We've been enjoying truly pleasant mornings. Before our 7:40 AM walk, some players voluntarily went for a run.
The players learned from yesterday's regrettable loss, and their initiative is something we must continue to encourage.
After breakfast at 8:00 AM, we left the accommodation at 9:00 AM and headed to the tournament venue.
The first match of the ranking round was against FC Shinnik from Russia, whose top team plays in the second division of their domestic league.
Starting lineup
GK Kato
DF Yoshimatsu, Asahina, Yatsu
MF Ogane, Tonooka, Miura
FW Nakagawa
Substitutions at 15 min: Yoshimatsu→Shoji, Nakagawa→Yokota, Tonooka→Kagaya, Ogane→Akasaka
Substitution at 27 min: Miura→Nakagawa
Substitutions at 28 min: Yatsu→Tonooka, Asahina→Ogane
Goal scorers: Yatsu, Akasaka
In the pre-match meeting, Coach Tsuda instructed the team to play with full effort to win every game and to transition quickly between offense and defense.
The opposing team did not press from the front, but instead formed a solid block and aimed for quick counterattacks once they won the ball.
In the early stages, there were some dangerous moments due to their counterattacks, but we managed to handle them calmly.
Antlers tried to disrupt the opponent's block with position changes and attacked from the wings.
In the 9th minute of the first half, Ogawa's cross led to a chance. Although it was initially blocked by the opponent, Yatsu took a shot from the rebound, which found the net, giving Antlers the lead.
In the second half, Antlers continued to control the game at their own pace.
In the 9th minute of the second half, Akasaka scored directly from a corner kick, sealing the match.
Towards the end, we faced attacks from the opposing team but defended well to secure a 2-0 victory.
The final match of the Russia tour was against Lokomotiv Moscow from Russia.
Starting lineup
GK Kato
DF Shoji, Asahina, Yatsu
MF Ogawa, Tonooka, Akasaka
FW Nakagawa
Substitutions at 15 min: Akasaka→Miura, Tonooka→Kagaya, Shoji→Yoshimatsu, Nakagawa→Yokota
The final battle of the Russia tour has begun. So far, we have a record of 2 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss in 5 matches. We must win this final match to conclude the tournament well.
The opposing team attacked primarily with their speedy forward and right midfielder.
However, just as we began to adapt to their attacks, a momentary lapse led to a goal conceded.
The players regrouped and brought the game back to Antlers' pace.
We struggled against an opponent that utilized the width of the field well, but we responded with quick transitions between offense and defense and coordinated defending.
It was a back-and-forth, exciting game, but we couldn't find the net.
In the final stages, Antlers launched a fierce attack, but we couldn't score, resulting in a 0-1 loss and finishing the tournament in 10th place.
After the match, we watched the final. The final was played between Mactep Catyph and Zenit.St.P-b, with Mactep Catyph winning in a penalty shootout.
At the tournament venue, we presented a souvenir to Mr. Roman Teryushkov, Moscow Sports Envoy and one of the tournament organizers, to express our gratitude for participating in the tournament.
Thanks to the efforts of the tournament organizers, we were able to return to our accommodation and play a training match against the winning team at their facility.
Despite both teams being tired, a focused and exciting game unfolded, and we managed to win 1-0 thanks to a goal by Yokota.
The content of the match showed the fruits of this tour, providing a valuable experience for the players and boosting their confidence.
Our future plans are to depart on the 25th and return home at 1:00 PM on the 26th.