Nadeshiko League Division 1 Seventeenth Round

JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies  0 - 0  INAC Kobe Leonessa
(Attendance: 4,377)

Both teams had chances to win this game and the home side will probably feel more aggrieved at not finding the net. INAC Kobe stay top of the division with one game to go as a result, and a win over Urawa on Sunday will win them the Regular Series. JEF United, who will finish fourth whatever happens, travel north to play Vegalta Sendai.

JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies:
Yamane Erina, Chino Shoko, Sakuramoto Naoko (capt), Isokane Midori, Ueno Saki, Hosaka Nodoka, Setoguchi Kozue, Kawamura Mari, Fukasawa Risa, Ikadai Risa, Sugasawa Yuika
Subs: Kamogawa Miho (Ikadai Risa, HT), Anzai Yuka (Hosaka Nodoka, 72 mins), Wakabayashi Minori (Chino Shoko, 85 mins)
Unused subs: Nemoto Mio, Nishikawa Ayaka, Yanai Rina, Ozawa Hiro

INAC Kobe Leonessa:
Kaihori Ayumi, Kinga Yukari, Kai Junko, Tanaka Asuna, Nakajima Emi, Ito Kanako, Ito Miki, Sawa Homare, Masuya Rika, Ohno Shinobu (capt), Jang Selgi
Subs: Sameshima Aya (Kinga Yukari, HT), Kawasumi Nahomi (Ito Kanako, 72 mins), Takase Megumi (Jang Selgi, 86 mins)
Unused subs: Shibusawa Anna, Miyake Shiori, Minamiyama Chiaki


Okayama Yunogo Belle  2 - 5  Vegalta Sendai Ladies
(Attendance: 3,085)

Vegalta Sendai confirmed third place for the Regular Series and very happily move on to the championship-chasing section of the Exciting Series which they missed out on last year. Belle, by contrast, have missed out having won the Regular Series in 2014. They were again easily beaten today, with just two goals from Takahashi Chiho to cheer about as Sendai ran riot, with goals from Inoue, Ono (two), Kakazu and a first of the season for Yasumoto Sawako, who returned from injury mid-season. Sendai host JEF United on Sunday; Belle travel to Saitama looking for a win to increase their starting total for the Exciting Series.

Okayama Yunogo Belle:
Fukumoto Miho (capt), Nakajima Chihiro, Kado Yuka, Takahashi Sachie, Mizushima Kumi, Asano Miki, Okubo Mai, Miyama Aya, Kobayashi Makiko, Takahashi Chiho, Matsuoka Miki
Subs: Kuzuma Riyo (Okubo Mai, HT), Kishino Sana (Asano Miki, 74 mins), Hosokawa Motoyo (Matsuoka Miki, 78 mins)
Unused subs: Mita Isayo, Taniguchi Kikumi, Kawano Saki, Tanaka Mayu
Scorers: Takahashi Chiho (65, 71 mins)

Vegalta Sendai Ladies:
Takenaka Rei, Nishikawa Asuka, Sakai Yuki, Yamamoto Risa, Takara Ryoko, Kakazu Asuka (capt), Sasaki Mayu, Kawamura Yuri, Nakano Manami, Ono Hitomi, Inoue Ayaka
Subs: Hamada Haruka (Inoue Ayaka, 57 mins), Yasumoto Sawako (Ono Hitomi, 66 mins), Sasaki Miwa (Nakano Manami, 88 mins)
Unused subs: Saito Ayaka, Chiba Kozue, Tahara Nozomi
Scorers: Inoue Ayaka (31 mins), Ono Hitomi (43, 45+2 mins), Kakazu Asuka (55 mins), Yasumoto Sawako (69 mins)


Albirex Niigata Ladies  3 - 0  AS Elfen Saitama
(Attendance: 1,551)

Yamazaki Marumi scored her first goals last week, and today repeated the feat with another brace as Niigata easily saw off Saitama by three goals, with Oishi Sayaka also scoring. Saitama are bottom and will need significant improvement if they are to avoid relegation at the end of the Exciting Series. Niigata are currently fifth, and will have to match Urawa's result on Sunday to stay above them. Niigata play Iga, Saitama host Belle.

Albirex Niigata Ladies:
Koganemaru Sachie, Kojima Miku, Kitahara Kana, Sayama Momoko, Watanabe Ayaka, Saito Yuri, Yamada Shoko, Saeki Aya, Oishi Sayaka, Kamionobe Megumi (capt), Yamazaki Marumi
Subs: Sakaguchi Moeno (Saito Yuri, 61 mins), Takamura Chisato (Kojima Miku, 65 mins), Takahashi Haruka (Saeki Aya, 80 mins)
Unused subs: Fukumura Kanae, Nakamura Kaede, Yasaka Mei, Kubota Mayu
Scorers: Yamazaki Marumi (50, 90+4 mins), Oishi Sayaka (56 mins)
Booked: Watanabe Ayaka

AS Elfen Saitama:
Sakuragi Ayana, Akitaya Misato, Matsuoka Sayuri, Nara Misaki, Matsukubo Akari, Takahashi Saori, Nakano Rino, Takano Saki, Kitano Rie, Azami Rie (capt), Sugihara Haruna
Subs: Orita Aya (Sugihara Haruna, 53 mins), Hagiwara Aimi (Takano Saki, 58 mins)
Unused subs: Segi Aiki, Otani Erina, Shimokawa Saori


Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies  1 - 1  Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki
(Attendance: 2,134)

Five points from their last four games have revived Takatsuki's hopes of staying up, and they performed well against the reigning champions today to pick up a point, although it has to be said that Urawa were disappointing. The two goals came within seconds of each other, Seike Kiko's equalising Takahashi Saki's opener. Urawa are sixth, and will need a better performance against Kobe to have a chance of moving above Niigata on the final day. Takatsuki have quite a challenge at home to Beleza, who are chasing the Regular Series title.

Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies:
Ikeda Sakiko, Norimatsu Ruka, Osafune Kana, Kohata Shiho (capt), Usui Rie, Shibata Hanae, Naomoto Hikaru, Kishikawa Natsuki, Kato Chika, Seike Kiko, Kira Chinatsu
Subs: Shiraki Akari (Seike Kiko, 76 mins), Nagano Fuka (Kato Chika, 79 mins)
Unused subs: Hirao Chika, Ishii Saki, Chiba Minori, Wada Naoko, Kurishima Akari
Scorers: Seike Kiko (27 mins)

Speranza FC Osaka Takatsuki:
Ono Maya, Takeda Arisa, Tsuboi Ayako, Sato Kaede, Akiba Yumeko, Takahashi Saki, Narumiya Yui, Torao Naomi (capt), Sakumoto Fumika, Maruyama Karina, Hazuki Yuki
Subs: Enya Mari (Maruyama Karina, 89 mins)
Unused subs: Ueno Yukiko, Hayashi Momo, Honda Saki, Saito Toshiko
Scorers: Takahashi Saki (26 mins)


Nippon TV Beleza  5 - 0  Iga FC Kunoichi
(Attendance: 1,193)

Beleza still have a chance of finishing top of the Regular Series and were in no mood to be generous to Iga today, with five different players scoring to complete an emphatic victory for the Tokyo side. Both Shimada Chiaki and Hasegawa Yui scored their first goals of the season, while Tanaka Mina scored from the spot to move her onto ten goals for the season. Beleza will look for another victory against Takatsuki next week while hoping that Urawa can hold Kobe to at least a draw. Iga's final game is at home to Niigata.

Nippon TV Beleza:
Yamashita Ayaka, Shimizu Risa, Iwashimizu Azusa (capt), Muramatsu Tomoko, Ariyoshi Saori, Hara Natsuko, Sakaguchi Mizuho, Nakasato Yu, Momiki Yuka, Uetsuji Yumi, Tanaka Mina
Subs: Hasegawa Yui (Momiki Yuka, HT), Sumida Rin (Uetsuji Yumi, 75 mins), Shimada Chiaki (Tanaka Mina, 82 mins)
Unused subs: Soyama Kanako, Doko Mayo, Kiryu Nanase, Toriumi Yuka
Scorers: Tanaka Mina (12 mins, pen), Sakaguchi Mizuho (51 mins), Hasegawa Yui (58 mins), Shimada Chiaki (83 mins), Muramatsu Tomoko (90 mins)

Iga FC Kunoichi:
Isashi Kaede, Michikura Hiroko, Miyasako Tamami, Nasu Maiko (capt), Hatanaka Miyuka, Haji Madoka, Noichi Aya, Sugita Ami, Suzuki Kaoruko, Sonomura Nana, Gloria Douglas
Subs: Kiyohara Marie (Gloria Douglas, 60 mins), Matsunaga Tomoe (Sonomura Nana, 82 mins)
Unused subs: Sawada Norimi, Molly Menchel, Matsunaga Yoshie