The Tsukuba Junior team's Italian expedition reached its fourth day, starting as usual with a morning stroll and exercises.
Lunch was a bit late, timed with the match schedule. After lunch, a commemorative photo with tournament officials was taken.
The team departed the hotel at 4:00 PM for the match venue in a vehicle resembling a tram, holding a meeting upon arrival.
Being a Saturday, many people came to watch.
The first opponent, Torino (Italy), had been leading their group with one win and one draw in yesterday's qualifying rounds.
Starting lineup:
GK: Sasaki, DF: Sasahara, Kawai, Nagatsuka, Matsuda, MF: Chiba, Takezawa, Ueda, Sato, Suzuki, FW: Oyama.
From the start of the match, Torino attacked the Antlers' goal with great momentum, creating many clear chances. The opponent had physically strong players upfront, developing attacks based on their physique and speed. Despite some opponent errors, the Antlers' solid defense kept the first half scoreless.
During halftime, Coach Kimura conveyed key adjustments and sent the players back out.
However, the Antlers were overwhelmed in the second half and conceded a goal early on. The left side was penetrated, and the shot deflected off a defender, resulting in an unfortunate goal.
The Antlers continued to play with a never-give-up attitude, and in the final moments, midfielder Chiba struck a powerful middle shot from a direct free-kick, allowing them to end the match in a draw. Substitutions, including Ogura, Ebihara, and Ouchi, also helped change the flow of the game.
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Since the match ended in a draw, the next opponent was decided by a coin toss. Unfortunately, with lingering fatigue, they had to start the next game immediately.
The opponent for the second match, VALLE SERIANA (Italy), is a local club team. Their record yesterday was one win and one loss, placing them second in their group.
Starting lineup: GK: Sasaki, DF: Sasahara, Chiba, Nagatsuka, Matsuda, MF: Ogura, Takezawa, Ueda, Sato, Ebihara, FW: Oyama.
Local club teams are allowed overage players, with players born in 2003 also permitted to participate. Their frontline indeed comprised physically strong players. Against an opponent attacking with physicality and speed, and compounded by the effects of consecutive matches, the Antlers found themselves retreating to their own half and aiming for counterattacks.
While passes connected better than in the previous match, the accuracy of the final pass was lacking, making it difficult to get shots on goal. With injuries and few substitutes, effective use of substitutions was not possible.
They conceded two goals in the first half, one from a cross and header, and another from a central breakthrough. In the second half, they aimed for a goal until the very end but failed to score, losing 0-2.
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After the match, the Antlers, who fought until the very end without giving up, were greeted with a standing ovation from the spectators. The players shed large tears of frustration.
Qualifying Round Day 2:
Match 1: Antlers vs. Torino (Italy) 1-1 (Scorer: Chiba)
Match 2: Antlers vs. VALLE SERIANA (Italy) 0-2
As a result, in tomorrow's ranking match, they are scheduled to play against MALMO FF from Sweden for the 9th-10th place decider.
The final day of the tournament will include the ranking matches, watching the final, and the closing ceremony.
