Where does this GK come from? Hadn't Albi a different GK recenlty (who maybe was also captain for some time, can't remember the name)?
Apparently Yamashita stopped some PK too? Or they were kicked off-target? Probably Albi's GK that I remembered was Tomoko Ichitani; in 2014 she had often been replaced by Sachie Koganemaru. Did this new GK from Tokiwagi play often this season, or was she deployed for Empress' Cup only? I see that she stopped PKs from the likes of Yui Hasegawa and... Mizuho Sakaguchi herself??? Really? Nadeshiko Japan current superstar, Nadeshiko League champion and recent winner of GOTY on our thread?
Well, when I had PMed my votes to Lechus7, I had briefly commented my choices. Right now I could add or change a little bit of my comments, but maybe I'm going to do that later, if interesting discussions arise. Meanwhile, I'm just going to copy/paste the file I had written. Consider that I willingly put quite brief comments, but I could go on way wordier. My rankings 1) goal #15 – Mizuho Sakaguchi vs Netherlands at WWC (awesome shot and the best and most elegant collective build-up action from Nadeshiko Japan this year, including heel pass and dummy) – 15 points 2) goal #3 – Kumi Yokoyama vs Portugal at Algarve (awesome Kumi's signature-shot, this time with grown-up girls) – 12 points 3) goal #8 – Homare Sawa vs New Zealand in friendly match (classical Miyama-Sawa CK action, but the way Homare connects at the center of the area is unusual, acrobatic and pure class) – 10 points 4) goal #22 – Ami Sugita vs North Korea at EAFF East Asian Cup (it's a shame that such a wonderful missile-shot, and I guess first Sugita's goal in Senior NT, got lost in such an uninspiring performance from the team at EAFF) – 8 points 5) goal #9 – Yuki Ogimi vs Italy in a friendly match (Yuki made it seem "easy", but the way she connects with the cross, while anticipating the DF, and shots with the outer part of her foot, placing the ball between GK and post, was a veritable "billiard" slice shot) – 6 points 6) goal #14 – Saori Ariyoshi vs Netherlands at WWC (in one of the best games played by Japan this year, maybe the best one at all, a very nice collective action, with crossbar hit by Ogimi with an header and rebound slammed in goal by the revelation-player of this WWC for Japan ) – 5 points 7) goal #19 – Yuki Ogimi vs USA in the final match at WWC (it was anyway a goal in a WWC final, it awoke Japan from hibernation and gave some meaning to the rest of the match itself, and it was anyway a very good "pure striker" action, with turning to evade DF and an accurate and powerful shot) – 4 points 8) goal #6 – Aya Miyama's 1st goal vs Iceland at Algarve (good action and well aimed shot to the far angle of the goal) – 3 points 9) goal #5 – Nahomi Kawasumi vs France at Algarve (the goal that, for a moment, gave Japan a hope to beat France, and maybe win Algarve; a very good and quintessential Nadeshiko collective action, when everything runs smooth pass after pass) – 2 points 10) goal #16 – Mana Iwabuchi vs Australia at WWC (difficult choice between many goals that weren't awesome, in my opinion, but deserved anyway some recognition; I ended up with this one because of the "emotional" factor, since it was a game-winner in late game after a thrilling match, and because, despite coming from a CK scramble, the shot from Mana was quick and spectacular) – 1 point Honorable mentions; for 10th placed I had actually considered also: #10 Aya Miyama's PK vs Switzerland at WWC (in the end, didn't want to include a PK, but it was very accurate, as Aya's PKs always are, despite GK diving in the right direction, it was 1st Japan's goal at WWC and the game winner, and it started the important Andobear's sub-plot); #12 Yuika Sugasawa vs Cameroun at WWC (good example of one of Yuika's powerful headers, but she was left too much free, by GK also, for it to deserve inclusion); #26 Mizuho Sakaguchi vs Netherlands in friendly match (a nice action and a very good and well-placed shot from who's probably our current best player).
Yamashita stopped one and Kamionobe's one missed the goal mouth. In 2015, Albi's GK moved from Ichitani (March to July) to Koganemaru (September) and Fukumura (from the last game of the regular series to now). Dream Ear was the last kicker.
The highlights are much appreciated, despite the low quality. Lol at Iwashimizu's unwilling "assist" for Oishi's goal! Later, in the action of Nakasato's goal, she had a similar header in Albi's box, that doesn't seem much more willing than the previous one, but at least this time it gave goal to Beleza... Before the last PK, Mi-Chan tried to stretch her neck, with a "Kumagai-like" move... but the result was quite different! She's MVP of Nadeshiko League, but this shot didn't show that: weak and pretty badly-aimed. Now, I want to see the final as a... Kamionobe vs Sawa fight! It's the second time these teams battle for Empress' Cup: last time, it was a thrilling 2-2 draw with Tiffany McCarty's brace (I wonder if she's following Empress' Cup, right now) + penalty shootout. I am curious to see what happens: any chance that we can get a live feed for the final? Not that unepomme's play-by-play posts aren't accurate, but I'd really like to see the actual match!
Fukumura was great, but, wow, Sakaguchi's penalty in particular was really poor. Needs some lessons from Saki.
Christmas Combo: Vegalta vs Inac audience:5506; Beleza vs Albi audience:6155; EmpressCup is very popular.I wonder how much next match's audience will be.
Merry Christmas メリークリスマス Hope you're all having a fun and nice Xmas with your loved ones. Increased chances for a livestream then ? And Thanks for the video and the votes list Lechus7, it's pretty awesome with all the angles and the fact that we can see how popular each goal was.
Today's small news: Honda Yuka will join Vegalta next year from Osaka Taiiku University. Manya Miho (Vegalta's rookie) was injured again (tear of ACL) in the game vs Inac. Although she should be a hopeful player for the next NT, has seldom played for these two years due to injury, very sad.
I am passing a nice Xmas, thanks. I wish the same to everyone on this thread. By the way, I take this chance to ask for something that's been bugging me for some time: after soccer's brodcasts on Japanese TV channels, often you can hear a voice thanking the various sponsors of the event; when this happens, I always hear a word in Japanese, that somehow reminds me of "Christmas" (or, at least, of how I suppose "Christmas" could be spelled in Japanese): does anyone have the slightest idea of which kind of word could it be?
First, Merry Christmas to everyone! I think, JFA announced the programme for 2016. In June they have an "oversea-expedition" (http://www.jfa.jp/nadeshikojapan/news/00008426/). I hope they play against Germany or other european teams...
Definately no Algarve Cup in 2016. That is a shame as it will me my last year in Germany. The oversea expedition sounds interesting...
Oh, you go back to USA? No Algarve indeed, because this year it overlaps with Rio 2016 qualifiers (it overlaps for some European team also, so it will be a minor Algarve for sure; I anyway hope that it will be back to its previous status in 2017, because I have fond memories of that tournament and, although I am aware that women's football schedule is increasingly crowded, I sure don't want Algarve Cup to decline and disappear). I like the sound of "oversea expedition" too. An alternative funny idea to follow at least some Japanese darlings could be Champions' League, if OL and/or Frankfurt advance. My dream would be an OL-Frankfurt final, with both Saki and Yuki on the pitch, but even just one of them could be enough to be worth going to the match. There are still no info on the UEFA website about the tickets for the final; I called by phone the stadium in Reggio Emilia, where the event will take place, but they still don't know anything about the tickets for the final, so apparently it isn't possible yet to purchase them. On the other hand, I guess that waiting to know if OL or Frankfurt are in the final, before buying tickets, could be a little late to get good places, despite the quite low attendance of women's finals: what do you think, guys? A women's Champions' League final in my country is quite an event, and Reggio Emilia is really not so far from Milano. The final is on a tuesday (May 26th), but, although I have to work on friday, the town could be close enough for me to travel back in Milano in time to go to work... I am tempted to try to attend anyway, even if no Japanese player would reach the final. What do you say, #5nadeshikofan? I know you don't live as close as me to Reggio Emilia, but could this tempt you? Italy in spring is lovely and food in Emilia is awesome!
Edit my previous message: obvioulsy I meant that the final is on a thursday, not a tuesday (in fact I had mentioned the day after that was a friday). I'll have to check the trains to and from Reggio Emilia, but I guess it should be possible for me to be back in Milano in time. If you are really tempted, #5nadeshikofan, I of course suggest that you try to pass a whole long-week-end in Italy.