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

This time I won't object if we get badly beaten because of experimental line-ups, as long as we subsequently win WWC 2019!

 

Lol, it was so obvious that I hadn't even noticed that you had written September!

 

I rewatched the goals on mycujoo: nothing really outstanding, in my opinion.

Good old Chika Kato (she was one of the key-players when Urawa Ladies won their last title in 2014) scored her second goal of the season: she can become important for Urawa and the match vs Nagano was a key-one to decide if they had any chance to fight for the title, after losing to INAC the previous week.

Did I see right that it was the Shark who had that middle-range shot that was deflected in goal by Nakajima in the INAC game?

It's noteworthy (and another sign of Beleza's difficult time this year) that today's late effort vs last-place-ranked Nittaidai was first goal of the season for Yuka Momiki, who used to be a much more prolific player in previous seasons.

Wow, Hannah Diaz scored again for the third consecutive week! This American playing in Kamogawa has to be quite good!

Also, third goal in the league for Eriko Arakawa too: I'd like to know what's the record for the older scorer in Nadeshiko League Division 2 (or Challenge League, when it had that name), because I guess, at 38 and a half, Arakawa surely shouldn't be that far from that record.
By the way, it looks like Saitama won an incredible match at the last moment because of their veterans: according to Nadeshiko League Website, they were losing by 0-1, then Kanako Ito equalized at 90'+1' and Eriko Arakawa scored the winner at 90'+2'!!!

Meanwhile, waiting for the clash between their direct rivals of Ehime and Setagaya tomorrow, Iga FC Kunoichi get back at first place.

By the way: Division 2 currently has three teams at the top, five teams in the middle, all at 8 points (!) and two teams at the bottom (Bunnys and Belle, also clashing tomorrow).

 

Oh, ok: then it's very good that she has scored at her debut! Sorry for the fact I didn't have correct and compete information: now that she's back, Momiki can be a very good weapon for Beleza in the long run for the title.

 

NWSL update:

- Sky Blue FC-North Carolina Courage 1-2. Courage keep the lead. Still no trace of Kawamura.

- Seattle Reign FC-Chicago Red Stars 0-0. Utsugi played full game, Naho was subbed-out at 72'. A few minutes later Nagasato was subbed-in for Chicago. Reign retain second place in the league. Chicago was caught up by another team at 12 points: formally, they're still at 3rd place, but they are tied with two teams beating their goal difference and having 1 or 2 games in hand to them (so, currently they would be out of play-offs).
Highlights:

 

And with this, Arisa Minamino now leads alone top-scorers' rankings with 6 goals.
But I guess there is another sensational player in Nojima, today, and this is Yoko Tanaka. Correct me if I am wrong, but, judging from highlights on mycujoo, it seems to me that Tanayo had the assists for all three goals of the day!!!
It's a shame that Nadeshiko League website doesn't keep track of the assists as NWSL or Frauen-Bundesliga do (or, at least, I don't think it does, does it? ), because I guess our favourite Yoko, despite having scored just one goal so far, would be quite high-ranked in the art of making the other players score. Please, Takakura, giving at least an after-thought to her?

Nojima Stella Kanagawa is a team who's playing a distinct brilliant brand of football right now (in fact they're currently alone at third place, behind INAC and Beleza, but ahead of Urawa and Nagano): if they keep on this way, can Takakura ignore all of them except Takagi, or will she be forced to give a call to some players? In this moment, Minamino is a goal-machine, and Tanayo makes the whole team click. Mebae Tanaka, Ishida, Kawashima are looking like good players anyway.

This week, this is the game we don't get highlights of from mycujoo , but anyway I don't think we need footage to conclude that Vegalta's season is being really mediocre . If it wasn't for newly promoted teams, they could be easy sucked into the battle to avoid relegation.
Meanwhile, Albirex goes on goal-frenzy, with Sakaguchi Nr.2 setting her personal tally at 4 and many players scoring their first of the season, including young Sonoda and another one who used to score a lot, Sayaka Oishi. After my slip about Momiki, I won't speculate about the reason why she hadn't scored so far.

Well, draws keep the situation quite unchanged. Bunnys and Belle look quite hopeless at the bottom, while Ehime Ladies catch up with Iga at first place, but have a worse goal difference.

This Noguchi looks like a recent signing for Jumonji Ventus: is she the same Aya Noguchi who was playing in INAC Kobe Leonessa some time ago?

Challenge League West

For records, with today's brace Mayu Ikejiri is at 9 goals in 7 match-days. Her whole team scored 13. These are some numbers.

 

Could you elaborate on what's so special on her and what she could give in particular to NT that's needed?

 

Thanks Dernhelm, these are much appreciated!!!

 

We all know, Dernhelm, and we are close to you.

And don't worry, I am sure you'll get another chance for photos and all, as well as your wonderful NT will have.