The halftime whistle echoed across the stadium as the players, enveloped in the roar of applause from the supporters, began making their way toward the tunnel.
'What a brilliant first half from both sides!'
'UAE U19 came out aggressive, pressing with everything they had, but Japan's backline was completely locked in. Kurogami made some unbelievable saves to keep it level, and Takezu anchored that defense flawlessly. Outstanding football all around!'
After what felt like a brief breather, the teams began emerging back onto the pitch for the second half. A few tactical substitutions were made on the UAE side, but Kento remained steady on the touchline, opting for no changes to Japan's lineup.
The players took their positions, with Souma resting the ball under his foot at the center circle.
The whistle echoed, and he kicked off the second half with a simple pass backward. From there, Japan began playing it safe, exchanging quick, careful passes to settle the tempo.
