Before the opening ceremony began, we held a short meeting where Coach Ogasawara explained the strategy for this tournament to the players.
The opening ceremony concluded in about 15 minutes, and we warmed up for the match starting at 9 AM.
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First Half: 0-1
Second Half: 1-0
Total: 1-1
Penalty Shootout: 2-4
Starting Lineup
GK: Kurosawa DF: Matsumoto, Kato, Okawa, Masuda MF: Taira, Inaba, Morioka, Miyamoto FW: Urushibara, Miura
Our opponent was Ulsan Hyundai FC from Korea, a team characterized by tall and fast players upfront.
Antlers started strong and created several chances, but in the 8th minute of the first half, poor coordination between the defense line and the goalkeeper led to an opponent's counter-attack, allowing them to score.
After that, despite struggling with the wide pitch of an 11-a-side match, both teams engaged in a back-and-forth battle.
However, in the 11th minute of the second half, the introduction of Ando as a substitute increased attacks from the flanks, and the momentum shifted decisively to Antlers.
Then, in the 16th minute of the second half, with the opponent pushed back, the ball was moved to the right wing. Taira, who received the ball unmarked, scored a magnificent goal into the far side with his left foot, equalizing the score.
Despite continued intense attacks, the whistle blew, and the match ended in a draw, leading to a penalty shootout.
In the penalty shootout, the opponent's goalkeeper made two crucial saves, leading to a 2-4 defeat.
In the case of a penalty shootout, the winning team receives 2 points, and the losing team receives 1 point.
【Player Comment: Shuntaro Kato】
"In the first half, we had the momentum initially and created several scoring chances, but couldn't convert them. Then, we conceded a goal due to our own mistake. However, as a team, we didn't give up and pushed towards the goal, resulting in an equalizer. We lost in the penalty shootout, but we'll switch our focus for the next game."
【Player Comment: Ryuito Taira】
"We started the match with good energy and communication. I was frustrated to concede a goal in the first half, but I thought there was still time and we shouldn't give up. In the second half, I got a shooting chance in front of the goal, and I managed to score. After that, it went to penalties, and I was the first kicker. I was very nervous and missed. I want to learn from this experience and train so I don't miss next time."
After the match, we had lunch and rested in preparation for the afternoon match starting at 4:30 PM.
The opponent for the second match on the first day of the tournament was Shanghai Greenland Shenhua Football Club (China), a team that applied high pressure from the front.
【Tournament Day 1 League Match 2 (Afternoon) VS Shanghai Greenland Shenhua Football Club (China)】
First Half: 0-0
Second Half: 2-0
Total: 2-0
Starting Lineup
GK: Kurosawa DF: Matsumoto, Goto, Okawa, Masuda MF: Tange, Ando, Morioka, Kaihara FW: Urushibara, Takagi
Antlers tried to build up play from the start and move the ball forward without rushing, but due to the artificial turf, the ball didn't move very fast, and the opponent's press was also quick, leading to many instances of losing the ball in deeper areas.
As we got used to the opponent's quick pressing around the midfield, we started to break through their press cleanly and create more shooting opportunities, but couldn't find the back of the net.
In the second half, as time progressed, the opponent's players started to show signs of fatigue, and we had more opportunities to carry the ball forward.
In particular, Miura, who came on as a substitute in the 11th minute of the second half, received the ball between the opponent's defenders and midfielders and created many chances.
As Antlers players pressed the tired opponent, the opponent's goalkeeper made a mistake, passing the ball to our forward Takagi. Takagi calmly slotted in a looping shot to score the opening goal.
After that, with the help of substitute players, Kaihara completely got behind the opponent in the 25th minute of the second half, and calmly scored in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, making it 2-0. The match ended there, giving us our first victory of the tournament.
【Player Comment: Yugo Okawa】
"I learned a lot throughout the second match. The opponent's players were very physical and had excellent positioning. Also, there were many fast players and skilled dribblers. Since I lack physicality, I want to focus on eating more and thinking about how I can win 1-on-1 situations. Finally, we came to this tournament to win, so we will go home as champions."
【Player Comment: Teruto Takagi】
"I felt a lot during today's league match. The Chinese players were all very physical and many were quite tall. Despite that, we worked hard and managed to score. I believe this goal was a result of everyone's hard work. I want to continue contributing to the team without giving up."
Tomorrow, we will play against the host team, Zhongnan Ketiyuan Football Club (China), at 8:30 AM, and against the Korea Youth Football Federation (Korea) at 4 PM.