The International U-23 Women’s Tournament La Manga
Sat. 28 February 2015    Kick off 18:00    Playing time 90 min
Pitch A (Spain/La Manga)

Japan U-23 Women’s National Team　2-3 (1st 0-2, 2nd 2-1)　Sweden U-23 Women’s National Team

Scores
14` Goal against (Sweden)
29` Goal against (Sweden)
70` SHIRAKI Akari (Japan)
77` SHIBATA Hanae (Japan)
90+3` Goal against (Sweden)

Starters
GK:  TAKENAKA Rei
DF:  SAITO Natsumi, TANAKA Mariko, MIYAKE Shiori, NAKAMURA Yushika
MF:  SUGITA Ami, TAKAGI Hikari, IRIE Miki, SHIBATA Hanae, KATO Chika
FW:  HAMADA Haruka

Substitutes
GK:  YAMASHITA Ayaka
DF:  MURAMATSU Tomoko
MF:  KYOKAWA Mai, INOUE Ayaka
FW: TANAKA Mina, MASUYA Rika, SHIRAKI Akari

HT  TAKAGI Hikari → TANAKA Mina
HT  TANAKA Mariko → KYOKAWA Mai
56` IRIE Miki → MASUYA Rika
69` HAMADA Haruka → SHIRAKI Akari

Match Report

On the 5th day of their Spain trip, Japan U-23Women’s National Team took on Sweden for their second match of the tournament.

Japan got the match off. They were not able to keep up with the opposing pace early on and allowed Sweden to continued attacking into Japan’s end. In the 14th minute, Japan conceded an opening goal by an opponent who ran through behind their defensive line. Japan were looking for an equaliser but allowed another goal in the 29th when an opposing player netted a cut-back from the right side.

With TANAKA Mina and KYOKAWA Mai added onto the pitch just after the break, Japan put two strikers up front to score goals. In the 60th minute, SUGITA Ami stole the ball off an opposing defender and fired a shot over the goalmouth. Japan sent on SHIRAKI Akari in the 69th minute. One minute later, after robbing the ball by putting pressure on an opposing defender, Shiraki dribbled forward and put it into the left side of the net. After scoring their first goal of the match, Japan then levelled the score in the 77th minute. MASUYA Rika laid off a header in front of Sweden’s goal, and Shiraki passed it with her back-heel, which SHIBATA Hanae fired into upper left of the net. Yet in added time, Sweden player broke through Japan’s left flank to put her side back in front. The score remained at 2-3 until the end.

Head Coach and Players’ Comments

TAKAKURA Asako, Head Coach
In the first half, we were off balance both in offence and defence, and many times when we lost the ball in offence, we allowed quick counter-attacks. In the second half, the distance between players got better so that we could play our match with quick, consistent passing attacks. It was good that we tied the score. Just like the first match against the U.S., we lost because we failed to cope with opposing speed and physical intensity. We need to improve intensity level on the ball and skills on various situations. Not feeling let down with the loss, we will stick together to improve quality of the team for the following Norway match.

SHIRAKI Akari (Tokiwagi Gakuen High School)
When I was sent on as a substitute, head coach Takakura said “Everyone in our team got tired, so put pressure on the opponents from the front.” I played the match with that in mind. Talking about when I scored, I was able to win the ball by putting pressure on an opposing player and took a shot. I’m so disappointed that we allowed a goal at the very end even though we tied once. We will work together to bring our tourney to successful end with a win against Norway.

SHIBATA Hanae (Urawa Reds Ladies)
We lost our cool at the beginning and were hardly able to create good attacking moves in the first 45 minutes. We lost two goals and that made the match tough for us. We kept the possession in the second half and scored a goal, but at the end we lost a goal, which is our weakness. There is still one more match left, so we will play the match with result-oriented mindset. My goal came from a left cross ball followed by two or three players. Because I was at the closer position than when I received the ball, I just hit it with my right foot.

Schedule

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