Challenge League Fifteenth Round

Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki  6 - 2  Tokiwagi Gakuen High School
(Attendance: 552)

This game was played on August 30th

Honda Saki came in for her first start this season as Takatsuki look to overcome Tokiwagi Gakuen, who this year are considerably less impressive than they were in winning the title in 2013. The visitors brought six regular members back into their side following the Inter-Highschool Championships.

Takatsuki took the lead on 32 minutes, a penalty kick scored by Hazuki Yuki, though this was equalised by third-year forward Sugihara Haruna on the hour mark. Though the game had been relatively quiet until this point, six goals were to follow in the final thirty minutes.

Maruyama Karina scored to restore the lead within two minutes, and just a minute later Saito Toshiko added a third. Seven minutes later she scored again, her ninth of the season. Hazuki also scored a second for herself, with Shimamura adding the sixth Takatsuki goal three minutes from full-time. Sugihara's fifth goal of the season at the death was little consolation for Tokiwagi Gakuen, who cannot now retain their title.

Takatsuki next play top-of-the-table Nittaidai in buoyant mood, with Tokiwagi Gakuen next in action on the 14th away to Harima.

Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki:
Ono Maya, Yoshimura Midori, Tsuboi Ayako, Akiba Yumeko, Hirano Satoko, Torao Naomi (capt), Narumiya Yui, Honda Saki, Maruyama Karina, Saito Toshiko, Hazuki Yuki
Subs: Shimamura Yuko (Maruyama Karina, 70 mins), Takatani Misato (Saito Toshiko, 75 mins), Ishikawa Yuu (Tsuboi Ayako, 81 mins), Toyama Sayuri (Hazuki Yuki, 85 mins)
Unused subs: Hattori Mayu
Scorers: Hazuki Yuki (32 mins (pen), 80 mins), Maruyama Karina (62 mins), Saito Toshiko (63, 70 mins), Shimamura Yuko (87 mins)

Tokiwagi Gakuen High School:
Ono Asuka, Kobayashi Nanako, Matsukubo Akari, Genseki Kiyoka, Kawasaki Saya, Kadowaki Shihomi, Nishikawa Ayaka (capt), Ichise Nana, Shiraki Akari, Sugihara Haruna, Kobayashi Rikako
Subs: Mitsuhashi Asuka (Kadowaki Shihomi, HT), Suzuki Aguri (Ono Asuka, 76 mins), Asari Iku (Genseki Kiyoka, 84 mins), Komori Aoi (Mitsuhashi Asuka, 84 mins)
Unused subs: Takahashi Anna
Scorers: Sugihara Haruna (60, 89 mins)


Ange Violet Hiroshima  0 - 0  AS Harima Albion
(Attendance: 606)

This game was played on July 20th 

The first meeting between these sides late last year saw an exciting battle for promotion to the Challenge League. Both sides are doing well this year, though today's game failed to provide the same kind of excitement as neither side could make the breakthrough. A good crowd of over six hundred was in attendance as Ange Violet continue to lead the way in average attendance figures in the Challenge League.

AS Harima Albion stay fourth, seven points off the top, with Ange Violet eighth, four points ahead of champions Tokiwagi Gakuen. Harima next play Shizuoka Sangyo on the 27th; Ange Violet don't play again until August 30th, against Bunnys Kyoto.

Ange Violet Hiroshima:
Uetani Kumiko, Ichikawa Sonoka, Yamashita Kurumi, Takeda Yuki (capt), Katsurama Fumina, Kitagawa Kana, Enya Mari, Mizuno Yuri, Saihara Mizuki, Matsuda Ikumi, Yamagata Hisami
Subs: Uozumi Arisa (Yamagata Hisami, 65 mins), Tanaka Ayako (Saihara Mizuki, 90+4 mins)
Unused subs: Kameda Megumi, Konishi Natsuki, Yamashita Mayumi

AS Harima Albion:
Kirihata Kotono, Kitagawa Wakana, Nishiyama Emi, Fujimoto Madoka (capt), Sakai Nozomi, Nakajima Chihiro, Okajima Eri, Koyano Yuu, Shirota Miki, Chiba Sonoko, Murakawa Saki
Subs: Saito Manami (Murakawa Saki, 57 mins), Yamaguchi Saya (Shirota Miki, 90 mins)
Unused subs: Sugimoto Aoi, Hasatani Toko, Sugiyama Yuka


Nittaidai Football Club Ladies  5 - 0  Japan Soccer College Ladies
(Attendance: 126)

After a disappointing first half in which there were very few chances for both sides, Nittaidai manager Yano Seinosuke introduced Maeda Risa and Uemura Shoko and within a minute of the restart the latter had scored, her eleventh of the season. Uemura scored the final of Nittaidai's five second-half goals, with one each for Kojima, Sakurai and Enokidani.

Nittaidai thus go three points clear at the top of the table, with Takatsuki in second not playing this weekend. The JSCL are twelfth, not yet clear of danger with Cerezo Osaka Sakai just four points behind. They next travel to Fukuoka, Nittaidai next play Cerezo on the 26th.

Nittaidai Football Club Ladies:
Inoue Nene, Sakurai Mayuka, Haza Hisui, Nozu Erika, Oki Shiho, Goto Ami, Enokidani Misaki, Kojima Wakiko, Ito Yukina (capt), Maeda Risa, Hirata Hikari
Subs: Ishii Chiharu (Hirata Hikari, HT), Uemura Shoko (Maeda Risa, HT), Matsuda Kasumi (Inoue Nene, 76 mins), Kitano Rie (Kojima Wakiko, 80 mins), Abe Rie (Goto Ami, 88 mins)
Scorers: Uemura Shoko (46, 88 mins), Kojima Wakiko (54 mins), Sakurai Mayuka (71 mins), Enokidani Misaki (81 mins)

Japan Soccer College Ladies:
Kawashima Kana, Takahashi Sakura, Kusakari Ayako (capt), Yukita Rui, Sano Saki, Nakashima Ayaka, Sakaguchi Yuki, Kudo Asami, Toriumi Mai, Horie Mitsuki, Iwasaki Manami
Subs: Honda Suzuno (Yukita Rui, 23 mins), Tsunoda Emika (Horie Mitsuki, 61 mins), Matsumoto Hotaru (Honda Suzuno, 74 mins)
Unused subs: Komatsu Akane, Yoneda Saki


Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies  3 - 0  Shimizu Daihachi Pleiades
(Attendance: 166)

Cerezo Osaka Sakai brushed aside the challenge of bottom side Shimizu to give themselves a fighting chance of escaping a relegation play-off, as they move to within one point of Bunnys Kyoto. Cerezo scored thrice in the opening 34 minutes as they overwhelmed the visitors who managed only two attempts on goal in the game.

Matsubara Shiho opened the scoring after nine minutes, club top scorer Tamazakura Kotono added another six minutes later and the final goal came from Hayashi Honoka. Cerezo next have a very difficult tie against leaders Nittaidai on the 26th; Shimizu don't play again until September.

Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies:
Nishinaka Maho, Wakisaka Reina, Katsuoka Miyu, Takarada Saori, Morinaka Hina, Furusawa Rui, Nishida Meika (capt), Matsubara Shiho, Hayashi Honoka, Maegawa Miki, Tamazakura Kotono
Subs: Yakata Miyu (Furusawa Rui, HT), Fujiwara Nodoka (Tamazakura Kotono, 65 mins), Hashimitsu Kyoka (Maegawa Miki, 80 mins), Yamashita Rina (Nishinaka Maho, 87 mins), Azuma Manami (Morinaka Hina, 88 mins)
Scorers: Matsubara Shiho (9 mins), Tamazakura Kotono (15 mins), Hayashi Honoka (34 mins)

Shimizu Daihachi Pleiades:
Maruyama Kimi, Kobayashi Natsumi, Taniguchi Emi, Oda Sayaka, Inoue Yurie, Matsushita Norimi (capt), Sato Kaede, Miura Kyoko, Yamaki Kotomi, Kawachi Erika, Kawasumi Saki
Subs: Baba Sayumi (Kawasumi Saki, 55 mins), Hirukawa Mio (Sato Kaede, 84 mins)
Booked: Miura Kyoko


Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara  2 - 1  Sfida Setagaya FC
(Attendance: 405)

Nojima came out on top in the weekend's biggest match, and are now level on points with Takatsuki. This will have been a devastating loss for Setagaya, who find themselves eight points behind the promotion play-off place and have dropped to seventh.

Two goals in three minutes did the damage for Nojima, both coming from their top scorer Yoshimi Natsuki. Having scored the first in the 63rd minute, she stepped up to take a penalty three minutes later to double the lead. The Setagaya players and supporters were incredulous that the penalty had been awarded in the first place, as there had been minimal contact on Minamino.

Setagaya gamely fought on, and scored through a Tanaka Marina header with six minutes to go to set up a tense finish, but time ran out on the visitors' challenge today and possibly this year. They next play in September, with Nojima in action against Shizuoka Sangyo next weekend looking to move into the automatic promotion spot.

Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara:
Kobayashi Shiori, Goto Maika, Terada Reiko, Yoshida Ayaka, Nagasawa Madoka, Oyama Saki (capt), Yoshimi Natsuki, Omiya Reona, Inoue Yurie, Minamino Arisa, Kanai Nanae
Subs: Kawarazaki Nozomi (Inoue Yurie, 77 mins), Kinjo Airi (Goto Maika, 84 mins), Saito Haruna (Minamino Arisa, 90+1 mins)
Unused subs: Nanjo Masayo, Nishimura Atsumi
Scorers: Yoshimi Natsuki (63, 66 mins, pen)

Sfida Setagaya FC:
Ishino Himeka, Fukuhara Nao, Kawashima Tamai, Tanaka Marina, Nagata Maya (capt), Usuda Haruka, Tanaka Mariko, Hasegawa Aoi, Nagasawa Yume, Shimojo Aya, Sunoki Yurie
Subs: Hayashi Reika (Hasegawa Aoi, 67 mins), Okada Ayame (Nagasawa Yume, 70 mins), Ikeda Takami (Usuda Haruka, 86 mins)
Unused subs: Kawamura Yuki, Kuwahara Yoshie
Scorers: Tanaka Marina (84 mins)
Booked: Kawashima Tamai


Ehime FC Ladies  1 - 3  JFA Academy Fukushima
(Attendance: 188)

Though the JFA Academy had half as many chances to score as Ehime, it was the away side which were more accurate and they took home all three points to move them into fifth.

Mizutani Yuki showed no tiredness having taken part in a mid-week U-18 tournament and she scored with a superb shot from a great distance out to give the Academy the lead, with what was her second goal in consecutive games. That goal came after eight minutes, and nine minutes later Mizutani was the provider, knocking a long pass up to Nakajo who very calmly put the ball past Osako.

Ehime came back into the game just after the hour mark, Kariya Maiko with her third of the season. From a corner kick she planted the ball well into the top corner from outside the area. The Academy were not to be caught though, as with fourteen minutes remaining Tsukamoto Natsuki scored her first goal of the season.

Ehime travel to Miyagi to play Tokiwagi Gakuen on Sunday, while the Academy don't play again until the last day in August.

Ehime FC Ladies:
Osako Hanako, Nishigawa Sayumi (capt), Kamata Ran, Nishimura Nozomi, Kariya Maiko, Iwamoto Yuka, Yamashiro Miyuki, Kawamura Akari, Oya Ayumi, Haruyama Saori, Akune Mana
Subs: Kushiyama Saki (Oya Ayumi, 25 mins), Tagami Natsumi (Haruyama Saori, 53 mins)
Unused subs: Ueno Yukiko, Mukaidani Ayaka, Ogawa Manami
Scorers: Kariya Maiko (61 mins)

JFA Academy Fukushima:
Asano Natsumi, Kojima Miku (capt), Hashinuma Maho, Morita Umi, Kitagawa Hikaru, Takahashi Fuko, Hirata Mai, Mizutani Yuki, Ibaraki Mitsuba, Nakajo Yui, Tachibana Yo
Subs: Tsukamoto Natsuki (Takahashi Fuko, 64 mins), Ueda Yuriko (Morita Umi, 70 mins), Akimoto Haruka (Nakajo Yui, 85 mins)
Unused subs: Hannah Stambaugh
Scorers: Mizutani Yuki (8 mins), Nakajo Yui (17 mins), Tsukamoto Natsuki (76 mins)


Fukuoka J. Anclas  0 - 0  Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita
(Attendance: 246)

Many chances but no goals in this tight encounter between two sides who have been well below what was expected of them this season. Of note was Maehara Ringo's first appearance in goal this year for Shizuoka Sangyo.

Both sides are in action this weekend, Fukuoka host the JSCL with Shizuoka Sangyo welcoming third-placed Nojima.

Fukuoka J. Anclas:
Kishi Hoshimi, Yanagita Shiori, Hanada Aiko (capt), Ito Chisa, Fujisawa Marin, Ukita Kotone, Doshita Misato, Yoshizawa Ai, Takahashi Chizuru, Fujimoto Yuki, Marugata Rie
Subs: Doi Narumi (Takahashi Chizuru, 65 mins), Fukui Shihori (Marugata Rie, 70 mins)
Unused subs: Shimada Megumi, Iimura Ami, Inoue Miku

Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita:
Maehara Ringo, Nakase Akane, Shimamura Kumiko, Nishiyama Mei, Ogata Yurika, Kubota Mitsuki, Suzuki Rina, Ishida Risa, Hirano Asami (capt), Kitaoka Chiaki, Kanno Mie
Subs: Komagata Nana (Kanno Mie, 62 mins), Shiroshita Chinatsu (Komagata Nana, 67 mins)
Unused subs: Terada Ikumi, Miyazaki Kaoru, Kuchiki Hikaru


Bunnys Kyoto SC  2 - 6  AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies
(Attendance: 189)

Bunnys Kyoto were unsurprisingly no match for Nagano, though the feeling that the visitors have done too little over the course of the season remains. Nagano were three goals up approaching half time, Hamagaki with the opener and Hashiura with a brace to take her to nine for the season. Penalties were awarded to both sides just before and after the break - Matsuda Nozomi scoring for Bunnys to reduce the arrears only for Yokoyama to again increase them. Bunnys scored again with twenty minutes remaining, Sawada the scorer this time, though Nagano were never in trouble and scored twice more in the final minutes through Makii Kasane and Yokoyama Kumi, whose second goal in this match took her to twenty for the season.

Bunnys are now just one point ahead of Cerezo in fifteenth, and their next game away to Tokiwagi Gakuen on the 27th will be a real test. Nagano take on Shizuoka Sangyo on August 30th.

Bunnys Kyoto SC:
Akiyama Ryo, Akamine Mizuki, Saito Hitomi (capt), Yamamoto Yumi, Shibuya Yumiko, Oshima Sayuri, Matsuda Nozomi, Sawada Yuka, Kawano Maaya, Yamaguchi Yurie, Fuchibe Mami
Subs: Hanazaki Rena (Yamaguchi Yurie, 52 mins), Yamashita Yu (Kawano Maaya, 65 mins), Masuda Kasumi (Fuchibe Mami, 80 mins)
Unused subs: Tanihara Yukari
Scorers: Matsuda Nozomi (45 mins, pen), Sawada Yuka (70 mins)
Booked: Akiyama Ryo

AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies:
Ikegaya Natsumi, Tanaka Nami (capt), Urasaki Yuka, Yajima Yuki, Oshima Nozomi, Yoshida Aoi, Shigemasa Kai, Uchiyama Tomoyo, Hashiura Satsuki, Yokoyama Kumi, Hamagaki Kana
Subs: Uchiyama Tomoka (Yoshida Aoi, 55 mins), Wada Makoto (Uchiyama Tomoyo, 67 mins), Makii Kasane (Hamagaki Kana, 76 mins)
Unused subs: Unoki Mao, Kanefuda Anzu
Scorers: Hamagaki Kana (36 mins), Hashiura Satsuki (38, 42 mins), Yokoyama Kumi (47 mins (pen), 90 mins), Makii Kasane (86 mins)
Booked: Yajima Yuki, Yokoyama Kumi, Shigemasa Kai