Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Sorry, I meant Onodera... Yep, it is Shiho Onodera, my dad just confirmed it. She was on the squad for two previous World Cup's according to the Japanese Wiki site for her.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II I think a YouTube reference I saw suggests that she recently released a single ? Yes I believe she has a singing career ! If you know the Japanese spelling, maybe you can google it up. Well it is a huge pity she was not playing this morning, because Japan walked all over Australia, but could not take their opportunities, and the GK made a simple double-horror error to give away the only goal. This account is very flattering to Australia, they were poor, and much poorer than the team I saw in the 07 WC and 08 Olympics: http://www.the-afc.com/en/afc-womens-asian-cup-2010/29162-japan-v-australia Now they will face China in a desperation game. Only one team will go to the World Cup.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Okay, thx, I thought mumf was talking about Australia. Please girls, don't choke.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Well when I said that "Now they will face China in a desperation game. Only one team will go to the World Cup" I mean that only team from the 3rd-place playoff game goes to the World Cup. Either China or Japan stay at home. Worse thing is that China have home field for this game, and will fight with everything. To fail to reach the World Cup is a total disaster.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Tough business for women's soccer teams. e: Women’s Professional Soccer is said to be releasing a statement later today which will confirm Saint Louis Athletica will fold. According to Tom Timmerman with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Women’s Professional Soccer entry Saint Louis Athletica will fold. Saint Louis has a number of prominent national team and international players: goalkeeper Hope Solo, midfielders Shannon Boxx, Lori Chalupny, Lindsey Tarpley, and Aya Miyama; forward Eniola Aluko. http://www.majorleaguesoccertalk.com/report-saint-louis-athletica-to-fold/9198
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Wow, a black day for Aya Miyama. That is unfortunate because she was fantastic today against Australia. In fact the whole MF was as elegant as silk, completely controlled the ball. I have seen this team play, but I was quite mesmerized this time, and so was Australia. Even the Chinese commentators were clearly impressed (even though I dont understand a word, there was no mistaking the tone of appreciation). Well if Aya has to go home to Yonogo Belle, guess what, their sponsor has pulled the plug and they are begging for fan donations ! Actually I intend to offer to become a paid-up Belle "member" now, the situation is getting serious all over.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II It's going to take a while before a women's professional soccer team can go ahead on its own and without the support of and affiliation with men's teams/leagues. Especially given the present economy.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II It was never looking good when the most commercialized team couldn't keep the team for 2 years. I really hope it works out well. If it goes down for the second time, it'll be really difficult to build the league again. What a disaster it would be if we don't qualify. This team is quality.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II I actually went to one of their games... can't believe they have already shut down operations...
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II OMG... Nadeshiko Japan in danger of qualifying for the WC? Aya Miyama's second WPS team shutting down? Yunogo Belle losing their sponsor? Why? Why do these things keep happening? ... I can't find anything about the sponsor thing on Belle's website, are we talking about Marui here? Or Showa Corporation? And where can I sign up for a membership? BTW, the Japanese spelling for Onodera Shiho is 小野寺志保.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Its really worse - did you see the game against Australia ? I saw that garbage team Inter beat Barcelona and then Bayern using the "circle of wagons" technique. This was just as bad, even though probably Australia did not plan that, at least until they were gifted the goal. In MF the Nadeshiko were able to pass the ball as if the other team was not there. In a way, it was perfection of the game, a new level. At times I could not believe it, it looked like Australia were cooperating. And the goal - well it was just as I said, the GK position costs them everything, just as it was against the USA at the Olympics, and just as the Iwabuchi u-17s were denied the chance to fight for gold at the World Cup. How the coach could play the WORST of the 3 GKs (i am sure you saw the goal she "dropped" to a 50-yard shot against NZ I think it was) in such a key game. Belle ? I will look again, all I see is this right now, but I did read it - http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=ja&tl=en&u=http://www.yunogo-belle.com/index.php%3Fitemid%3D56%26catid%3D6&rurl=translate.google.com&twu=1&usg=ALkJrhiWsmMTBDldBZBhdG4wEhVjtbAKOg
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II This is it - play it in youtube and you will see the links by the poster (it is also a chamrning video, the players have to go out to the community and beg!) [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exokh_KUB5w"]YouTube- 2009?6?18?[/ame] I think I read in the linked bulletins that they are "cutting down on away games" (per google-translate) - I hope this doesnt mean they intend to default on the L-league. This is where they look for memberships - I am going to email them, to ask if they have PayPal - http://www.yunogo-belle.com/?itemid=26 Sad thing is that if they dont qualify for the World Cup on Sunday, probably interest willl decline for several teams. It is Do or Die. And just when Belle had 3 established players in the squad.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Japan qualifies for World Cup 2011 ! Japan 2 0 China Two Miyama FKs floated into the box, two Sawa headers (one causing massive confusion, the other more direct). Great MF dominance again, and even though the coach played GK Kaihori again, this time she had nothing difficult to do the whole game. In addition to Miyama and Sawa, the new players Sameshima and Kumugai were outstanding.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Great job ladies!! Basse, congratulations!! Your girlfriend (Ando) scored!!
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II hey, she's MY girlfriend !!!! anyway, allow me to be first to find a video (seeing as I could not find the Final) http://translate.googleusercontent....le.com&usg=ALkJrhjo6F042YA4aMDaIR-LkmWPq_CbMg As you can see, Ando "scored" a rather messy goal, by falling over the line. I dont understand Chinese, but I just know the commentators are shouting "Hand-Ball !!" - not by Ando but by Kumagai. There are 3 questions: 1. Did Kumugai (#4 nearest the GK) handle it ? 2. Even if she did, was the GK swinging her around ? 3. Did Ando actually touch the ball ? Anyway, getting to the same link I saw an article where the google-translate reveals that even the Chinese journalists regret that they have fallen well behind Japan. It is tough for them, in fact they hosted the 07 World Cup, and they won it before once, and now they are not even going. If Japan can solve the GK problem and perhaps get a better striker (Iwabuchi ?) then they could be a big force in Germany.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Yes Congratulations! Both the women's team and the futsal team beat China to win 3rd place today.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II The Australia coach concedes that his team, even though they just won the AFC, are still not on a par with the DPRK and Japan - http://www.the-afc.com/en/afc-womens-asian-cup-2010/29193-aus-v-prk-reaction Also the top-scorer award goes to Kozue Ando - http://www.the-afc.com/en/afc-womens-asian-cup-2010/29195-womens-top-scorer
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfmvYtFl6Wg&playnext_from=TL&videos=KooGaLHOIS4&feature=sub"]YouTube- AFC Women's Asian Cup 2010 Match 15, Japan - China (Highlight)[/ame] There is absolutely no way to know if there was a handball.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Another Japan "hand-goal" at an Asian Cup against China?
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Well now that there is good video its pretty clear that it was Iwashimizu (not Kumugai)who may have handled it - but her movements were being totally "controlled" by the GK ! Actually the right thing to do may be to credit Iwashimizu with the goal - I dont think Ando touched it, or if she did, it may have been over the line already.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II Here is a JFA story - http://www.jfa.or.jp/national_team/topics/2010/240.html What is the coach saying about USA and Europe - I did a google-translate and the meaning is not clear.......s he going there to see the foreign-based players, or is Nadeshiko Japan planning a tour before the World Cup ? I did not realize that Ohno had been injured in the first game, and missed the rest of the tournament because of that. That made selected the FWs a bit more easy. I think it is hard to chose between the super-fit "Messi-like" Ohno (but who tends to miss opportunities, often failing to make the last pass), Nagasato (not very skillful), Yamaguchi (does not take her chances), and Ando (she is a "striker" but seldom gets 90 minutes). The last 3 of these are foreign-based (1 x USA and 2 x Germany). Of course the USA league could fall apart - right now Miyama has no team to go to, and their are rumors about other teams being short of cash too.
Re: Official Japanese WOMEN'S NT Thread [R] - part II He is saying because so many players are now in Europe and America, the only way to make sure he gets the best players together for the World Cup is to pay attention and go observe players in both Europe and America. There is nothing mentioned about a tour as far as I can tell.