Today we will have a match against Schalke 04 U19, who is considered to be the strongest team in the current expedition.
I want to challenge Schalke, who is leading in the Bundesliga U19 West, without hesitation.
When we arrived at the ground after a 2-hour bus ride, it started raining heavily. Unlike in Japan, the field had a loose and bumpy natural turf, which made it feel like we came here to experience such challenging conditions.

Right from the start, we slipped and dropped the ball in the penalty area while trying to deal with the opponent's cross ball, and they took advantage of it and scored the opening goal.

The opponent, even in this ground condition, can demonstrate their skills and systematic possession from the goalkeeper, as well as players with exceptional physical abilities, which make them stand out from the opponents so far.
After conceding a goal, we also created our own opportunities and made daring challenges from the center and outside, but we were unable to break through in the end. We felt the strength of the top club in the Bundesliga.
In the 26th minute, which was a good period of time, we conceded a goal due to a mistake in the final line. Furthermore, in the 41st minute, we were exploited on the left side and conceded a goal from a cross, ending the first half with a score of 0-3.

At halftime, Coach Sato sends us off with the message, "We've come all the way to Germany and have the opportunity to play against such a strong opponent. Let's face reality and see what kind of try we can make from here. Let's challenge ourselves!"

In the second half, aggressive pressing from the forward line and continuous challenges against the ball holder put pressure on the opponent. In the 51st minute, Tanida intercepted possession from the goalkeeper, and Imamura, who received the ball, was unable to take a shot, but Yokota scored in the left corner with the loose ball. They pulled one goal back.
From here, the players in the front line continue to increase their physical activity and work hard, while the players in the defense calmly create opportunities by showing Tokyo's strong presence in the ball. However, the game continues with a period where they are not allowed to do the final part, and the game ends as it is with a score of 1-3.
We suffered our first loss in the current expedition.

I want to approach tomorrow's final match by organizing and building up what I was able to do and what I was not able to do today.