Official 2019 Nadeshiko Japan Thread [R] - なでしこジャパン（英語スレッド）

Ok, that also means that the injury she picked up in the freindly match vs Canada wasn't as serious as we could have feared, and I have to say that I am relieved by that, especially by a Nadeshiko NT's point of view.

As for the league, though, I am sorry, @unepommekun, but I am rooting for Urawa, since Beleza, OL-like, already won too many titles.

It will be very difficult, though: I can see Urawa and Beleza winning all of their last games (Urawa vs Iga at home and JEF away, Beleza vs JEF on Wednesday as the catch-up match, then vs Nagano at home and vs Vegalta away), but if the tie-breaker is goal difference it will be insurmountable for Urawa.

 

This week, I decided to scatter international updates through different posts at different times: easier for me than a single mega-post, like in previous installments. So I won't wait for NWSL semifinals, that are going to be played tonight, but I remind everyone who wants to follow them that we're going to have two Japanese players battling to reach the US championship game: Yuki Nagasato with Chicago Red Stars, playing Portland Thorns at home, and Rumi Utsugi with Seattle Reign FC, playing an away game in North Carolina vs Courage. Should they both advance to the final, we could be sure to have at least one Japanese NWSL champion.

Meanwhile, shock as OL unbelievebly only gets a 0-0 draw in Dijon, vs the team that was last-placed i Division 1 Féminine!!! PSG, who won their game, now took the lead.
Saki Kumagai started and was subbed-out at 64' for Parris.

In Frauen-Bundesliga the good news are that Freiburg won by 4-0 vs FF USV Jena! The bad news are that Hikaru Naomoto just sat on the bench for all of the game.
In Frauen-Bundesliga 2nd Division, the bad news are that Cloppenburg lost a game at home vs Frankfurt secondary team by 1-3. The good news are that their lonely goal was scored by Natsuki Kishikawa (but her and Shiho Tomari played the whole game).

 

6th match-day of Liga Femenina:

- Another 0-1 home loss for Sporting Huelva vs the other team that leads the rankings: last week it was vs Barcelona, this time vs Deportivo Abanca. They were both honorable losses, considering the opponents, but they were losses notheless and Sporting Huelva's season keep stinking (3 points, "even" Tacón is one point ahead).
This time Yoko Tanaka started, but she was subbed out at HT (for records, Deportivo's goal came in 2nd half); Maya Yamamoto, instead, sat on the bench all game for Deportivo (this time I've read well and I've seen no trace of "Maya" ).

- Is there anything worse than being Sporting Huelva? Well, yes, that's being Espanyol Barcelona; while rivals of Barcelona FC have the lead of the league along with Deportivo Abanca, Espanyol sits in 16th and last place out of 16 teams, with just one single point. This time they lost their game by 4-0 vs Sevilla; Ayaka Noguchi started and played the whole game.


No better news from Serie A in Italy:

- It was quite predictable, but Tavagnacco lost their game vs league-leaders of Milan by 2-0. Mizuho Kato and Shiho Kunisawa played the whole game. Kunisawa has even scored but... in the wrong goal. She unluckily deflected a shot that gave Milan their first goal.
Next game at home vs third-to-last Empoli could be the chance to finally see a win from our Japanese players in Italy (oh, since Tavagnacco was playing in Milan, you could wonder why I didn't go to the stadium: well, I was quite busy this week-end and, on top of it, Milan, this season, will actually play in Monza, slightly out of town, so it wasn't as easy as it could have seemed for me to go to the match).


OFB Frauen-Bundesliga:

- Well, let's end this review of Japanese losses with Wacker Innsbruck. After the 14-3 loss from last week, you couldn't actually do worse: these time Innsbruck lost by 0-3 "only" an home match vs FC Bergheim. Saya Kawasaki and Kanako Fuse played the whole game.


So, out of 11 Japanese players scattered in 8 teams in 5 different nations, we had just 2 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses. Also consider that the 2 wins happened without Japanese players on the pitch, since both Naomoto in Germany and Yamamoto in Spain set on the bench all time, while the single draw actually felt like a loss for OL.

Let's hope NWSL games will lift our spirit, or this will be a really disappointing week-end for Japanese players abroad.

 

- The first semifinal was quite disappointing from a Japanese point of view: Seattle Reign managed to equalize North Carolina Courage's late advantage in the last minute of injury-time, sending the game to extra-time, but then they lost by 4-1. The especially bad news for us, though, are that Rumi Utsugi, after starting the last match of the league, yesterday wasn't even on the bench instead. I have to hope it was by technical choice and not beacuse of a relapse of her injury. Anyway, no championship game for her, nor for her team.
Highlights of the game: http://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/01DEF49C-DC2F-E867-C1B8-EB25AF906755

- The second seminfinal is where we get to smile. Chicago Red Stars won the game vs Portland Thorns by just 1-0, but that doesn't give an idea of the sense of dominance and total control of the game they gave. The goal was of course the umptenth product of the Nagasato-Kerr connection, with a perfect assist from our player, who sent a long lob from the midfield circle to the Australian striker, who was already running for it even before it was kicked, thus showing the blind faith she had in her partner in crime. In an interview just after the final whistle, Kerr, in describing that action, referred to Nagasato as "Yuki the Magician". That moniker was well deserved, as later in the game Yuki sent at least two other golden assists to Kerr, and only bad luck prevented them to be converted into other goals. Chicago Red Stars manage to reach the NWSL Championship Game at their 5th attempt, after losing in the seminfinals for 4 consecutive seasons: maybe this is their year!
Enjoy the highlights: http://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/B7BE8515-6352-842F-73A8-EB6C0720FE22

Food for thought: can really Nadeshiko Japan do without a player like Nagasato?

Edit (quote from a post-match article):

«Kerr’s goal came on the back of a delightful lofted ball from Japanese midfield maestro and former Brisbane Roar star Yuki Nagasato, described by Kerr as ‘a magician’.

“She puts the ball on a platter and I don’t have to do much,” said the elated Aussie. “Everyone knows in the league how good she is. She’s an amazing player, she’s an amazing teammate, but she’s an even better human and I love playing for her.”

Their combination was crucial to Chicago’s success this campaign, with Nagasato scoring eight times and assisting eight goals — most for Kerr. Alongside Kerr, Nagasato is one of the five players on the MVP shortlist.»

 

Also, apperently Yuki Nagasato also has the time to do something else in Chicago, beyond playing football :

Being in a Band,Performing in front of people, Sharing energy with people, Expressing what I loving to do, All of that is my joy.

Bringing energy into song/stage is important more than how good is at it.

I’ll be better more and more!!!🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/ee6mBzOSBg

— 永里 優季 | Yuki Nagasato (@yuki_ngst) October 15, 2019

LFG CRS 🔥🔥🔥
@chiredstarsPR #MKOT

Tomorrow Semis @nwsl playoffs ⚽️
We need YOU!!
See you at SeatGeek Stadium 🏟
Bring your powerful energy!
I’ll bring my cleats for you!!

https://t.co/sOnTRzVKmd

— 永里 優季 | Yuki Nagasato (@yuki_ngst) October 19, 2019

 

If you want to enjoy the full game (including the final interview with Sam Kerr praising Yuki Nagasato at the end of game), you can find it here:

 

In Division 1 the only mistake I spot is in Nittaidai's goal difference, that should be -38 and not -48. By the way, you have the number of goals scored and against correct, so you just missed the subtraction! That's why I use to calculate goal differences with an automatic Excel file.

In Division 2, instead, you probably didn't insert the score of one of Cerezo's games, most probably the 4-2 win vs Nippatsu from last week, since Cerezo are missing three points and the goal differences of Cerezo and Nippatsu miss respectively 4 goal for and 2 against and 2 goals for and 4 against.

I sometimes check my stats with Full Bloom Guidebook ones, although it did happen in the past that the site had some mistakes too (although it admittedly happens quite seldom).

Anyway good job with your charts. One thing: I can understand the idea of having the colors match the teams' jerseys, but in my opinion you use a too much dark shade of red for Urawa, INAC and Nojima, that stands in the way of readability. Sometimes I skip checking on some parts of your chart because of that: consider that the average age of this thread's contributors needs characters that don't hurt the eyes.

 

Well, as @Manchester Nadeshiko pointed out, this will most probably seal the deal: if there was a team that had a vague chance of taking away points from Beleza in these three last matches it was JEF. It's true that the two teams that Beleza will meet in the last two matchdays will desperately need points to avoid the relegation play-off and that they're battling each other, but I have a hard time seeing AC Nagano Parceiro or Mynavi Vegalta Sendai Ladies stealing any points from a Green Machine trying to win the league. Maybe if Kumi Yokoyama was at her best... but we all know she currently isn't.

On the other hand, Urawa will meet Iga FC Kunoichi and JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies and, even if they'll manage to win both games, the goal difference of +15 in Beleza's favour is impossible to overcome.

You have to say that JEF today didn't even manage to keep it close for long: at 2' Mina Tanaka was already scoring the first goal! At least, they had to wait 63' to go ahead by two, and it was once again Riko Ueki, an absolut fury in this last part of the league!

In the end, JEF scored a goal with Shoko Chino, for "prettiness points".

This game didn't mean much for Setagaya, who jumped from 7th to 5th position, but were already out of contention for promotion for a long time.

Bunnys, instead, lost that game in hand that could have been their ace in the hole in the duel vs Yamato Sylphid to avoid the relegation play-off: the two teams now remain level, with 14 points apiece and a goal difference that, at the moment, is slighlty better for Yamato (-15 to -18). In the last match-day, they'll both play an home game: Yamato Sylphid vs NHK Spring Yokohama FC Seagulls and Bunnys Kyoto vs AS Harima Albion. They are both middle-chart teams, with about the same points (Nippatsu is at 25 points, Harima at 24) and very dangerous offensive lines. We're going to see if any of the teams who are battling to avoid the play-off will manage to steal points from them and to make their goal difference better if needed (i.e., if Yamato and Bunnys both win or both lose, it could be interesting to know with which score: ironically, Bunnys could be happy with a 0-1 loss, should Yamato happen to lose by 0-5!).

 

Of course, Ueki, who's being outstanding in the last weeks, gets a call. No surprise that there is no Yokoyama, instead: it's quite longtime that she doesn't score and Nagano has been sucked into the relegation fight.

It's quite interesting that we see Masuya get back, after being cut from the WWC squad. Of course, in the offense line, the elephant in the room remains Nagasato: she could't be called anyway while NWSL play-offs are underway (the final match is scheduled for this Sunday), but I wonder if there are any behind-the-scenes talks to have her back in NT. Do I remember right that, after the World Cup, Japanese media were wondering why she hadn't been called?

Talking about internationals, both Kumagai and Naomoto get a call. No Utsugi, but I wonder if it's technical choice or if she didn't completely recover yet from her injury (or had another slight injury). I guess no other player from overseas clubs could have been considered in contention.

Akari Kurishima is an interesting new call: is it an absolut debut? I don't remember having seen her name in big pre-WWC camps either. Same for Natsumi Asano (I had to go checking that she's Chifure AS Elfen Saitama's GK: did anyone of you, guys, have any idea that she was good enough to deserve a call in senior team? How old is she and where does she come from?).

Some other names aren't new but get back after not being called for the WWC nor for the last friendly match vs Canada (Matsubara, Doko). Kiko Seike is being so good in her new role as a DF (she was a FW until a few years ago) that she's deservingly receiving a call. Can anyone (@unepommekun?) remind me of what side does she play?

Of course there is no Mizuho Sakaguchi and no Aya Sameshima: does anyone know anything more about her recent injury? Of course, I guess not, since news about Japanese players' health are so strictly forbidden... I anyway hope the Shark can be back soon.

Do you see anything else relevant that I didn't cover, in this roster, guys?

Can anyone remind me of day and time of the game?

 

I am excited by this Division 2 match-day: all matches are relevant and all of them will say something about promotion or relegation.

May the best win!

 

Wow, in fact, as @pierre bezukhov just wrote, the fact that Nojima managed to lose home to Nittaidai is quite remarkable! With this result, not only Nojima isn't safe from relegation yet, but Nittaidai, who looked hopeless until today, suddenly have a lifeline: it's true that Vegalta have one game in hand to them and Nagano have even two (including tomorrow's one vs Beleza), but now Nittaidai are just one point behind Nagano and two points behind Vegalta. And it's not like their opponents have to easy matches scheduled ahead: Nagano, after the away game vs Beleza, will have to play two home games vs direct rivals that will be eager to make points to avoid the relegation or the relegation play-off (Nojima and Vegalta), and Vegalta have Beleza at home followed by the catch up match vs Nagano indeed. So it's impossible that these team make the maximum available points (at least one of them will have to give some points to the other one) and it looks very unlikely that any of them can take points from Beleza. So, if Nittaidai somehow manage to win next week's game at home vs Albirex, they could pass one of these teams (they need to be squarely ahead to be safe, because their current goal difference is -37! ).

Bottom line: suddenly the direct relegation place is on the line again!

Meanwhile: Nojima remain the team that never draws; 16 games, 6 wins and 10 losses. In Division 1, there is also Urawa who have never had a draw, but they had 12 wins and just 4 losses so far.

And Vegalta is maybe the worse looking one of the teams involved: Nagano have the home advantage in the direct clash and the game vs Nojima to boot. Lady Vega would really need to make points vs Beleza next week (because their goal difference is worse than Nagano's), but is it really possible?

Meanwhile, Megumi Kamionobe still rocks at age 33. Hat-trick for her today (including a PK) and she's currently third placed in the scorers' rankings with 7 goals, way behind Mina Tanaka and Yuika Sugasawa, but level with Rikako Kobayashi, who's 11 years younger than her.

There is another 2011 World Champion who wasn't lucky today instead : Yukari Kinga and her Orca Kamogawa team fall short ad even finish at 4th place (passed by Chifure AS Elfen Saitama also), after dominating the league for long stints and looking in the best position to grab at least a second place until a pair of weeks ago. They had too many draws in the last part of the season, though, including a fatal one last week vs Yamato Sylphid (who managed to avoid relegation with that unexpected result).

Ehime FC Ladies get first place: we're going to see the likes of Mami Ueno and Ayumi Oya battle in Division 1 and one could wonder if they have any chance to make National Team again.

Someone who already was in National Team at two World Cups in two consecutive years, an U-20 one and the Senior one, has now the chance to get back in Division 1 too: Saori Takarada. If Orca's performance in the last weeks has been underwhelming, Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies' one was absolutely impressive instead!!! Their long, headlong run for second place was pointed with boatloads of goal, to the point that Cerezo finished with the best goal difference of Division 2 (+17). If I were the team who'll end at one-to-last place in Division 1, I'd be scared: I bet Cerezo Ladies are well capable of winning the play-off they so stubbornly conquered, whoever their opponent will be.

Rie Azami finishes at first place of Division 2's scorers' rankings with 13 goals (well far from the records set by players as Yokoyama or Takarada), but it was not enough for Chifure: they basically threw away their chances of promotion by drawing vs Bunnys last week.
The podium is completed by Cerezo's Saori Takarada and Nippatsu's Miyuki Takahashi, both with 10 goals.

Interesting (?) tidbit: there was no own-goal in Division 2 in the whole season.

The last verdict of Division 2 is that Bunnys Kyoto SC will have to play the relegation play-off (Shizuoka already was by a longtime the direct relegated team), while Yamato Sylphid will stay in Division 2 for another season. They both lost and ended at 13 points, but Yamato, who were ahead already in goal difference, only lost by 0-1, while Bunnys took 4 from Harima Albion. The goal in the Yamato-Nippatsu game was scored by my old friend Emi Yamamoto (now aged 37!!!): I am always happy when the captain scores and I wish her to play yet another season next year!