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

0-1 for Chicago at HT.

The goal was scored at the 4' minute of stoppage time, that only existed because of a long break for an ankle injury to Pugh when the game was already into stoppage time (Pugh seemed to be able to resume the game but we're going to see in 2nd Half.).

I'd say Spirit's DF who was marking the assist women (I guess it was O' Hara?) and GK Bledsoe who allowed the cross to fly high to the far post are mostly responsible for letting Rachel Hill free to head the ball in quite easily.

I'll be so frank that I'll look brutal: I've recently watched some bright and intense UEFA Champions' League games; if this is supposed the best show NWSL can offer, I have to say that I am quite unimpressed.

 

Takarada only comes in extra-time, at 116', with her team ahead by 2-1!

(Washington equalized through a PK in 2nd Half and went ahead in the first half of extra-time with a Kelley O'Hara's header from a Rodman's cross)

 

The match ended 2-1 for the Washington Spirit.

So, we "somehow" have two Japanese players having become NWSL champions. I say "somehow" because Kumi Yokoyama hasn't got a single minute of playing time in official matches since moths, while Saori Takarada has just become the go-to time-wasting sub for the last 3-4 minutes of the games. They're anyway part of the team that won the US League, but I'd say they'll have to change next season if they want their career to progress in any way. Especially Takarada, who's still so young, definitely has to find a team where she can actually play!

 

Today, Sassuolo had an away Coppa Italia's (the national cup) match vs 2nd Division team of Cesena, that they won by just 2-0, less easily than expected mainly because of bad finishing and good saves by opponent GK. Both Mana Mihashi and Nanoka Iriguchi started (Irigughi was subbed-out at 66') and Mihashi even scored the second goal for her team (it's been officially given to her, although it's quite likely that the ball was already in from a previous shot when she slammed the rebound into goal ).

At the moment,we just have this video from Cesena's YouTube channel; the woman commenting the match has a tough time with foreign names: she can't correctly spell Bugeja for the life of her (to the point that she often recurs to calling her "Sassuolo's #7! ) and she always spells Iriguchi as Iriguki.
Her tone is also quite depressed: she was obvioulsy rooting for the home team.

 

Yes, that's what I hope too, as well as with Yamashita.

I am sorry that I didn't find the energy to wake up before dawn on a Sunday to watch the game , but, judging by what you all guys have written, it looks like it was an entertaining one. Also looks like Sendai have fun in trying to change my opinion each week about being a legitimate contender for the title : since they were the first team to score to INAC and to take away points from them, I guess they made quite a statement in that sense!

 

Interesting testament to the balance of this league that in this match-day we had 4 draws (including, once again, a 0-0 one) and just one win.

Edit: consequently, the only change in the rankings involved the two teams that didn't draw this week, since Albirex went ahead of Nojima.