Monterrey, N.L. June 6, 2016.- In an exciting and dramatic game defined in the last seconds, Team USA defeated 22-14 to Japan in fifth match of the World University Championship of American Football.
With a minute and two seconds in the fourth quarter, the Japanese team got ahead in the scoreboard with a 12 yards run by Nanato Nishimura and the extra point Kenichi Otsuka 14 – 13 to the astonishment of all attendees.
With only one minute left in the clock, the reaction of American team did not wait and returned a short kickoff to the 47 yard. One play later, Andrew Dillon gave life to the Team USA after catching a pass 30 yard pass, setting the ball inside 20-yard line.
Japan’s defense stopped the Team USA offense the next three downs, forcing the field goal attempt by Matthew Davis who after failing twice (a field goal and extra point), scored the 24 yard field goal to return the advantage to his team, 16-14 with 3 seconds to go in the fourth quarter.
In the last play of the game, Japan tried to return the kickoff with a lateral pass which eventually was picked by the Team USA and returned to get six more points when the clock had expired, clinching leaving the final score 22-14.
It was notorious the speed of the Japanese ofense who during different occasions made it look bad to the Team USA defense. In the other side of the ball, the American offense struggled to go beyond their 20 yard line twice during the first half of the game, even though they surprised the Japanese defense in the first offensive series with 15 yards run by Kennedy Hill get the first touchdown of the game.
The Japanese team reacted with a quick offensive, on third and goal through a run through the center of quarterback Yuki Masamoto and the extra point Kenichi Otsuka matched the score 7-7.
For the second quarter United States gambled on fourth series in an offensive that led to the 18-yard line where Andrew Dillon broke through to restore his team ahead 13-7 as they failed extra.
The most valuable player by the United States was Asante Easter, while Japan was Nanato Nishimura.
Japan will face at its next meeting in Mexico on Thursday, June 8, while the United States will face Guatemala the next day. Both games will be at 18:00 at Estadio Tecnologico.
