-Day 5-
Yesterday, we finished the closing ceremony of the "6th Vietnam Japan International Youth Cup U-13" around 17:00, and after about 6 and a half hours of travel by bus and plane, we arrived at the hotel in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, where the tournament we are participating in starts today, just after 23:30, and went to bed. The temperature in Nghe An, northern Vietnam, is below 10°C (it seems to average around 15°C even during the day), and the players were surprised by the climate gap.
"1st Round 2024 Son Lam Ge An International Youth Soccer Tournament"
This tournament is made possible with the support and cooperation of Kiraboshi Bank, a premium partner of FC Tokyo, and will be held with the invitation of Son Lam Ge An FC, a professional soccer team in Vietnam. It will feature a tournament format with 2 teams from Son Lam Ge An Academy, PVF, and 4 teams from FC Tokyo.
The president of Son Lam Nghe An FC received a warm welcome, and with the event being held at the home stadium where the top team plays, the players' spirits are also high.
The 1st Round is a match against Son Lam Nghe An B. The pre-match ceremony included player entrance, bouquet presentation, and national anthem singing, creating a very formal atmosphere.
Although the team had long periods of ball possession from the first half, they were unable to execute intentional and effective attacks. They took the lead in the 8th minute with a header shot from player Aoi Murayama from a corner kick, but after that, they couldn't score additional points. Instead, they conceded a penalty kick from the opponent's corner kick, which was converted, ending the first half in a tie. During halftime, they thoroughly reviewed how to move the ball in midfield, the timing to make plays, and the use of space. In the second half, they increased the number of intentional breakdowns while moving the ball rhythmically, steadily adding goals (Ryoze Nozawa, Kyotaro Ono, Yuki Hirakawa, and Mutsuki Hirai). Ultimately, they won 5-1 and advanced to the Final Round in the afternoon.
We had lunch at the dormitory of Son Lam Nghe An FC's academy, enjoying a delicious meal while communicating with the dormitory supervisor in the dining hall.
The Final Round is a match against Son Lam Nghe An A.
The last match of this Vietnam expedition. We will give 100% effort and are determined to win.
In the early stages of the first half, both teams actively engaged in an open match. However, in the 15th minute, they were broken through on the right side and conceded a goal in the center. After that, they struggled to mount effective attacks against an opponent that sat back and aimed for counterattacks. In fact, just 3 minutes into the second half, they allowed another goal from a counterattack. Following that, they couldn't capitalize on the lessons learned from yesterday's match, leading to many mistakes due to frustration. In the dying moments of the game, they conceded yet another goal from a counterattack, resulting in a 0-3 defeat.
Coach Yamaguchi said, "The opponent has the advantage due to their daily efforts. The true significance of this expedition is how we bring back the experience of losing in the Final Round for two consecutive days to Japan. Ultimately, the accumulation of daily efforts is the most important. Above all, I sincerely thank those who allowed us to experience such a wonderful stage."
After the match, a grand party was held with all team players participating, and during the entertainment, players from Fukagawa took the lead in involving players from other teams, creating the most exciting atmosphere of the day. Without a doubt, they won the exchange party section of this tournament!
We were able to gain a very valuable experience that cannot be experienced anywhere else in Japan, both on and off the pitch. As Coach Yamaguchi mentioned, it is not the results of this tournament that matter, but how daily life changes afterward and what kind of accumulation can be made, which will become the true value of this expedition for the players.
I will move to Ho Chi Minh tomorrow, do some sightseeing, and then return home.
