Official 2021 Nadeshiko Japan Thread [R] - なでしこジャパン(英語スレッド)

Discussion in 'Japan' started by blissett, Jan 1, 2021.

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  1. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Hi, guys. 2021 sure can do no harm to us, after what we've passed in 2020, does it? :speechless: But let's keep it at Nadeshiko football.

    A legitimate question has been posed about moving this thread to the women's international board. I've expressed myself in the past by saying that I guess, in this difficult times for forums like this one, it's wiser to avoid big revolutions and to follow the steps of who came before us. Anyway, it's in particular after this abnormal year that I believe it's the case to stick as much as possible to the old re-assuring ways and to leave new ideas to be developed in a quieter moment.

    By a Nadeshiko point of view, we had a 2020 with basically no National team activity except a pair of big training camps. More or less the same for Youth Teams, since the pandemic basically stop all international football.
    It's quite good that, at club level, we had a mostly regular season instead, with all the Divisions playing their leagues and with the Empress' Cup taking place as usual, something a lot of nations around the world couldn't say. Only differences were that the leagues started later than usual and that Nadeshiko League Cup was skipped, but our clubs could be almost as active as in a "normal" year and we also had a quite interesting season, with Beleza's multi-years dominance finally stopped by Urawa and with many intriguing games and beautiful goals. Some of Japanese youth talents look like they're growing to a different level and many players plan to go overseas to furtherly increase their skills.

    There are basically two big things going to happen in 2021 for Japanese women's football: the start of the professional league and the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

    I can only wish that both this events are as successful as Nadeshiko Football deserves. The Olympics being actually disputed would be a victory in itself, but if it happens we could as well also wish for a Japanese medal! :p

    Anyway, let's populate this thread with our usual insightful discussions, guys. :giggle: Good 2021 to everyone! :)
     
  2. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    Tomorrow's games:

    High School tournament first round
    U 18 Championship
     
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  3. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    #3 unepommekun, Jan 2, 2021
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2021
    Some article recommended several players to pay attention to in this high school tournament.
    Katayama Yuna (Shutoku) FW (#9)
    the top scorer of the last year
    Aikawa Haruna (Kamimura) MF (#14)
    The tremendous goal in the last year's some game gave a strong impression.
    Watanabe Runa (Seiwa Gakuen) MF (#10)
    a dribbler
    Takeshige Akari (Hinomoto) DF (#5)
    Harada Waka (Naruto Uzushio) FW (#7)
    Yanase Fuuna (Fujieda Junshin) MF (#10)

    P.S.
    It is so regrettable that U17 WWC was cancelled, because this Japan generation is full of star candidates not only Hamano or Koyama.
    By the way, in fact U 18 Championship may be higher in level than this high school tournament, though it's not fully aired.
     
  4. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    Today's result:

    High School Tournament first round
    Tokoha Tachibana 1-1 (PK 3-4) Sakuyo
    Kashima Gakuen 0-1 Yanagigaura
    Ohtani Muroran 0-5 Fujieda Junshin
    Shonan Gakuin 2-0 Kobe Koryo
    Seiwa Gakuen 2-1 Kamimura Iga
    Utsunomiya Bunsei 3-0 Himeji Jyogakuin
    Gyosei Kokusai 1-0 Naruto Uzushio
    Shutoku 2-1 AICJ
    Kaishi Gakuen JSC 2-0 Tokaidai Fukuoka
    Bunkyo Meisei 1-0 Tottori Johoku
    Tokiwagi 4-0 Shugakukan
    Sendai Kitagami 0-2 Hinomoto
    Maebashi Ikuei 0-1 Daisho Gakuen

    U18 first round
    Urawa Youth 2-0 Mynavi Youth
    Iga Satellight 1-2 AIC Seagull Hiroshima
    Solfiore FC 0-0 (PK 6-5) Ibaragi Football Academy
    INAC Leoncina 0-2 Nojima Stella Doe
    Jef U18 3-0 Lira Consadole
    Oita Trinita 0-3 Albi U18
    Menina 9-0 ANCLAS Nova
    Ehime Mican 0-1 Cerezo Girls

    Menina vs Cerezo could be a de fact final.:p
     
  5. Manchester Nadeshiko

    Ehime F.C. Ladies
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2017
    U.K.
    29th High School Tournament
    Watched the first two matches so for (14 to go)....have to say the coverage/camerawork is exceptional

    Ps.....Happy New Year to you all
     
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  6. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    I was tempted not to post my traditional "seasonal scorers' chart" that I usually post in the first days of a new year, because, well, it only uses to include club competitions and this year there were just two of them, Nadeshiko League and Empress' Cup; and, to boot, one of them had just a very limited number of games, at least for Division 1 teams, that are the ones that I use to cover... :unsure:

    Well, then I said to myself: "A tradition is a tradition!", so let's have a look at this chart from just two competitions (and, after all, there is a surprise, since the best seasonal scorer is not the top scorer of Nadeshiko League Division 1, nor a traditional winner of this kind of seasonal competitions)

    The rules are similar to those from the previous years (although simplified by the low number of competitions) and I show them in the spolier below, as simple as they are. I decided to leave the numbers indicating the difference compared to the last season for each player, just for kicks, although it doesn't make much sense if you take away Nadeshiko League Cup; I could have made a "weighted up" chart by comparing with just the same two competitions from last year, but in the end I decided not to do it, because it anyway looked "artificial" to me.

    Show Spoiler
    The chart has no National Teams goals, no overseas leagues goals, only Division 1 club competitions in Japan (including Empress' Cup, that has clubs from all levels, but no Division 2, no Nadeshiko League Division 2 Cup nor any lesser league). So, basically, for this year 2020, it is just Nadeshiko League Division 1 + Empress' Cup (only counting goals from Div. 1 clubs).

    The format works this way (example):
    4 – Jun Endo – Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza - 13 (8 / 5)(+7!)
    This reads as follows: Jun Endo is 4th in the chart, played in Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza, scored 13 goals, 8 in Nadeshiko League Division 1 and 5 in Empress' Cup; also she scored 7 goals more than previous season. The fact that the comparison is in bold and with an exclamation mark (+7!) means that the difference from previous season is more than 5 goals better or worse than the goals scored that season; otherwise, the number in bracket isn't in bold and has no punctuation. I don't make comparisons with previous season if the player was in a different league, even if I have the data from that league, because I don't think it makes sense to compare the number of goals scored in Nadeshiko League Division 1 with those scored in Division 2 or in Frauen-Bundesliga: in those cases, a note will state: (can't be properly compared). If a player was in Division 1 for only a part of the season, the goals she scored there will be counted, but no goal in other leagues will be counted (for instance, if she was in the chart, Natsuki Kishikawa would only have the goals she scored in Japan in 2020, not also those she scored in Germany; I'd compare anyway her record with previous season, although a note would state that she didn't fully play it). Also: when two players were even on goals, I've written first the one with more goals in Division 1 (arguably, the most important competition); when they were even in Division 1 goals, I just used alphabetical order.

    These are the first 20 positions of the chart

    Nadeshiko League Seasonal scorers

    1 - Haruka Hamada - Mynavi Vegalta Sendai Ladies - 19 (15 / 4)(+14!)
    - Rikako Kobayashi - Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza - 19 (13 / 6)(+2)
    3 - Yuika Sugasawa - Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies - 18 (17 / 1)(-1)
    4 - Mina Tanaka - INAC Kobe Leonessa - 13 (12 / 1)(-26!)
    - Jun Endo - Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza - 13 (8 / 5)(+7!)
    6 - Ami Otaki - JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies - 10 (9 / 1)(+6!)
    - Miyu Yakata - Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies- 10 (8 / 2) (can't be properly compared: in Division 2 last season)*
    8 - Arisa Minamino - Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara - 9 (7 / 2)(-1)
    - Fuka Kono - Albirex Niigata Ladies - 9 (6 / 3)(+3)
    - Hinata Miyazawa - Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza - 9 (6 / 3)(+4)
    11 - Honoka Hayashi - Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies - 8 (7 / 1) (can't be properly compared: in Division 2 last season)°
    - Maika Hamano - Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies - 8 (6 / 2) (can't be properly compared: in Division 2 last season)^
    - Kozue Ando - Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies - 8 (4 / 4)(+4)
    14 - Yui Hasegawa - Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza - 7 (7 / 0)(+3)
    - Ayaka Michigami - Iga FC Kunoichi Mie - 7 (5 / 2)(-4)
    16 - Yui Narumiya - JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies - 6 (6 / 0)(+2)
    - Hikaru Naomoto - Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies - 6 (5 / 1) (can't be properly compared: in Frauen-Bundesliga last season)
    - Haruka Osawa - JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies - 6 (5 / 1)(+6!)
    - Ami Sugita - Iga FC Kunoichi Mie - 6 (4 / 2)(-5!)

    * Anyway, Miyu Yakata has scored one more goal than in season 2019, when she had scored 5 goals in Division 2 + 4 goals in Nadeshiko League Cup Div. 2, for a total of 9.
    ° Anyway, Honoka Hayashi has scored one goal less than in season 2019, when she had scored 5 goals in Division 2 + 4 goals in Nadeshiko League Cup Div. 2, for a total of 9.
    ^ Anyway, Maika Hamano has scored two more goals than in season 2019, when she had scored a total of 6 goals in Challenge League.


    Some observations:
    - Haruka Hamada is the top seasonal scorers (along with Rikako Kobayashi, but with more goals then her in the main competition Nadeshiko League Division 1): who would have expected that? :) She also increased her record from last season by a massive 14 goals! A veritable golden season for her (and it's not a case that she has been recently called to a NT training camp).
    - Mina Tanaka, when she was playing in Beleza, had been seasonal top scorer for three consecutive years. Now, I guess we can safely say that the experiment of transferring to INAC showed that she's not the same player without "the Green Machine" behind her (something we had anyway figured from her NT performances). She posts a respectable 4th place, but she scored 26 goals less than last season ( :eek::eek::eek:!!! ); ok, take away the 11 she had scored in Nadeshiko League Cup and the 4 from AFC Club Championship: we're anyway talking 11 goals less considering the two competitions that she played in both seasons. Conclusion: she's a good player, but not extraordinary.
    - A vast generational change, with many young players in the chart, including some Cerezo girls (most notably 16yo Maika Hamano: I am quite sure we didn't have a so young player in top 20 seasonal scorers in the last years).
    - Apart from Hamada, I guess the most impressing improvements were those from Jun Endo and Ami Otaki; it's anyway worth noting that Kozue Ando is back in this kind of chart at age 38.
    - Notable names from last year who are now out of top 20 Seasonal Scorers:
    Megumi Kamionobe (-12!)
    Rika Masuya (-9!)
    Manami Nakano (-8!)
    Mai Kyokawa (-7!)
    Kiko Seike (-6!)
    Riko Ueki (-5!)
    Mana Iwabuchi (-4)
    Mizuki Sonoda (-4)
    Hitomi Mori (-3)
    Hana Takahashi (-2)
    Kumi Yokohama and Yuka Momiki, that had scored 9 and 6 goals respectively, went overseas to NWSL; I actually lost track of Haruhi Suzuki, who had scored 7 goals for Nagano last year: where did she end playing? :cautious:
     
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  7. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    Today's result:

    High School Tournament second round
    Sakuyo 2-0 Seiwa Gakuen
    Utsunomiya Bunsei 1-3 Gyosei Kokusai
    Shutoku 2-2 (PK 6-5) Yanagigaura
    Fujieda Junshin 4-0 Shonan Gakuin
    Seisa Shonan 2-2 (PK 3-5) Tokiwagi
    Hinomoto 0-0 (PK 2-4) Daisho Gakuen
    Kaishi Gakuen 6-0 Hokkaido Bunkyo Meisei
    Teikyo Nagaoka 3-0 Kamimura

    U 18 Championship quarter final
    Solfiore 1-3 Nojima
    Urawa 10-0 AIC Seagull
    Jef 4-0 Albi
    Menina 5-0 Cerezo

    University Championship semi final
    Shizuoka Sangyo 2-1 Daito Bunka
    Teikyo Heisei 0-2 Nittaidai
     
  8. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    Correction
    Teikyo Heisei 2-0 Nittaidai:oops:
     
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  9. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Wow, I remember that, until a few years ago, Hinomoto used to go far in this competition! :eek:
     
  10. Manchester Nadeshiko

    Ehime F.C. Ladies
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2017
    U.K.

    29th High School Tournament
    Watched 5 so far and not heard one single 'choir'.......(Covid restrictions on attendance Unepomme?)
     
  11. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    Yes, they can't shout, only hand claps are permitted.
     
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  12. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    Transfer info:

    Fukumoto Miho (Chifure - Sanfre)
    Kizaki Aoi (Chifure - Sanfre)
    Kawashima Haruna (Nojima - Sanfre)
     
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  13. blissett

    blissett Member+

    Aug 20, 2011
    Italy
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Ah, Sanfrecce marketing campaign looks more and more interesting. I wonder if Fukumoto will find a starting place at her age: how old is she, by the way?
     
  14. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    37, not so old
     
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  15. pierre bezukhov

    pierre bezukhov Member+

    AC Milan
    Japan
    Mar 7, 2018
    Japan
    She had been at the club for six years. I think she is a very good player who this season has been used badly. She is not a forward. I will be curious to see how she is used next season at Sanfre.

    I hope Nojima find some players over the next six months, because at the moment it is not looking good for them.
     
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  16. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    U 18 Championship quarter finals highlights:
     
  17. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    Today's games:

    High School Tournament quarter final
    Sakuyo vs Gyosei Kokusai 10:30
    Tokiwagi vs Daisho Gakuen 10:30
    Shutoku vs Fujieda Junshin 13:45
    Kaishi Gakuen vs Teikyo Nagaoka 13:45

    U18 Championship semi final
    Urawa vs Nojima 11:00
    Jef vs Menina 13:30

    University Championship final
    Shizuoka Sangyo vs Teikyo Heisei 13:00
     
  18. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    Today's result:

    High School Tournament quarter final
    Sakuyo 2-0 Gyosei Kokusai
    Tokiwagi 1-3 Daisho Gakuen
    Fujieda Junshin 1-0 Shutoku
    Kaishi Gakuen 1-2 Teikyo Nagaoka

    My favorite players are Okamoto Ako (#9) and Kameshima Kotomi (#1) in Sakuyo so far, though I have not watched the other games so much.

    U18 Championship semi final
    Urawa 2-0 Nojima
    Jef 0-1 Menina

    University Championship final
    Shizuoka Sangyo 0-1 Teikyo Heisei
     
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  19. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    correction
    (#1) - (#11):oops::oops:
     
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  20. sbahnhof

    sbahnhof Member+

    Nov 21, 2016
    Aotearoa
    Japanese players abroad in Australasia, a big round-up for the start of 2021 and the end of 2020:

    Australia, the W-League first - just a few days ago, Chinatsu Kira made her debut after signing for Melbourne City, the reigning champions. She came on as sub after 61 mins and had a quick impact on her new team, with the assist for their only goal.

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo5KfeLA6WE&t=1m50s
    [​IMG]


    Canberra's 2-1 win is City's first loss in the league for almost two years.


    Also in Australia, two sisters from Shizuoka have been a success in the South Australia Women's National Premier League. The Sasakis were teammates in the 2019 and 2020 (winter) seasons for Adelaide City.

    Nanako Sasaki (佐々木菜捺子) played in defence for Tachibana high school in the Empress's Cup in 2016, and her sometime teammate at school, midfielder Yuka Sasaki (佐々木佑香), was at Kibi University in 2018.

    Nanako was the first to sign for Adelaide City, playing 75 minutes in their 2017 South Australia Cup final win, as the club also lifted the WNPL championship. They narrowly missed 1st place but they won the league title via the playoffs, and they repeated this trophy double in 2018. Nanako Sasaki was in left midfield, with her opponents West Adelaide fielding their Japanese FW Mina Nishitani, in the 2018 cup final.

    At the start of 2019, Yuka Sasaki left Japan for Australia too, scoring 16 goals in her first season. This time, Adelaide City's cup final win was easy, 6-1 over West Adelaide, and Nanako Sasaki was player of the match. In the WNPL league final it was closer − a 2-1 win against the same opponents. So, City made it 3 South Australia doubles in succession, and both Sasakis were named to the league's team of the year.



    Yuka also did an awkward interview, hooray


    In 2020, the season was delayed by Covid and there were other surprises − not in the cup final, which was another South Australia knockout success for City. 'Nano' Sasaki scored one of the 2 goals from right midfield, with Yuka playing on the left side. But this time, Adelaide City didn't retain their title – the cup runners-up, Metro United, were 4th in the table but amazingly took the league honours 2-1 in the playoff final.

    Cup final goal, 2020 (Nanako Sasaki 74')
    youtu.be/-mPx5nWciPQ&t=1h45m
    [​IMG]


    Some of the Sasakis' teammates are in the W-League now with Adelaide United. There was media talk about the Japanese pair joining that club, but for some reason they haven't. From a news report by InDaily (28 Sep):

    "Lastly, Adelaide recently tweeted photos from a W-League training session. Keen-eyed pundits noticed another new face in the crowd – Adelaide City’s super-talented Japanese midfielder Yuka Sasaki.
    Keen followers of the WNPL have long believed that Yuka and her sister Nanako would be excellent in the W-League. The issue was their nationality. With COVID causing havoc, they may finally have their chance. [...] They are quality, and the W-League will be better for having them."



    In New Zealand, there should have been celebrations for Arisa Takeda and Rina Hirano, who followed up a promising 2020 Northern Region season by joining Auckland Football in the NZ Women's Premiership. Unfortunately! The team's title challenge was ruined by a major admin blunder at its own local federation. (We're doing a World Cup, you know!) :cautious:

    Because a teammate was wrongly registered, Auckland's first three wins of 9-1, 4-1 and 3-1 were annulled as 3-0 losses. It erased three goals by Hirano and two by Takeda, including their dual effort in an impressive 4-1 win at Canterbury, who weren't the best team of the short season, but ended up winning the title on plain competence.

    Goal (Rina Hirano 38')
    youtu.be/gPFKZhxwjck&t=52m29s
    [​IMG]
     
  21. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    Today's games:

    High School Tournament semi final
    Sakuyo vs Daisho Gakuen 11:00
    Fujieda Junshin vs Teikyo Nagaoka 14:00

    U18 Championship final
    Urawa vs Menina 11:00
     
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  22. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    U18 Championship semi final highlights:
     
  23. unepommekun

    unepommekun Member+

    Beleza
    Japan
    Mar 26, 2018
    Today's result:

    High School Tournament semi final
    Sakuyo 2-2 (PK 4-3) Daisho Gakuen
    Fujieda Junshin 2-0 Teikyo Nagaoka

    U18 Championship final
    Urawa 2-2 (extra time 0-1) Menina
     
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  24. KAPIJXM

    KAPIJXM Member+

    Nov 18, 2011
    Illa de Arousa,Spain
    Club:
    Celta de Vigo
    Nat'l Team:
    Japan
    Sorry to being late in this new thread, I have been (and still is) very busy and have problems with my actual email so I came here to say "hi" and happy 2021.

    (Well, I came to activate my notifications in this new thread too :p)
     
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  25. Lechus7

    Lechus7 Member+

    Aug 31, 2011
    Wroclaw

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