It's our 6th day in Spain. This morning, we rested at the hotel. A player recuperating from an injury went for a run to the beach, which is a 5-minute walk away.
In the afternoon, from 4 PM, we played a match against the U18 team on the newly-built artificial turf pitch at the municipal facility where Sabadell trains.
Friendly match vs Sabadell U18 3-0 Shinozaki 2, Imura
Starting players
Aoto Ishikawa; Reito Naito Watanabe; Yuta Nakamura; Koyo Matsuura; Kotaro Arakawa; Kanta Asuma; Ryosuke Imura; Takumi Nishimoto; Shinya Idetsu; Daisuke Otsuka; Terukazu Shinozaki
Substitute players
Mizuki Yamamoto; Mizaki Kawashima; Ryuki Fujieda; Hayato Ishizu; Yuya Oki
Due to traffic, we arrived at the match venue later than scheduled. After a brief meeting, we immediately warmed up. The players entered the match determined to keep a clean sheet and took control from the outset. We dominated the game, creating chances not only from corner kicks and free kicks but also from passing plays and shots. In the 22nd minute, Shinozaki scored the opener from Idetsu's ball off a corner kick. In the 35th minute, Matsuura looped around Idetsu's free kick and crossed it, and Shinozaki once again scored, making it 2-0. The first half ended without the opponent getting a single shot. In the second half, despite multiple good attacking opportunities, we couldn't convert them into shots. Also, many shots were taken from awkward positions, preventing us from scoring additional goals. Nevertheless, in the 43rd minute of the second half, Imura scored from Kawashima's ball off a corner kick, making it 3-0. The match ended with our first victory on the Spain tour.
Comment from Coach Kumagai"It was good that we ended with a clean sheet and scored from set pieces. Offensively, we've been creating several intentional plays in the past few matches. An overseas expedition is a great opportunity to realize our standing, adaptability, and responsiveness. I believe the players have thoroughly experienced this over these six matches. It was a meaningful six matches where we clearly understood our challenges and areas of growth as a team. We will continue to train diligently so as not to waste this experience even after returning to Japan."
