Fifth Day of the France Expedition
Today is the second day of the tournament.
The results of today's two qualifying league matches will determine whether we can enter the upper league or be relegated to the lower league.
In the midst of this, the opponent in the first match, which will determine advancement to the upper league if we win, is Monaco.
A tense and tight development.
The first half ended 0-0, and in the 25th minute of the second half, the game continued to be a back-and-forth battle.
Although a shot was taken after a breakthrough by the opponent, Saito made a good save. However, the rebound was pushed in, resulting in a goal conceded.
After that, we actively attacked to score and created chances, but we couldn't convert them, and the time ran out. It was a frustrating defeat.
The opponent in the second match is Lyon. This is one of the top strong teams in the tournament.
With the results so far, it is clear that a victory will allow us to advance to the upper league, and the players entered the match with determination.
The first match was a tightly contested game, with fierce battles for the ball on both offense and defense.
The first half ended 0-0. As the intense play continued into the second half, both teams made substitutions, and Miyazaki, who came on midway through the second half, made a significant impact.
In the 35th minute, Brian contested a pass from Sakaguchi on the right side, and Miyazaki picked up the loose ball and struck with his left foot, scoring the long-awaited opening goal.
After enduring a fierce attack from the opponent, we managed to hold on and secured our place in the qualifying league, finishing in first place.
As Coach Miyazawa commented, "We secured first place in the group stage with everyone's strength. We will face stronger teams from now on, but let's advance through a total effort," breaking through the group stage while all players were on the starting lineup was not just about the result; it was a valuable experience that brought us something significant.
Without a moment's rest, the third match is the first match of the upper league. It is a match against Monaco, which we lost to in the qualifying league.
In the top league, 2 out of 3 teams advance to the Final Round, increasing the significance of each match.
Since we have lost to Monaco once before, everyone entered the match fired up for revenge, determined to win this time.
However, the fatigue from the third match today could not be shaken off, and a goal was conceded just three minutes into the match.
After that, they regained their composure and created chances, but the issue of finishing ability was exposed in this match as well.
Although they continued to attack in the second half, they were repeatedly thwarted by the opponent's DF and were unable to score. In the 39th minute, they conceded the second goal from a counterattack, sealing their fate.
It was a very frustrating result to lose twice to the same opponent on the same day.
After the match, Coach Miyazawa commented, "From here on, the real battle begins. Let's all come together and fight for the team as much as we can," and everyone is looking up towards tomorrow.
The joy of advancing through the qualifying league and the regret of losing to the same opponent afterward. I have experienced both in one day, and it has been a valuable experience.
We want to win tomorrow's top league match and advance to the Final Round.
