Nadeshiko League First Round

INAC Kobe Leonessa 7 - 0 Speranza F.C. Osaka Takatsuki
(Attendance: 6,776)

The new Nadeshiko League season kicked off on April 15th with defending champions INAC Kobe the highest scorers on a day of overwhelming victories for the title favourites. Despite Sawa Homare sitting out the game due to her illness, 6,776 spectators watched the champions destroy Osaka Takatsuki by seven goals to nil. Recent high school graduate Kyokawa Mai netted her first two goals for the club while Ji So-Yun, Ohno Shinobu, Takase Megumi, Kawasumi Nahomi and Kai Junko added the rest. The game was over as a contest just after the half-hour mark, and Osaka only managed three shots in the entire game.

INAC Kobe Leonessa:
Kaihori Ayumi, Kinga Yukari, Tanaka Asuna, Kai Junko, Minamiyama Chiaki, Ji So-Yun, Kawasumi Nahomi, Ohno Shinobu (capt), Takase Megumi, Kyokawa Mai, Nakajima Emi
Subs: Tanaka Yoko (Nakajima Emi, 71 mins), Nakada Ayu (Takase Megumi, 73 mins), Takara Ryoko (Minamiyama Chiaki, 76 mins)
Unused subs: Sawa Homare, Takenaka Rei
Scorers: Ji So-Yun (19 mins), Ono Shinobu (31 mins), Takase Megumi (32 mins), Kyokawa Mai (43, 86 mins), Kawasumi Nahomi (70 mins), Kai Junko (77 mins)

Speranza F.C. Osaka Takatsuki:
Nakamura Saki, Okuda Akiko (capt), Matsuda Nozomi, Hirano Satoko, Asano Miki, Hamada Haruka, Itami Emi, Maruyama Karina, Yoshizawa Ai, Toyoda Nayuha, Toyama Sayuri
Subs: Shimamura Yuko (Maruyama Karina, 34 mins), Torao Naomi (Yoshizawa Ai, 73 mins)
Unused subs: Suzuki Risa, Takahashi Chizuru, Tanaka Ayako


NTV Beleza  5 - 0  Fukuoka J. Anclas
(Attendance: 1,219)

NTV Beleza displayed their title credentials against Fukuoka J. Anclas, whom they beat by five goals to nil. Nagasato Asano started the rout in the 26th minute and finished it in the first minute of stoppage time. In between Iwashimizu Azusa, Ito Kanako and Tanaka Mina also scored, Tanaka's goal coming from the penalty spot.

NTV Beleza:
Matsubayashi Miku, Kobayashi Miharu, Sudo Akiko, Hara Natsuko, Kobayashi Yayoi, Nagasato Asano, Ito Kanako, Kiryu Nanase, Iwabuchi Mana, Iwashimizu Azusa (capt), Doko Mayo
Subs: Tanaka Mina (Kobayashi Yayoi, 64 mins), Momiki Yuka (Iwabuchi Mana, 74 mins)
Unused subs: Soyama Kanako, Kinoshita Shiori, Nakasato Yu
Scorers: Nagasato Asano (26, 90+1 mins), Iwashimizu Azusa (32 mins), Ito Kanako (46 mins), Tanaka Mina (82 mins, pen)

Fukuoka J. Anclas:
Sawada Norimi, Yanagita Shiori, Uchihori Ritsuko (capt), Isokane Midori, Hanada Aiko, Kawamura Mari, Kiyohara Marie, Tagashira Yoko, Sato Kaede, Akiyama Ryo, Kuzuma Riyo
Unused subs: Yatagai Mikiko, Doshita Misato, Tanihara Yukari, Shibuya Yumiko


AS Elfen Sayama FC  0 - 5  Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies
(Attendance: 2,057)

Not to be outdone, Urawa Reds also won by five goals to nil, beating Elfen Sayama in the day's only away victory. Niwata Akiko scored the opener in the first half directly from a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. The ball was played in towards the goal and with an attacker ready to pounce, the goalkeeper dived in anticipation only to find the ball continuing on its path and into the net. Arakawa Eriko doubled the lead with barely five minutes of the second half gone as she guided a header past the keeper following some neat build-up play. Kira Chinatsu scored the third and fourth, though there was a suspicion of offside with her first goal. Yasuda Yuki finished the scoring with some determined play following a short goalkick.

AS Elfen Sayama FC:
Arima Shizuka, Tago Aki, Shibata Satomi, Sawada Yuka, Kumagai Sayaka, Azami Rie, Saito Yuri, Watanabe Ayaka, Kobayashi Natsumi, Muraoka Natsuki (capt), Kiyohara Yuuko
Subs: Takahashi Yuko (Sawada, 54 mins), Suzuki Kaoruko (Saito, 56 mins), Hagiwara Aimi (Kiyohara, 82 mins)
Unused subs: Otani Haruka, Kawai Nayo

Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies:
Yamago Nozomi, Tsuchihashi Yuki, Yano Kyoko (capt), Niwata Akiko, Yasuda Yuki, Kira Chinatsu, Takeyama Yuko, Kohata Shiho, Shibata Hanae, Naomoto Hikaru, Arakawa Eriko
Subs: Goto Michi (Arakawa Eriko, 61 mins), Yanagita Miyuki (Niwata Akiko, 66 mins), Kato Chika (Kira Chinatsu, 77 mins)
Unused subs: Ikeda Sakiko, Wada Naoko
Scorers: Niwata Akiko (32 mins), Arakawa Eriko (51 mins), Kira Chinatsu (57, 76 mins), Yasuda Yuki (78 mins)


Okayama Yunogo Belle  2 - 1  JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies 
(Attendance: 3,358)

Okayama Yunogo Belle beat JEF United Ladies by two goals to one, Nakagawa Chihiro giving Belle the lead following a corner kick in the 33rd minute. Hosaka Nodoka equalised for JEF United not long after the restart but Arimachi Saori replied within two minutes to give Belle a 2-1 lead which they held onto.

Okayama Yunogo Belle:
Fukumoto Miho (capt), Yasuda Kuniko, Kado Yuka, Takahashi Haruka, Tsuhako Yumiko, Nakano Manami, Arimachi Saori, Nakagawa Chihiro, Miyama Aya, Matsuoka Miki, Sakai Nozomi
Subs: Yokoyama Kumi (Nakagawa Chihiro, 88 mins)
Unused subs: Shigemoto Shiho, Nakamura Miki, Ikegaya Natsumi, Mizushima Kumi
Scorers: Nakagawa Chihiro (33 mins), Arimachi Saori (51 mins)
Booked: Yasuda Kuniko

JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies:
Funada Mayu, Takahashi Sachie, Kawamura Mariko, Fukasawa Risa (capt), Ikadai Risa, Hanagiri Naomi, Tezuka Saori, Hosaka Nodoka, Yanai Rina, Chino Shoko, Shimada Ayako
Subs: Hosokawa Motoyo (Hanagiri Naomi, 70 mins), Kawamura Noriko (Hosaka Nodoka, 76 mins), Koike Kokoro (Shimada Ayako, 80 mins)
Unused subs: Sakuramoto Naoko, Yamamoto Naomi
Scorers: Hosoka Nodoka (49 mins)


Albirex Niigata Ladies  3 - 0  Iga FC Kunoichi
(Attendance: 1,421)

Finally, in the noon opener, Iga FC Kunoichi were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Albirex Niigata Ladies. The first goal came in the 13th min when an in-swinging corner kick was deflected into the net for an own goal. The Kunoichi were again the victims of their own doing for the second goal ten minutes later when hesitancy in defence allowed Oishi Sayaka to volley into the roof of the net. Oishi netted her second in the 52nd minute, a fine drive from the edge of the area having beaten two defenders.

Albirex Niigata Ladies:
Otomo Maiko (capt), Kitahara Kana, Higashiyama Maiko, Kawamura Yuri, Yamazaki Marumi, Oishi Sayaka, Kamionobe Megumi, Nakamura Kaede, Saito Yuri, Wakabayashi Minori, Saeki Aya
Subs: Nakamura Saki (Saito Yuri, 74 mins), Hirai Sakina (Oishi Sayaka, 88 mins)
Unused subs: Yamamoto Arina, Nakaoka Maiko, Suwa Erina
Scorers: Own Goal (13 mins), Oishi Sayaka (23, 52 mins)

Iga FC Kunoichi:
Ono Maya, Ono Suzuka (capt), Michikura Hiroko, Miyamoto Tomomi, Matsunaga Tomoe, Tsutsumi Saki, Nakade Hikari, Miyasako Tamami, Fujimoto Ayano, Kobayashi Makiko, Matsunaga Yoshie
Subs: Yamaguchi Ayako (Michikura Hiroko, 67 mins), Sonomura Nana (Kobayashi Makiko, 61 mins), Sakaguchi Sakie (Nakade Hikari, 84 mins)
Unused subs: Sato Ai, Kuno Fubuki
Booked: Fujimoto Ayano, Matsunaga Yoshie, Matsunaga Tomoe