we, the senior football team, would also like to show our pride. We still have a chance, so we will give our very best tomorrow.

JFA 6th O-40 Japan Football Tournament

Tournament Dates: Sat. 3 - Mon. 5 November 2018
Tournament Venue: ZA Oripri Stadium/ Ichihara Suporeku Park, Chiba
Tournament Information