AFC U-19 Women’s Championship 2015 Final  vs  U-19 Korea DPR Women's National Team
2015-8-29 (Sat.) - 20:00   Playing Time: 120min (45min×2   15min×2)
Jiangning Sports Centre Stadium (Nanjing, China)

U-19 Japan Women's National Team   0-0 (PSO4-2) (0-0, 0-0, ext.1st 0-0,  ext.2nd 0-0) U-19 Korea DPR Women's National Team

Line-ups
GK: HIRAO Chika
DF: KITAGAWA Hikaru, ICHISE Nana, NORIMATSU Ruka, MIYAGAWA Asato
MF: SUGITA Hina, HASEGAWA Yui, MIURA Narumi, MATSUBARA Shiho
FW: KOBAYASHI Rikako, MOMIKI Yuka

Substitutes
GK: MATSUMOTO Mamiko, MORITA Yukari
DF: SHIMIZU Risa, TAKEMURA Misaki, HAZA Hisui
MF: SUMIDA Rin, NISHIDA Meika, MIZUTANI Yuki
FW: SEIKE Kiko, SHIRAKI Akari, ANZAI Yuka, SONODA Mizuki

HT   HASEGAWA Yui → NISHIDA Meika
68'   MOMIKI Yuka → SEIKE Kiko
78'   MIYAGAWA Asato → SUMIDA Rin

Match Report

On 29 August, U-19 Japan Women's National Team edged Korea DPR in the penalty shootout to be the champions at the AFC U-19 Women’s Championship China 2015.

After the match against Korea Republic, Japan replaced three starters. In the early part of the final match in the rain, they initiated attacks from both flanks. In the 21st minute, forward MOMIKI Yuka fired a shot after defender MIYAGAWA Asato’s interception, but it went off target. Forward KOBAYASHI Rikako in the 30th minute struck her own off midfielder MIURA Narumi’s pass, which was denied by the opposing goalkeeper. 

In the second half, Korea DPR gradually increased their possession and kept Japan from attacking. However, goalkeeper HIRAO Chika’s save led their defence and the match went on quite evenly. After replacing Miyagawa in the 78th minute, midfielder SUMIDA Rin collided with an opponent to suffer an injury. After the 85th minute mark, Japan were forced to play with only 10 players.

With Japan still missing one player, the match went into the additional two 15-minute periods. Korea DPR subbed in fresh legs to snatch a game-winning goal from Japan. As subbed-in midfielder NISHIDA Meika and defender NORIMATSU Ruka on the backline led solid defence which kept their opponents from showing their strength, the scoring remained as 0-0 until it moved on to the penalty shootout. 

While Japan had Nishida, Kobayashi and defender KITAGAWA Hikaru score in turns, goalkeeper Hirao stopped Korea DPR’s third kicker. When their fourth also missed her kick wide and Japan’s fourth Miura successfully put her attempt into the net, Japan grabbed the championship with the shootout’s score of 4-2.

At the closing ceremony after the match, Japan’s Kobayashi, with four goals scored in the tournament, was awarded the tournament’s Most Valuable Player recognition.

Meanwhile, in the third place match where Japanese referees, YAMAGISHI Sachiko as the main referee and TESHIROGI Naomi as an assistant, did their officiating, U-19 Korea Republic Women’s National Team routed their Chinese counterpart 4-0 to clinch their berth in the U-20 Women’s World Cup. 

Coach and Players' Comments

TAKAKURA Asako, Coach
It turned out to be a tough match, but our players played very hard. This championship makes us very happy. The fact that we didn’t score while dominating the match put us in a difficult spot. In this tournament, I kept saying to our players “There will definitely be a match or two going into additional periods and a penalty shootout.” We went into the penalty shootout with unfavourable momentum. But everyone on the team was relaxed, so I felt we would have a chance. 

We panicked a little bit in the second half, but our players understood that that was the stretch when we had to be patient. I am satisfied with that kind of mentality of our players towards battling it out and winning it.

GK ＃1   HIRAO Chika (Urawa Reds Ladie)
We went into the penalty shootout right after we were kept pushed back. But I am happy that I could make a play to help my team. I dove to the direction where I thought the ball was coming, and then I could make a save. During this camp, I kept practising stopping penalties. I am simply happy. 

It’s all thanks to every one of my teammates that we have got this far. We were able to win the championship because everyone supported each other including players on the pitch, players not playing and coaching staff.

DF ＃4   ICHISE Nana (Tokiwagi Gakuen High School)
I am happy with this championship, but I felt I still need to improve myself including my mental aspect in order for us to be the world champions. In the final, our fatigue showed as the match went on. This was a tournament that made me realise what I need to do to further improve myself. Every match we played gave me new findings. I will keep improving myself in my everyday training to be able to hold opponents scoreless, even against quick international players.

MF ＃12   NISHIDA Meika (Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies)
Losing Sumida for injury hurt us, but I didn’t think we would lose the match even after her injury. I got on the pitch at the beginning of the second half. I could believe in ourselves that we would win the match even in the penalty shootout. We won the Asian championship, but I don’t think we can match up against good teams in world tournaments if we stay at the current level. We won the world championship once before, but with strong determination, we want to play in the world final again. 

Schedule

※Local Time
Note: The schedule is subject to change due to the team condition, the weather, etc.