2015 U-17 Women's NTC Invitational　vs. U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team
Sun. 15 February 2015 Kickoff 16:00 Playing time 90min(45min half)
Grenn "Mooch" Myernick Field (Carson/USA)

U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team   3-1(1st 0-0, 2nd 3-1)   Japan U-16 Women’s National Team

Scores
53min  Goal against(U.S.)
61min  Goal against(U.S.)
72min  CHIBA Remina(Japan）
81min  Goal against(U.S.)

Starters
GK:   1  YONEZAWA Moeka
DF:   4  NAITO Karin, 18  TAKAHASHI Hana, 6  TAKAHIRA Miyu, 9  TAMURA Suzuka
MF:   17  KOJIMA Seira, 20  KANNO Oto, 2  KANEKATSU Rio, 13  KARAHASHI Mayu
FW:  21  ICHINOSE Chisato, 15  HIRATA Tomo

Substitutes
DF:  3  CHIBA Remina, 5  MATSUNAGA Miina, 8  USHIJIMA Riko
MF:  7  KATO Nozomi, 11 KICHIMA Karen, 14  TAKIKAWA Yume, 19  FUNAKI Nodoka
FW: 16  HAYASHI Kaoru

Non-registered member
12 KOBAYASHI Miho

Substitutes
HT　 KARAHASHI Mayu → KICHIMA Karen
63min　KOJIMA Seira → CHIBA Remina
78min　NAITO Karin → TAKIKAWA Yume
78min   TAMURA Suzuka → FUNAKI Nodoka

Match Report

Japan U-16 Women’s National Team took on the United States in the last match of the tournament. As both teams won the previous two matches, this contest turned out to be the decisive one for the championship.

After Japan’s kickoff, both teams had chances early. In the 4th minute, the U.S. created a golden opportunity, but Japan denied it with their firm defence. In the 11th minute, Japan gained a free kick, but a shot was parried by the opposing goalkeeper. In a seesaw battle that went back and forth, despite some stretches where their goal was threatened, Japan hang on with defensive hard work and a fine save by NTV Menina Serias goalkeeper Yonezawa Moeka’s to end the first half scoreless.

In the 53rd minute just after the break, the U.S. scored through a superb passing move to open the scoring. As they caught the momentum with their first goal, they added one more just after eight minutes.

Japan went up into the opposing end and repeatedly tried to initiate their offence but kept failing to take it all the way to a shot. In the 72nd minute, however, Chiba Remina of Liberdade Iwaki was brought down in the box and composedly netted the penalty kick by herself to close the gap to one goal.

Yet in the 81st minute, the U.S. found the back of the net from right in front of the goal to extend their lead to two once again. While Japan created several more chances, they were not able to put them into the net to end the match at 3-1. Japan wrapped up the tournament in second place.

Head Coach and Players Comments

KUSUNOSE Naoki, Head Coach
As the championship was at stake, I was looking forward to the U.S. match because we were going to have a really serious contest. Not to allow an early goal and not to ruin our game plan, we practiced to prepare at least some minimum measures against their speed and power plays even though it was in the last minute prior to the match. Moving the ball quickly, increasing possession, being creative in front of goal, always having the first defender check the ball, building compact lines, all of those are what we kept working on in this camp. I wondered how well those things would work against the U.S.. The players unexpectedly looked overwhelmed by the opposing speed and found it difficult to get into the opposing end, which was different from the precious two matches. We failed to halt the long ball attacks only with some on-the-spot measures, so eventually that led to the three goals allowed. But out of this match, we found what the right way for Japan to go is. By improving the passing accuracy and speed, I realised it’s not impossible to win against the U.S. In this camp, I was impressed by players’ learning speed and humble attitude. I believe this U.S. trip has turned out to be a very productive experience for the players.

YONEZAWA Moeka(NTV Menina Serias)
When I was watching the U.S. match video during the meeting and at other occasions, I thought we were going to be able to play as good as they do. But once we started warming up, it wasn’t like other teams, and the atmosphere at the stadium changed. That kind of atmosphere made me nervous for the first time. We gave up the first goal because we weren’t able to challenge forward on the ball when the cross ball came in. And the opponent picked it up to score as we again weren’t able to respond to the shot at the end. I was disappointed because we failed to play as we practiced in our training. In the matches against Canada and Mexico, we kept our composure when we had the ball to attack. But in the U.S. match, even when we had the ball, we were occupied to work on coaching transitions from offence to defence in case we lost the ball and also needed to cover the space behind our defensive line. That made it difficult for us to stay composed. When I play in Japan, I thought I was good at passing. But the U.S., Canada and Mexico got exceptional pressing speed and I wasn’t able to play how I wanted to play. I want to become able to build our offence up with composure even against such opponents.

18 TAKAHASHI Hana(Urawa Reds Ladies Youth)
Canada, Mexico and U.S. have speed, physically strong and putting quick pressure on the ball holder. There were many scenes we managed to put a lid on the other side’s attack by ball possession exactly the way we practiced in the training. After conceding the opener, we were rushing and could not exchange pass, distance between players was too close only to end up giving chances to the other side. Personally I was trying to give the ball to volunte and top position forward if I can fend off the other side’s fast pressure. But since the pressure was much faster than I anticipated, I couldn’t afford to take a look around and sometimes I was not in time to send pass.

In this tournament, the other side’s playing speed is much faster and kicking stronger ball than Japan players. But we had a good combination among defence players for conducting effective challenge and cover and successfully keeping them from breaking down our defence line by a long pass. As overseas players are physically bigger, faster, I realized I need to do trunk training for enhancing my body not to lose battle with them and brush up skills for me to keep possession even with fast pressing team.

20 KANNO Oto(NTV Menina)
In the first half, we couldn’t keep the ball for building attack unlike previous games because the other side’s pressing was so quick. I was playing to send pass to forward player as much as I can but the other side’s pressure forced me to send pass to backward because many players came around me as soon as I received the ball. To overcome this situation, I have to brush up my skills to be able to send pass even with many players around. I am going to call the players around me and receive the pass as early as I can. After conceding the opener, they began to put much pressure on forward players and we were totally nervous and rushed and outplayed by them.

It was good to break down the other side by dribbling, sending through-ball for creating shooting chances. I really had a chance to experience speed and physical strength of overseas players in the invitational. Being smaller body, I often fell on the ground once the other side defends me. I am going to enhance my physical strength by holding trunk training I learned in this training camp and compete evenly against overseas players next time.

12 KOBAYASHI Miho(JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies U-16)
I really regret for not playing enough as I got injured during this trip. But I learned a lot of things because of this. I learned flexibility and enhancing trunk makes a difference in playing football. When I go back to the club I belong to, I am going to hold training to enhance physical strength so that I would be called up again for national team. I will make every effort to be able to play as much as I can.

Accompanying Referee Comment

YAMASHITA Yoshimi, Referee
Here at this tournament, seven female referees and two instructors from different states in the U.S. gathered to have training sessions. I was given an opportunity to join them and spent quite valuable time. As all the referees were aspirational and committed to making matches better, I got motivated very much and learned something new everyday. It was an once-in-a-lifetime experience and I’m very grateful to be here. I will look back the experience from various angles and take advantage of it in my future matches.

Schedule

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

Further Schedule