Academy Report

This morning was chilly, requiring a coat, but by noon, the sky was clear and blue, and the temperature rose enough to make us sweat. Everyone gathered with smiles, accustomed to their homestay since the day before yesterday, with no major injuries or illnesses.


Today, we played three friendly matches. Since we lost both matches yesterday, the players approached today's games with full enthusiasm from the warm-up.In the first match, we played against Jeonbuk Hyundai U-11 (same category), whom we also played against yesterday. As it was our third match on the Korean tour, there was no tension, and the players bravely competed, understanding each other's strengths and playing styles.

Despite a tough first half, we managed the game well and achieved a brilliant comeback victory.

Kashima Antlers Junior U-11 4-3 (1-3/3-0) Jeonbuk Hyundai Junior U-11
Goal scorers: Yuma Yasutsuka, Rui Onuki, Minato Tanaka, Taisei TakayamaIn the second match, we played against Ota P&S U-11 (same category).
The victory in the first match seemed to inspire everyone, and many aggressive plays were observed.

The coaches instructed them to use the entire pitch and play calmly without rushing, and it was impressive to see the players trying to respond to these instructions by thinking on the field.

We also won this match, concluding the morning's friendly matches with two consecutive victories.

Kashima Antlers Junior U-11 6-1 (3-1/3-0) Ota P&S U-11
Goal scorers: Ippei Nakamura, Yuma Yasutsuka, Harunari Tanaka, Ryogetsu Miyoshi, Daigo Hirashima, Aoi MorikawaFor lunch, we all ate with the Jeonbuk Hyundai players at a restaurant about a 5-minute drive from the match venue. Everyone had a hearty appetite and ate well. It was a valuable time to share a meal and communicate.At 2:30 PM, we played our last match of the day against Kounan FC. Kounan FC's style was an aggressive team focusing on dribbling.

Similar to the morning, the results showed the effectiveness of using the entire pitch and playing thoughtfully.

We managed to defend against the opponent's speedy forwards as a group and played without being swayed by their style, winning this match as well.

Kashima Antlers Junior U-11 5-3 (3-2/2-1) Kounan FC U-12
Goal scorers: Daigo Hirashima, Rui Onuki x2, Harunari Tanaka, Takuto Sasajima Coach Sakamoto's comment:
"The defensive and offensive positioning improved significantly, and the starting positions were much better. I felt the players' growth as they clarified what they needed to do as a group. I believe winning all three matches gave the players confidence. Tomorrow will be our last match in Korea, so we want to strive for even higher quality."

Coach Murai's comment:
"A positive point is that both the team and individuals corrected what needed to be corrected since yesterday's match. Especially in terms of positioning, I felt that they gained a clearer understanding of when and where they should be standing. Also, there was more communication among teammates, and we saw many goals resulting from combinations. I think we ended the day on a good note, leading into tomorrow's final match."

Tomorrow, we have two friendly matches in the morning and a taekwondo experience, Korea's national sport, in the afternoon.