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

Yes, sorry, it was of course a slip-up! I am writing too much for my own good in these last two days!

 

I've been out all day. What's better than finding Lechus7's highlights when I come home and I look at BigSoccer? You made my evening, @Lechus7! I guess I'll watch this wonderful video before going to bed tonight.

 

More articles on the AFC website, including an interview with our GK-hero Ayaka Yamashita and Australian coach Stajcic trying to explain their loss:
http://www.the-afc.com/competitions...ews/title-a-confidence-booster-says-yamashita
http://www.the-afc.com/competitions...st/news/stajcic-laments-the-one-that-got-away

 

So your birthday is basically two days after Takakura-san's one?

Did anyone here mention that Takakura had her 50th birthday (quite an important one) on 19th of April, the day before the match? What a birthday present she received the day after! I guess one of the best of her life.

 

NWSL update:

- Seattle Reign FC didn't play this week-end (since Boston Breakers folded, this season NWSL has just 9 teams, so each match-day one of them has to take a break).

- North Carolina Courage, the team where Yuri Kawamura will hopefully resume playing later this year, had a 2-2 home draw vs Utah Royals.
Highlights: http://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/334D13C0-1F6B-BFC9-37BF-EA8A0E778AB0

- Yuki Nagasato played the whole match Chicago Red Stars-Sky Blue FC and even hit a post, but SB managed to equalize the goal scored by CRS in the first minute of the game, to the match ended 1-1.
Highlights: http://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/9CAEF023-C136-327C-5448-EB4C12CC5617

 

No video surfaced yet of the full AFC ceremony award? The best I found so far is the one below, having at the end Kumagai lifting the trophy (and some unseen post-match celebrations), but I didn't find any full coverage video:

 

Eh, eh. I had already started the discussion on the FIFA-World-Rankings thread the same day of the final.

You can follow the details through the link, anyway the short answer is: YES!

This is very interesting! Where? Prices? Availability?

 

I agree, that's one of the reasons why I posted.

 

Re-posting from the first page of the AFC Asian Cup 2018 thread: now this thing of beauty is ours! It's a new trophy, different from 2014 one, and once again Japan's name will be carved on its base!





Height: 52.5cm

Weight: 5.5 kilograms of Hallmarked Sterling Silver bullion

Total craft hours: The trophy was crafted over 140 hours, passing through the hands of eight different craftsmen

Handles: The new 2018 modern design has discrete pointers to the competitions history. The striking handles, which have been cast from six solid bars of sterling silver, point to the six participants from two continents that played in the first tournament in 1975.

Base: At the base of the trophy, eight highly stylised modern women footballers capture the strength and agility of Asian women’s football.

 

Had Saki Kumagai been there it would have costed at least double.

Seriously, though, I am very surprised that Champions' League semifinal were scheduled in a day when it was clear internationals from Asian Cup wouldn't have been available yet. I suppose not only OL had to play without Kumagai, but probably also Chelsea without Ji So-Yun. Or was she back already?

 

The first one, with Hasegawa, Shimizu and the cup, could probably tempt unepomme to change his avatar again!

In the second one, notice how Masuya makes sure that Nakasato's shirt is well visible! Also, I like how Kawasumi and Sakaguchi dominate the scene from far above, like deities!

Looking at the third pic makes me wonder: is there any kind of illness called Hasegawa-addiction? Is it serious? I guess I caught that particular disease: can people ever be healed from that?

Oh, and judging from the screen behind the players, the 4th pic involved some kind of birthday celebration for Takakura?

TabascoT, I guess there's no need to tell you that Dream-Ear signaled multiple times that she was free, during this tournament!