Interview with Omiya Ardiya Ventus boss Norio Sasaki (google translation) " ――― How about building a team for the opening in September? Sasaki First, make a solid base. Conditioning is not impatient, and I would like to firmly establish a foothold once again and gradually move to the team tactical element. And we will try the pre-season match starting in April. I will organize it again and prepare it. However, the current concern is what to do after the pre-season match until the start of September. It's unclear what will happen in Corona, but we've been approached by a tournament where top European clubs gather. If circumstances permit, I would like to participate. Whether or not to participate has not been decided, but I think that if you gain such experience, you will be well prepared."
Tomorrow's games: WE League pre-season match Jef vs Omiya 13:00 Nagano vs Albi 13:00 Nojima vs Urawa 14:00
Scientists uncover the oldest known photograph of women playing football in Japan, from 1916. Love this. 📸🇯🇵😍https://t.co/zjAgk2lPml— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) April 28, 2021
H.T....Jeff 0 Omiya 1 Game is a bit like the weather.....dull 44 mins of waiting for something to happen then a goal from a CK in added on time
F.T.....Jeff 0 Omiya 1 If you are looking for a game to watch to get your pulse racing in anticipation of the new league starting I would suggest this is not the game for you
This was not as bad as I thought it was going to be, but it was still really bad. It is going to be a very long season for Nojima and me. They need a forward/striker because right now they do not have one. Just having a genuine striker who can give the midfield a clearer focal point is needed. Looking at the Spanish league there are a few capable forwards who I believe could be tempted to play in the WE League. The WE League could be an attractive proposition for some players, especially from South America. But I wonder if the WE League clubs actually want to go down that path? I can see what Kitano is trying to do with the 4-3-3, but for it to work there needs to be much better cohesion in midfield. The two Cerezo transfers (Wakisaka and Inoue) were poor today, but Ishida was the one bright spot. It is early days for Wakisaka and Inoue, so I am sure they will improve. I know Wakisaka is a good player. Nojima have lost a lot of experienced players and it shows. Other than that Shiokoshi is still a good player and Urawa players still dive. If they were taking bets for the first WE League season I would put money on Nojima finishing last.
Jeff v Ojima and Nojima v Reds now available on elevensports website (full matches) (Sorry am not able to do link)
https://elevensports.jp/video/72436 https://elevensports.jp/video/72365 Parceiro vs. Albirex was recorded and should be available tomorrow at AC Nagano youtube channel
Here is the dive from Endo! Seriously! How is this not a yellow card? https://kapwi.ng/c/pZmwixlI I hope the link works.
Not sure it was a dive: at normal speed I get the impression that there could be a slight collision between DF's leg and Endo's one (not sure there is and it would surely be involuntary if there is, but anyway it doesn't look impossible to me). I guess slow-motion replay tends to erase that impression, because you tend to miss how relevant even a little hit could be at run's speed. Another observation: had been really been intended to be a dive, wouldn't Endo just roll down and call the foul? Instead she almost immediately tries to reagain balance to reach the ball. Of course, she could have decided that, since the ref hadn't given the PK right away, it was worth stading up and trying to keep up with the action, but frankly it seems to me that it all happened too much fast to decide to take a dive and then changing her own mind so suddenly.
You are very kind Blisset to give her the benefit of the doubt. I agree these things happen very quickly and I have certainly been wrong before, but for me this was a blatant, badly timed dive. In my opinion Endo is waiting for contact from Suzuki, so she can go down. However, by some miracle it does not come from Suzuki, and then Endo of her own volition decides to roll on the ground when Suzuki is nearly a metre away from her. I just think it is a very strange thing to be doing in the penalty box, because she has made the decision to do the roll. Of course it is not as bad as this one. And I am a Milan fan.
Follw up. Look who is soon to publish book about women's football in Japan. I am a big fan of the work of @FullBloomGuide - the research is meticulous & carefully compiled... https://t.co/Cp0O6YrQM4— Professor Jean Williams - Femorabilia @jeanolafc (@JeanMWilliams) April 29, 2021
Not a dive and not a foul by either one either, perfect call by the ref. What we see here is a common occurrence when two players cross paths running: to keep balance Endo essentially leans into the path of the other player, but with her gone she fails to re-balance herself quickly enough thus falls afterward.
Tomorrow's games: Nadeshiko League Nittaidai vs Nagoya 13:00 (I like both teams, so I'm a little bit confused about which I should root for, Watanabe Urara or Miura Momo.) Ange Violet vs Cerezo 13:00 Setagaya vs Orca 14:00 Nadeshiko League 2 JFA vs Shizuoka 11:00
While we wait for Nadeshiko League 1 & 2 matches the upcoming week-end, it could be as good a time as any other for some updates about the Nadeshiko-relevant international football that's been played during this week. And, after West Ham and Bristol City, Aston Villa once again draws a game vs a direct competitor to avoid relegation. And once again, as vs Bristol, after having been ahead. On Wednesday, Birmingham City-Aston Villa ended 1-1, with Birmingham scoring the equalizer at 90'+6'! And anyway, slowly but steadily, one point at the time, Aston Villa is trying to reach the quota that would grant them being safe. Two games to go for Aston Villa in FA WSL this year and, since the away one vs Arsenal scheduled on the 9th of May is as well as lost already, the key-match is of course this sunday's one vs West Ham again. The winner takes it all, I'd say. Go, Mana Iwabuchi!
Meanwhile in the USA... Nadeshiko-relevant results of the NWSL Challenge Cup games that have been played during the week: - On Monday the 26th, Racing Louisville FC-North Carolina Courage 2-3 (Yuki Nagasato started and was subbed-out at 74', on the 1-2 score); - On Tuesday the 27th, Washington Spirit-NJ/NY Gotham FC 0-0 (both Saori Takarada, subbed-out at 79', and Kumi Yokoyama, subbed-out at 62', started for Washington; Nahomi Kawasumi started for Gotham and played the whole match); - On Tuesday the 27th, OL Reign-Chicago Red Stars 3-2 (Yuka Nicole Momiki was subbed-in at 71', on the 2-1 score). The format of this mini-tournament is that the teams are divided into a East Division and a West Division, each one formed by 5 teams: every team plays the other 4 in their division and then the winners of the two divisions play the final on the 8th of May. Only one match to go (all scheduled throughout this week-end, including Monday the 3rd) for most of the teams (some have played all of their matches already). Portland Thorns have already won West Division, so no chances for Momiki's OL Reign to play the final. The situation is much more open in East Division: Takarada's and Yokoyama's Washington Spirit have already played all of the scheduled games and are eliminated; Nagasato's newbies of Louisville have only made 1 point so far and are eliminated too. Kawasumi's Gotham FC is leading East Division instead, but they only have an 1 point advantage over North Carolina Courage. They will play hopeless Louisville on Sunday, already knowing if they'll have to win or if a draw will do, because North Carolina will play Orlando on Saturday (tomorrow). Go Naho!!!