- Day 5 -
On Day 4, after the match against VfB Stuttgart, we had a meaningful day watching the national team play, but we returned to the hotel after 1 AM. With over 10 hours of bus travel yesterday, the true value of a football player is tested by how well they can recover without making excuses in such a tough schedule.
The match against SV Darmstadt 98 was challenging due to the opponent's organized build-up. Additionally, there were many moments where we felt the difference in intensity, tenacity, and footwork in both offensive and defensive situations compared to our daily experiences in Japan. Scenes where chances that would normally be converted were blocked, and shots taken at times that would typically not occur, clearly reflected the difference in standards, resulting in a loss of 0-3 in the first half and 0-2 in the second half.
The wall we face is high, but this is also a challenge that has become clear because we came on this expedition to Germany. In the evening, we held a meeting for the players only for more than two and a half hours, and the atmosphere of "not wasting a single minute or second of this expedition" begins to flow through the team.
- Day 6 -
The final match of this expedition will be held.
The opponent is Karlsruher SC, which has become an equal opponent to 1. FSV Mainz 05 and VfB Stuttgart. Before the match, there was a presentation from the coach based on yesterday's player meeting.
The match has a completely different quality than before, with the team pushing the opponent from the early stages. The players' movements convey a strong sense of determination, showcasing the best performance of this expedition. Intense offensive and defensive plays are repeated, but the players fight without backing down against the opponent's intensity.
The match result was a loss of 0-3.
However, after the match, there were players who honestly acknowledged the strength of their opponents and seriously faced their own areas for improvement. In the early days of the expedition, the conversations among the players were filled with lively chatter, but on this day, all that could be heard was talk about soccer.
They are a treasure of Tokyo, and I believe they were strongly influenced by the standards that are difficult to experience in Japan during this expedition. While realizing the difficulty of winning, they have become a group hungry for victory. Looking ahead to the upcoming Takayama Cup JFA U-18 Soccer Premier League 2024, and further towards their future, if they can sincerely confront the standards gained from this expedition, I believe this frustrating feeling will gain meaning.
In the end, we ate schnitzel, did some sightseeing in the city, and returned to the hotel.
Tomorrow is a travel day. It will be a long day, but I will return to Japan safely.
