Third day of the England expedition.

On this day, I took a walk along the beach in front of the hotel starting at 7:00 AM.
The weather is cold with low temperatures and a chilly wind. According to the locals, this is the usual weather.

Breakfast after a walk.
At the dining venue, we played footage of our most recent match.
We reviewed the good and bad aspects of our play in preparation for today's match.

Just as almost everyone finished eating, Coach Nakamura said, "We'll finish the meal when the next good play flows."

However, it was a moment that made me acutely aware of the team's issue of not being able to play well for about five minutes from there, leading to a decline in momentum in the second half of the match.

After that, we took a short break and lightly exercised for about 30 minutes in a nearby square.
In the situation of wearing spikes and passing the ball in the square, the players also said, "Is it okay to do this here?"

It was a moment to reconsider the differences between the environments of Japan and England.

And finally, it will be the first match of the England tour against Sunderland AFC.
On the walls of the clubhouse, there are photos that convey the history of the club, as well as pictures of players who have been promoted from the academy to the top team, including a photo of England national team player Jordan Henk during his academy days.

In the pre-match meeting, Coach Nakamura introduced a newspaper article about player Kazuyoshi Miura, discussing that "if you can't adapt to any environment, you can't become a top player." Although the environment is completely different from Japan, with jet lag, unfamiliar food, and different grass texture, we talked about how you can't truly become a strong player without delivering results in such conditions, and we headed to the field with everyone's morale boosted.

The opposing team, Sunderland, was mainly composed of U-19 players, and the difference in physical stature was evident.
The match duration is 45 minutes per half.

Right from the start, with a quick approach from the front line, they put pressure on the opponent, and in the 3rd minute, Kobayashi Riku capitalized on a mistake by the opposing goalkeeper to score the opening goal. After that, they continued to play simply and maintained their pace in the match. However, after the 25th minute, there were concerning signs of delays in 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 instructed, "One of this team's challenges is to ease up a bit to match the opponent. Let's think about that carefully and make sure we can see it through to the end."

The members and system have been changed, and the second half kicks off.
From the start, they created rhythm with precise passes, and in the 54th minute, Kobayashi Riku was fouled after breaking free, earning a penalty kick. He converted it confidently to make it 2-1.
However, two minutes later, we conceded a goal due to a momentary lapse in our approach.
After that, while substituting all the players, a back-and-forth battle ensued, but in the 80th minute, we conceded another goal from a corner kick, ending the match 2-3.
It was a match where our strengths and weaknesses were clearly defined.

After the match, I had the opportunity to tour the facilities of Sunderland, and I was once again struck by the difference in scale. After that, I returned to the hotel for a late lunch and took a stroll around the city of Sunderland.

After returning to the hotel, free time.
The players spent their time doing strength training in the gym located within the hotel, relaxing in the pool and jacuzzi.

After dinner, we will reflect on the match.
While watching the scene of the conceded goal, Coach Nakamura mentioned, "Various mistakes, including those not shown in the footage, have led to the goals conceded. It's not just one person's mistake; I want everyone to feel responsible and play accordingly."

Tomorrow, the match between Newcastle and Huddersfield.
I want to absorb various things and connect them to my growth!