Nadeshiko League Seventeenth Round

INAC Kobe Leonessa  4 - 0  FC Kibikokusaidaigaku Charme
(Attendance: 4,314)

FC Kibi went into this game against INAC Kobe with very little to lose and made a good start, with Sugita Ami hitting the crossbar in the opening minutes. A number of defensive mistakes from INAC also allowed Kurakazu Shiho to get in a shot which just went wide. INAC Kobe came back into the game as expected, but it wasn't until the fifth minute of the second half when they scored. A slip by Takeda allowed INAC to recover the ball just outside the Kibi area and the chance was finished off by Beverly Goebel-Yanez. Kibi brought on Noma and Adachi in search of an equaliser but it was Goebel-Yanez who scored again at the other end, getting in front of Takahashi Chiho to head home, ending Kibi's hopes of a result. In the last three minutes INAC scored two more, Kyokawa Mai with her first of the season followed by a fine goal from Kawasumi Nahomi. The only downside to the day for INAC Kobe was an injury to Sawa Homare which will keep her out of action for some time.

INAC Kobe Leonessa:
Kaihori Ayumi, Rebecca Moros, Kai Junko, Isokane Midori, Watanabe Ayaka, Minamiyama Chiaki, Sawa Homare, Nakajima Emi, Kawasumi Nahomi (capt), Beverly Goebel-Yanez, Takase Megumi
Subs: Tanaka Yoko (Sawa Homare, 28 mins), Kyokawa Mai (Beverly Goebel-Yanez, 81 mins), Michigami Ayaka (Takase Megumi, 88 mins)
Unused subs: Takenaka Rei, Nakada Ayu
Scorers: Beverly Goebel-Yanez (50, 74 mins), Kyokawa Mai (87 mins), Kawasumi Nahomi (89 mins)

FC Kibikokusaidaigaku Charme:
Isashi Kaede, Yoshitake Manami, Takahashi Chiho (capt), Imanishi Azusa, Takeda Arisa, Kurakazu Shiho, Sugita Ami, Takano Saki, Shigemasa Kai, Hamamoto Marin, Nishikawa Asuka
Subs: Adachi Eriko (Hamamoto Marin, 61 mins), Noma Fumika (Kurakazu Shiho, 61 mins), Miyake Ayumi (Yoshitake Manami, 81 mins)
Unused subs: Morimoto Kiyo, Takatsuka Ayane
Booked: Takahashi Chiho


Vegalta Sendai Ladies  1 - 2  NTV Beleza
(Attendance: 3,550)

A good crowd turned out to see Vegalta Sendai take on Beleza, who were in desperate need of a win to ensure second place in the table. Vegalta Sendai themselves still had a chance of second themselves, though the likelihood was slim. Local heroine Ono Hitomi gave the home side the lead in the 54th minute, heading in a Yamamoto cross from the right. In response Beleza brought on Tanaka Mina and within sixteen minutes she had scored the equaliser, curling the ball home from the left side of the area. Five minutes later, with just a minute of the ninety left, confusion and indecisiveness in the Vegalta box led to Ariyoshi Saori scoring the winner to the delight of her team-mates. With Belle failing to beat Takatsuki, Beleza were thus guaranteed second place. Vegalta play Belle next weekend, and only a very large victory would see them overtake their Okayama rivals.

Vegalta Sendai Ladies:
Amano Misaki, Yamamoto Risa, Shimokozuru Aya (capt), Osafune Kana, Takara Ryoko, Tahara Nozomi, Takahashi Nana, Uetsuji Yumi, Sameshima Aya, Inoue Ayaka, Ono Hitomi
Subs: Yasumoto Sawako (Inoue Ayaka, 62 mins), Sakai Yuki (Ono Hitomi, 85 mins)
Unused subs: Saita Yuki, Sasaki Mayu, Nakamura Mami
Scorers: Ono Hitomi (54 mins)

NTV Beleza:
Soyama Kanako, Shimizu Risa, Iwashimizu Azusa (capt), Sudo Akiko, Kobayashi Misaki, Hara Natsuko, Sakaguchi Mizuho, Ariyoshi Saori, Momiki Yuka, Kiryu Nanase, Hasegawa Yui
Subs: Tanaka Mina (Hasegawa Yui, 68 mins), Nakasato Yu (Kiryu Nanase, 90+2 mins)
Unused subs: Mochizuki Arisa, Yamada Shoko, Takahashi Saori
Scorers: Tanaka Mina (84 mins), Ariyoshi Saori (89 mins)


Okayama Yunogo Belle  0 - 0  Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki
(Attendance: 1,512)

Despite dominating the game as expected, Okayama Yunogo Belle were unable to score against the already-relegated Takatsuki, who have now failed to score in their last seven games. Belle travel to Sendai next week to take on Vegalta, determined to win to guarantee third spot, with Takatsuki simply playing for pride again next weekend against Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies.

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, 70 mins), Nakagawa Chihiro (Yokoyama Kumi, 80 mins)
Unused subs: Ikegaya Natsumi, Fushiki Kaho, Yamaguchi Mami

Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki:
Ono Maya, Sato Kaede, Okuda Akiko (capt), Hatanaka Miyuka, Tsuboi Ayako, Asano Miki, Itami Emi, Torao Naomi, Narumiya Yui, Maruyama Karina, Kanjana Sung-Ngoen
Subs: Naphat Seesraum (Asano Miki, 90+1 mins), Hazuki Yuki (Maruyama Karina, 87 mins), Hamada Haruka (Narumiya Yui, 80 mins)
Unused subs: Gocho Misaki, Hirano Satoko
Booked: Itami Emi


Albirex Niigata Ladies  1 - 0  JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies
(Attendance: 907)

Tiffany McCarty's third goal in four starts just three minutes into this tie was enough to win the game for Niigata as they pulled well clear of Kibi in ninth. JEF United will be disappointed not to have done better this season, as indeed will Niigata, who travel to Iga next week. JEF United face champions INAC Kobe Leonessa.

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 (Kodama Keiko, 90+3 mins), Kubota Mayu (Tiffany McCarty, 84 mins), Oishi Sayaka (Saeki Aya, 79 mins)
Unused subs: Koganemaru Sachie, Yamamoto Arina
Scorers: Tiffany McCarty (3 mins)

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: Ogawa Shiho (Chino Shoko, 56 mins), Matsuura Nagisa (Yanai Rina, 71 mins), Hosokawa Motoyo (Ueno Saki, 76 mins)
Unused subs: Shimada Ayako, Hanagiri Naomi


Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies  2 - 0  Iga FC Kunoichi
(Attendance: 1,770)

Having lost their previous two games, Urawa recovered to beat high-flying Iga and prevent their visitors from attaining a top three finish. Iga had very few chances and two goals in eight minutes for the home side decided the contest, Kohata Shiho heading in a corner kick on 55 minutes - having done similarly from a free kick last week - and a third of the season for Kato Chika with 27 minutes remaining was enough for Urawa to move safely clear of Kibi in ninth. Iga will hope for better against Niigata next weekend; Urawa will feel very confident of victory over Takatsuki.

Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies:
Ikeda Sakiko, Saito Akane, Kohata Shiho, Sakamoto Riho, Dozono Ayano, Shibata Hanae, Kishikawa Natsuki, Fujita Nozomi, Kato Chika, Kira Chinatsu, Goto Michi (capt)
Subs: Naomoto Hikaru (Kira Chinatsu, 78 mins), Wada Naoko (Kato Chika, 86 mins), Yasuda Yuki (Shibata Hanae, 89 mins)
Unused subs: Tajiri Yumi, Otaki Ami
Scorers: Kohata Shiho (55 mins), Kato Chika (63 mins)

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 Yoshie, HT), Noichi Aya (Matsunaga Tomoe, HT), Sakaguchi Sakie (Nasu Maiko, 89 mins)
Unused subs: Sawada Norimi, Ohashi Mio