Oita Tsurusaki Wins 2nd Straight Oita High School Soccer Tournament Title – 2026

Oita Prefectural High School Newcomer Soccer Tournament
February 1st Oita Sports Park Soccer & Rugby Field A Court
Men’s Final
Oita Tsurusaki 2 (1-0, 1-0) 0 Oita

The Oita Prefectural High School Newcomer Soccer Tournament, held in various locations throughout the prefecture from January 17th, culminated in the men’s final on February 1st. Oita Tsurusaki defeated Oita 2-0, securing their second consecutive and fifth overall championship.

Oita Tsurusaki, who achieved a triple crown in the prefecture last season, entered the tournament with a slightly weakened squad due to key player Shioha Yamashita (2nd year) participating in the U-17 Japan High School Soccer Training Camp. Despite this, they dominated their opponents, scoring 20 goals and conceding only one across four matches from the first round to the semi-finals. Their consistent performance in attack and defense propelled them to the final stage.

Oita, on the other hand, features players primarily from the Oita Junior High School team that reached the semi-finals of the 2023 All Japan Junior High School Soccer Tournament. While retaining many second-year players from last season, they were without their ace forward, Sohei Kira (2nd year), due to injury. The tournament served as an opportunity to develop new talent and prepare for the challenges ahead.

The match saw a contrast in styles, with Oita Tsurusaki building attacks with short passes and Oita relying on long balls and pressing the opponent’s front line. Oita’s aggressive pressing initially proved effective, creating opportunities and controlling possession. However, Oita Tsurusaki’s defense, led by first-year player Sotonan Shuto, consistently thwarted their attacks.

The deadlock was broken in the 33rd minute of the first half. Oita Tsurusaki capitalized on a corner kick, with Shuto heading the ball into the net. While not a pre-planned tactic (“It wasn’t a specifically targeted play,” Shuto commented), it mirrored a successful set-piece play from their semi-final match, demonstrating their efficiency in these situations.

The second half continued with Oita pushing forward, but their energy levels gradually declined, and a sense of urgency crept into their play. In the 30th minute, Oita Tsurusaki skillfully bypassed the opponent’s press with five passes, culminating in Yamashita breaking down the left side and scoring the decisive second goal.

After the match, head coach Kenji Shuto acknowledged Oita’s superior technique, but emphasized, “Even though they had possession for a long time, we were able to persevere, and that led to the result.” Looking ahead to the Kyushu High School U-17 Soccer Tournament in Miyazaki Prefecture starting this month, captain Makoto Kawano (2nd year) stated, “We want to see how we measure up on the Kyushu stage and challenge ourselves to the fullest.”

(Mitsuru Tomita)