U-18 Germany expedition 7th day, the opponent of the last training match is Schalke 04 U-17. It is a battle between the same generation and we absolutely cannot lose!
Kickoff at 12:00 at the stadium located about 15 minutes away by bus from the Schalke Arena I visited the other day.
I want to have a satisfying game as a summary of this expedition.

The start was difficult as the players slipped on the slippery turf, struggling with the opponent's physicality and their approach to the ball. However, they gradually adapted and began to control the pace.
In the 8th minute, we moved the ball quickly from the midfield and swiftly carried it to the front of the goal. Daisuke HOSHI, who received a one-touch pass from Kenta OKUMA, swung his left foot in one touch while turning around and pierced it into the bottom right corner of the goal, taking the lead!
Afterwards, MF Shuto ABE and Yoshitake SUZUKI led the attack, with FW Kiyoshi OKUMA, Minami, and Ryo SATO aggressively aiming for the goal, and the game proceeded in our favor, reaching halftime.

In the 48th minute just after the start of the second half, a free kick was given in front of our own goal, and a sharp ball was headed in, resulting in a tie.
However, we will continue to play Tokyo-style football without feeling down.
In the 55th minute, from the scramble in front of the opponent's goal, Kiyoshi OKUMA pushes it in and regains the lead.
Even after that, we created several chances, but we couldn't break down Schalke's solid defense.
Still, they continued to attack boldly until the end, while being cautious of the counter, and the game ended with a score of 2-1.
Decorated the final match of the Germany expedition with a victory.

I felt the high level of German football in this expedition and was firmly confronted with the essence of football, which is "scoring goals and defending goals," and I was reminded of it. I want to connect this experience to the future of the team and the growth of individual players.
After the end of the match, they moved to the Ajax home ground, the Amsterdam Arena, by bus and watched the European Championship qualifier match between "Netherlands vs Turkey". The players, with shining eyes, were captivated by the intense battle between the countries, including the supporters from both nations, in the best venue and atmosphere.

MF Katsuya Aihara's comment
"I felt that there were more plays that worked than those that didn't when playing against players who are physically stronger than me. I want to make use of this experience when I return to Japan."
MF Takuya Koyama's comment
"I think I was able to play the way I imagined by using passes and dribbles effectively. It was good that I was able to contribute to scoring. After returning home, I want to prepare well for the Premier League."