From Tuesday, August 25 to Saturday, September 5, the Junior Youth 3rd-year students went on an expedition to Brazil.
The Junior Youth expedition to Brazil has been supported by Mercari, Inc. since last year.
During the expedition, they participated in the "26th Japan-Brazil Friendship Cup," the largest U-15 tournament in Brazil hosted by Club Advisor Zico. In addition to playing against top Brazilian clubs, the players engaged in cross-cultural exchange through soccer.
The tournament also featured the U-15 J.League Selection team and Fagiano Okayama U-15 Masada.
(Rua Koga (2nd year) from Kashima Antlers Junior Youth participated as part of the U-15 J.League Selection team.)
Tuesday, August 25 – Wednesday, August 26
After approximately 26 hours of travel from Japan, the team arrived in Brazil.
With no one suffering from illness, the team entered Brazil safely and met with the coordinator who is supporting this expedition at the airport.
The players will face this Brazilian expedition while gaining unique overseas experience, such as adjusting to the time difference and local food.
Thursday, August 27
On the morning of the first day in Brazil, we held a practice match against Flamengo.
◆ Training Match vs. Flamengo U-15
Total: 1-4
Scorer: Inose (Tsukuba)
The team started the match well, actively applying pressure from the front and creating scoring chances. However, after conceding a goal from an attack that exploited a gap, we allowed several more goals in quick succession, with further goals conceded toward the end of the match.
Just before the final whistle, Inose (Tsukuba) broke through the flank and was fouled in the penalty area, earning a penalty kick.
He converted it himself by shooting into the center, marking the end of the match as we pulled one goal back.
We were also given the opportunity to tour the Flamengo facilities where we used the pitch.
The facility is equipped with 11 soccer fields, and the academy's U-16 teams through the top team all use the same facility.
It was a chance for us to experience a world-class training environment firsthand.
Friday, August 28
We held a training session in preparation for the tournament starting the next day.
The practice focused on addressing the challenges identified in the previous day's practice match.
The goalkeepers trained jointly with the players from Fagiano Okayama, who are also participating in the Japan-Brazil Friendship Cup.
At the Zico Center, we participated in the opening ceremony for the Japan-Brazil Friendship Cup.
All players and staff received their tournament participation credentials directly from Club Advisor Zico.
Being able to receive the accreditation directly from Zico was a very precious moment for the players. It was also an opportunity to once again boost their motivation for the tournament starting tomorrow.
In the afternoon, we also had time to take a walk on the beach.
Players were seen playing with local children and others started juggling with local adults. Even without a common language, they proactively tried to communicate, making it a time to once again feel the importance of communication skills.
Saturday, August 29 – Monday, August 31: Japan-Brazil Friendship Cup Qualifying League
The qualifying league for the Japan-Brazil Friendship Cup began. We compete in a four-team round-robin to aim for the knockout stage.
Kashima Antlers Junior Youth is in Group C of the qualifying league.
[26th Japan-Brazil Friendship Cup: Qualifying League Groups]
(Group A) CR Flamengo, U-15 J.League Selection, Gremio FBPA, EC Vitoria
(Group B) Fluminense FC, Fagiano Okayama U-15 Masada, Santos FC, Botafogo FR
(Group C) CR Vasco da Gama, Kashima Antlers Junior Youth, Atletico Mineiro, Bangu AC
◆ Saturday, 8/29 vs. Atletico Mineiro (35-minute halves) Match Result
1st half 0-2
2nd half 1-2 Hashizume (Kashima)
Total 1-4
By continuously looking to get in behind the defense, we created several chances, but we struggled to score and conceded goals in succession.
One minute into the second half, Hashizume, who was substituted at halftime, successfully connected with a loose ball in a scramble following a set piece to close the gap to one goal.
However, we conceded a goal from a header off a cross after the opponent penetrated into the pocket, and then conceded another late in the game, ending the match.
◆ Sunday, 8/30 vs. Vasco da Gama (35-minute halves) Match Result
1st half 1-3 Ito (Tsukuba)
2nd half 1-5 Isobe (Kashima)
Total 2-8
Immediately after the start, we created individual chances but could not convert them, and after the opponent spread the play to the right side and scored with a header, we lost the opening goal. Although we stopped a 1-on-1 with the GK once, we conceded a second goal when they pushed in the rebound.
After that, we conceded three goals by the 12th minute due to crosses from the right side being met with headers.
However, in the 26th minute, Isobe (Kashima) turned in the center and passed to Ito (Tsukuba), who had slipped in behind the defense. Ito cut inside and fired a left-footed shot to pull one goal back before halftime.
Right after the start of the second half, Sato (Tsukuba) one-touched a misplaced kick by the opposing GK to Isobe (Kashima), who controlled the ball and scored a mid-range shot to close the gap to one goal.
However, after conceding another goal from a header following a cross from deep on the right flank, the lead was extended, and after allowing consecutive goals, the match ended with a final score of 2-8.
◆ Monday, 8/31 vs. Bangu AC (35-minute halves) Match Result
1st half 2-0 Fukukawa x2
2nd half 6-0 Fukukawa, Remu, Haruki, Shimizu, Hata, Oka
Total 8-0
Given our two previous losses, we knew that to advance to the knockout stage, it was important to not only win but also score multiple goals. From the first half, we applied pressure actively from the front and continued to push forward while depriving the opponent of their freedom.
In the 9th minute, Fukukawa (Tsukuba) scored the opening goal from a scramble in the center with a shot through the opponent's legs. Then, in the 12th minute, Fukukawa broke through individually to add another, ending the first half at 2-0.
In the second half, although we continued to push, we struggled for a time to convert our scoring chances. Amid this, in the 12th minute of the second half, Fukukawa passed to Ito (Tsukuba), who had broken in behind, and Ito calmly slotted the 1-on-1 into the side netting for another goal. In the 14th minute, side back Shimizu (Kashima) joined the attack during a scramble and pushed in a loose ball. Following this, Isobe and Hata from Kashima, Isobe from Norte, and Oka from Tsukuba each scored, bringing our total to 8 goals by the final whistle.
As a result, we were able to advance to the knockout stage on goal difference.
The desire of all the players to "advance to the knockout stage" led to their stance of continuing to look for goals until the very end, and as a result, we successfully secured our place in the knockout stage.
Tuesday, 9/1: Japan-Brazil Friendship Cup Knockout Stage
◆ Quarterfinals vs. Atletico Mineiro (35-minute halves) Match Result
1st half 0-1
2nd half 0-3
Total 0-4
From the start of the match, what we had confirmed in the pre-match meeting worked well, and we were able to play with an advantage in both attack and defense. However, an opposing player received a ball from a throw-in on the left flank, dodged two of our players with individual skill, and scored the opening goal. In terms of the game content, we created favorable situations but ended the first half without being able to score.
In the second half, the opponent changed their formation, and the match situation gradually shifted. In the 13th minute, a ball was dropped into the space in the center from a high position on the left flank, and the opposing player slipped through to score, extending their lead. In the 28th minute, while we were moving the ball, the opponent intercepted a control error by us and scored.
Furthermore, in the 31st minute, an opposing player received a ball spread from the right flank near the penalty area on the left. After carrying the ball vertically, they scored a diagonal mid-range shot, and the match ended 0-4.
It was a match that questioned whether we could sustain what we were doing at the start of the game until the end, and how well we could respond when the opponent's attacking method changed.
With this, we have been eliminated from the Japan-Brazil Friendship Cup.
In between tournament games, we watched authentic Brazilian soccer at the Maracanã Stadium.
We watched the Campeonato Brasileiro Round 22 match between Flamengo and Botafogo held on Saturday, August 30. It was an opportunity to watch the game in a traditional Brazilian stadium along with the local passionate supporters.
After the tournament concluded, we went to the famous Corcovado Mountain in Rio de Janeiro, where we were able to see the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue up close.
From Corcovado, we could see the Maracanã Stadium we had visited earlier; it was a precious experience that allowed us to get in touch with the local townscape and culture.
After the full schedule of the Japan-Brazil Friendship Cup we participated in was completed, a closing ceremony was held. Club Advisor Zico also attended the ceremony and gave words of encouragement to the Antlers players.
Having finished all their duties in Brazil, the players traveled by bus to Rio de Janeiro International Airport, expressed their gratitude to the people who helped them locally, and began their journey home to Japan.
