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Updated Saturday, February 4, 2012 0:43 am TWN, TAIPEI, CNA

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Japanese soccer team to play 'friendly'

TAIPEI -- Japan's F.C. Gifu is scheduled to play a friendly against a local soccer team from Taichung for the first time as part of its winter training program, National Taiwan University of Physical Education and Sport (NTUPES) said yesterday.

The J. League Division 2 club will arrive in Taiwan on Sunday, Feb. 5 with 48 players including its star player Toshihiro Hattori, who played in the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup, according to NTUPES, which has arranged the training program for F.C. Gifu.

The soccer club, based in Gifu Prefecture, is set to hold its winter training Feb. 6-9 at the university's stadium in central Taiwan's Taichung City, where the friendly game will take place on Thursday, Feb. 9.

Due to bitter winter weather, Japanese professional soccer teams often move their training programs to warmer countries, said the university. This is the first time that Taiwan has been selected by a Japanese soccer team for that purpose.

The admission for the friendly will be free to people who donate three January and February uniform invoice receipts, according to NTUPES.

In addition, a soccer camp will be held by F.C. Gifu's coaches for aspiring Taiwanese soccer players, said the university.

NTUPES President Su Wen jen said he hopes that Taiwan's soccer players can learn from the experience to help the further development of Taiwan's national squad.

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Comments

April 5, 2012 surge79uwf@

FC Gifu is on the brink of relegation from J. League and they care about Taiwanese football. I sincerely hope they don't get relegated or close down. And what are Taiwanese football authorities even doing? Why don't they get a First Division club like Kashiwa or FC Tokyo? TAIWAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE NOW!!!!