Challenge League Twenty-Second Round

Tokiwagi Gakuen High School  3 - 1  Sfida Setagaya FC
(Attendance: 200)

Tokiwagi Gakuen played some of their best football this season in their final league game, and their focus will now switch to the Inter-Highschool Championships, though for both sides the Empress' Cup comes first.

Fine play led to Kobayashi Rikako's opening goal after just seven minutes. The home side were 2-0 up by half-time, Kawasaki Saya scoring after a tremendous run from Kobayashi which started in the centre-circle.

Setagaya got back into the game when Kawashima Tamai scored her only goal of the season direct from a corner kick eight minutes into the second half, but Tokiwagi Gakuen responded with a goal of their own within two minutes, Kawasaki finishing off with a quick shot off a low right-sided cross from Shiraki Akari.

Tokiwagi Gakuen finish eighth but will drop down to the Challenge League. Setagaya finish sixth, thirteen points away from a promotion play-off. Next year the level will again be higher, and they will have to make significant progress if they are to challenge.

Shimojo Aya (#20) came in for Nagasawa Yume for Sfida Setagaya's visit to Miyagi

Kobayashi Rikako powerfully burst through the Setagaya defence for the first goal.
The U-17 World Cup winner ended the season as Tokiwagi Gakuen's top scorer with fourteen goals.

Young goalkeeper Ishino Himeka punches away an inswinging corner kick

Matsukubo Akari and her defensive companions were strong and determined in the tackle

Kawasaki Saya scores the first of her two goals as Tokiwagi Gakuen took full control

Kawashima Tamai scores her only goal of the season direct from a corner kick

A scramble in the box. Mitsuhashi tries to poke the ball over under pressure from Sunoki...

The ball comes loose, with Ishino desperately trying to reach for the ball...

Fukuhara Nao, one of three Setagaya players who started every game, eventually gets the ball clear

Shimojo Aya attempts to take on the Tokiwagi Gakuen defence

Ono Asuka pulls off a sensational fingertip save to deny Shimojo and again save Tokiwagi Gakuen.

Tokiwagi Gakuen High School:
Ono Asuka, Fujino Suzuka, Matsukubo Akari, Genseki Kiyoka, Mitsuhashi Asuka, Nishikawa Ayaka (capt), Ichise Nana, Sugihara Haruna, Kobayashi Rikako, Shiraki Akari, Kawasaki Saya
Subs: Asari Iku (Genseki Kiyoka, 55 mins), Iwaki Ayano (Mitsuhashi Asuka, 65 mins), Sasaki Yukina (Iwaki Ayano, 88 mins)
Unused subs: Suzuki Aguri, Kadowaki Shihomi
Scorers: Kobayashi Rikako (7 mins), Kawasaki Saya (32, 55 mins)

Sfida Setagaya FC:
Ishino Himeka, Fukuhara Nao, Tanaka Marina, Tanaka Mariko, Sunoki Yurie, Usuda Haruka, Nagata Maya (capt), Mori Hitomi, Hasegawa Aoi, Shimojo Aya, Nagasaki Akane
Subs: Kawashima Tamai (Hasegawa Aoi, HT), Nagasawa Yume (Nagasaki Akane, HT), Kuwahara Yoshie (Nagata Maya, 70 mins)
Unused subs: Sakuragi Ayana, Hori Yoshie
Scorers: Kawashima Tamai (53 mins)
Booked: Shimojo Aya


Bunnys Kyoto SC  3 - 4  Ehime FC Ladies
(Attendance: 184)

Although already condemned to a relegation play-off, Bunnys Kyoto put up a good fight today but in the end contrived to throw away a two-goal lead to lose 4-3 to Ehime, who finish the season in ninth.

Sawada Yuka's goal on twenty-nine minutes was equalised by Ehime's top scorer Akune Mana three minutes later as the sides went in level.

Two goals for Bunnys in the first twenty minutes from Kushige Aoi put Bunnys into the unfamiliar position of being clear of the opposition, but Ehime came back strongly to beat the tiring Bunnys with a goal from Kushiyama Saki and two from Tagami Natsumi, both of whom had come on as substitutes.

Bunnys now face relegation from the league by way of a play-off for just the second time in twenty-four seasons, the first of which they won 26-0 on aggregate at the end of the 1997 season, while Ehime have a rest until the opening round of the Empress' Cup, where they play Hinomoto Gakuen High School.

Bunnys Kyoto SC:
Takagi Misa, Akamine Mizuki, Saito Hitomi (capt), Akiyama Ryo, Kawano Maaya, Shibuya Yumiko, Yamamoto Yumi, Matsuda Nozomi, Sawada Yuka, Oshima Sayuri, Kushige Aoi
Subs: Hanazaki Rena (Oshima Sayuri, 70 mins), Yamaguchi Yurie (Shibuya Yumiko, 89 mins)
Unused subs: Yamashita Yu, Fuchibe Mami, Masuda Kasumi
Scorers: Sawada Yuka (29 mins), Kushige Aoi (51, 65 mins)

Ehime FC Ladies:
Osako Hanako, Kamata Ran, Nishimura Nozomi, Nishigawa Sayumi (capt), Kawamura Akari, Watai Shiori, Yamashiro Miyuki, Kariya Maiko, Akune Mana, Oya Ayumi, Ogawa Manami
Subs: Haruyama Saori (Ogawa Manami, 30 mins), Iwamoto Yuka (Watai Shiori, HT), Tagami Natsumi (Oya Ayumi, HT), Kushiyama Saki (Kawamura Akari, 60 mins)
Unused subs: Ueno Yukiko
Scorers: Akune Mana (32 mins), Kushiyama Saki (70 mins), Tagami Natsumi (74, 90 mins)
Booked: Watai Shiori


Ange Violet Hiroshima  1 - 3  Nittaidai Football Club Ladies
(Attendance: 710)

Nittaidai leapt into second place and into the promotion play-off spot with a hard-won victory over Ange Violet in front of another good crowd in Hiroshima.

Maeda Risa scored her eleventh goal of the season after ten minutes off a through pass from Nagashima Hikari as the students lead at half-time, but the hosts drew level midway through the second half when Katsurama Fumina scored her third in two games.

With seven minutes remaining Nittaidai gambled and brought on their two most impressive strikers this season, Uemura Shoko and Hirata Hikari. In the final minute they took the lead, and own goal creeping in off a corner kick and with seconds remaining Uemura made sure with her side's third off a Kitano pass to move Nittaidai into second overnight.

If Nojima fail to win tomorrow, Nittaidai will have the chance to play for a place in the top division for the first time since the 1999 season. Hiroshima finished the season with the highest average attendance in the Challenge League of 779, and will be pleased to have made it to Division 2 in their first season.

Ange Violet Hiroshima:
Uetani Kumiko, Kitagawa Kana, Matsuda Ikumi, Takeda Yuki (capt), Konishi Natsuki, Katsurama Fumina, Ichikawa Sonoka, Yamagata Hisami, Mizuno Yuri, Saihara Mizuki, Enya Mari
Unused subs: Kameda Megumi, Yamashita Kurumi, Kinjo Nanae, Uozumi Arisa, Kuramoto Aya
Scorers: Katsurama Fumina (67 mins)

Nittaidai Football Club Ladies:
Inoue Nene, Matsunaga Saki, Nagashima Hikari (capt), Abe Rie, Oki Shiho, Uchida Misuzu, Yamamoto Hirona, Kitano Rie, Fuse Kanako, Maegami Eri, Maeda Risa
Subs: Ito Yukina (Yamamoto Hirona, 75 mins), Uemura Shoko (Maeda Risa, 83 mins), Hirata Hikari (Maegami Eri, 83 mins), Ishii Chiharu (Ito Yukina, 90+1 mins), Matsuda Kasumi (Inoue Nene, 90+3 mins)
Scorers: Maeda Risa (10 mins), Own Goal (90 mins), Uemura Shoko (90+2 mins)


Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki  2 - 2  Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara
(Attendance: 718)

Nojima's dream of reaching the top division ended today as a spirited comeback against division champions Takatsuki came up just short. Takatsuki had raced into a two-goal lead after seventeen minutes, Tsuboi Ayako and Yoshimura Midori the scorers.

Nojima's captain Oyama Saki hasn't scored all season but popped up twice in the space of seven minutes to bring her side level with twenty-seven minutes still to play. Takatsuki went into a far more defensive formation and held on to deny Nojima who were naturally distraught at the final whistle.

Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki:
Ono Maya, Tsuboi Ayako, Hatanaka Miyuka, Akiba Yumeko, Hirano Satoko, Yoshimura Midori, Torao Naomi (capt), Honda Saki, Narumiya Yui, Saito Toshiko, Hazuki Yuki
Subs: Shimamura Yuko (Saito Toshiko, 56 mins), Sato Kaede (Hatanaka Miyuka, 69 mins), Ishikawa Yuu (Honda Saki, 81 mins)
Unused subs: Yoshioka Haruka, Toyama Sayuri
Scorers: Tsuboi Ayako (2 mins), Yoshimura Midori (17 mins)

Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara:
Kobayashi Shiori, Goto Maika, Terada Reiko, Yoshida Ayaka, Nagasawa Madoka, Setoguchi Nana, Oyama Saki (capt), Omiya Reona, Inoue Yurie, Minamino Arisa, Kanai Nanae
Subs: Kawarazaki Nozomi (Inoue Yurie, 68 mins), Kinjo Airi (Goto Maika, 87 mins)
Unused subs: Nanjo Masayo, Sakamoto Juri, Saito Haruna
Scorers: Oyama Saki (57, 63 mins)


Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies  0 - 2  Fukuoka J. Anclas
(Attendance: 223)

Fukuoka J. Anclas have had an extremely poor season, but were delighted today to have taken all three points against the resurgent Cerezo Osaka Sakai team which means that they will play in Nadeshiko League Division 2 next season.

Kibi graduate Fukui Shihori scored only her second goal in Fukuoka colours to open the scoring after seventeen minutes, following a scramble in the box. Ten minutes from time Marugata Rie scored her fifth goal in three games to make certain. Indeed, they were Marugata's only five goals this season and they make her Fukuoka's top scorer this year.

Cerezo Osaka will be disappointed to have ended up in the Challenge League, but at the same time relieved that they need not face a relegation play-off. With their players gaining another year's experience, they will be expecting a good run next season.

Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies:
Fukunaga Erika, Maegawa Miki, Wakisaka Reina, Katsuoka Miyu, Morinaka Hina, Tanaka Mika, Hayashi Honoka, Nojima Sakura, Yakata Miyu, Nishida Meika (capt), Matsubara Shiho
Subs: Tamazakura Kotono (Yakata Miyu, HT), Fujiwara Nodoka (Maegawa Miki, 55 mins), Inoue Hina (Tanaka Mika, 57 mins)
Unused subs: Nishinaka Maho, Furusawa Rui

Fukuoka J. Anclas:
Kishi Hoshimi, Yanagita Shiori, Hanada Aiko (capt), Ito Chisa, Fujisawa Marin, Ukita Kotone, Doi Narumi, Doshita Misato, Fukui Shihori, Fujimoto Yuki, Marugata Rie
Subs: Iimura Ami (Fukui Shihori, 81 mins)
Unused subs: Shimada Megumi, Misawa Chihiro
Scorers: Fukui Shihori (17 mins), Marugata Rie (80 mins)
Booked: Iimura Ami


AS Harima Albion  0 - 0  Japan Soccer College Ladies
(Attendance: 508)

A disappointing scoreless draw, especially for the home side which dominated, has left the Japan Soccer College in eleventh, and safely in the new Division 2, with Harima dropping a place to fifth owing to Nagano's win over the Academy.

Along with Takatsuki, Harima conceded the fewest goals in the division and will be optimistic of a good showing next season also. The JSC will just be happy to have made it and will hope to avoid a struggle against relegation next year.

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 (Koyano Yuu, 59 mins)
Unused subs: Sugimoto Aoi, Egami Narumi, Hasatani Toko, Momii Mika
Booked: Nakajima Chihiro

Japan Soccer College Ladies:
Kawashima Kana, Otomo Chinatsu, Takahashi Sakura, Kusakari Ayako (capt), Sano Saki, Konno Hitomi, Sakaguchi Yuki, Kudo Asami, Ishibuchi Yuki, Matsumoto Hotaru, Horie Mitsuki
Subs: Nakashima Ayaka (Konno Hitomi, 89 mins), Toyota Yuri (Horie Mitsuki, 90+1 mins)
Unused subs: Hamada Momoka, Toriumi Mai


Shimizu Daihachi Pleiades  0 - 5  Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita
(Attendance: 128)

Shizuoka Sangyo University went into this match still in with a shout of a Division 2 place but those hopes were dashed with Fukuoka's win over Cerezo Osaka. In the event, they were far too strong for neighbours Shimizu who ended the season having conceded an average of four goals per match.

Hirano Asami and Kanno Mie, Shizuoka's top scorers, both scored and ended the season with eight and six goals respectively, with Kanno netting twice in this game. Nishiyama Mei and Shiroshita Chinatsu on the other hand, both scored their only goals of the season on this, the final day.

Shizuoka Sangyo are unlikely to go far in the Empress' Cup and will largely focus on decent progress in the Inter-Collegiate Championships. Shimizu, the winners of seven consecutive Cup titles in the 80s, face a difficult task against Harima Albion in the first round. Before that, they face a relegation play-off and the odds are against them.

Shimizu Daihachi Pleiades:
Maruyama Kimi, Sato Kaede, Kobayashi Natsumi, Kawachi Erika, Hirukawa Mio, Matsuda Natsuki, Kanashiro Wakana (capt), Matsushita Norimi, Yamaki Kotomi, Miyagawa Tomoko, Miura Kyoko
Subs: Baba Sayumi (Matsuda Natsuki, HT), Taniguchi Emi (Kobayashi Natsumi, 56 mins)
Unused subs: Inoue Yurie, Oda Sayaka

Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita:
Terada Ikumi, Shimamura Kumiko, Nakase Akane, Ogata Yurika, Takahata Airi, Kubota Mitsuki, Nishiyama Mei, Suzuki Rina, Kanno Mie, Kitaoka Chiaki, Hirano Asami (capt)
Subs: Shiroshita Chinatsu (Kitaoka Chiaki, 68 mins), Ishida Risa (Kubota Mitsuki, 80 mins)
Unused subs: Inukai Ayano, Miyazaki Kaoru, Kuchiki Hikaru
Scorers: Kanno Mie (10, 89 mins), Nishiyama Mei (56 mins), Hirano Asami (69 mins), Shiroshita Chinatsu (87 mins)
Booked: Kitaoka Chiaki


AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies  4 - 0  JFA Academy Fukushima
(Attendance: 128)

Nagano finished their season with a good four-goal win over the JFA Academy, with two of those coming from the league's top scorer, Yokoyama Kumi, and have ultimately finished fourth.

Yokoyama's lone goal in the first half was added to by Uchiyama Tomoyo just after half-time, with Yokoyama scoring again on seventy-seven minutes. Hamagaki Kana completed the scoring three minutes from time.

Yokoyama finished with thirty goals, and Nagano scored the most of any team - seventy - but conceded far too many and this will be the focus for Honda Midori in the off-season. The JFA Academy finished seventh but like Tokiwagi Gakuen, will drop down to the Challenge League.

AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies:
Ikegaya Natsumi, Tanaka Nami (capt), Oshima Nozomi, Kanefuda Anzu, Urasaki Yuka, Yoshida Aoi, Hamagaki Kana, Uchiyama Tomoyo, Kunisawa Shino, Yokoyama Kumi, Hashiura Satsuki
Unused subs: Unoki Mao, Ichikawa Manayuki, Makii Kasane, Uchiyama Tomoka, Nomoto Hanako
Scorers: Yokoyama Kumi (26, 77 mins), Uchiyama Tomoyo (47 mins), Hamagaki Kana (87 mins)

JFA Academy Fukushima:
Asano Natsumi, Moriya Miyabi, Hashinuma Maho, Kitagawa Hikaru, Morita Umi, Hirata Mai, Tachibana Yo, Mizutani Yuki (capt), Nakajo Yui, Okuma Rana, Ibaraki Mitsuba
Unused subs: Hirao Chika, Hannah Stambaugh, Takahashi Fuko, Ueda Yuriko