Coaches from both teams posing for a commemorative photo after the official practice the day before the match.
The first leg on October 28th ended in a 1-1 draw. Antlers Youth would advance to the final if they won the second leg at home or if they drew 0-0.
The match day was blessed with clear autumn weather, and the kick-off took place under a cloudless blue sky.
Antlers Youth starting lineup
Starting Members:
Aito Ishikawa, Takumi Toda, Koyo Matsuura, Hiroki Machida, Yuto Osato, Kenta Chiba, Taiki Hirato, Takunobu Nishimoto, Tatsuya Tanaka, Juriya Yoshioka, Yuki Kakita
Substitutions:
Tatsuya Tanaka → Yuki Shikama, Juriya Yoshioka → Renato Watanabe
Bench Members:
Yuya Oki, Jun Nakano, Ryota Takeda, Kenta Miyamoto, Shingo Nakada
In the 23rd minute of the first half, Antlers Youth broke down the opponent's defense with synchronized passes, and Osato scored the opening goal. They continued their offensive push, maintaining control, and ended the first half with a one-goal lead.
In the 53rd minute, at the start of the second half, an attack from the right side led to an own goal by the opponent, extending their lead to two goals.
Osato, who scored the opening goal
Antlers Youth continued to create many chances. In the 65th minute, Yoshioka found the back of the net, increasing the lead to three goals. The defense remained focused until the end, and the match concluded with Antlers Youth winning 3-0, securing their place in the final.
Comment from Coach Koji Kumagai:
"I am very satisfied that we were able to play the kind of football we demanded in terms of mentality for the entire 90 minutes. Given that there was an away goal rule, I wanted to avoid falling behind. Recognizing the importance of the opening goal, that first goal was extremely significant."
Players bowing to the stands
In the other semi-final match, the sibling rivalry between Frenz A (Malaysia) and Frenz B, Frenz A won decisively with a 3-0 victory. As a result, Frenz A will be Antlers Youth's opponent in the final. The first leg of the final for Antlers Youth will be held on November 11th at Kashima Stadium.