On the day two after arriving in Dubai, UAE, Japan’s beach soccer team had another two-a-day practice just like the previous day. Considering the fatigue from the day before when the team went through two practice sessions right after the long trip and arrival, breakfast was served rather late. After that, the morning session was done in the gym in the hotel for approximately 90 minutes.

The gym session was done in a circuit-training style where players worked with one machine after another. As that was the last gym workout possible schedule-wise before the AFC Championship, the players pushed themselves hard with high intensity.

In the afternoon, after working on various shooting drills, the team had an intra-squad match to wrap up the second day of the camp. The preparation for the AFC Championship will be continued and the first training match in Dubai is scheduled on the next day against Azerbaijan National Beach Soccer Team.

Players' Comments

TABATA Teruki (TOKYO LEQUIOS BS)
Since the South America trip in January, which was the first activity for this national team in this year, we have been able to perform what we have wanted to do with the Asian Qualifiers coming up. If we can keep this momentum going and play to the 100% of our potential, I believe we will definitely get a good result at the AFC Championship, too. What I think the most important now is to go into the tournament with our current good mood. In order to do that, veterans like myself need to lead young players and also create an environment where those young players can play freely to their potential without worrying about little things.

AKAGUMA Takuya (Dorsole Kitakyushu)
We have the qualifiers coming up soon, so we paid close attention to details in our plays in the scrimmage this afternoon. We don’t have much time left until the qualifiers, so we stay focused and take every single practice seriously not to waste it. It is my first AFC Championship, and I usually don’t have many opportunities to play against international players. So I am nervous but at the same time I feel excited, too. I will try to show what I can do as much as possible, try to score many goals and do my best to help my team win.

Schedule