We will deliver a report on the third day of the Spain and Portugal expedition scheduled from Apr 3 (Mon) to Apr 12 (Wed).

On the third day of the expedition, on the 5th (Tuesday), after taking a morning walk while enjoying the Atlantic breeze facing the accommodation, we will start with stretching and exercises. After finishing our meal at the hotel, we will take a bus for about 30 minutes to head to the club's facilities for a practice match against the same age team of the strong contender SL Benfica, currently ranked first in Portugal's Primeira Liga.
The entrance to the facility has security control, and only authorized personnel are allowed to enter the premises.
Not only is there a training facility for the top team, but there are also stadiums where UEFA youth tournaments are held and training facilities for various age groups.

 
After finishing the meeting in the locker room, we began warming up on the pitch equipped with stands in preparation for the two 45-minute matches starting at 10:30. On the adjacent pitch, training for SL Benfica's U-23 and U-19 teams was taking place.

The match started after exchanging pennants with the opposing team and taking a group photo with everyone.

From the very beginning of the match, we were able to advance the game with momentum, and after scoring first in the early stages, we added more goals to finish the first half at 5-0.
We will use the halftime to reorganize our thoughts and prepare for the second half.
After substituting a few members, the second half kicks off. At the start, we faced an onslaught from the opposing team and conceded a goal from that momentum. After that, while fending off the opponent's aggressive attacks, we gradually settled the match and increased our own time of possession. As we gained the upper hand, we added 3 more goals, recording a total of 8 goals, and the match ended 8-1. We were able to finish the first match of the expedition in a good way.

In the match, Bryan LINSSEN, who currently belongs to SL Benfica and is a member of the U-22 Japan national team, came to watch the game despite it being his day off, as a team from Japan was playing. After the match, he gave the players an inspiring message about the mindset needed to aim to become professional athletes and compete on the world stage.

In the afternoon, I explored the town of COSTA D'ACAPRI, where I was staying, did laundry for the training gear and uniforms I used, and prepared for activities from tomorrow onwards.
On the fourth day of the expedition, we are scheduled to play against Sporting CP, a club that represents Portugal, just like SL Benfica.