U-15 Japan National Team  vs.  U-18 SCG Muangthong United
2015-7-29 (Wed.) - 9:30 Playing  Time: 90min. (45min.×2)
SCG Stadium Training Field (Bangkok, Thailand)

U-15 Japan National Team  5-1 (3-1, 2-0) U-18 SCG Muangthong United

Scores
21'   FUNAKOSHI Hiromu (U-15 Japan National Team)
35'   Goal against (U-18 SCG Muangthong United)
41'   KUBO Takefusa (U-15 Japan National Team)
42'   FUNAKOSHI Hiromu (U-15 Japan National Team)
86'   MIYASHIRO Taisei (U-15 Japan National Team)
90+2'   SUGAWARA Yukinari (U-15 Japan National Team)

Line-ups
GK: TAKADA Yuma
DF: KATSURA Rikuto, ENDO Hikaru, INOUE Miki, IWAI Ryuji
MF: SUZUKI Toichi, MASUTANI Takara, HOMMA Shion, YACHIDA Teppei
FW: KUBO Takefusa, FUNAKOSHI Hiromu

Substitutes
GK: TANI Kosei, ISHII Ryo
DF: OKAMOTO Shosei, SEKO Ayumu, KEMMOTSU Takumu, KIKUCHI Kenta
MF: OISHI Naoya, SAKUTA Ryutaro, SUGAWARA Yukinari, KIDA Hinata
FW: NAKAMURA Keito, MIYASHIRO Taisei

HT  SUZUKI Toichi → SAKUTA Ryutaro
HT  INOUE Miki → OKAMOTO Shosei
61'   TAKADA Yuma → ISHII Ryo
66'   HOMMA Shion → NAKAMURA Keito
72'   KUBO Takefusa → KIDA Hinata
78'   MASUTANI Takara → SEKO Ayumu
83'   FUNAKOSHI Hiromu → MIYASHIRO Taisei
83'   YACHIDA Teppei → SUGAWARA Yukinari
83'   ENDO Hikaru → KEMMOTSU Takumu
83'   IWAI Ryuji → KIKUCHI Kenta

Match Report

U-15 Japan National Team, “00 JAPAN”, played against the U-18 SCG Muangthong United, who are one of the strongest teams of Thailand, for their 4th friendly on their Thailand trip. 

Japanese players were selected mainly from those who played in the second friendly match but they couldn’t make scoring chances due to the hot weather and tiredness. Muangthong United players couldn’t make good chances and the early part of the match went in stalemate.

Gradually Japan’s offense found its rhythm and on the 16th minute forward FUNAKOSHI Hiromu moved the ball from the right wing to forward KUBO Takefusa and he took shot but didn’t find the net, and then on the 20th minute Kubo made a shot directly from a free kick but it was blocked by the opponent’s goalkeeper. 

Japan got the opener on the 21st minute. Kubo made a skillful cross to Funakoshi who was waiting for the ball in space and he applied the finishing touch. Japan seemed to change the air but on the 35th minute, Muangthong United broke through Japan’s defense easily and found the net from a shot assisted by a cross. 

After the equaliser, Japan started moving the ball around better and the midfielders could pass the ball effectively to the front. On the 41st minute, midfielder YACHIDA Teppei, midfielder SUZUKI Toichi, and Funakoshi worked effectively to move the ball and at last Kubo calmly struck a shot from a 1-on-1 situation and that brought Japan their second goal.

On the 42nd minute, midfielder HOMMA Shion made a brilliant deep pass to Funakoshi and he successfully made a goal. 1st half ended with Japan leading 3-1. 

In the 2nd half, Japan’s defense kept a good level of concentration and did not allow the opponent to attack even in the very hot weather. On the other hand, Japan’s offense needed some time to make a rhythm in the beginning of the 2nd half but gradually they started to attack from the middle of the 2nd half when the opponents began to tire. On the 62nd minute, Homma made a shot and on the 64th minute, midfielder IWAI Ryuji struck a strong shot from free kick but both of them didn’t find the goal.

Japan constantly substituted players and kept attacking Muangthong United’s goal; on the 86th minute, the substituted forward MIYASHIRO Taisei stole the ball from a Muangthong United defender and pushed it to the goal. The Japan’s 4th goal decided the result of the match.

In additional time, another substituted player midfielder SUGAWARA Yukinari calmly fended off the defense in front of the goal and made the 5th goal. The match ended and the U-15 Japan National Team had a perfect wrap up of its training camp in Thailand with 4 consecutive victories. 

“00 JAPAN” will have another domestic training camp at the end of August. 

”00 JAPAN” is the nickname of the U-15 Japan National Team that consists of members who were born in 2000.

Players' Comments 

SUZUKI Toichi (Cerezo Osaka U-15)
In the beginning we couldn’t be ready for the match and we had to be pushed by the opponents. However, we could gradually get a rhythm and moved the ball around smoothly.  

Personally I could trap the opponents by my dribbling successfully but I made a lot of mistakes and I couldn’t make a good combination since my decision to see when to pass the ball wasn’t good. If I can’t make good decision at the right time, there will be more risk of getting injured and that also stops a good rhythm of offense, so I want to be able to make a quick decision and improve accuracy of shots and passes throughout my daily training. 

KATSURA Rikuto (Sanfrecce Hiroshima Junior Youth)
Today I played in the side back position, which is different from my usual position. In terms of defense I found some issues but in offense we could make some good plays such as overlapping using my speed and moving the ball to the front line.

The crossing we had toward the end of the match and accuracy of passes and shots are important issues so I will keep on training. I also want to strengthen my fitness; we have to be strong enough to keep running for 90 minutes otherwise we can’t beat the world. 

IWAI Ryuji (Yokohama F Marinos Junior Youth)
Today we couldn’t build up the beginning of the match since we made passing mistakes. However we could win since each of us gradually paid attention to pass speed and making good combinations and that improved our play. I still have some issues in defense such as how to get closer to the opponents and fitness so I will keep working hard.

Today I could make some scoring chances by my overlaps, so I will improve my strengths more. I have had good lessons from this camp so I will keep working hard to do what I have learned here. 

ISHII Ryo (Joshu Football Club Takasaki)
I could see what I have to do in this camp very well. I have to raise my voice lauder and tell my messages more clearly to the other teammates on the pitch; this is important to lead the team so I will pay more attention to this when I go back to my local team. I will keep training to be a strong and flexible player for any situation of the future matches of the AFC U-16 Championship. 

Schedule

Note: The schedule is subject to change due to the team condition, the weather, etc.