England Expedition Day 3.
On this day, I took a walk along the beach in front of the hotel from 7:00 in the morning.
The temperature is low and the wind is cold. According to the locals, this is the usual weather.
After a walk, breakfast.
At the dining venue, we showed footage of our most recent game.
We reviewed our good and bad plays in preparation for today's game.
Just about everyone had finished eating when coach Nakamura said, "We'll finish our meal when the next good play comes along."
However, after that, there were no good plays for about 5 minutes, and it was a moment when I keenly felt the team's challenge of losing momentum in the second half of the game.
After that, we took a short break and lightly moved our bodies for about 30 minutes at a nearby square.
The players were surprised when they were told they could practice ball handling while wearing spikes on the field.
It was a moment to reconsider the differences between Japan and England.
And finally, to the first match of the England expedition, against Sunderland AFC.
Photos of the club's history and players who have been promoted from the academy to the TOP team are displayed on the walls inside the clubhouse, including a photo of England national team player Jordan Henderson during his time in the academy.
At the pre-match meeting, Coach Nakamura introduced a newspaper article about player Miura Kazu and said, "You cannot become a top player if you cannot adapt to any environment." He also talked about how the time difference, unfamiliar food, and different turf texture in Japan are all completely different environments, but in order to truly become a strong player, you must produce results there. With this, we all raised our spirits and headed to the field.
The opponent team, Sunderland, was mainly composed of U-19 players and the difference in physicality was clear.
Match time is 45 minutes per half.
Early in the game, we put pressure on the opponent with a quick approach from the front line, and in the 3rd minute, Riku Kobayashi took advantage of the opponent's GK's mistake to score the opening goal. After that, we will continue to play at our own pace by simply connecting. However, after the 25th minute, we saw an unpleasant development with slow play and decision-making.
Conceded a goal from a corner kick in the 33rd minute. The first half ends with a score of 1-1.
At halftime, Coach Nakamura gave instructions to the team, saying "Our challenge as a team is to relax a little too much to match the opponent. Let's think about that and make sure we can finish strong until the end." The team then headed into the second half.
The second half kicks off after changing the members and system.
Create rhythm with fine passes from the start, and in the 54th minute, Riku Kobayashi was able to break through and earn a PK by being fouled. He made sure to score it, making it 2-1.
However, just 2 minutes later, they conceded a goal due to a momentary delay in their approach.
After that, both teams continued to exchange attacks and defenses while using all of their players as substitutes. However, in the 80th minute, they conceded another goal from a corner kick and the game ended with a score of 2-3.
It was a game where our strengths and weaknesses were clearly shown.
After the match, we were able to visit the facilities of Sunderland and were once again reminded of the difference in scale. After that, we returned to the hotel and had a late lunch, then took a walk around the city of Sunderland.
After returning to the hotel, it's free time.
The players spent their time in the hotel gym doing strength training, relaxing in the pool and jacuzzi.
After dinner, it's time to review the game.
During the game, Coach Nakamura said, "There are various mistakes that lead to conceding goals, including scenes that are not shown in the footage. It's not about whose mistake it is, but I want everyone to play while feeling responsible."
Tomorrow's match is between Newcastle and Huddersfield.
I also want to absorb various things and connect them to growth!
