On April 11th (Mon), the 8th day of the France expedition, was the final day of the tournament, and we faced the final round of the lower league ranking decision match.
The opponent is FC Porto, who we also faced yesterday.
Yesterday, both the players and staff were fired up to settle the score with the opponent who ended in a 0-0 draw.
Even in the lower league, there was a final round, and the venue was filled with spectators, making it a great atmosphere for the game.
We will set our defensive line higher and try to steal the ball from the front line, taking advantage of our reflection from the previous game since the first half.
The defensive line, centered around midfielder Riku NAKASHIMA and Aoki TOMOFUMI, and center backs Takuto ISHIMURA and Rikuto SOUMA, did not allow the opponent to create chances with a stable defense.
The number of times we have invaded the penalty area during attacks has increased, but we are still unable to take shots as we enter the additional time of the second half.
In the last play, player Goh Kuribayashi tried to dribble past the opponent from an overlap, but was pulled by the opponent and earned a free kick.
Ko KOBAYASHI takes the FK and Tessyo TAKAI picks up the ball that flowed to the far side, dribbles into the penalty area and crosses. Finally, LORI HASHIMOTO scores with that pass!
We were able to win with a dramatic goal in the final round of this match, with a score of 1-0.
When we returned to the locker room, we all sang the chant "We are Tokyo!"
As the expedition progresses, the sense of unity as a team increases, and the fighting spirit becomes very strong.
Afterwards, we moved to the dining hall for our final dinner.
Finally, we said goodbye to the local staff who supported us with operations, transportation, and meals during this tournament, and took a commemorative photo before leaving the venue.
The activities of the French expedition ended safely today without any major accidents or injuries.
Tomorrow morning, we will depart for the airport and arrive back in Japan.
The valuable experience gained on this expedition is sure to contribute to the growth of our players. We look forward to their future growth.
