The 35th Empress' Cup - First Round Results

First Round Matches, ties played Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th of November:

Match 1:
Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences  2 - 2  Nittaidai FC Ladies (aet)
Nittaidai FC Ladies win 5-4 on penalties
(Attendance: 155)

A very early goal for the Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences by Matsuoka Sayuri by quickly wiped out by an own goal, and after 25 minutes Nittaidai had the lead through Uemura Shoko. Just after half-time first year student Mitsuhashi Mana equalised for the Osaka side, and with no further goals the game went into twenty minutes of extra time. Again neither side could add to their tally and the game went to penalties, with Nittaidai winning 5-4 to progress to the Second Round.

Match 2:
Fukuoka J. Anclas  1 - 4  Ehime FC Ladies
(Attendance: 185)

Fukuoka looked good in the first half of this tie, with their top scorer this season Tagashira Yoko opening the scoring on 22 minutes. The game turned dramatically, however, when Anclas goalkeeper Shimada Megumi was sent off in the 44th minute. Ehime captain Nishigawa Sayumi scored in additional time to equalise and in the second half Ehime ran away with the tie. Akune Mana scored the lead goal on 74 minutes, and with another from Nishigawa five minutes from time the game was up for Anclas. An own goal just before the final whistle added to their misery. Ehime now play Nittaidai, against whom they lost last season in the first round.

Match 3:
Kanto Gakuen University  3 - 1  Fujieda Junshin High School
(Attendance: 412)

A good number turned out to see local Fujieda Junshin take on Kanto Gakuen, but the home supporters were disappointed as the university side took a two goal lead into half time, with Minamino Arisa scoring both. Just after half-time Junshin got a goal back from Yamashita Fumika. Though they pressed well, Kanto Gakuen finally added a third, Minamino with her hat-trick as her side now play FC Kibikokusaidaigaku Charme in the second round.

Match 4:
Nojima Stella Kanagawa  1 - 2  Hinomoto Gakuen Senior High School
(Attendance: 230)

Hinomoto Gakuen, one of the strongest school teams in Japan, took a first half lead over ambitious Nojima Stella Kanagawa through Yoshida Nagisa, and Nojima's woes were doubled when Ikegami Mayu added a second after 35 minutes. Although Yoshimi Natsuki pulled a goal back late in the game, Hinomoto Gakuen held on and now go on to play Tokiwagi Gakuen High School, against whom they lost their High School Championships' semi-final last January.

Match 5:
Naruto Uzushio High School  0 - 3  Fukui Senior High School
(Attendance: 303)

Fukui Senior High School were expected to be the better side, and so it proved, as they restricted Naruto Uzushio High School to just one shot in the match. Morimoto Suzuka scored for Fukui in the first half, with Yamazaki Nao scoring twice in the second half.

Match 6:
Hooh High School  2 - 0  Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies
(Attendance: 205)

Hooh High School beat their young rivals from Cerezo Osaka Sakai today with two goals from their only two chances in the game, as the Cerezo girls' shooting abilities deserted them. Two girls in their final year scored for Hooh, Matsumoto Sonoka and Taketa Natsumi. Hooh next take on Fukui Senior High School.

Match 7:
AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies  0 - 5  AS Elfen Sayama FC
(Attendance: 200)

In this highly antipated contest, Sayama got off to a flying start with a fifth minute goal from Suzuki Kaoruko, and it stayed that way until half-time. Within a few minutes of the restart however, Sayama piled on the pressure and Ito Kanako and Saito Yuri scored two more within the first ten minutes to end Nagano's hopes. With 23 minutes remaining Suzuki scored her second, and this was swiftly followed up by a fifth from Muroka Natsuki. Having seen off Nagano so easily, Sayama will now hope to follow up similarly against Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita.

Match 8:
Ange Violet Hiroshima  2 - 3  Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita
(Attendance: 258)

Kimoto Tomomi gave Challenge League newcomers Ange Violet the lead in the 22ndt minute of their tie against Shizuoka Sangyo, with Saihara Mizuki, who performed so well in the Challenge League promotion campaign, adding a second a few minutes before half-time. Kubota Mitsuki pulled one back for Shizuoka Sangyo six minutes after the restart, and another five minutes after that they had an equaliser, Hirano Asami scoring for the first time this season. With three minutes remaining Shizuoka Sangyo's superb captain Sayama Momoko, who this week secured a move to Albirex Niigata Ladies from next season, scored to complete the comeback and send her side into the Second Round.

Match 9:
Kamimura Gakuen High School  3 - 0  Hokkaido Bunkyo University Meisei High School
(Attendance: 164)

Last season's Schools' Championships runners-up got their Empress' Cup campaign off to a good start by outclassing Meisei High School to set up a tie against Sfida Setagaya. Hashitani Suguri scored in just the second minute, and Murata added another on 23 minutes to extend Kamimura's lead. In the 73rd minute Ueno Mami finished the game off.

Match 10:
Mashiki Renaissance Kumamoto FC  0 - 6  JFA Academy Fukushima
(Attendance: 147)

Mashiki Renaissance Kumamoto were no match for the Academy, who raced into a three goal lead by half-time, with goals from the ever-impressive Kojima Miku, Tachibana Yo and Masuya Rika, who made her first appearance of the season. Within the last twenty minutes Kitagawa Hikaru, Moriya Miyabi and Ueda Yuriko added three more for a very comprehensive victory. The Academy will now look forward with great anticipation to meeting Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki.

Match 11:
Waseda University  3 - 0  Sendai University
(Attendance: 125)

A goal in the ninth minute from Chiba Minori, bundling home a Watai free kick, gave Waseda University a 1-0 half-time lead over Sendai University. Within two minutes of the second half kickoff Omiya Reona doubled Waseda's lead. An own goal with sixteen minutes remaining sealed the victory for the Kanto League champions.

Match 12:
Shimizu Daihachi Pleiades  1 - 2  Japan Soccer College Ladies
(Attendance: 127)

Toriumi Mai was once again the JSCL's heroine as she scored the first goal of the game in the 55th minute with a superb shot, and set up Iwasaki Manami for the second thirteen minutes later. Pleiades' top scorer this season, Hamanaka Saki, pulled one back with seventeen minutes remaining, but the seven times champions couldn't find another and the JSCL now look forward to a meeting with top Kanto League side Waseda University.



Second Round Matches, ties to be played Saturday 30th of November and Sunday 1st of December:

Match 13:
Nittaidai FC Ladies versus Ehime FC Ladies

Match 14:
Kanto Gakuen University versus FC Kibikokusaidaigaku Charme

Match 15:
Tokiwagi Gakuen High School versus Hinomoto Gakuen High School

Match 16:
Fukui Senior High School versus Hooh High School

Match 17:
AS Elfen Sayama FC versus Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita

Match 18:
Kamimura Gakuen High School versus Sfida Setagaya FC

Match 19:
Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki versus JFA Academy Fukushima

Match 20:
Waseda University versus Japan Soccer College Ladies


Third Round Matches, ties to be played Saturday 7th, Sunday 8th and Wednesday 11th of December:

Match 21:
INAC Kobe Leonessa versus Winner of Match 13

Match 22:
Winner of Match 14 versus Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies

Match 23:
Iga FC Kunoichi versus Winner of Match 15

Match 24:
Winner of Match 16 versus Vegalta Sendai Ladies

Match 25:
Okayama Yunogo Belle versus Winner of Match 17

Match 26:
Winner of Match 18 versus JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies

Match 27:
Albirex Niigata Ladies versus Winner of Match 19

Match 28:
Winner of Match 20 versus NTV Beleza


Quarter-Final Matches, ties to be played Sunday 15th of December:

Match 29:
Winner of Match 21 versus Winner of Match 22

Match 30:
Winner of Match 23 versus Winner of Match 24

Match 31:
Winner of Match 25 versus Winner of Match 26

Match 32:
Winner of Match 27 versus Winner of Match 28


Semi-Final Matches, ties to be played Saturday 21st of December:

Match 33:
Winner of Match 29 versus Winner of Match 30

Match 34:
Winner of Match 31 versus Winner of Match 32


Final Match, to be played Monday 23rd of December:

Match 35:
Winner of Match 33 versus Winner of Match 34