It has been four days since I came to Germany, and the weather has been sunny and warm every day, making it comfortable to spend time outside.
This is the first time this year that I can see cherry blossoms in Germany.

Today, since it was after two consecutive matches, we spent the morning resting, but each of us went out for a walk to prepare for the practice match in the afternoon.

Today's opponent is the strong Kaiserslautern U19, currently ranked 2nd in the U19 BUNDESLIGA.

Unlike previous opponents, this team builds up play solidly from the back line and launches coordinated attacks.
We respond to such opponents with compact defense, but we are pushed back one after another by individuals with abilities, strength, and speed that we have never experienced before.
In the 11th minute, after the ball was played behind, the defense was pushed back, and the rebound from the cleared ball resulted in a goal conceded.
Furthermore, just 14 minutes later, a powerful header shot was scored by an unmarked opponent from a corner kick that we had been cautious about.
I wanted to regroup here, but we gave away a foul from the free kick and conceded a penalty. This was converted accurately, resulting in three goals conceded early on.
After conceding a goal, the players gathered on the pitch to discuss solutions, and in the 31st minute, Hara became the starting point behind the DF line, with Yoshida following up, evading the DF and taking a shot, but it hit the side netting.
Tokyo launched an offensive, and when Hara broke through the opponent's defensive line, Imamura picked up the cleared ball from the advancing GK, but his looping shot went over the GK and missed the target.
As they pressed forward relentlessly, in the 41st minute, Yoshida received the ball from Shinada, but his shot was weak and caught by the goalkeeper.
Regaining rhythm and continuing to miss chances, they conceded a penalty in the 43rd minute.
Halftime score: 0-4.
 

As we heard the voices saying, "We have nothing to lose! We have to do this!" the second half began.
By actively pressing, challenging with physicality, and having the courage to take on challenges, the time spent pushing forward will increase.
Yokoyama's breakthrough after coming on in the second half, Yoshida's run behind the defense, Shinada's mix of long and short passes, and Kobayashi's dedication create opportunities.
◈In the 63rd minute, after applying pressure in the front line, Yoshida received the ball from Shinada, passed it to Yokoyama, and scored with a powerful shot to pull one back.
In the 71st minute, Yoshida skillfully positioned his body to get behind the ball from Shinada, calmly winning the one-on-one against the goalkeeper and closing the gap to a two-goal difference.
After that, he continued to challenge the ball against larger and stronger opponents without fear, and kept pushing towards the goal, but was unable to convert the chances, resulting in a 2-4 defeat.

In the third match, I fought against an opponent with physical strength, height, and speed that I rarely experience, and it was a day where I realized what I couldn't do and what I was able to do against such an opponent.

In a series of matches, including the environment, how to fight in such circumstances.
How much dedication and earnestness can you show?
I hope that the players will connect their experiences and feelings to the future.