Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team) faced Haiti Women's National Team in an international friendly on Friday 9 October (local time), claiming a 5-1 victory in the first-ever meeting between the two sides.

The match kicked off at Stade Bauer in Saint-Ouen, on the outskirts of Paris, in front of a large and vocal contingent of Haiti supporters.

Japan lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, with OKUMA Akane in goal and a back four of YAMAMOTO Yuzuki, TAKAHASHI Hana, ISHIKAWA Rion and KITAGAWA Hikaru, from right to left. NAGANO Fuka anchored the midfield, with HASEGAWA Yui and MIYAZAWA Hinata playing further forward. SEIKE Kiko, TANIKAWA Momoko and HAMANO Maika formed the front three, while Takahashi wore the captain's armband following her appointment as captain for this international window.

Japan looked to take control from the outset, but Haiti responded with their physical strength and pace, competing fiercely for every ball. With neither side able to establish a clear advantage, Japan eventually broke the deadlock in the 26th minute. After patiently moving the ball around in the opposition half, Seike found space to calmly slot home with her left foot.

Seven minutes later, Hamano doubled the lead with a left-footed effort that found its way into the net.

Japan continued to press forward and added a third in the 38th minute. Tanikawa provided the final pass for Hasegawa, who finished calmly to round off a flowing team move. Haiti, however, pulled a goal back through Batcheba LOUIS just before half-time, leaving Japan with a 3-1 lead at the break.

Japan introduced CHIBA Remina and KOGA Toko for the second half and restored their three-goal advantage in the 57th minute. A well-worked move through the middle opened up Haiti's defence, allowing Chiba to finish with composure. Koga also made an important contribution at the other end, helping to keep Haiti's attacks at bay with some determined defending.

HAYASHI Honoka, HIJIKATA Maya and SHIRAGAKI Uno came on in the 79th minute, and Japan added a fifth just three minutes later. Chiba raced onto a through ball and squared for Hijikata, who tapped into an empty net with her first touch after coming on.

SHIMADA Mei was introduced in the 83rd minute to make her Nadeshiko Japan debut. Japan remained focused defensively in the closing stages, seeing out a 5-1 victory in their first meeting with Haiti.

Nadeshiko Japan will now travel to Bremen, Germany, where they will face Germany Women's National Team, ranked third in the FIFA Women's World Ranking, on Tuesday 13 October (local time).

Coach and Players' Comments

KANO Michihisa, Head Coach of Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women's National Team)
We expected a tough match from the outset, and with so many Haiti supporters in the stadium, it almost felt like an away game. We managed to score three goals in the first half, and although we faced some difficult moments, I thought every player fulfilled her role well. The match also highlighted areas we need to work on, particularly how we adapt to different situations and respond to the next challenge. I see that as a positive. Takahashi Hana has taken over as captain for this international window, with Yamashita Ayaka as vice-captain. But it wasn't just those two. Everyone showed leadership in their own way, encouraging and supporting their teammates on the pitch. I think this match really showed the strength of the team as a whole.

DF #5 TAKAHASHI Hana (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies)
Haiti have a lot of pace and individual quality, with players who make dangerous runs forward. We need to keep improving, both individually and as a team, so that we can deal better with opponents like that. I was surprised when I was asked to be captain, but I want to take on the responsibility that comes with the role. Nadeshiko Japan wouldn't be where it is today without the contributions of so many people who have been involved with the team over the years. I want to make sure I never forget that and always remain grateful for what they've done. Playing Germany will be a valuable opportunity to see where we stand at the moment. If we want to keep reaching higher levels, we need to take things one step at a time and keep adding to what we're capable of.

MF #8 SEIKE Kiko (Brighton & Hove Albion/England)
First of all, I'm pleased we got the win. We created a lot of good attacking opportunities, which was encouraging, but there were also chances we didn't take. That's something we need to work on. For my goal, we'd been getting into some good positions down the left, so I was looking to get into the box to meet the crosses. The ball fell nicely for me, and I was able to stay calm and put it away. I want to keep making an impact in front of goal while also helping the team create chances from wide areas. I've known Hana Takahashi for a long time, and I think she'll be a great captain. She's always positive, has a bright personality and knows how to lift the team.

MF #17 HAMANO Maika (Chelsea/England)
I missed the last national team camp through injury, so I'm really happy to be back, score a goal and help the team win. Our analysts had told us that Haiti would be marking us man-to-man, so we knew that by staying wide, we could create space for Tanikawa, Miyazawa and Hasegawa to get into the pockets. We felt that would allow us to play to our strengths. We have a lot of players in this team who can play in several different positions, and that motivates me to keep improving too. I always want to think about what the team needs to win, keep developing with every match and become a player who can exceed expectations.

International Friendly Match

Fixture: Nadeshiko Japan vs Haiti Women's National Team
Date: Friday 9 October 2026, 20:00 local time (3:00 JST on Saturday 10 October)
Venue: Stade Bauer, Saint-Ouen, France
Match information

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