AFF NutiFood U19 Cup 2014　vs. U-19 Australia National Team
Sunday 7 September 2014  16:30 Kick Off 90miutes(45minutes halves)
My Dinh Stadium(Vietnam/hanoi)

U-19 Australia National Team　3-4(1st 1-2、2nd 2-2)　U-19 Japan National Team

Scores
14min Goal Against（U-19 Australia National Team）
44min OCHI Yamato（U-19 Japan National Team）
45+1min OKUGAWA Masaya（U-19 Japan National Team）
51min Goal Against（FK）（U-19 Australia National Team）
58min OKUGAWA Masaya（U-19 Japan National Team）
90min Goal Against（PK）（U-19 Australia National Team）
90+3min TAKAGI Daisuke（U-19 Japan National Team）

Starters
GK：YOSHIMARU Kenshin
DF：TAKAGI Daisuke、UCHIYAMA Yuki、MIURA Genta、SAKAI Daisuke
MF：OGAWA Naoki、OYAMA Keisuke、ANDO Akira、OKUGAWA Masaya
FW：OCHI Yamato、KANEKO Shota

Substitutes
GK：NAKAMURA Kosuke
DF：FUJITANI So、SHINDO Ryosuke、MOTEGI Rikiya
MF：SUGIMOTO Taro、IDEGUCHI Yosuke、NAKANO Masaomi
FW：OMOTEHARA Genta、KITAGAWA Kohya

HT OGAWA Naoki → SUGIMOTO Taro
75min OYAMA Keisuke → IDEGUCHI Yosuke

Match Report

The first match for the U-19 Japan National Team was against the Australia national team.
Although Japan kept possession at the beginning, they could neither pass around effectively nor find opportunities to shoot. In the 14th minute, Australia intercepted the ball on the left wing, passing it to the right side, and crossed to the centre of the goal area. Then they struck a splendid long-distance opener. Japan tried to attack, passing the ball, but they could not find a goal-scoring opportunity. After 30 minutes, finally Japan started to adjust their rhythm. Then in the 44th minute, Oyama stole the ball, dribbled up through the left wing, and passed it to Ochi, who ran into the goal area. Ochi put the ball past the goalkeeper and fired in a shot, leveling the game. In the last minute of the first half, Okugawa took the ball from an opponent clearance, dribbled up and struck a long-distance right-foot finish, which turned the game around. The match went into the second half at 2-1 with a one-goal lead for Japan.

In the second half, although Japan kept the lead, Australia earned a free kick due to a careless foul by Japan on the left wing and headed in a shot, once again leveling the match. Yet after 58 minutes, Kaneko, who received the ball in the centre, drew the opponent and then passed it to Okugawa in the right wing, who dribbled up beautifully and struck a goal, regaining the one-goal lead. This game was also the last chance for Australia to get through the group stage. In the last minute of the game, Australia earned a penalty kick by forcing a foul from a Japan’s defender off a corner kick. Australia scored from a penalty kick and the game was leveled again.

However, Japan never gave up. In the second-half injury time, after 93 minutes, Ideguchi, who came off the bench, struck a shot from a free kick in front of the opponent’s goal. Although the goalkeeper punched it away, Takagi jumped in the way and took a shot. The match ended at 4-3. There are still issues to be fixed, but Japan won the game and got through to the semifinals, leaving just one match against Vietnam. 

Comments

TAKAGI Daisuke（Tokyo Verdy）
Winning the game is all that matters. Although we conceded goals, it means something to us that we won the scoring competition in the end. As there are many issues to be fixed, I’d like to adjust them in the remaining three matches before the coming 2014 AFC U-19 Championship in October. Personally, I was pleased that I scored for the national team, as it has been a while since I last did. Apart from that, I noticed there were careless mistakes, and I’d like to play better both as an individual and as a team.

SAKAI Daisuke（Oita Trinita U-18）
I’m glad we won our first match of this championship. It was a good step for our future that we attacked and defended as a team. My personal issue is to improve the quality of my passing and movement. I’ll get myself fully ready for the second game.

OCHI Yamato（Sanno Institure of Management University）
I couldn’t play as I wished at the beginning of the game, probably because it was our first game. I improved, as the game went on, though. I’m really glad that we won the match in the end. There is some stuff to be improved. I’d like to win the championship and build up positive momentum for the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship.

Schedule