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

Looks like, despite the shaking defense, Aston Villa managed to keep the lead 'till the end.

Next week they will probably be trashed by Manchester United, but I guess right now, with Iwabuchi, Aston Villa can at least compete with basically any team in FA WSL apart from the top 4.

I found the same video of Mana's goal @Lechus7 had in his tweet, but with a better definition, I guess (or at least it is for me):

 

Lol, the mascot is a squirrel? Funny. Let's hope it can go along well with a Shark!

@Manchester Nadeshiko, how do you feel now that our respective favourite Nadeshiko players both play in the same team? From Beleza vs INAC to "Go Omiya!"?

 

Thank you very much, @zaku_II! In fact sometimes it's difficult to recognize foreign names when they are adapted to Japanese spelling and I hadn't get at all that Ardija was Spanish!

Go squirrels!!!

 

Milan-San Marino starts in 5 minutes, but apparently no Hasegawa : according to the latest news she's not in the line up nor on the bench; not sure why, but apparently there is still something needed for her before officially adding her to the team.

On the other hand, Shiho Kunisawa should be regularly starting for San Marino, but it should be a very difficult match for her team in Milan.

 

Don't have Sky Sport TV (that is streaming the match behind a paywall), so I am just follwoing the live-ticker. We're at 30', and it looks like it's only Milan so far, but they didn't find the break-through yet (the live-ticker claims that Milan seems to miss a player who can consistently deliver the last pass, the actual assist for the goal: I guess Hasegawa already has a role tailored for her ).

Meanwhile, I am trying to understand why Hasegawa didn't join the team, but I didn't manage to find any reliable news. In a video that I found, a young journalist was saying something along the lines of: "We're going to see if she's going to debut against San Marino or in the return match of the Coppa Italia's clash vs Sassuolo", but he didn't give any hint at the possible reason to delay her debut...

So, I am just going to leave you with one of the by-product of my search: a recent video of Hasegawa posing with different Milan AC kits and showing that she doesn't speak Italian, but she at least learnt to say "Forza Milan!" :

 

FT, Milan 4 San Marino 1

San Marino managed to keep the 0-0 for all of the 1st Half and went even ahead early in 2nd Half, but in the end I guess the difference in conditioning is similar to what used to happen in Nadeshiko League, when Beleza was wearing out minor teams and beating them late in 2nd Half.

Dowie scored a brace for Milan, but it was probably Vero Boquete who actually made most of the difference. Shiho Kunisawa played the whole game for San Marino, apprently with no sign of particular individual brilliance (but, as I told you, I only read live-ticker, didn't actually watch the match).

 

Well, not the ideal debut of your German experience, just watching your team crushed while you sit on the bench and being subbed-in to play 10 minutes when it's way too late to do anything...

 

Welcome back, @TabascoT: longtime no see!

We have other Sakaguchi's fans around these days and you are sure aware that she now switched from "Beleza kids" to Omiya Ardija.

 

Meanwhile, the Birmingham derby (Birmingham City vs Aston Villa) that should have been played last Wednesday has been postponed because of the frozen pitch. Not sure if and when the catch-up match has been scheduled. It's a shame because it looked like a game that Aston Villa could comfortably compete in.

So, since there are no real "news" about Iwabuchi, I'll leave you with what her coach had to say after last week-end win vs Tottenham :

"She's been brilliant. She's the standout performer on the pitch. Great recruitment from the Club to get a player of that stature. It says what a job people at this Football Club are doing to get that type of player in. As good as she is on the ball, her work rate off the ball is exceptional. She's a great role model and example for our Academy kids. That's how you apply yourself on a daily basis."