AFC U23 Asian Cup: Tokyo's Road to Paris Olympics Qualification

2024-03-27 09:03:43

The final test match for the AFC U23 Asian Cup, where a ticket to the Paris Olympics is at stake. Four players from Tokyo have been selected for the two games against the U-23 Mali National Team and the U-23 Ukraine National Team, who have already decided to participate in this tournament, including Brandon Nozawa, Kashifu Bangunagunde, Kuo Matsuki, and Ryotaro Araki. Nozawa and Yoshifu were included in the starting eleven for the match against Mali held on March 22nd, and Matsuki and Araki were included in the starting eleven for the match against Ukraine on March 25th.

The match against the U-23 Mali National Team was the first match against an African team for the U-23 Japan National Team, led by coach Tsuyoshi Oiwa. In a match against an opponent who had speed, power, agility, and organizational strength, they scored the first goal from a set play in the beginning, but made mistakes in coordination and lost the game after conceding three goals. For Japan, it has been fruitful both in terms of challenges and gains.

Actively participating in attacks
Physical ability that can’t be beaten
Bangunagunde Gyashibu

Bangunagunde Jiafu, who started as a left back, displayed some aggressive play, including dribbling from a high position in the 9th minute of the first half, penetrating into the penalty area and receiving a foul. He kept the team tight by shouting orders from the back, such as “Switch!” and “Your mark is empty!” and also controlled the final line from his position as left-back. In the 12th minute of the second half, he won a corner kick with a strong, non-rotating long shot from about 40 meters. He was on the pitch until the 19th minute of the second half.

“I felt that he was physically strong, powerful, and fast, but personally I felt that he was better at dealing with people and colliding with each other than I expected.(I was able to do well on the offensive side, but) as a fullback, I am a defensive player. , conceding three goals is not good. We have to correct that as a team and as individuals. Having experienced playing for the national team, I feel that the players who play in the game have a big responsibility. When we play in a match, everyone has to act as a leader, and I think it’s my fault for any goals conceded that I wasn’t directly involved in.

I feel that in a strong team, each individual has a great sense of responsibility, and we need to become that kind of player and that kind of team. I also think that I have to continue to spread the word. I want to strive for a higher level myself both in Tokyo and on the national team, and while defense is a prerequisite, I also want to become a feared player offensively.”

A guardian deity who has played on the Japanese national team
Taishi Nozawa Brandon

For Brandon Taishi Nozawa, who was appointed goalkeeper in this game, this was his first official pitch since the final league game of last season. Although he was selected for the Japan national team for the Thailand national team match on New Year’s Day and the AFC Asian Cup in January, he was delayed due to an injury and continued to sit on the bench in Tokyo, making his return to action for the first time in about three and a half months. .

In the 5th minute of the first half, he was forced into a one-on-one situation by his opponent, but he remained unfazed until the very last minute and firmly limited his course. In the 14th minute of the first half, they responded to the opponent’s mid-range shot that cut in.

However, in the 34th minute of the first half, the ball was stolen in front of the goal due to a misalignment in the build-up and they were able to score the equalizer, but in the 8th minute of the second half, they were unable to deflect a strong non-rotating mid-range shot from the blind and were forced into the opponent. This allows for a reversal. In the final stages, the right side was broken and an additional point was taken away.

“I knew that this match was a match to build momentum towards the Asia Cup, which will be the final qualifying round.The mistakes that occurred (in my first official game appearance in a long time) probably had an impact (on my game instincts). I think so, but I don’t want to use that as an excuse. Personally, I was in good shape, so it was the first time in a while that I made a mistake like that, but I made a play that should never have happened in a national team match. We made a series of mistakes that a goalkeeper shouldn’t make, so I think we can correct them quickly.The final qualifying round is coming up soon, and we want to improve our image in preparation for that.”

Although the match was a disappointing result, the guardian spirit who had experience playing for the Japanese national team led the team, with his loud coaching calls from the back echoing throughout the stadium over and over again in his first game in a while.

In the match against the U-23 Ukraine National Team, which took place on the second day of middle school, Oiwa Japan’s pressing from the front, which is its lifeline, was effective against an opponent that was building up in an organized manner. The flow of the attack was smoothed out by the fact that each player played well in receiving the ball in between. In the match, Japan took the lead in the 3rd minute of the second half with a set play, and added another point in the 31st minute of the second half by stealing the ball from a high position from a bold press. Although the type of opponent was different from the match against Mali, they overcame the issues they had seen in the first match and achieved victory by demonstrating their strengths as a team.

Tokyo’s captain has a strong presence both offensively and defensively
Matsuki Kusei

Kuo Matsuki, who started alongside Ryotaro Araki in the inside half of a 4-3-3, made his presence felt everywhere with his characteristic movement and ability to steal the ball. Not only did he contribute to a seamless transition from defense to attack with his aggressive pressing, but in the 33rd minute of the first half he volleyed a loose ball from a corner kick directly with his left foot. Unfortunately, this shot was deflected by the bar, but he shows his presence both offensively and defensively.

In the 36th minute of the first half, he made a pinpoint feed with his left foot to Araki, who was trying to run through space. Although he was unable to connect with the decisive opportunity until just a few moments later, he also showed the great potential of the “Blue-Red Hotline.”

“I think we were very fluid in our attack, and all that was left was to make the decisions.I think we were able to finish smoothly, and we created a lot of chances. I think the fact that we were able to win this match can be viewed quite positively.From now on, I want to make decisions more in the flow, and next time I want to show that kind of side in Asia.(As for collaboration with Araki), with Taro-kun, For me, it’s very easy to do. We are always looking at each other, and even when I return to Tokyo, I can continue to improve on that combination. I would like to further hone those aspects and raise my level as an individual. Masu”

Become the center of attack and create decisive opportunities
Ryotaro Araki

The person who really shined in this match was Ryotaro Araki, who was called up to the Japan National Team for the first time in two years since March 2022. In the national team match, which we won in Tokyo after scoring 4 goals in 4 league games, I stepped onto the pitch with the feeling that “There’s something special about playing with Japan on my back,” and from the get-go, I was known as “Araki’s team.” They collected the ball as much as you would expect, and were involved in many chances.

Early on in the start, he held off the opposing defenders in the penalty area, drifted to the right and fired a shot, and in the 12th minute of the first half, he combined with Joru Chima Fujita (Sint-Truiden) to penetrate into the near pocket on the left side. Furthermore, in the 14th minute of the first half, he received a horizontal pass and used his skillful footwork to take it vertically and swing it with his right foot, and in the 22nd minute of the first half, he induced a press from the front line and created a decisive opportunity. Immediately after the start of the second half, two minutes into the second half, he brought in from the left side and fired a powerful shot with his right foot, which led to the corner kick from which Keiyoshi Sato (Bremen) scored the opening goal.

On the pitch at Kitakyushu Stadium, there was Araki, who played for the national team for the first time in a while but was the center of the attack, just like he did in Tokyo.

Fujita, the game captain who took over as anchor, also said, “(Araki) has a really high level of skill to receive the ball with precision and space.There were many scenes where the ball naturally came in in such situations, or where the pass was passed after stealing it. ”, and because they immediately showed smooth cooperation, he was immediately nominated as a regular candidate.

Although we were not able to score a goal individually, it was a big accomplishment for us as a team. Araki himself calmly talked about his response in a calm tone, saying, “I was able to do what I had in both offense and defense.I think I really played well, and I did what I could do.”

“We were able to move the ball very well, and we were able to exploit the opponent’s gaps and advance.The relationship in the midfield (with Joru Chima Fujita and Matsuki) was really good.(It led to the first goal)”The corner kick was exactly as planned. Continuing from the league match, I had a good feel for the ball, so I was actively aiming for shots.I’m ready to go (to the AFC U23 Asian Cup), and I’ll improve my performance when I’m selected. It’s been a short time since I returned (to Tokyo), but I want to do my best so that I can do my best.”

Representative week for all four parties. It was a period in which each of us renewed our vows for the future, with challenges and challenges in hand. The squad for the AFC U23 Asian Cup will be announced in early April, and Oiwa Japan will travel to Qatar for the first match on April 16th. With the ambition and determination gained through this activity in their hearts, Tokyo’s young representative fighters will once again put on their blue-red uniforms and take to the J pitch.

text by Chio Aoyama
photo by Kenichi Arai