Pick-up Match
Gamba Osaka Youth vs Higashi Fukuoka High School

Matchday 11 of the Prince Takamado Trophy U-18 Premier League WEST will take place on 3 and 4 September as Gamba Osaka Youth (Osaka) face Higashi Fukuoka High School (Fukuoka) on the 3rd.

Gamba Osaka, who will play at home, have been in poor recent form with 1 win, 1 draw, and 3 losses. In the previous match, they were utterly beaten by Ozu High School (Kumamoto) 0-3. Their great momentum seen in the beginning of the season seems to be gone. 

Coach MIYAMOTO Tsuneyasu said, “the players sometimes play wonderful matches whereas they don’t in the others.” He sited the inconsistency which has been the issue for the team. However, he also stated, “I myself and the players know what exactly needed to be improved.”

The key issue, in which Miyamoto mentioned, was the accuracy in moving the ball up front in offence. There are times where we were dispossessed in the middle of the field, so the players are asked to take on three different approaches during the match—carefully play and not lose possession of the ball, attack aggressively as a team, and break through the defence by individual efforts. 

On the other hand, Higashi Fukuoka, who will play in Osaka, have been in decent form with 2 wins and 1 draw. They played against in-form Vissel Kobe U-18 in the previous match, which was the first match of the second half of the season. They conceded a penalty kick in the last part of the match, but their goalkeeper made a fine save, drawing the match. 

MORISHIGE Junya, coach of Higashi Fukuoka, is not satisfied with this result. He stated: “it is our problem in defence that we conceded a penalty kick. We can’t attain a positive result unless we carefully analyse if it the problem stemmed from the individual player or the team.” He further commented: “playing in the Premier League, every week we get different issues that are quite detailed. This is definitely a plus for us going forward. While making the necessary adjustments over and over again, we are looking to improve and prepare ourselves for the next match this weekend. 

Coaches' Comments

MIYAMOTO Tsuneyasu, Coach (Gamba Osaka Youth)
Recently, we had challenging matches, but I’m not negative at all. Achieving positive results in this spring, we might have lost our focus, thinking ‘we can win the league playing at this level.’ What we need now is to remove this status-quo feeling and be on the same page on the pitch. Specifically, the players need to improve on their passing accuracy leading up to the goal.

When we played against Higashi Fukuoka last time, we conceded goals committing frivolous errors, so we need to be more careful not to make the same mistakes again.

MORISHIGE Junya, Coach (Higashi Fukuoka High School)
We have changed many registered players since the first half of the season. I want to check the players’ level of play after giving them the chance (to play the match). We will start the regional qualifiers of the 94th All Japan High School Soccer Tournament, so I want to improve the level of the team, while competing the Premier League matches. Now we are 5 points behind the top team Hiroshima, and we don’t have the chance to win the title on our own. We need to take one match at a time and prepare ourselves, seeking to finish better than our current position.

Gamba Osaka Youth vs Higashi Fukuoka High School
Date: Saturday 3 September (kick-off 18:00)
Venus: Gamba Osaka Ground
Directions: Approx. 20-minute walk from Osaka Monorail station “Bampaku Kinen Koen”

Premier League WEST Matchday 11

9/3
10:00   Ozu High School vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima FC Youth (Ozu Sports Park Stadium)
9/4
10:00   Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-18 vs Oita Trinita U-18 (Kyoto Sanga F.C. Higashi Joyo Ground)
17:00   Cerezo Osaka U-18 vs Nagoya Grampus U18 (Cerezo OSAKA Maishima Ground)
19:00   Kobe Koryo Gakuen High School vs Vissel Kobe U-18 (Miki Sogo Bosai Park Athletic Stadium)

Sanfrecce Hiroshima FC Youth (Hiroshima) who moved to the top of the league after the previous Matchday, will face Ozu High School (Kumamoto). Both teams have met recently. In the match that was postponed and played on 22 August, Hiroshima beat Ozu High School 4-0. Wait to see how it unfolds this time.

Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-18 (Kyoto) who is currently in eighth place will try to get 3 points by beating Oita Trinita U-18 (Oita) who is in tenth place.

The second-placed Cerezo Osaka U-18 (Osaka) will meet Nagoya Grampus U18 (Aichi). Cerezo Osaka have not won the past 2 matches, and Nagoya have not won their past 5 matches. They are seeking desperately to win their next match.

Also check out the “Kobe derby” as Kobe Koryo Gakuen High School square off against their rival Vissel Kobe U-18.

JFA-TV (Japanese version only)

Match Day 10 Digest

More information