We awoke to the morning of the second day of our tour. It was cloudy and a bit chilly in the morning, but the weather cleared up by the time the friendly matches started, making for perfect soccer weather.
We met up with the players from each homestay at the match venue.
Thanks to the homestay arrangements, interactions with the local players began immediately, and we observed their resilient spirit.
The match venue featured an artificial turf pitch, which was slightly larger than those in Japan.
This year, official matches in Korea have also transitioned to an 8-a-side format, with a match duration of 50 minutes (25 minutes x 2).
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After a pre-match meeting, we thoroughly prepared for the friendly matches and went into the games.
We played against Jeonbuk Hyundai U-12 (one age category up) and U-11 (same category).
Jeonbuk Hyundai's style of play involved quick vertical passes and breaking through with speedy players on the wings. We particularly struggled against the U-12 team due to the physical difference. The match against the same age category also saw both teams display their strengths in a good game, but we lost both matches.
Kashima Antlers Junior U-11 0-6 (0-1/0-5) Jeonbuk Hyundai Junior U-12
Kashima Antlers Junior U-11 2-3 (1-2/1-1) Jeonbuk Hyundai Junior U-11
Goal scorers: Haru Tatenaka, Taisei Takayama
Coach Sakamoto's Comment"This was our first match since arriving in Korea. We played against the U12 team, which was one year older, so there was a significant difference in physique, and they had many physically strong players. Many of our players confronted them head-on even after understanding their characteristics, but winning individual duels was rare. There was a lot of progress, such as the entire team sharing a battle strategy and breaking through with intentional plays. I want to build on this for tomorrow's growth."
Coach Murai's Comment"This was the first external match for the three schools combined. I sent them off with the message to feel and learn various things through the match and to solve the problems that arise by themselves. I will patiently continue to convey what I told them in the pre-match meeting. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's matches."
In the afternoon, we watched the opening match of the K-League.
Tomorrow, we plan to have three friendly matches at the same venue.
