The Japan national under-21 squad, who have clinched a berth in the round of 16, held a training session in Ansan on 23rd September.
On the 22nd, one day after their Nepal game, because it had been two weeks since the team was assembled on the 8th and there was no single day off during the period, all the members, no matter how long they had played, went through menus that focused on recoveries. They lightly moved their bodies in relaxed manners, playing foot tennis among others.

And for the training one day after, they came in with fresh mind and spent about an hour and a half, doing a pattern practice, in which they built up from the defensive line to finishing it, and shooting with cross balls. YAMANAKA Ryosuke, who got a bruise and was substituted in the Nepal game, went through different menus, yet NISHINO Takaharu returned to the main squad for the first time in five days.

The round of 16 match between the Japan under-21 team and Palestine under23 will be aired on the NHK BS1 between 4:50 p.m. and 6:55 p.m. live on the 25th.

Meanwhile, four days into the Asian Games, Japan has earned medals after medals from other events, such as swimming and judo. The names that won the medals and their sports are listed on the wall at the building for Japan in the athlete village. Hopefully, football will be added on the list. 

Comments

MUROYA Sei(Meiji University)
(On the Palestine match) Because I am a defender, it is important to hold the opponents to zero and win it.
(On his own play) I want to be a starting point in the side while I boldly take a higher position, and create scoring chances with my dribbling and cross balls.
(On the defensive mistakes in the Iraq game) I have been frustrated in this tournament, so I want to be sticking with my defence and focus on not letting the opponents play freely in the next match.

NAKAJIMA Shoya (FC Tokyo)
(On the Palestine game) I have yet to watch the video, so I don’t really know. But I have heard that the opponents come to the ball aggressively when they are on defence, so I believe that it actually makes us put up our own Japanese way of football.
(On whether the mood on the team has shifted since their loss to Iraq) I think it’s changing. (Our head coach) told us to keep winning, certainly the next one, so we’d be able to face Iraq again in the championship game, and we the players are on the same page.
(On that they have a chance to play against South Korea with a win in the round of 16) We are focusing on winning the next one, so we can’t think about it yet.

YAJIMA Shinya (Urawa Reds)
Our entire team is headed to our ultimate goal, which is to win it all in this tournament, and we are in a very good mood right now.
(On whether the mood on the team has shifted since their loss to Iraq) We fell to the opponents whom we’d lost so many times again, so we feel like we can’t afford to lose until we will face them again, and in fact we have to advance to the final to face Iraq, so I have an impression that it has pulled ourselves together.

Men’s football TV schedule

Round of 16 vs. Palestine under-23, NHK BS1 (live), 4:50 p.m. to 6:55 p.m., 25th September (Thursday)
*Please understand that the program is subject to change depending on other events.

U-21 Japan National Team Match Schedule

17th Asian Games （2014/Incheon）Groups