2015 U-17 Women's NTC Invitational　vs. Mexico U-17 Women’s National Team
Fri. 13 February 2015 Kick Off 15:00 Match Time 90min（45min Half）
Grenn "Mooch" Myernick Field (Carson/USA)

Japan U-16 Women’s National Team   2-0（1st1-0、2nd 1-0） Mexico U-17 Women’s National Team

Scores
33min ICHINOSE Chisato（Japan）
56min ICHINOSE Chisato（Japan）

Starters
GK：1 YONEZAWA Moeka
DF：9 TAMURA Suzuka、18 TAKAHASHI Hana、16 TAKAHIRA Miyu、3 CHIBA Remina
MF：13 KARAHASHI Mayu、2 KANEKATSU Rio、 20 KANNO Oto、19 FUNAKI Nodoka
FW：21 ICHINOSE Chisato、17 KOJIMA Seira

Substitutes
DF：4 NAITO Karin、5 MATSUNAGA Miina、8 USHIJIMA Riko、11 KICHIMA Karen
MF：14 TAKIKAWA Yume、7 KATO Nozomi
FW：16 HAYASHI Kaoru、15 HIRATA Tomo

Non-registered member
GK：KOBAYASHI Miho

Substitutes
HT　CHIBA Remina → HIRATA Tomo
HT　FUNAKI Nodoka → USHIJIMA Riko
58min　KARAHASHI Mayu → HAYASHI Kaoru
58min　TAMURA Suzuka → NAITO Karin
83min　KOJIMA Seira→ KATO Nozomi
86min　TAKAHIRA Miyu→ KICHIMA Karen

Match Report

The Japan women's Under-16 team played their second game of the tournament against Mexico. The squad held a meeting in the morning as groups of each position revealed their opinions on what they were supposed to do both offensively and defensively. They entered the game being aware of what they had to do and would play with concrete wills, under a guidance of head coach Kusunose.

Starting with mid-field players of KANNO Oto (NTV Menina) and KANEKATSU Rio (Urawa Reds Ladies Youth), players like KOJIMA Seira (Reds Ladies Youth) of the right side and ICHINOSE Chisato (JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies Under-16) aggressively attacked the opponents's goal but weren't able to get their shots past the goal line. On 33rd minute, TAKAHIRA Miyu (JFA Academy Fukushima) fed a long pass from the defensive line to the center field. And then CHIBA Remina (Leberdade Iwaki) gave the ball to Kojima. Kojima was once denied by a Mexican defender, but Chiba retake it and passed it to Ichinose with a perfect control. Ichinose put it into the goal for the first goal for Japan.

Leading up 1-0, Japan kept attacking on their opponents in the second half as well, but the Mexican defenders wouldn't let them score. Yet on 56th minute, HIRATA Tomo (Yasu Club Under-15) sent a pass into the front line and Ichinose, who found an open space behind the defensive line, dodged the goalkeeper and scored a goal. Japan would have a few more scoring chances by maintaining their offensive aggressiveness, but would not add another goal as the game ended with a 2-0 score.

Japan's next match is played on the 15th, against the United States, who beat Canada 2-0 on the same day and will also enter it with a 2-0 record.

Comments

KUSUNOSE Naoki Head Coach
We told our players throughout this training camp to aggressive try to get the ball from ourselves, and I feel we were able to do that in this Mexican game. Also, throughout the game, our defenders and forwards were moving really well, Kanno, Kanekatsu and Ichinose in particular. We were able to feel the potential of our players in it. We will face the United States next and they are better in power, speed and techniques, but I want our Japanese players to not be afraid and to go get the ball in aggressive fashion.

3 CHIBA Remina（Leberdade Iwaki）
I knew I was going to play as a defender, so I wanted to hold them to zero goals while I was going to receive the ball at a higher spot, dribble on the sides and help my teammates score goals capitalizing on my own speed. Mexico were powerful and got strong physiques, and they'd hit us hard physically. They were quick to come to the player with the ball too. In 1-on-1 situations defensively, if I was going to get the ball easily, I thought they would run laterally with their speed, so I tried to not allow them to get inside by running parallel with ball-carriers. When I switched my position to a side half, I was able to receive the ball inside and assist as I passed it quickly. As my issues, I wasn't able to get under balls that were up in the air like goal kicks and win battles with the opponents. The next time I will get to play, I would like to actively go to get the ball and have plays that will help our team score goals.

19 FUNAKI Nodoka（NTV Menina）
On the previous day, I tried to be aware of my conditioning by resting my body having a bath longer and going to bed earlier. I am good at moving to take good positions and plays that I get space by running behind opponents to cover. When I saw the Mexican players before the game, I thought they were big and it made me feel nervous. Mexico were bigger but Japan were more technical, so if we'd have more one-touch passes and move quicker, we thought we'd get our space on our own. My position was switched to a side back during the game and then I was able to have some overlaps. We talk to each other well and thought we had good communication. It was the first time that this team played with these members and we were going to have to play thinking, so I thought it was important for us to speak to each other. America are probably faster and physically stronger, but I would like to equally compete on 1-on-1s and we want to win it as we play as a team.

Live Streaming

Games of 2015 U-17 Women's NTC Invitational will be broadcasted live on the following websites. 
www.ussoccer.com/
www.youtube.com/ussoccerdotcom　

13 February
3 p.m. 　Mexico vs. Japan
6 p.m. 　Canada vs. USA
15 February
1 p.m. 　Mexico vs. Canada
4 p.m. 　USA vs. Japan
*Local Time

Schedule

*The schedule is subject to change due to the team condition, the weather, etc.

Further Schedule