Roasso Kumamoto on Monday trained as a team for the first time since last month’s deadly earthquakes in Kumamoto Prefecture.

The 29 players practiced for roughly two hours ahead of the team’s scheduled return to action on May 15 at JEF United Chiba in the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League.

“There are still people suffering as a result of the earthquakes, and we’re grateful to the prefecture, the city, and the people of Kumamoto for helping us find a place to train,” striker Seiichiro Maki said before the session began. 

“We have to do our best to prepare here. Our job is to play football, and through that we want to uplift the people of Kumamoto and give them dreams and hope.”

Roasso’s next schedule home game, against Mito Hollyhock on May 22, will be played at Kashiwa Stadium.