The AFC Beach Soccer Championship Qatar 2015
Kick-off: 20:00 on Thursday 26 March 2015
Playing time: 12 min x 3 periods
Venue: Katara Beach (Doha, Qatar)

Japan Beach Soccer National Team  5-2 (1st 0-1, 2nd 2-0, 3rd 3-1) Bahrain Beach Soccer National Team

Scores
2'    Goal against (Bahrain)
13'  OBA Takaaki
23'  MOREIRA Ozu
29'  ODA Hirofumi
30'  MAKINO Shinji
33'  Goal against (Bahrain)
35'  Own goal (Bahrain)

Line-ups
GK: TERUKINA Shingo
FP: ODA Hirofumi, MOREIRA Ozu, AKAGUMA Takuya, OBA Takaaki

Substitutes
GK: SUGITA Tetsuji
FP: TABATA Teruki, MAKINO Shinji, GOTO Takasuke, YAMAUCHI Shusei

Non-registered members
FP: MATSUO Naoya, HARAGUCHI Shotaro

Match Report

The first match of the knockout stage at the AFC Beach Soccer Championship Qatar 2015 was against the Bahrain National Beach Soccer Team, who were sitting in second place in Group A. The Japan Beach Soccer National Team had to win this match to earn a place in the World Cup.

Although all three games in the group stage kicked off at 17:30, the players had to start at 20:00 today, which was a little tricky for them to adjust their rhythm.

Japan struggled to play their style from the first period against the opponent, who were physically bigger. After two minutes, Bahrain struck the opener. Although Japan created several goal-scoring opportunities, they could not finish with shots. The first period ended 1-0 to Bahrain.

Japan were eager to level the game. After just one minute in the second period, OBA Takaaki, who ran towards a superb pass from YAMAUCHI Shusei, scored his first goal in this championship. After this equaliser, Japan gradually started to pick up their pace. In the last minute of the second period, MOREIRA Ozu, reacting to a throw from the opponent’s goalkeeper, directly fired a volley, turning the game around.

Japan, who wanted to add some insurance, stretched their lead in one breath in the last period.

In the fifth minute of the last period, ODA Hirofumi headed home a throw from TERUKINA Shingo, which was the third goal for Japan. Then just one minute after that, MAKINO Shinji directly scored a goal from a free kick. Although Japan conceded a goal from a careless mistake, they could add one more goal after the opponent’s own goal. Japan won the match 5-2.

The Beach Soccer Japan National Team will play for a place in the World Cup against the Iran national team, who beat United Arab Emirates in the quarterfinal, at 20:00 on 27 March.

The AFC Beach Soccer Championship Qatar 2015 Semi-Final

Fri. 27 March    Kickoff: 20:00 (2:00 a.m. JST)
Japan Beach Soccer National Team vs Iran Beach Soccer National Team
Live streaminghttp://www.beachsoccer.com/schedule

Players’ Comments

OBA Takaaki (Dorsole Kitakyushu)
Today’s match was tough, after we conceded a goal at the start. Having said that, none of us lost our concentration and we stayed calm, which led us to a good result. Personally, I was pleased that I scored the equaliser and pulled the trigger for our attack. However, we could have scored more with our opportunities. So I’d like to improve that and contribute to my team’s victory tomorrow.

YAMAUCHI Shusei (G.C.Nerine)
It was a big match under pressure. Although we conceded a goal first, all of us trusted each other and could turn the game around. Regardless of the opponent, I believe we can earn a place in the World Cup, if we play as a united team in tomorrow’s game. Personally, I had to stay on the bench through all three matches of the group stage because of my injury. I played my best in today’s game, as I wanted to make it up to my teammates.

Schedule