Nadeshiko League Division 1 Eighth Round

INAC Kobe Leonessa  1 - 0  Vegalta Sendai Ladies
(Attendance: 1,863)

INAC Kobe outclassed the previously unbeaten Vegalta Sendai and probably should have won by more than the fine single goal Ohno Shinobu provided them today in Okinawa. Sendai had just a few good chances and once they went behind never really looked like being capable of picking up a point.

Kobe next host JEF United, another unbeaten side. Vegalta Sendai host Okayama Yunogo Belle in central Sendai.

INAC Kobe Leonessa:
Kaihori Ayumi, Kinga Yukari, Kai Junko, Miyake Shiori, Sameshima Aya, Kawasumi Nahomi, Ito Miki, Sawa Homare, Kyokawa Mai, Ito Kanako, Ohno Shinobu (capt)
Subs: Masuya Rika (Ito Miki, HT), Nakajima Emi (Kyokawa Mai, 85 mins)
Unused subs: Shibusawa Anna, Tanaka Asuna, Minamiyama Chiaki, Nakada Ayu, Sugita Hina
Scorers: Ohno Shinobu (61 mins)

Vegalta Sendai Ladies:
Takenaka Rei, Sakai Yuki, Yamamoto Risa, Takahashi Nana, Takara Ryoko, Kakazu Asuka (capt), Sasaki Mayu, Kawamura Yuri, Nakano Manami, Hamada Haruka, Arimachi Saori
Subs: Inoue Ayaka (Hamada Haruka, 63 mins), Giovania (Nakano Manami, 72 mins), Sasaki Miwa (Arimachi Saori, 81 mins)
Unused subs: Saito Ayaka, Ono Hitomi


JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies  1 - 1  AS Elfen Saitama
(Attendance: 1,073)

JEF United will be disappointed not to have taken all three points from this game, which they dominated, particularly in the second half. Takano Saki has started every game for Saitama this season, having just graduated from Kibi,  and she scored her first goal for her new club to give them the early lead. This goal was soon cancelled out by Sugasawa Yuika, scoring from the penalty spot.

JEF thus fall further behind the top two, and next week travel to Kobe. Saitama are ninth and host fellow strugglers Niigata.

JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies:
Yamane Erina, Chino Shoko, Sakuramoto Naoko (capt), Nishikawa Ayaka, Wakabayashi Minori, Hosaka Nodoka, Setoguchi Kozue, Kawamura Mari, Fukasawa Risa, Kamogawa Miho, Sugasawa Yuika
Subs: Anzai Yuka (Kamogawa Miho, HT), Ikadai Risa (Hosaka Nodoka, 59 mins)
Unused subs: Nemoto Mio, Ueno Saki, Isokane Midori, Yanai Rina, Shimada Ayako
Scorers: Sugasawa Yuika (19 mins, pen)

AS Elfen Saitama:
Funada Mayu, Akitaya Misato, Matsuoka Sayuri, Nara Misaki, Matsukubo Akari, Otani Erina, Azami Rie (capt), Shimokawa Saori, Takano Saki, Sarah Gregorius, Takahashi Saori
Subs: Sakurabayashi Ayako (Shimokawa Saori, 61 mins), Sugihara Haruna (Sakurabayashi Ayako, 80 mins)
Unused subs: Sakuragi Ayana, Onuma Miho, Segi Aiki, Takahashi Kaho
Scorers: Takano Saki (13 mins)
Booked: Azami Rie


Iga FC Kunoichi  1 - 2  Okayama Yunogo Belle
(Attendance: 780)

A first win for Belle since the opening weekend as things have gone from bad to worse for Iga, who have only picked up one point from the last six games. Asano Miki scored the opening goal in first half additional time when she looked to cross into the box, only for the ball to nestle in the back of the net, her first goal of the season. Just after the restart there was another first goal of the season, this time for Miyama Aya who scored from a trademark free kick. Suzuki Kaoruko scored her third goal of the season as time ran out but there was little that could be done to rescue a point for the Kunoichi.

Belle travel to Sendai in better spirits, with Iga hosting Beleza in another daunting prospect for the small town club.

Iga FC Kunoichi:
Isashi Kaede, Miyasako Tamami, Ohashi Mio, Hatanaka Miyuka, Shimojo Aya, Nasu Maiko (capt), Matsunaga Tomoe, Suzuki Kaoruko, Matsunaga Yoshie, Sugita Ami, Haji Madoka
Subs: Noichi Aya (Matsunaga Tomoe, 59 mins), Sonomura Nana (Matsunaga Yoshie, 59 mins), Gloria Douglas (Shimojo Aya, 87 mins)
Unused subs: Michikura Hiroko, Kobayashi Misaki, Shimizu Akane
Scorers: Suzuki Kaoruko (90 mins)
Booked: Haji Madoka

Okayama Yunogo Belle:
Fukumoto Miho (capt), Kado Yuka, Takahashi Sachie, Nakajima Chihiro, Mizushima Kumi, Asano Miki, Kobayashi Makiko, Miyama Aya, Okubo Mai, Matsuoka Miki, Kishino Sana
Subs: Takahashi Chiho (Kishino Sana, 75 mins), Tanaka Mayu (Kobayashi Makiko, 79 mins), Kuzuma Riyo (Okubo Mai, 86 mins)
Unused subs: Mita Isayo, Taniguchi Kikumi, Hashimoto Shoko, Kawano Saki
Scorers: Asano Miki (45+1 mins), Miyama Aya (47 mins)


Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki  1 - 0  Albirex Niigata Ladies
(Attendance: 501)

A timely first win of the season for Takatsuki over a Niigata side which has been a shadow of their 2014 selves. In a game of few chances, Takahashi Saki took hers six minutes into the second half, her very first league goal. Niigata were forced to rest Kitahara Kana following her injury last week and may be rested again next week when they travel to Saitama. Takatsuki are at home to Urawa.

Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki:
Ono Maya, Tsuboi Ayako, Sato Kaede, Takeda Arisa, Akiba Yumeko, Narumiya Yui, Torao Naomi (capt), Takahashi Saki, Hazuki Yuki, Saito Toshiko, Maruyama Karina
Subs: Enya Mari (Maruyama Karina, 48 mins), Kitagawa Wakana (Hazuki Yuki, 51 mins), Shimamura Yuko (Saito Toshiko, 90 mins)
Unused subs: Ueno Yukiko, Yoneyama Suzumi, Hayashi Momo, Sakumoto Fumika
Scorers: Takahashi Saki (51 mins)

Albirex Niigata Ladies:
Ichitani Tomoko, Takahashi Haruka, Nakamura Kaede, Sayama Momoko, Watanabe Ayaka, Saito Yuri, Kamionobe Megumi (capt), Kodama Keiko, Sakaguchi Moeno, Saeki Aya, Oishi Sayaka
Subs: Yamazaki Marumi (Kodama Keiko, 61 mins), Obara Yuria (Sakaguchi Moeno, 71 mins), Kubota Mayu (Saeki Aya, 90 mins)
Unused subs: Fukumura Kanae, Takamura Chisato


Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies  0 - 2  Nippon TV Beleza
(Attendance: 1,795)

Beleza continued on their winning ways, beating the champions in Konosu with two goals from substitutes Sakaguchi Mizuho and Kiryu Nanase, the latter of whom scored her first of the season.

Beleza are one of two unbeaten sides and will hope to extend that record going into the World Cup break, with a final visit to struggling Iga next Sunday. Urawa are away to bottom side Takatsuki and will surely feel that they can recover and pick up the three points available.

Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies:
Ikeda Sakiko, Kurishima Akari, Norimatsu Ruka, Kohata Shiho, Kitagawa Hikaru, Shibata Hanae, Naomoto Hikaru, Kishikawa Natsuki, Kato Chika, Seike Kiko, Goto Michi (capt)
Subs: Shiraki Akari (Kato Chika, 58 mins), Nagano Fuka (Kishikawa Natsuki, 72 mins), Kira Chinatsu (Goto Michi, 72 mins)
Unused subs: Matsumoto Mamiko, Usui Rie, Chiba Minori, Wada Naoko

Nippon TV Beleza:
Yamashita Ayaka, Shimizu Risa, Iwashimizu Azusa (capt), Muramatsu Tomoko, Ariyoshi Saori, Hara Natsuko, Uetsuji Yumi, Sumida Rin, Momiki Yuka, Hasegawa Yui, Tanaka Mina
Subs: Sakaguchi Mizuho (Momiki Yuka, HT), Kiryu Nanase (Hasegawa Yui, 63 mins), Nakasato Yu (Shimizu Risa, 90+4 mins)
Unused subs: Soyama Kanako, Mochizuki Arisa, Doko Mayo, Shimada Chiaki
Scorers: Sakaguchi Mizuho (53 mins), Kiryu Nanase (78 mins)
Booked: Iwashimizu Azusa