On Saturday 27 May, the U-20 Japan National Team faced the U-20 Israel National Team in their third group stage match of the FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™.
With the team in a position to clinch the knockout stage with a draw or better after winning and losing one match each, Japan made three changes to their starting line-up, giving MATSUMURA Kosuke (Hosei University), ABE Taisei (V-Varen Nagasaki), and SAKAMOTO Isa (Fagiano Okayama) their first starts of the tournament.
Deploying their familiar 4-2-3-1 formation, KIMURA Ryoya (Nihon University) started in goal with TAKAI Kota (Kawasaki Frontale), CHASE Anrie (VfB Stuttgart), TANAKA Hayato (Kashiwa Reysol), and TAKAHASHI Niko (FC Barcelona) forming the four-man defence line. SANO Kodai (Fagiano Okayama) and YAMANE Riku (Yokohama F. Marinos) anchored the midfield with Matsumura, MATSUKI Kuryu (FC Tokyo), Abe placed beneath the lone striker Sakamoto. .....
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