AFC U-16 Championship 2016 Qualifiers
2015-9-20 (Sun.) - 17:00  Playing Time: 90min. (45min.×2)
Football Centre MFF (Mongolia /Ulan Bator)

U-15 Japan National Team   7-0 (2-0, 5-0)   U-15 Hong Kong National Team

Scores
15'   NAKAMURA Keito (U-15 Japan National Team)
34'   SUGAWARA Yukinari (U-15 Japan National Team)
71'   TANAHASHI Akito (U-15 Japan National Team)
75'   SEKO Ayumu (U-15 Japan National Team)
79'   YAMADA Hiroto (U-15 Japan National Team)
84'   HIRAKAWA Rei (U-15 Japan National Team)
90＋1'   TANAHASHI Akito (U-15 Japan National Team)

Line-ups
GK: TANI Kosei
DF: KOBAYASHI Yuki, KIKUCHI Kenta, SEKO Ayumu, SUGAWARA Yukinari
MF: HIRAKAWA Rei, FUKUOKA Shimpei, NAKAMURA Keito, KUBO Takefusa, SUZUKI Toichi
FW: MIYASHIRO Taisei

Substitutes
GK: AOKI Kokoro, TAKADA Yuma
DF: IWAI Ryuji, KEMMOTSU Takumu, NOZUE Satoru, SAKUTA Ryutaro
MF: KIDA Hinata, HIGASHI Shunki, KATSURA Rikuto
FW: YAMADA Hiroto, MIKUNI Kenedeiebusu, TANAHASHI Akito

58'   NAKAMURA Keito → TANAHASHI Akito
73'   MIYASHIRO Taisei → YAMADA Hiroto
76'   KUBO Takefusa → MIKUNI Kenedeiebusu

Match Report

U-15 Japan National Team, nicknamed 00Japan, made an AFC U-16 Championship India 2016 berth on 18 September as the Japanese side beat Hong Kong 7-0 in their second match of the Asian championship qualifiers.

Japan went on an offensive surge from the start just as their opening match but struggled to score against Hong Kong who stayed back in their end to defend. After a scoreless deadlock, Japan capitalised on a chance that came in a blink of an eye.

Japan launched a quick counterattack after clearing an opposing goal kick in the 15th minute. After midfielder KUBO Takefusa sent a through ball to midfielder FUKUOKA Shimpei, forward NAKAMURA Keito volleyed home Fukuoka's cross ball to open the scoring. 

Although Japan continued to attack with collective passing moves and attacks behind the defensive line, shots from Fukuoka on 26 minutes and SUZUKI Toichi on 32 minutes hit off the post. In the 34th minute, defender SUGAWARA Yukinari, who was repeatedly showing aggressive overlapping, ran up through between opposing defenders before beating the goalkeeper on a 1-on-1 situation to net his team's second goal with a clam finish. The score remained the same until the break.

In the second half, Japan sent on offensive players to enhance their attacks. In the 71st minute, when a cross was put in, substitute midfielder TANAHASHI Akito right-footed a loose ball in a scramble for Japan's third goal. Then, as the opponents seemed to run out of steam, Japan scored goals one after another.

In the 75th minute, defender SEKO Ayumu met Suzuki's low free kick for the fourth goal. In the 79th minute, substitute striker YAMADA Hiroto found the back of the net after receiving midfielder HIRAKAWA Rei's through ball to make it 5-0. Hirakawa also scored his team's sixth goal on Sugawara's cross in the 84th minute.

In stoppage time, Tanahashi slammed one more goal for 7-0. Japan kept concentration both on offence and defence until the end as they took the top spot with two straight wins, which gave them a ticket to the AFC U-16 Championship to be held in September next year in India.

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

Players' Comments

MF #7   SUGAWARA Yukinari (Nagoya Grampus U15)
I'm happy we qualified for the AFC U-16 Championship India. We wanted the good result more than anything, and it was good we scored through many patterns as a team. I was appointed to the team captain for the past two matches. The mood was good all the time, and my teammates were all aggressive. It was a really great team.

For the finals next year, as an individual, I want to improve quality of each play and train the quick decision making skill and the appropriate timing to go on attacking. I would like to appreciate everyone who has supported us in various ways. We will keep up our work for the finals.

MF #10   FUKUOKA Shimpei (Kyoto Sanga F.C. U-15)
We scored only two goals in the first half. But I'm happy we didn't make haste and were able to shake the opponents in the second half to score more goals in the end. Talking about my performance, I was able to manage risks when attacking, send aggressive passes to up front and set up my teammates' goals. Those gave me confidence.

On the other hand, I wasn't able to score. I will try to improve my scoring touch after getting back to my team. This team are very lively and created good mood even from the warm-up time for the match. I will take advantage of this experience and make efforts day by day.

FW #14   TANAHASHI Akito (Yokohama F・Marinos Junior Youth)
I was trying to change the flow of the game when I started playing midway through the match. I'm happy to score two goals. Taking advantage of things the team learned in the first half, I was able to score by running through behind the defensive line, which is my strength.

We still don't have enough attacking options, so we need to have more ideas. We got through the qualifiers in our favour. We will keep up this mood and improve individual skills to get a ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

Schedule

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