The England expedition is finally on its 7th day.
Today, after gymnastics, I had breakfast and took a bus for two and a half hours to Middlesbrough FC's training ground.
Middlesbrough FC also uses the same facilities for both the first team and the academy, with 7 natural grass pitches for the first team, 2 natural grass pitches and 2 artificial turf pitches for the academy, as well as an indoor training facility.
The Middlesbrough FC we are facing this time includes players from the England national team and was the strongest team in this expedition.
In the pre-match meeting, Coach Nakamura said, "Just like yesterday's match against Burnley, this is an important game for the T League and Prince League. Moreover, the opponent is a wonderful team, so let's give our all and definitely win."
The opponent was a team composed of U-19 members in the first half, and their physicality, speed, and skills were all very high, leading to moments where a small mistake could quickly result in a crisis.
However, Tokyo managed to win the ball with a coordinated defense from everyone and quickly transitioned to attack, somehow holding on to a scoreless draw in the first half.
At halftime, Coach Nakamura confirmed the importance of pressing back and connecting passes for the attack, saying, "Winning games like this will be important moving forward. Let's fight hard until the end and win." He sent the players back onto the pitch.
The opponent made a complete change of members in the second half and challenged us with their U-18 team.
Right after the start of the second half, we were suddenly attacked, but we somehow managed to hold on, centered around the defensive line. Tokyo also regained the ball in midfield and launched a short counterattack, but they lacked the precision in the final pass and couldn't convert it into a goal.
From the middle of the second half, perhaps due to the increased load of facing a grade higher than the first half, the play gradually slowed down, and the team continued to be pressed.
However, everyone encouraged each other, and in the end, they defended with their bodies, finishing the match scoreless.
Although we couldn't score, being able to maintain our concentration and defend until the end has given us great confidence.
After the match, we had a meal at the Middlesbrough FC clubhouse and exchanged souvenirs.
During that time, Middlesbrough FC's first team manager, Tony Pulis, came to greet us, and there was a commemorative photo with the managers.
Finally, we presented uniforms to the chefs who served us delicious dishes and took commemorative photos before returning to the hotel.
Just returned to the hotel, saying goodbye to Tony, who has been with the team since day one and drove the bus. He shared various information while driving the bus and supported us closely during the matches, especially mentioning that he loved Yachida's play.
I am really glad to have met such a good driver.
The last supper in England was fish and chips! I enjoyed the country food.
The final meeting of the expedition will be after dinner.
I reflected on today's match and confirmed what went well and what didn't.
The coach also mentioned, "As the last five matches have shown, the team has become more cohesive and reduced goals conceded with each match in England, and it was good for the team to hold on during tough times like today and keep a clean sheet."
And finally, we took a commemorative photo with the hotel staff, concluding the seventh day.
We will depart at 4 AM tomorrow for Manchester International Airport.
I will prepare thoroughly to ensure I don't forget anything before I go home.
