NWSL update: another Japanese vs. Japanese clash. This time it was OL Reign vs Sky Blue FC, i.e. Yuka Momiki vs Nahomi Kawasumi. Naho played the whole game vs her former team and seemed in good form to me: I didn't watch the whole game (it was at 4:00 AM here in Europe ), but from highlights you can see that she has one shot from short range rebounded by a DF and made a good cross for a team-mate in the 2nd Half. Yuka Momiki was a late sub only for Reign, at 75' (I remind everyone that this special tournament, maybe to avoid injuries after a pre-sesonal imperfect preparation due to Covid-19, allows 5 substituions: this gives more chances to all of the players in the roster): despite playing just an handful of minutes, Yuka made an impression in highlights: when she overlapped in the box at about 79', she would have probably expected a through-pass, if the ball had been on the feet of her friend Yui Hasegawa in Beleza; her team-mate preferred to shot instead. Later, at about 84', she made a head-assist (!) for Spencer that nearly led to a goal (It seems to me it was her: can anyone confirm?). The match ended in a 0-0 draw, but I guess we can be happy about our Nadeshiko players' display. Highlights: https://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/ILUYWhWVUuhaAIo086BHJp1gk97i2wiQ
She was one of the best on pitch, her and both golies deserved MVP award. Yes, it was Momiki assist. She made an immidiate impact during her 15 mins on the pitch. I hope she will get more playing time cuz Shirley Cruz was medicore at best. Unfortunatelly for Momiki, Benstiti pushed Reign for getting Cruz (he work with her in PSG) and beside her poor form gave her a place in starting 11 from the get go.
Yesterday, two of our Japanese players in NWSL should have played again, but I guess for this torunament the clubs are using an heavy rotation, since it often happens to play twice for week. In particular Chicago Red Stars deployed a team mostly made of young players, without Yuki Nagasato (who didn't come to the pitch later as a sub either) and they anyway picked a 0-0 draw vs Portland Thorns. Washington Spirit, instead, took two 2nd Half's goals from North Carolina Courage; Kumi Yokoyama was on the bench all night, although I guess it would have been interesting to see her in the role of the super-sub, that's been one of her most interesting features in our NT. I leave you anyway with the two video-highlights, although neither has Nadeshiko players in it: https://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/r1JVivlGxEQg4vbXst1Cp1YSvheacWAL https://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/DaqPvIHevCxY39FBsXzh9I86HmxTH88r P.S: @Manchester Nadeshiko, I sent you a private message here on BigSoccer, but maybe you didn't notice that, since I seem to remember that you don't use to check private conversations (right upper corner).
NWSL update, not brilliant for our Nadeshiko contingent. Yesterday, two games were played at Utah 2020 Tournament: - Utah Royals-Sky Blue FC 1-0. Nahomi Kawasumi played the whole game, but neither her nor her team were very effective and they never really gave the impression that they could win this game or even equalize the goal scored by Utah at the end of 1st Half. The only significant feature you can see from Naho in highlights is a cross in the box from the Left-Side at 90'. Now Sky Blue sit in the last position of the standings of this tournament, with 1 point after two games. Highlights: https://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/qg71ECBRu4tHqbM6flazXTmpH8DjCrNW - Houston Dash-OL Reign 2-0. Yuka Momiki this time started and was sub-off at 63'. Probably the team has no idea of how to use her skills, though: in the highlights you can see her served with an aerial assist for a poor attempt of an header. By jove, she's 5ft 0 in! You have to set her up with fast triangles at ground level, as Hasegawa used to do! Anyway, OL Reign now shares last place with Sky Blue FC. Highlights: https://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/9TBXDTwSgQraGdYh2qRd6DGfaj9xijIF Today, two other games will be played: Yuki Nagasato will have to face the most difficult task, since her Chicago Red Stars are going to clash vs reigning champions and current rankings' leaders of North Carolina Courage. Kumi Yokoyama and Washington Spirit have anyway a quite daunting task vs Portland Thorns. Let's hope we won't have to comment 4 losses in 4 matches for Japan in this match-day.
In a less morally-questionable tournament, ⬤ WK League 2020 - four South Korean clubs have Japanese players in the squad this year: Hwacheon KSPO - Yoshimi Natsuki (MF no.14), Fumina Katsurama (FW no.33) Changnyeong WFC - Aya Shimojo (MF no.29), Nanase Kiryu (FW no.24) Gyeongju KHNP - Asuna Tanaka (MF no.4) Suwon WFC - Madoka Haji (MF no.5) Yoshimi Natsuki hit Hwacheon's first goal of the season, in week 1: Hwacheon 2 - 0 Seoul (highlights) youtube.com/watch?v=LAgXQMOODgA&t=4m30s Changnyeong won only once in 2019 and finished last of 8 teams. But this year, the club's third season has begun very well, with 2 wins, a draw and a respectable loss (to 7-year champion Incheon), while Nanase Kiryu has scored two vital goals so far. (KWFF.or.kr / Archive) Kiryu scored the team's first goal of the season, in Changnyeong's eventual 3-2 away win at Boeun. In week 2, she got the winning goal, a scrambled diving header for Changnyeong (in gold) away at Hwacheon (blue). All four Japanese players were in for this match: Full match: youtube.com/watch?v=4yXP3rJohl4&t=11m Highlights: youtube.com/watch?v=WVS1gK6eRDQ Kiryu's teammate Aya Shimojo hasn't been mentioned on the forum since 2013 after she graduated. Later she played for Iga FC Kunoichi in 2019. In Korea, the midfielder hit a nice goal for Changnyeong in week 3, their opening strike in a 3-3 at Seoul WFC: youtube.com/watch?v=3F5fcWyeIO0&t=14m Gyeongju and Suwon were the last two Korean championship runners-up. Tanaka's team, Gyeongju, were desperately close to winning the 2018 final in their second season. Gyeongju haven't played their biggest rivals yet in 2020: they have 3 wins and a draw, which was 1-1 away at Hwacheon - with Hwacheon's late equalizer by Katsurama: youtube.com/watch?v=CpBSMsnOWOA&t=1h42m Natsuki and Katsurama's club, Hwacheon, are usually a solid midtable team, but were beaten finalists in 2017. Yoshimi Natsuki also has a Tweeter, at "gleam_0805", which was very educational about Japanese stationery. What is this red sheet? Is it magical and should I buy one?
Wow, thank you very much, @sbahnhof, for answering my previous question about WK-League! All of the 6 players in it are high-or-medium-profile ones, who played in 1st Division and some of them even in Senior National Team. Also, Fumina Katsurama! You proabably can't know that, @sbahnhof, but she's one of my favourite players: I am happy to know where she's playing now and to see her face again! Since Korean language is an insurmontable barrier to me, I'd be grateful if you'd help this thread by keeping us updated about Japanese players in WK-League.
We went very close to that, guys, we went very close! North Carolina Courage-Chicago Red Stars 1-0. Yuki Nagasato was subbed-off at 79'; at 80', as if it was a divine punishment for this substitution , NCC scores. The result stays and Chicago now shares last place with Sky Blue FC and OL Reign. Highlights: https://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/5Y34TOFtDDDEh4sng9qYBXcm22PpBEnY The last result saves our day, since Portland Thorns and Washington Spirit tie the score with a 1-1 draw. Kumi Yokoyama was on the pitch for 73' minutes and she also had some dangerous shots. Portland scored first, but Washington equalized (when Kumi had already been subbed-out). Spirit now 4th in the rankings. Highlights: https://www.nwslsoccer.com/videos/78nGbDQu_6KzkcUzg5ACQnFpApBJxDKG
You can learn a dead language but not Korean? Hwacheon's next away game is about to kick off now (09:00 GMT), this is week 5 - the first league game in Sejong, the new hometown for the team Sportstoto, with midfielder Choi Yu-ri having a good season so far. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmorLYgqJVc (edit: bzzzzz) I guess you can tell who is doing well, if they're in the adverts for tonight's games. (btw, Fumina/Humina doesn't wear 25, only in the ad) The only Korean I've learnt to use is copy/paste/translator, but the official site and Soccerway are usually up-to-date and nearly comprehensible... Most of the matches this season are streamed live on the iTop21sports channel.
No news from Kato, but Shino Kunisawa will remain in Italy and will play in 1st Division: she just signed for newly promoted team San Marino (yes, San Marino is a different nation from Italy, but it has no women's NT so far and it has a club team subscribed to Italian league instead ).
I am going to give the full update tommorow morning, after the Sky Blue-Houston Dash game that will happen in the night for my European self, but I don't resist the temptation to give an anticipation to you, guys: OL Reign won their game by 1-0 with a wonderful assist from Yuka Momiki, who was subbed-in at 81' only and completely changed the game nontheless, with the few minutes available to her.
Look at this well-known video (I am aware you know it by heart, but bear with me): Now, look below to see the exact same goal scored by the same player to a similar blonde GK, only with the players wearing different jerseys from 9 years ago : Yes, Naho did it again and she was voted Woman of the match for Sky Blue FC-Houston Dash. Her goal was the nail on the coffin, on 1st Half already, for a game that ended 2-0 for her team. Sky Blue FC are now part of an incredible 5-way tie, with 5 teams out of 8 tied at 4 points at the second place of the rankings of Utah Tournament 2020 (including also OL-Reign with Momiki and Washington Spirit with Yokoyama; Yuki Nagasato and her Chicago Red Stars currently sit in a sad an unexpected last position at just 1 point ). There is just another match-day scheduled for Group Stage this week-end, before the tournament enters the direct-elimination phase: the placements will determine the clashes and, apart from North Carolina Courage gone away with first place already, basically anything can happen right now. Enjoy the highlights from Sky Blue FC vs Houston Dash (that Kawasumi played for all of the 90'): Earlier the same day, as I had anticipated above, OL-Reign had beaten Utah Royals with a goal scored in injury-time. Yuka Momiki, who had entered the game at 81', turned off the light on the match for OL (as someone correctly wrote on the NWSL boards): at first she crossed in the box for McNabb, who failed an easy header, and then she had her master-piece of an assist for Bethany Balcer's goal. We often talked about the differences between US and Japanese football: it looked like Yuka was technically a level above most of the players on the pitch in that moment. You can see the highlights of this game also, in this very good day for Japanese colours in the USA :
Speaking of Naho, this popped up... first time seeing it During #ToN2018 we shot a few videos with the other teams and I need to share the Japan one because it’s the content y’all didn’t know you deserve. #SoccerUnites Get Miyake some souvenirs. 😂 pic.twitter.com/zhQG06CYUA— JP (@jimemaud) July 28, 2018
Unlike 3 year long "search" for league Commissioner of NWSL, things in Japan seem to develop rather fast. Appointment of Ms. Okajima as WE League first Chair bodes really.well for next year's start and nearest future of this league. (the lady has quite impressive resumee) 【Press release】Ms. OKAJIMA Kikuko named as first Chair of WE League✅https://t.co/4KZU75cFof#weleague #nadeshiko #Womensfootball #WEリーグ— WEリーグ|日本女子プロサッカーリーグ (@WE_League_JP) July 9, 2020
Looks like Naho was well aware that she scored the same goal as 2011 : https://www.twitch.tv/videos/674289910
FIFA published report on club solidarity funding from WWC in France. Full report here NTV Beleza is 3rd biggest recipient of FIFA money with sum of 156 420$ Below graphic shows Beleza with only 114 830$ because 41 590$ was listed aside for ... NTV Menina club From a quick glance no other club has it's academy listed as stand alone, this exeption was made only for Beleza. Seem like having Japanese club in front of three English clubs was unthinkable from the PR standpoint thus some "creative math" was quickly ordered.
Utah Tournament 2020 update. Two games played yesterday and two wins, with identical score, for the teams with a Japanese players in them , although their contribution were very different: - Washington Spirit-Houston Dash 1-0. Kumi Yokoyama started and played 71': she had chances and good plays from her Right-Side position and, at 16', she was well involved in the action of the goal, as you can see from highlights. Washington Spirit are now at 7 points and very well poised to clinch 2nd place of the group stage (depending on today's match results). Highlights: - Chicaco Red Stars-Utah Royals 1-0. Yuki Nagasato didn't play: someone on the US boards claimed that she was slighlty injured; in that case, resting her could have anyway been just precautional, to be sure to have her at ready for the direct elimination stage. With this win, CRS climb at 4 points, but their bad goal difference mean that right now they're still one-to-last: could change if today some of the teams also at 4 points will lose with a bad goal difference. Highlights: Later today, the other two Japanese players in NWSL should be on the pitch (or on the bench ): the scheduled matches are OL Reign-Portland Thorns (feat. Yuka Momiki) and Sky Blue FC-North Carolina Courage (feat. Nahomi Kawasumi).
⬤ WK League: In a match that actually had Japanese players in it, Fumina Katsurama scored the opener for Hwacheon in week 5 at Sejong, in a 1-1 draw: youtube.com/watch?v=Jlw0ql5OwZo&t=1m15s Changnyeong (with Shimojo/Kiryu) got a surprise draw 0-0 against Asuna Tanaka's team Gyeongju (2nd) - and a home win for Suwon put Madoka Haji's team into 3rd place. All of the top 4 teams are meeting in today's games, starting soon (09:00 GMT / 18:00 JST). Tanaka's Gyeongju are 4 points behind the Korean champions, Incheon, and hosting them in the south. And the game in Suwon should have 3 Japanese players (not 0 anyway) Suwon WFC v Changnyeong WFC youtube.com/watch?v=sPL5LAPX1EY Gyeongju KHNP v Incheon Red Angels youtube.com/watch?v=BWdohhqVzD0 * Live stream comes straight from scoreboard so may include bizarre music videos, I dunno
The last games of Utah Tournament 2020 group stage were played yesterday: - OL Reign-Portland Thorns 0-0. Momiki was subbed-in at 58'. Reign finished group stage at 3rd place. Highlights: - Sky Blue FC-North Carolina Courage 0-2. Nahomi Kawasumi played the whole game. Sky Blue finished group stage at 7th place (on goal scored to Utah Royals and Houston Dash and, I guess, on disciplinary record to Chicago Red Stars). Highlights: Unluckily, the set up of the quarter finals shaped up in a way that will see Japanes players clash against each others. This means that we're going to lose two of our players along the way (but, at the same time, it warrents that two Japanese players will advace to the semifinals). The first two semifinals are scheduled for Friday the 17th, but they don't involve Nadeshiko players; the subsequent day, Saturday the 18th, we'll get instead Washington Spirit vs Sky Blue FC (Kumi Yokoyama vs Nahomi Kawasumi) and OL-Reign vs Chicago Red Stars (Yuka Nicole Momiki vs Yuki Nagasato). May the best ones advance.
Spectacular! I must admit that I had missed it back then (or I hadn't pay enough attention to it): the action is neat and Megumi's coordination and composure are awesome! Kamionobe remains one of the best players in the league, well worth being part of the 2011 World Champions generation.
Tomorrow's games: Nadeshiko League Iga vs Inac 16:00 Jef vs Urawa 17:00 Cerezo vs Ehime 18:00 Nadeshiko League 2 Nittaidai vs Yamato 15:00 Bunnys vs Harima 18:00