U19

Penalties: Japan 5-3 Saudi Arabia | 2016 AFC U19 Championship Final | 日本5-3サウジアラビア

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• published: 30 Oct 2016
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30-10-2016 AFC U-19 Championship Bahrain 2016 Final Japan 0-0 (5-3) Saudi Arabia サッカー　Ｕ―１９アジア選手権▽決勝　日本０（ＰＫ５―３）０サウジアラビア（３０日・バーレーン） 　東京五輪世代のＵ―１９日本代表は、バーレーンで行われているＵ―１９アジア選手権決勝で、サウジアラビアを０―０からのＰＫ戦（５―３）の末に破り、初優勝を果たした。 　延長含め１２０分の激闘でも互いに得点を許さず、ＰＫ戦へ。相手の４人目がゴール上へ外すと、日本の５人目のエースＦＷ小川航基（１９）＝磐田＝が冷静に右隅へ決めた。０６年インド大会以来７度目の決勝でつかんだ初優勝。内山篤監督（５７）は「本当に厳しい試合でしたけど、選手がよく頑張ってくれた。アジアの頂点になって帰ろうと話していた」と選手をねぎらった。これまで中田英寿や小野伸二らが挑んでもかなわなかった高い壁をついに乗り越えた。 　決して前評判は高くなかった。ＭＦ堂安律（１８）＝Ｇ大阪＝らが中心となった２年前のＵ―１６アジア選手権では準々決勝で敗退し、４大会連続で出場していたＵ―１７Ｗ杯を逃した。そんな期待を裏切ってきた世代が発奮したきっかけが、“弟分”のＵ―１６日本代表の存在だ。バルセロナの下部組織に所属していたＦＷ久保建英（１５）＝Ｆ東京Ｕ―１８＝らタレントが集まっており、９月の同アジア選手権では４強に進出。２大会ぶりにＵ―１７Ｗ杯の出場権をつかんだ。そんな弟分の活躍に、エースＦＷ小川は「いい流れを作ってくれたので、自分たちもやらないといけない。とにかく結果にこだわりたい」と対抗心を燃やして臨んでいた。 　その気迫はこの決勝でも前面に出ていた。準々決勝はタジキスタン、準決勝はベトナムと組み合わせに恵まれた感が否めなかったが、この日はサウジアラビアに終始押し込まれた。それでもＧＫ小島ら守備陣をはじめ、最後まで体を張り、全６戦で無失点を達成。前評判を覆し、結果も、そしてたくましさも手にした。 　来年５月に韓国で行われるＵ―２０Ｗ杯にアジア王者として臨む。「世界は個の能力が高い選手がいる。ワンランクアップしないといけない」と指揮官。アジア王者の次は、世界王者を目指す。 Japan won the AFC U-19 Championship title for the first time in the country’s history on Sunday as Atsushi Uchiyama’s side defeated Saudi Arabia 5-3 on penalties at the Bahrain National Stadium. Koki Ogawa scored the deciding penalty in the final round of spot kicks after Abdullah Magrshi thumped his effort over the bar in the preceding round after 90 minutes of regulation time plus an additional 30 minutes ended goalless. The win brings to an end a run of seven appearances in the final without a win in the continental championship for the Japanese, who will travel to the FIFA U-20 World Cup next year in Korea Republic alongside Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Vietnam as Asia’s representatives. Korea Republic will also play as tournament hosts. The Saudis started with the same line-up that handed the Islamic Republic of Iran a 6-5 defeat in the semi-finals while Japan coach Uchiyama made wholesale changes from the team that brushed aside Vietnam, with only midfielder Mizuki Ichimaru surviving. Japan came into the game having not conceded a goal throughout either qualifying or during the finals and Uchiyama’s side were facing a Saudi Arabia that had the most potent attack of tournament, netting 16 goals in the five matches leading up to the final. So it was no surprise Saudi Arabia started quickly and, within the first two minutes, Saad Al Shehri’s side would have taken the lead but for a fine save by Ryosuke Kojima, who sprung to his right to push Ayman Al Khulaif’s shot onto the post. Four minutes later captain Sami Al Naji fired his free-kick high over the bar while Koki Ogawa hit the side netting at the other end less than a minute later. With seven minutes remaining in the half, the Saudis went close again as Al Khulaif’s low curling pass from the right gave Abdulrahman Al Yami time and space to pick his spot, but the young striker fired high over the bar from just 12 yards out. A tight first half was followed by a second period that was just as closely contested, with neither side managing to gain the upper hand. Rakan Al Anaze saw his attempt six minutes after the restart deflected wide for a corner while Yuto Iwasaki’s effort at the other end of the pitch suffered a similar fate. Al Khulaif, with ten minutes left of regulation time, could do no better than thrash his shot well over the bar before Daisuke Sakai found goalkeeper Amin Al Bukhari with his tame header at goal three minutes later. The game went into extra time and still neither side could find a way through, with Keita Endo’s cross marginally too high for the unmarked Iwasaki to nod into the Saudi goal. Naif Kireiri, meanwhile, saw his free-kick palmed safely away by Ryosuke Kojima. That took the game into a penalty shootout and, after three successful rounds for both teams, Magrshi put his effort over the bar with the second penalty of the penultimate round to leave Ogawa to claim the title for Japan.