We will deliver a report on the 6th day of the Spain-Portugal expedition, which is being held from April 3 (Mon) to April 12 (Wed).
On the 8th (Sat) of the 6th day of the expedition, we started with a walk and stretching.
We will have breakfast and prepare for the 37th Real Sociedad U-17 International Tournament starting today.
The venue for the tournament starting today is "Zubieta", the training facility of the academy of Real Sociedad, located in the outskirts of San Sebastian, just a 10-minute bus ride from the accommodation. Zubieta, situated on the mountainside, has 6 pitches (with plans to add 2 more in the future), as well as a cafe and a viewing stand. The same tournament for U-13 is also held at the same facility, with music and an MC creating a festive atmosphere.
FC Tokyo U-18 will perform part of their warm-up routine at the lodging, and will start warming up on the pitch as soon as they arrive at the venue.
The tournament regulations divide 6 teams into 2 groups, and on the first day of the tournament, the ranking will be determined by combining the points earned in a 40-minute match and the points earned in a penalty shootout. On the second day, teams with the same ranking in different groups will play a 40-minute half match to determine their ranking within their respective groups. And on the final day, a final round will be held to determine the overall ranking. In the same group as FC Tokyo U-18 are Celta de Vigo and Real Sociedad. FC Tokyo U-18 has a younger average age compared to the other participating teams.
The first match against Celta de Vigo will kick off at 10:00. From the start, we will be struggling against intense pressing and refined ball movement, and will continue to be pushed back and have the ball taken away from us.
In the starting lineup of this match, U-15 Musashi's GK Keita NIIBORI made a save and avoided a pinch, but conceded a goal from a loose ball and the score was 0-1. After that, we gradually gained momentum and Kaito EGUCHI, who came on as a substitute, scored a goal with his left foot, equalizing the score to 1-1. After that, we were unable to score another goal and the match ended in a draw, earning us one point in the 40-minute match. In the subsequent penalty shootout, we lost 3-4.
The defeated team will face Real Sociedad in their next match, so FC Tokyo U-18 will quickly switch their focus to the next game.
The match, which started at 11:00, will see multiple players replaced from the Celta game. Like the first match, they conceded a goal early on and struggled to keep up with the pace, but Shun KOGA scored an equalizer with a right-footed shot after a dribble breakthrough. Despite trying to turn the game around with momentum, they conceded another goal from a cross ball. The atmosphere at the home of Real Sociedad was also heated, but FC Tokyo U-18 never gave up and Divine OTANI, who came on as a substitute, scored a last-minute goal to tie the game. It ended in a draw. In the subsequent penalty shootout, GK Renjin KITAGAWA made two saves, giving them a chance to win, but they couldn't convert their final kick and it went to the 11th round. In the end, the opponent's 11th kicker, GK, missed and FC Tokyo U-18's 11th kicker, GK Renjin KITAGAWA, scored, securing the victory.
We will face the Muhammad VI Football Academy from Morocco on the second day of the tournament in second place.
In the evening, I was invited to watch the Real Sociedad vs. Getafe match in the 28th round of La Liga at the Reale Arena, the home stadium of Real Sociedad. Around the stadium in the city, there were children wearing various Real (Real Sociedad) merchandise and elderly people coming and going, creating a friendly and clean atmosphere filled with overwhelming passion.
Players enter the stadium while being constantly cheered on with "TAKE! TAKE!" and purchasing souvenirs at the attached official merchandise shop.
The match ended with a 2-0 victory for Real Sociedad, and their senior player and starting player for the day, Takefusa KUBO, scored a goal, setting a new record for the most goals scored by a Japanese player in La Liga. This was a great inspiration for the players.
After watching the game, return to the accommodation, finish dinner, prepare for the second day of the tournament, and end the 6th day of the expedition by going to bed.
We ask for your continued support for FC Tokyo U-18 as they continue to fight on foreign soil.
Please check here for the latest tournament information and game broadcasts.
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