After that, we moved to ZICO Center for the final match of the qualifying league.
[Match Report]
■Qualifying Group A Match 3, Kickoff at 9:00 AM
Kashima vs Bangu
First Half 1-0
Second Half 0-0
Total 1-0
Goal Scorer: 4 min. Sota Kotanagi
[Members]
GK: Takeki Ogata
FP: Keita Imai (Yasuhito Kobayashi), Eisuke Shimoda, Shuui Maehama, Shogo Ishimoto, Hayato Chiba (Kosei Maeda), Asahi Shima (Ryunosuke Umezu), Rioto Okada, Kenshin Takizawa, Kanato Kumazawa (Kenji Santos), Sota Kotanagi (Yu Sato)
This was a match where the winning team had a chance to advance to the final tournament, and from the start, it was an exciting match on both offense and defense.
In the 4th minute, Kotanagi received a pass from Shima, broke free, and calmly scored the opening goal.
After that, we created two more clear chances in the first half alone, but the opposing goalkeeper made good saves, and we couldn't score an additional goal.
We maintained the initiative, pressing hard from the front, always aiming for the goal when winning the ball, picking up loose balls in defense, and dominating in contested situations.
In the second half, we continued to work hard on both offense and defense, showing stable play.
However, after about 20 minutes in the second half, the opponent also increased their defensive intensity and aimed for a goal to score. Despite that, everyone defended tenaciously until the end, and we managed to win 1-0.
In the other match of the same group, Fluminense defeated Sao Paulo, which secured Kashima's advancement to the final tournament.
■Qualifying Group C Match 3, Kickoff at 12:30 PM
Norte vs Botafogo
First Half 0-1
Second Half 2-0
Total 2-1
Goal Scorers: 59 min. Rao Okano, 66 min. Shuto Ito
[Members]
GK: Kodai Tateno (Miu Ohashi)
FP: Rintaro Seto, Ryo Morishima, Haruta Kiuchi, Kyu Ando (Ryota Ono), Rao Okano, Shuto Ito, Kanon Numata (Ryusei Hatanaka), Kazune Oyama, Riku Asada, Raika Tagami (Tsubasa Yokozuka) (Yota Tsujimura)
If we won, depending on the outcome of another match, we could advance to the final tournament.
From the start, we aggressively pressured the opponent's ball in defense and aimed for a goal. Early in the match, Ando's precise cross led to a header by Asada, but it was ruled offside.
After that, we continued to overwhelm the opponent with good flow, but in the 20th minute, we conceded an opening goal due to a mistake in our own penalty area.
Even so, we maintained control of the game and attacked to the opponent's goal, but lacked precision in the final pass and couldn't score in the first half.
In the second half, we continued to press hard in the front and midfield and aimed for a goal, but despite several decisive chances, shots hit the crossbar, and we continued to be unable to score.
However, in the 59th minute, Okano's corner kick went directly into the goal, leveling the score. We then mounted a fierce attack, and in the 66th minute, Ito, who had penetrated the penalty area, was fouled and awarded a penalty kick. He calmly converted it to successfully take a 2-1 lead.
In the second half, we dominated the opponent throughout and secured a victory.
Unfortunately, we could not advance to the final tournament because the other match ended in a 0-0 draw.
■Qualifying Group D Match 3, Kickoff at 2:15 PM
Tsukuba vs Boavista
First Half 0-0
Second Half 2-3
Total 2-3
Goal Scorer: 55 min. Nanato Sasaki, 70 min. Ryunosuke Ita
[Members]
GK: Yudai Asano
FP: Takuhiro Nakajima, Kohki Takagi, Hayato Honda, Kota Takada, Ren Okawa, Hiroto Hiruoka (Seiko Otsuka), Souju Hotta (Haruto Ito), Jinsei Hanawa (Nanato Sasaki), Fumiya Saka (Chinatsu Suzuki), Hayato Sato (Ryunosuke Ita)
Having already lost two matches, there was no chance of advancing to the final tournament, but this third match was aimed at achieving a victory. From the start of the match, we spent a lot of time on defense, but everyone worked hard and occasionally created chances on the counter.
However, we couldn't score and the first half ended 0-0.
Early in the second half, we conceded the opening goal.
The momentum shifted after player substitutions, and in the 55th minute, Sasaki, who came on as a substitute, received a pass near the center, dribbled, and scored a middle-range shot into the left corner, allowing us to equalize.
The pace of our attack increased, and we had several decisive chances, including Ita's shot hitting the crossbar, but we couldn't score. Conversely, in the 62nd minute, a handball foul was called in the penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick. They converted it to make it 1-2, and three minutes later, they scored from a free kick near the corner of the penalty area, extending their lead to 1-3.
Even then, we continued to play offensively and created many chances.
In the 70th minute, we earned a free kick opportunity in front of the penalty area, and Ita scored directly to make it 2-3, but the match ended there.
[Qualifying League Results]
Group A: Fluminense 9 points, Kashima 4 points, Sao Paulo 2 points, Bangu 1 point
Group B: Vasco da Gama 9 points, Japan Selection 6 points, Gremio 3 points, Portuguesa 0 points
Group C: Atletico Paranaense 7 points, Internacional 5 points, Norte 4 points, Botafogo 0 points
Group D: Flamengo 7 points, Atletico Mineiro 6 points, Boavista 4 points, Tsukuba 0 points
[Final Tournament Combinations]
Kashima vs Vasco da Gama
Fluminense vs Internacional
Japan Selection vs Flamengo
Atletico Paranaense vs Atletico Mineiro
During the Tsukuba vs Boavista match, Jorginho, a former Kashima Antlers player and manager, visited the ZICO Center to watch the match and took a commemorative photo after the match. He was delighted to reunite with Ogasawara A.A. after a long time.
After the matches, each team returned to the hotel for dinner, and Norte and Tsukuba reviewed their games.
Kashima conducted a match review and a meeting for tomorrow's match.
After that, each team went to bed.
[Tomorrow's Schedule]
9:00 AM Quarterfinal: Kashima vs Vasco da Gama
10:00 AM Norte, Tsukuba Futsal Friendly