On November 11, 2023, at the National Stadium,前橋育英 achieved a stunning upset against東福岡, winning 3-1 and securing their spot in the finals of the National High School Soccer Championship.
The match began with高等専門学校 from福岡 taking the lead just 11 minutes in whenFW伊波樹生 found the net, capitalizing on a well-executed free kick fromMF塩崎響. This early goal seemed to cement東福岡's dominance, especially after going through the tournament unscathed during the preliminaries, recording seven consecutive matches without conceding.
前橋育英, determined not to exit the championship without a fight, regrouped and made tactical adjustments during halftime. The second half began with renewed energy asFW佐藤耕太 leveled the score after pressuring the東福岡 defense, marking their first conceded goal of the tournament.
佐藤's momentum did not stop there; he quickly followed up with another goal just six minutes later after receiving support from his teammates, deftly converting the opportunity to give前橋育英 the lead at 2-1.
To finish it off,MF白井誠也 extended the lead to 3-1 minutes later, finishing off another fluent attacking move orchestrated by前橋育英's offense. This decisive display stifled any attempts from東福岡 to mount a comeback, showcasing前橋育英's resilience under pressure.
前橋育英's tactical shift with the introduction of younger players proved to be fruitful as they capitalized on白井's dribbling ability, maintaining possession and effectively transitioning the ball upfield.
Head coach平岡道浩 expressed pride in his team's performance, noting the successful execution of their attacking strategy. “We wanted to apply pressure and play to our strengths, and the players did exactly what was needed today,” he remarked.
With this victory,前橋育英 is set to face流通経済大柏 or東海大相模—an exciting matchup for the final scheduled on November 13, 2023.
For東福岡, the loss served as a harsh reality check after their impressive defensive record throughout the tournament. Coach and players alike will need to regroup and reflect on the lessons learned from this upset.
With the championship now within grasp,前橋育英 looks forward to capitalizing on this momentum and seize their chance at national glory, aiming for their second title since 2017.