We will deliver a report on the 4th day of the Spain-Portugal expedition, which is being conducted from Apr 3 (Mon) to Apr 12 (Wed).
On the morning of the fourth day of the expedition, Wednesday the 6th, we started with a morning walk, stretching, and exercises.
After having breakfast, we took a short break and then spent the morning preparing for the match with a kick-off at 18:30 by taking a walk along the coast for about an hour. The beach in the area where we are staying is also a famous spot for surfing, and a World Surf League event is being held there, which we were able to observe during our walk.
After that, we returned to the hotel for a meeting, where we reviewed yesterday's match against SL Benfica and organized our strategy for today's match against Sporting CP.
Additionally, this has become a time to reconsider the significance of participating in this overseas expedition and the determination of each individual as a football player.
After having a late lunch, we will pack our bags and take a bus for about an hour to the training facility of Sporting CP, which is the venue for today's match. Sporting CP, a rival team of SL Benfica and also a strong club in Portugal, is famous as the club where Cristiano started his career, and only a limited number of people are allowed to enter the facility.
The facility has six pitches, a covered training area, and a clubhouse, where the top team was training privately on a pitch covered with a curtain.
Today's opponent is also a team of the same age group, and they have been scouting information from yesterday's match against SL Benfica. The atmosphere of tension for the match is palpable on the pitch, even from the warm-up.
FC Tokyo U-18 has also finished the meeting and warm-up, and the kickoff.
From the start, while feeling the physical abilities of each opponent, the intensity of their play, the skill in moving the ball, and their seriousness in this match, we will continue to play with determination.
Although there are many times when the ball is held for a long time and brought deep into our territory, we do not allow easy shots and gradually create opportunities for attack.
We were focused and managing the match, but we were caught off guard for a moment and conceded a goal just before the end of the first half. We go into halftime trailing 0-1.
Several player substitutions will be made at halftime as we enter the second half.
At the start of the second half, they entered the match with great momentum, seizing the first opportunity to equalize. Then, continuing that momentum, they attacked and turned the game around. They skillfully moved the ball and maintained an advantage in the match.
The opponent increased their intensity, and as the battles for the ball became even more fierce, they created a chance and equalized. Both sides continued to fight back and forth, trying to score the next goal. Then, just before the end of the match, our defense was broken, resulting in a goal conceded. Despite continuing to attack and aiming for a goal until the very end, we were unable to score, and the match ended.
Although it was a defeat, everyone approached the match with a strong determination, and it became a significant experience that will lead to future success.
In that situation, without a moment to catch my breath, I hurried back to the dormitory, had a late dinner, and went to bed immediately. I prepared for the travel early tomorrow morning.
