First, after warming up, the players engaged in "birdcage" drills and dribbling races. Under the watchful eyes of manager Oiwa and the coaching staff, they worked up a sweat in a 5-on-5 mini-game. The game was intense, with offense and defense constantly changing. Leo Silva showed his presence by moving freely across the field. Pedro Junior also repeatedly made sharp breakthroughs and powerful shots. It seems their conditioning is progressing well.
Meanwhile, the goalkeepers, under the guidance of GK coach Sato, practiced catching and other drills. Okuno, who was promoted from the youth team, showed stable saves. They had a different menu from the field players until midway through, but joined them for the mini-game.
After the morning practice, the players, manager, and coaching staff returned to the lodging by bus. Then, in the early afternoon, they departed for the stadium again, arriving around 12:30 PM, and prepared for the match against Tegevajaro Miyazaki, which kicked off at 2 PM.
Before the match, Mr. Kawasaki, Sports Advisor for Miyazaki City, Mr. Tamura, Executive Director of the Miyazaki City Tourism Association, and Mr. Nojiri, Head of the Miyazaki City Sports Land Promotion Division, presented special product strawberries. Manager Oiwa and defender Shoji, who received words of encouragement, smiled and vowed to reclaim the title this season.
The match against Tegevajaro Miyazaki kicked off at 2 PM. From the start, the Antlers dictated the pace. After a cross from Leandro, who broke through on the left wing, Doi scored the opening goal. Then, from Ogasawara's free kick, Shoji scored, and Abe scored from Yamamoto's assist, ending the first half 3-0. Uchida, who started and played his first external match since returning to the Antlers, confirmed coordination with each play. Under much attention, he showed excellent play, such as aggressive breakouts and calm build-ups. It was also a 45 minutes where Leandro's powerful breakthroughs, Doi's movement to draw the ball, and Yamamoto's dedicated overlapping shone.
In the second half, the Antlers continued to dominate, with Leandro scoring the fourth goal with a right-footed shot after winning the ball with a press from the front. Towards the end, GK Daiki Yamada and Shogo Sasaki, who joined from the youth team, also stepped onto the pitch, gaining valuable experience. Kanamori, who came on as a substitute, and rookie Yamaguchi also found the back of the net, making the final score 6-0. They were able to celebrate their first external match of the season with a goal rush.
Tomorrow is the tenth day since arriving in Miyazaki. They are scheduled to have two training sessions for the first time in three days. There are 5 days left in the camp. Everyone will train with full effort to improve the team's completeness and individual skill levels.
Doi Player
"Although this year hasn't started yet, we are thoroughly preparing to have the best possible start, so I look forward to seeing everyone at the start of the season. Thank you for your continued support this year."
Machida Player
"Last year was a frustrating season for me personally and for the team, so this year I want us all to finish the season with smiles. Please cheer us on."