The 27th Valentin Granatkin Memorial International Football Tournament   2nd Round 1st Match
Wed.7 January 2015    Kickoff 14:15    Playing Time 90minutes(45minutes halves)
Peterburgsky SCC (Saint Petersburg/Russia)

U-18 Slovakia National Team   0-2(1st 0-2, 2nd0-0)   U-18 Japan National Team

Scores
19min   MIYOSHI Koji (Japan)
34min   OGAWA Koki (Japan)

Starters
GK：  KOJIMA Ryosuke
DF：  FUJITANI So、SYOUJI Honoya、NAKAYAMA Yuta、URATA Itsuki
MF：  MIYOSHI Koji、SAKAI Daisuke、SASAKI Takumi、NAGANUMA Yoichi
FW：  SUGIMORI Koki、OGAWA Koki

Substitutes
GK：  ABE Koto
DF：  ITAKURA Kou、NODA Hiroki
MF：  KUBOTA Kazune、MORISHIMA Tsukasa
FW： KISHIMOTO Takeru、KOBAYASHI Hayate

67min   MIYOSHI Koji → KUBOTA Kazune
71min   OGAWA Koki → KISHIMOTO Takeru
74min   SUGIMORI Koki → KOBAYASHI Hayate
87min   NAGANUMA Yoichi → MORISHIMA Tsukasa

Best Player Award:  NAKAYAMA Yuta
Yellow Card/Red Card: none

Match Report

The U-18 Japan National Team had their first match of the second league against the Slovakia national U-18 football team. Japan started their attack from the beginning of the game. After 19 minutes, Sugimori initiated an attack, getting through the opponent’s defenders with one touch on the left wing, and Miyoshi, who reacted to a cross from Urata in front of the goal, struck the opener. Although Slovakia counter-attacked from a Japanese mistake, putting Japan under pressure, Japan defended to the fullest. Then in the 34th minute, after Urata passed a cross from the left once again, Ogawa whacked a header off a pass from Sugimori, who deflected the ball into the right-hand corner of the goal.

The first half ended 2-0 to Japan. Japan stayed ambitious for additional goals, keeping their rhythm to control the ball. The players initiated the attack from both sides, and passed through balls and crosses into the area in front of the goal. Though Japan finished with shots numerous times, they could not find the back of the net. Japan’s defenders were once again under pressure when Slovakia earned a free kick. However, as Japan used fewer unnecessary passes and could keep the possession well, Slovakia could not get any more crucial opportunities. Despite the fact that Japan earned a few free kicks in the goal area, they all shot wide. The score stayed at 2-0 and Japan won the match.

Players Comments

URATA Itsuki (JEF United Ichihara Chiba U-18)
It was brilliant that we got a good start today, striking the opener and adding one more goal. There are some issues around how we continued the game after that, but I’d like to fix them in the coming games. Although it’s physically tough to play consecutive matches today and tomorrow, I’d like to stay strong to play our style in order to get good results and improve us even more.

NAGANUMA Yoichi (Sanfrecce Hiroshima F.C. Youth)
It was the third game of this championship. In this game, compared to the first and the second match, we improved ourselves and did what we wanted to do as a team or what we had to do, after discussing this in the meeting. As we still have two more matches to play, I’d like to enjoy those to play well and get a good result.

SYOUJI Honoya (Cerezo Osaka U-18)
I’m very pleased we won our first game in the second leagues. Personally I still made many mistakes, which I’d like to fix. I’d like to get ready fully for the match tomorrow to get another good result.

Schedule

*The schedule may be subject to change according to the team condition, the weather, etc. without notice.

The 27th Valentin Granatkin Memorial International Football Tournament Group Rosters

   Group A: Russia, Lithuania, Moldova
   Group B: Belarus, Estonia, Latvia
   Group C: Bulgaria, Slovenia, Kazakhstan
   Group D: Slovakia, Saint Petersburg, Greece
   Group E: Moscow, Korea Republic, Finland
   Group F: Japan, U-17 Russia National Team, Azerbaijan