On Tuesday 20 June, the U-17 Japan National Team faced the U-17 Vietnam National Team at Rajamangala National Stadium, in their second group stage match of the AFC U17 Asian Cup™ Thailand 2023.

The match-up between two teams, both of whom had drawn their first match and desperately needed three points, tuned into an intense battle.

As Head Coach MORIYAMA Yoshiro said, “It's our second game in four days, so we're going to need the help of every player,” the team made five changes to their starting line-up from the first match. GOTO Wataru (FC Tokyo U-18) was named as the starting goalkeeper with a defence line formed by SHIBATA Shotaro (Kawasaki Frontale U-18), HONDA Kotaro (Shonan Bellmare U-18), TSUCHIYA Kaito (Kawasaki Frontale U-18), and KOSUGI Keita (Shonan Bellmare U-18). NAKAJIMA Yotaro (Sanfrecce Hiroshima Youth) and YAMAMOTO Joi (Tokyo Verdy Youth) were paired in the centre while SATO Ryunosuke (FC Tokyo U-18) and SUGIURA Shungo (Nagoya Grampus U-18) were placed in the flanks. It was MOCHIZUKI Kohei (Yokohama F. Marinos Youth) and MICHIWAKI Yutaka (Roasso Kumamoto) who started as the two strikers up top. .....

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