Official 2017 Nadeshiko Japan Thread [R] - なでしこジャパン（英語スレッド）

Mmm, I want to know Sawa's baby's name or I'm going to have a tantrum!!!

So, I suppose Yuki got back to Japan on her way to USA? And probably that's the reason why she didn't play at all last Frankfurt's match?

Is one of the two men in the picture Sawa's husband? What about the other one? New Yuki's flame?

Edit: leopard-skinned baby Sawa's shoes are so stylish!

 

Well, two wins and a draw (after an apparently dominating performance) vs one of the best programs in the world at Senior level is quite good. We know that USWNT at youth level is not really there, so it doesn't give a correct idea of how we would perform vs actual top level opposition, but it was anyway a good test for a generation that looked overall solid at world level last year.
There is the usual problem of converting our dominace into goals...

I am anyway happy that Fuka Kono scored twice in this cycle of friendly matches.

 

Well, the only winner in Vegalta-Nagano is... Beleza!

Now, it only needs Urawa and INAC to also have a draw, and that opening in the league that was created a week ago will be shut down right away!

 

Wow, late goal from Kyokawa to keep the league open!!! Didn't watch the whole game, but caught the late minutes and the goal.

 

I already commented on Kyokawa keeping the league open (she's really INAC key-player at this moment in time).

Looks like Iga and Saitama will remain at the bottom, this year. Albi could slip down a little more, but actually I guess the fight for relegation will be between those two.

Very important goal for Belle and for Kiryu.

Yay, Fumina Katsurama scored again! But... well, ok, wasn't really enough...

Takarada makes another step, but Shiho Matsubara is scoring a lot too this year. Is she played more forward than in the past, these days?

At this point, I'd say that every single week will be an agony for Speranza...

 

NWSL update:

- Chicago Red Stars (Nagasato's new team; but Yuki wasn't on the pitch yet, she still needs her papers to be cleared to join the club) wins an away match by 3-2 vs North Carolina Courage (Kawamura's team). Yuri Kawamura was subbed out at 30' (!) soon after Chicago had scored the goal of 0-1. Kawamura wasn't directly responsable of the goal (and anyway, looking at line-ups, it seems she was playing as a MF this time), so I don't think the substitution was punishing a bad performance from her: it's more likely that it was a tactical switch to make the team more offensive by inserting Debinha (who, in fact, would have scored a goal for NC Courage later in the game).
North Carolina Corage retain 1st place (with a game more than most opponents, though), while Chicago Red Stars pull themselves up at second place, 2 points behind.
Highights: https://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/18178896

- Seattle Reign FC won by 0-2 a quite exciting game in Houston, under a scorching sun (a Houston player nearly passed-out just before the final whistle). The opponents hit the woodwork thrice, but SR converted their chances instead. Naho had the assist for 2nd goal and keeps sitting at the top of NWSL assists-chart with 5. Bev Yanez had a quite serious injury in 1st half, that could keep her out for some days (an opponent stomped on her thigh, causing a deep cut that kept bleeding for long; it's not in highlights, so, if you want to see the scene you have to watch the full game video: it happened at about 20'). Seattle keep 4th place.
Highlights: https://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/18179481

I guess it's worth noting that we have three NWSL clubs with Japanese players in them (already there or upcoming: Yuki) in the first 4 spots of the ranking. At this moment, all of our girls would be into play-offs.

 

I hope Takakura will keep calling her for the next batch of friendly matches. It's a shame that I have work commitments at the beginning of June, or I would have gladly traveled to Belgium or Neteherlands to see her again.

Excellent analysis, HS10Legend! We need more of them on this thread!

 

Norwegian Toppserien update:

Sandiveken-LSK Kvinner 1-2; Ryoko Takara's team wins again and is now at 2nd place in the rankings. Takara didn't have goals or assists this time, but she seems quite well involved in most LSK Kvinner's offensive actions, as you can see in highlights (she's #17):

 

Lately, I didn't always keep track of all the previous calls, like I used to do in the past, so I am not exactly sure about all of the differences between this roster, the Algarve one and the Costa Rica's friendly's one.

Anyway, off the top of my head, I have to notice that maybe Sonoko Chiba lost her big train to NT. Second time she's not called by Takakura.

HS10Legend had kept us updated with increasingly poor Masuya's performances in the last month, so the logical consequence is that she's cut too.

For the rest, apart from injured players, and of course Nagasato (wonder if it's still a Yuki's choice or Takakura's), is there any other missing name?

I know it can sound useless, but has anyone any new about Miyama?