First, after warming up, they increased the intensity of their play with "birdcage" drills and passing exchanges. Coach Handa encouraged the players with instructions like, "This isn't a warm-up! This is training!" Afterwards, they went through dribbling drills that tested their explosiveness and speed. Two players stood side-by-side, and the one who reached the ball first after it was rolled forward would dribble and shoot into a mini-goal. Shoji and Oda showed intense competition.
After that, they played a 6-on-6 mini-game. GK Yamada, who joined from the youth team, also defended the goal and showed active play under the guidance of GK coach Sato. Doi scored a brilliant goal, while Leandro showed his presence with a powerful breakthrough, with each player demonstrating their strengths.
The morning practice finished in a little over an hour, and the players, coach, and staff returned to their lodging by bus. After a meeting, they departed for the stadium again. They arrived around 12:30 PM and prepared for the Kanazawa match, which kicked off at 2:00 PM.
Under the clear sky, the match kicked off at 2 PM. Antlers quickly scored an early goal. Machida headed Ito's cross into the left corner of the goal, making it 1-0. Pedro Junior then received a pass from Suzuki, made a sharp breakthrough, and scored an additional goal with a left-footed shot.
In the second match against Kanazawa this season, Coach Oiwa also sent new members onto the pitch. Inukai, playing his first external match as an Antlers member, showed tenacious hard marking, not allowing the opposing forward control of the air. Anzai played left back in the first half and right back in the second, confirming coordination with his teammates and adding an accent with timely offensive runs.
Despite conceding one goal after taking a two-goal lead, Antlers finished the first half with a 2-1 lead. Leo Silva and Pedro also covered a lot of ground on the pitch, showing their excellent physical condition.
In the second half, Antlers continued their offensive push, and Suzuki scored the third goal with a header from Anzai's overlapping cross from the right wing. Yuto Misao, who came on in the second half, also scored with a left-footed shot into the right corner of the goal after pressing in the opponent's territory. The goal rush was capped off by Suzuki, who reacted to a cross from the right wing and scored with a header from the far side.
The score was 5-1. Following the Tegevajaro Miyazaki match, they secured another high-scoring victory. Kanazawa's Ohashi and Umebachi, as well as Kakita, who is on loan, also played in the match. Before and after the game, players renewed old friendships and were seen chatting with smiles. With only three days left in camp, they pledged to continue striving for improvement in their respective stages. Tomorrow, they will have two training sessions and continue preparations for the Tokushima match two days later.
Endo:
"Last year, we experienced a truly frustrating feeling, and we were sad, but I think our supporters were the most saddened. This year, we are working hard with the intention of winning all titles, not just the J-League, but also the ACL, Levain Cup, and Emperor's Cup. We want to win every single match with all our might, so please come and watch our games."
Oki:
"As always, please continue to support Kashima Antlers."