On April 11 (Mon), the 8th day of the expedition to France, it was the final day of the tournament, and we faced the Final Round of the lower league ranking match.
The opponent is FC Porto, which we faced yesterday.
In order to settle the score against the opponent we drew 0-0 with yesterday, both players and staff were highly motivated.
Although it is a lower league, it was the Final Round, and the venue was filled with spectators, creating an excellent atmosphere for the match.
From the first half, we will utilize the reflections from the previous match by setting a higher defensive line and going to win the ball from the front.
The defensive midfielders Riku NAKASHIMA and Aoki TOMOFUMI, along with center-backs Takuto ISHIMURA and Rikuto SOUMA, maintained a stable defense that prevented the opponents from creating chances.
The number of times we have entered the penalty area has increased, but we are still unable to take many shots as we approach the additional time in the second half.
In the final play, player Go Kuribayashi attempted to dribble past the opponent during an overlap and was pulled back by the opponent, earning a free kick.
When Ko KOBAYASHI took the free kick, the ball flowed to the far side where Tessyo TAKAI picked it up, dribbled into the penalty area, and crossed. Rinrai HASHIMOTO matched that pass and finally scored!
In this match, a dramatic goal was scored at the very end, allowing us to win 1-0.
When we returned to the locker room, everyone sang the call "We are Tokyo!".
As the expedition progresses, the team's sense of unity is increasing, and their fighting spirit is becoming very strong.
After that, we moved to the dining venue for the final dinner.
In the end, we greeted the local staff who supported us with operations, transportation, and meals during the tournament, took a commemorative photo, and left the venue.
The activities of the France expedition have successfully concluded today without any major accidents or injuries.
Tomorrow morning, I will depart for the airport and begin my journey back to Japan.
The valuable experiences gained from this expedition will surely lead to the players' growth. I look forward to their future development.
