The 35th Empress' Cup - Third Round Results

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

Match 21:
INAC Kobe Leonessa  10 - 0  Ehime FC Ladies
(Attendance: 844)

As fully expected, INAC Kobe Leonessa were far too strong for Ehime, though the Shikoku side will be pleased to have had the chance to play against the best team in Japan. INAC scored twice in the first half, Kinga Yukari heading in at the far post from a Watanabe cross in the 14th minute, with a second from the penalty spot five minutes later scored by Ji So Yun, who did most of the attacking for the champions in the first half. Ehime were set up almost entirely defensively, though Ogawa Manami and Akune Mana did show their potential in harassing and attacking the INAC midfield and defence.

Kinga Yukari opens the scoring, heading in from a tight angle

Just after the restart Nakajima scored the third for INAC with a fine shot from outside the area, and fifteen minutes later she scored her second, finishing off easily after Ueno had done well to save from Ji. Entering the last twenty minutes Ehime were exhausted from almost continuous defending, and INAC helped themselves to six more goals in the last eighteen minutes. Isokane headed in the first of the six, with Ji scoring another fine goal from the edge of the area for the sixth of the afternoon. Takase Megumi hadn't played particularly well but finally had a goal to her name on 81 minutes, with another from the spot on 89. Between these Kyokawa Mai scored with a diving header and the final goal came in additional time from Kawasumi Nahomi as Ehime were caught on the break.

Isokane Midori heads home a cross from Sawa Homare for INAC's fifth

Kyokawa Mai scores her second of the season following recovery from long-term injury

Takase Megumi was fouled in the area and scored the resulting penalty herself

Kawasumi Nahomi finishes off a fine move for the final goal of the match

INAC Kobe now take on FC Kibikokusaidaigaku Charme in the quarter-finals on Sunday in Kobe, while those Ehime players who are students look forward to the Inter-Collegiate Championships later in the month.

Match 22:
FC Kibikokusaidaigaku Charme  2 - 1  Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies
(Attendance: 710)

A superb victory for Kibi as they progress to the quarter-finals of the Cup for the very first time at the expense of Urawa, who have been out of sorts the entire year. Nishikawa Asuka opened the scoring in first-half additional time, and on 67 minutes Kurakazu Shiho scored to give Kibi a two goal lead. Urawa pulled one back almost immediately, Shibata Hanae finding Kira Chinatsu who rifled home. Urawa pushed on for an equaliser but the Kibi defence stood firm and move on to face either INAC Kobe or Ehime in Kobe next Sunday.

Match 23:
Iga FC Kunoichi  3 - 1  Hinomoto Gakuen Senior High School
(Attendance: 247)

Hinomoto Gakuen had high hopes of another upset today, but it was Iga who took the lead in the 19th minute, Tsutsumi Saki heading in a Kobayashi Makiko cross. Iga went in search of another to end the game as a contest, but Hinomoto played well and equalised just before half-time, Ikegami Mayu scoring for the third game in succession. Stunned by this, the Kunoichi came out with a no-nonsense approach in the second half and took the lead again after two minutes through an own goal, with another a minute later from Haji Madoka, her first in any competition this year. The wind was knocked out of Hinomoto's players, and try as they might, there was no way back; Iga move on to the quarter-finals.

Match 24:
Hooh High School  0 - 10  Vegalta Sendai Ladies
(Attendance: 150)

Hooh High School were simply no match for Vegalta Sendai, who were 5-0 up by half-time, with goals from Uetsuji Yumi, Takara Ryoko, Kawashima Haruna, and two from Yasumoto Sawako. Yasumoto completed her hat-trick early in the second half and there were a further two goals from Sameshima, one for Takahashi Nana and another for Uetsuji. Vegalta will play Iga in Sendai next Sunday.

Match 25:
Okayama Yunogo Belle  4 - 3  AS Elfen Sayama FC (aet)
(Attendance: 850)

A sensational encounter between Belle and Sayama ended in extra time with the Okayama side joining their neighbours Kibi in the quarter-finals. Sayama raced into a two goal lead courtesy of two of the veterans they signed this year, Ohno Shinobu and Arakawa Eriko. Belle struck back on 36 minutes through Matsuoka Miki, scoring with a header as is her wont. Five minutes after the break Suzuki Kaoruko scored for Sayama to open a two goal gap once again, and it seemed that Belle were heading out. With Miyama Aya in the side Belle can never be written off, and in the last seven minutes she brought them back into the game, first scoring on 83 minutes and then setting up Arimachi Saori for the equaliser on 88 minutes. Sayama were exhausted entering extra-time and a goal nine minutes in for Matsuoka was enough to see her side through to a quarter-final match against JEF United in Kobe next Sunday.

Match 26:
Sfida Setagaya FC  2 - 5  JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies
(Attendance: 150)

JEF United went on the attack immediately from the kickoff, and went ahead in the second minute, Yanai Rina converting from a corner. JEF pushed on hard against their near neighbours for a second, and it came in the 42nd minute courtesy of Ikadai Risa, her first in any competition this season. JEF were comfortable only for seconds, as Setagaya replied almost immediately, Tanaka Mariko heading in a cross from Usui Rie. Five minutes after the interval JEF extended their lead once more, Sugasawa Yuika just getting a touch on the ball to score. Again Setagaya fought back, and ten minutes later it was Nagasawa Yume with the goal to renew hope in the Tokyo side. Setagaya continued to fight valiantly but the game was up when JEF scored two in the last four minutes, Sugasawa with her second for the first of the two, and the second from Hosokawa Motoyo, another player who also scored for the first time this season.

Match 27:
Albirex Niigata Ladies  3 - 0  Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki
(Attendance: 305)

Takatsuki were determined not to be humiliated again by Niigata, but they fell two goals behind early. Niigata scored through Oishi Sayaka after four minutes with Tiffany McCarty following up four minutes later, her fourth goal in four consecutive games. Yamazaki scored with eight minutes remaining to seal the victory for Niigata.

Match 28:
Waseda University  0 - 4  NTV Beleza
(Attendance: 633)

Four goals in the opening twenty-five minutes for Beleza was enough to knock the stuffing completely out of the Waseda challenge as the ten-times winners move on to meet Niigata in Sendai next Sunday. Sakaguchi Mizuho has scored some vital goals this year, and she opened the scoring on eight minutes, with young Sumida Rin adding the second two minutes later. On sixteen minutes, Kiryu Nanase added the third and Momiki Yuka scored the fourth.


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

Match 29:
INAC Kobe Leonessa versus FC Kibikokusaidaigaku Charme

Match 30:
Iga FC Kunoichi versus Vegalta Sendai Ladies

Match 31:
Okayama Yunogo Belle versus JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies

Match 32:
Albirex Niigata Ladies versus NTV Beleza


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