The 2nd All Japan Seniors (over 40) Football Tournament, an event for ages over 40, will begin on Saturday 1 November at J-GREEN Sakai in Osaka. Fifteen teams that got through their regional qualifiers and a team from the host Osaka take part in the tournament, divided into four groups as battling for the top spot in each four-team group to advance to the knockout stage and contend for the national championship.

In Group A, at the last championship Muroran Senior 40 Soccer Club (Hokkaido) face FC LAZOS KOGA F.C. (Kanto 3 / Ibaraki) in their opening match. Muroran Senior fell short to advance to the knockout stage, placed the second place in the group stage. “We’ll battle out setting our goal high,” expressed the leader Hasegawa Susumu his motivation for another challenge. Hiroshima Shijukara Soccer Club (Chugoku 1 / Hiroshima), who made it through the regional qualifiers on top, aim at a victory in their first match against Okinawa Senior Selection (Kyushu / Okinawa). It is also worth watching how the Okinawan players, all of who play in the national championship for the first time, show their performance.

Host city’s Nicols FC Senior (Osaka) join Group B. As well as the last tournament, they battle matches with the wide variety of members including ex-J.Leaguers and less-experienced players. Matsumoto Yamaga FC Masters (Hokushinetsu 1 / Nagano), facing Nicols FC in the opening, claimed the top spot of the regional qualifiers to clinch a championship berth. The first thing to do for them is to get a win. In another match-up in Week 1, with their motto “Old men also have a dream, Tokushima Senior 40 (Shikoku 2 / Tokushima) take on Mie Masters (Tokai 2 / Mie).

There are various teams joining Group C as well. Aichi Selection Masters Ov40 (Tokai 1/ Aichi), who reached the final four at the last tournament, have a clash against T Dream (Kanto 2 / Tokyo). Teams from Tokyo won the All Japan Seniors for 50s and 60s this year, and 40s also look for the top. FC Primeiro Fukushima Legend (Tohoku / Fukushima) and Senior Okayama FC (Chugoku 2 / Okayama), both play the second finals in their history. It is interesting to see which team get off to a good start, capitalising on the experience from last year.

Looking at Group D, Kyoto Senior 40 (Kansai / Kyoto) come out after they defeated the defending champion Hyogo Senior Selection in the Kansai qualifiers. Kyoto face Tomiichi Fujinokai (Hokushinetsu 2 / Toyama) in their opening match. Against Kyoto firing up for the national champions, Tomiichi also pledge the breakthrough, saying “we focus on every match one by one to be the top contenders.” Kagawa Senior Selection (Shikoku 1 / Kagawa) and Tatebayashi Senior 40SC (Kanto 1 / Gunma) are both playing the tournament for the first time. While Kagawa beat Convini Nakamura (Kouchi) 3-0 at the Shikoku qualifiers, Tatebayashi topped Yokohama Senior (Kanagawa) 1-0 in the extra-time contest at the Kanto qualifiers to notch the spot. The new faces are expected to show fantastic contests.

Who will win the three-day contests?
We will focus on players playing the finals in the next issue.

The 2nd All Japan Seniors (over 40) Football Tournament

Sat. 1 November - Mon.Holiday 3 November 2014
J-GREEN Sakai/Osaka

More information (Japanese version only)