Nadeshiko League Eighteenth Round

Iga FC Kunoichi  2 - 2  Albirex Niigata Ladies
(Attendance: 618)

An entertaining game in Iga saw both sides lead at times, with a draw a fair result in the end. Matsunaga Yoshie headed in her second goal of the season in the 11th minute to give Iga the lead, but this goal was equalised by Tiffany McCarty, who has been a very shrewd loan signing for Niigata. Just after half-time Kodama Keiko scored just her third of the season to give the away side the lead before Kobayashi Makiko equalised on sixty-three minutes. Iga finish the season in fourth, having looked good for third for quite some time, especially with Belle's early season problems, while Niigata recover to give some respectability to their season, having floundered for most of it. They finish eighth.

Iga FC Kunoichi:
Kuno Fubuki, Miyasako Tamami, Michikura Hiroko, Ono Suzuka, Yamaguchi Ayako, Nasu Maiko (capt), Matsunaga Tomoe, Kobayashi Makiko, Tsutsumi Saki, Matsunaga Yoshie, Nakade Hikari
Subs: Haji Madoka (Matsunaga Tomoe, 62 mins), Sakaguchi Sakie (Kobayashi Makiko, 70 mins), Noichi Aya (Matsunaga Yoshie, 80 mins)
Unused subs: Sawada Norimi, Sakumoto Fumika
Scorers: Matsunaga Yoshie (11 mins), Kobayashi Makiko (63 mins)

Albirex Niigata Ladies:
Ichitani Tomoko, Takamura Chisato, Kitahara Kana, Nakamura Kaede, Obara Yuria, Kodama Keiko, Kamionobe Megumi (capt), Saito Yuri, Saeki Aya, Yamazaki Marumi, Tiffany McCarty
Subs: Sakaguchi Moeno (Saito Yuri, 73 mins), Oishi Sayaka (Saeki Aya, 75 mins), Hirai Sakina (Kodama Keiko, 83 mins)
Unused subs: Koganemaru Sachie, Wakabayashi Minori
Scorers: Tiffany McCarty (37 mins), Kodama Keiko (46 mins)


Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki  0 - 2  Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies
(Attendance: 767)

Takatsuki were once again dreadful and it was no challenge whatsoever for Urawa to beat them. Goto Michi headed in the lead goal just before half-time and Kohata Shiho did likewise on 83 minutes, with Kohata's goal once again - for the third consecutive match - a headed goal from a set piece, in this case a free kick. Takatsuki finish the season with just four points, having scored on only five occasions. Urawa overtake JEF United on goal difference on the final day to finish sixth, though this is their lowest final league position since 2000. They were then known as Urawa Reinas, prior to becoming part of the Urawa Red Diamonds organisation.

Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki:
Ono Maya, Hamada Haruka, Okuda Akiko (capt), Hatanaka Miyuka, Asano Miki, Tsuboi Ayako, Narumiya Yui, Itami Emi, Sato Kaede, Maruyama Karina, Kanjana Sung-Ngoen
Subs: Hazuki Yuki (Sato Kaede, 45+1 mins), Torao Naomi (Narumiya Yui, 71 mins), Hirano Satoko (Tsuboi Ayako, 77 mins)
Unused subs: Gocho Misaki, Ikeda Asumi

Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies:
Ikeda Sakiko, Saito Akane, Kohata Shiho, Sakamoto Riho, Wada Naoko, Shibata Hanae, Fujita Nozomi, Naomoto Hikaru, Kato Chika, Kira Chinatsu, Goto Michi (capt)
Subs: Otaki Ami (Kira Chinatsu, 75 mins), Yasuda Yuki (Kato Chika, 80 mins), Dozono Ayano (Wada Naoko, 85 mins)
Unused subs: Tajiri Yumi, Kurishima Akari
Scorers: Goto Michi (44 mins), Kohata Shiho (83 mins)


FC Kibikokusaidaigaku Charme  0 - 6  NTV Beleza
(Attendance: 626)

With Kibi looking ahead to their play-off matches against Sfida Setagaya, they decided to take the opportunity to rest some players: Nishikawa Asuka, Yoshitake Manami and Isashi Kaede. Takahashi Chiho was suspended, and she was missed in defence where Beleza scored twice from corner kicks in the 11th and 21st minutes - Iwashimizu with the first and Sakaguchi with the second. By half-time Beleza were 4-0 up, top scorer Tanaka Mina and second-highest scorer Kiryu Nanase ending the game as a contest. Beleza added two more in the second half, Momiki Yuka with the first and Tanaka Mina fittingly scoring Beleza's final goal of the season. Beleza finish second again, while Kibi now go into their play-off matches full of determination.

FC Kibikokusaidaigaku Charme:
Morimoto Kiyo, Takeda Arisa, Imanishi Azusa, Kamata Ran, Shigemasa Kai, Takano Saki, Sugita Ami (capt), Miyake Ayumi, Hamamoto Marin, Kurakazu Shiho, Noma Fumika
Subs: Kadota Rui (Miyake Ayumi, HT), Takatsuka Ayane (Hamamoto Marin, HT), Nishikawa Asuka (Kurakazu Shiho, 70 mins)
Unused subs: Isashi Kaede, Adachi Eriko

NTV Beleza:
Soyama Kanako, Shimizu Risa, Iwashimizu Azusa (capt), Sudo Akiko, Ariyoshi Saori, Hara Natsuko, Sakaguchi Mizuho, Momiki Yuka, Hasegawa Yui, Kiryu Nanase, Tanaka Mina
Subs: Nakasato Yu (Hasegawa Yui, 62 mins), Sumida Rin (Kiryu Nanase, 71 mins), Mochizuki Arisa (Soyama Kanako, 82 mins)
Unused subs: Yamada Shoko, Takahashi Saori
Scorers: Iwashimizu Azusa (11 mins), Sakaguchi Mizuho (21 mins), Tanaka Mina (24, 83 mins), Kiryu Nanase (39 mins), Momiki Yuka (69 mins)


Vegalta Sendai Ladies  0 - 1  Okayama Yunogo Belle
(Attendance: 1,272)

Belle came to Miyagi looking to avenge their opening day defeat at home to Vegalta Sendai, and they did so with a single-goal victory courtesy of a Arimachi Saori strike in the seventh minute, finishing off following a Miyama corner which Vegalta failed to deal with. The home side had the ball in the net a minute later but the goal was offside. Thereafter the game was quite even, with both sides having a number of half-chances. Belle held on to the delight of their travelling fans while the Vegalta faithful will have to be content with a fifth place finish. Ono Hitomi was their top scorer with four goals, Arimachi's goal took her to eight for the season, and she was Belle's top scorer.

Vegalta Sendai Ladies:
Amano Misaki, Yamamoto Risa, Shimokozuru Aya (capt), Osafune Kana, Takara Ryoko, Tahara Nozomi, Takahashi Nana, Uetsuji Yumi, Sameshima Aya, Ono Hitomi, Yasumoto Sawako
Subs: Sakai Yuki (Yasumoto Sawako, 73 mins), Inoue Ayaka (Tahara Nozomi, 73 mins), Sasaki Mayu (Ono Hitomi, 84 mins)
Unused subs: Saita Yuki, Nakamura Mami
Booked: Osafune Kana

Okayama Yunogo Belle:
Fukumoto Miho (capt), Yasuda Kuniko, Kado Yuka, Miyazaki Yuka, Mizushima Kumi, Takahashi Haruka, Nakano Manami, Miyama Aya, Yokoyama Kumi, Arimachi Saori, Matsuoka Miki
Subs: Tsuhako Yumiko (Mizushima Kumi, 77 mins), Nakagawa Chihiro (Yokoyama Kumi, 83 mins)
Unused subs: Ikegaya Natsumi, Fushiki Kaho, Yamaguchi Mami
Scorers: Arimachi Saori (7 mins)


JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies  1 - 5  INAC Kobe Leonessa
(Attendance: 3,535)

Prior to this game JEF United had only conceded fifteen goals in the entire season, so it was something of a surprise to see them so comprehensively beaten, though most of the goals did come in the last ten minutes. Tanaka Yoko and Takase Megumi scored in the minutes just before half-time to do severe damage to JEF's confidence, and in the 81st and 82nd minutes Kawasumi scored twice, taking her season's total to twelve. JEF immediately pulled a goal back through Sugasawa Yuika but two minutes later INAC had the last say, Tanaka Yoko scoring again for her sixth of the season. INAC Kobe win the league with a ten point gap over Beleza, with JEF United ultimately disappointing in seventh.

JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies:
Funada Mayu, Ueno Saki, Sakuramoto Naoko (capt), Takahashi Sachie, Chino Shoko, Ikadai Risa, Hosaka Nodoka, Yanai Rina, Kawamura Mari, Fukasawa Risa, Sugasawa Yuika
Subs: Anzai Yuka (Chino Shoko, 56 mins), Matsuura Nagisa (Yanai Rina, 83 mins), Hosokawa Motoyo (Sakuramoto Naoko, 85 mins)
Unused subs: Yamane Erina, Ogawa Shiho
Scorers: Sugasawa Yuika (83 mins)
Booked: Yanai Rina

INAC Kobe Leonessa:
Kaihori Ayumi, Rebecca Moros, Kai Junko, Miyake Shiori, Watanabe Ayaka, Ji So Yun, Minamiyama Chiaki, Nakajima Emi, Kawasumi Nahomi (capt), Beverly Goebel-Yanez, Takase Megumi
Subs: Tanaka Yoko (Beverly Goebel-Yanez, 40 mins), Kinga Yukari (Rebecca Moros, 68 mins), Takenaka Rei (Kaihori Ayumi, 74 mins)
Unused subs: Kyokawa Mai, Michigami Ayaka
Scorers: Tanaka Yoko (44, 85 mins), Takase Megumi (45+1 mins), Kawasumi Nahomi (81, 82 mins)