Official 2018 Nadeshiko Japan Thread [R] - なでしこジャパン（英語スレッド）

Although I didn't really kept early hours tonight (despite the fact that it was New Year's Eve), 5:30 am was really too much for me to wake up.

And, since I am an INAC's fan, I would have probably felt depressed for the early advantage turned into a loss and for the questionable call of third goal (although I didn't see it yet).

I guess Beleza is of course stronger than INAC, and it showed all along this season, but we're not in an "OL vs rest of the league" kind of dominance as in France: INAC had the chance to play their game and, in general, Nadeshiko League looks quite healthy to me. Not really "balanced" (as NWSL could be), but upsets can happen and nothing is written in stone: it could appear otherwise, since Beleza won 4 consecutive national titles and scooped most of the domestic cups in these years also, but I guess it's anyway always challenging for them, despite the fact that they deploy a lot of NT players (seniores and youth), between pitch and bench. NT, though, is not only formed by Beleza's players and I guess this is quite healthy for the good of the league too.

Wow, Mizuho Sakaguchi was on the bench? That's fantastic. Her complete recovery was one of my main wishes for the new year. If she was sitting on the bench, it should mean that she's more or less ok.

Talking about wishes for 2019. I am going to open a thread for the new year soon. Not sure if locking this one will be as easy as usual, since some months ago moderator @Dax expressed the wish to stop moderating these boards, so I am not sure if he will be available as he was in the past. But I am going to think about that later. Meanwhile, let's keep any discussion here, until the new shiny thread will be created.

 

It looked like a clear handball by Tanaka in the action of the third goal indeed. It's a shame, because, judging from highlights, it looks like it was an hard-fought game and it didn't deserve such a disppointing ending in extra-time.

Thrilled for seeing Mizuho Sakaguchi back on the pitch at the end.

It looks like Riko Ueki marauded the right-side of INAC's defense with her dribblings (both Beleza's goals in regular time coming from actions involving her). Despite what @And G says, I would definitely bring her in France next year. Of course not as a starter, but I guess she could be a decent substitute for Iwabuchi, should our Manadona need some rest at the end of the games (or at group stage vs Argentina).

 

Hey, guys: we reached 180 pages and almost 4500 posts on the 2018 thread: time to migrate to a new home!

I'll try to have this one locked soon: meanwhile, please everyone join the shiny one that I just opened for 2019.