AFC U-14 Girls' Regional Championship 2014 [East region]
Tuesday 3 June 2014  Kick Off at 17：00 Local Time　35min
China National Football Training Centre (Beijing, China)

U-14 Japan Girls National Team　2 - 1（1st 1-0、2nd 1-1）　U-14 Korea Republic National Team

Scores
6min KUTUWADA Ayumi（U-14 Japan Girls National Team）
40min Goal Against（U-14 Korea Republic Girls National Team）
57min MIURA Haruka（U-14 Japan Girls National Team）

Starters
GK：INO Maya
DF：INOUE Moe、AOKI Haruka、SHIBAYAMA Fumina、TAKEDA Asumi
MF：TAMURA Suzuka、YAMADA Hikari、TOGAWA Yuki、NAKAMURA Moe、KUTUWADA Ayumi
FW：MIURA Haruka

Substitutes
GK：YAMASHITA Rina
MF：NEZU Makoto、MAKI Haruka、DOHI Honoka、HARA Miina、ENDO Jun
FW：HAYASHI Suzuka

16min　TAMURA Suzuka　→　NEZU Makoto
36min　NAKAMURA Moe　→　HARA Miina
55min　TOGAWA Yuki　→　ENDO Jun
68min　MIURA Haruka　→　MAKI Haruka

Match Report

The Semi-final match was played between Japan, who managed to survive the Group A with tenacity, and Korea Republic, who won the Group B showing overwhelming performance.

From the start, both teams kept the midfield compact and went back and forth at each other with intense offence and defence, repeating attacking and covering. #11 Kutsuwada scored the opening goal on a momentary chance for Japan in the 6th minutes, intercepting the ball in the South Korea’s penalty area. The first half ended as Japan was not able to break through the Korea Republics well-organised defence after Japan’s offensive dynamo #20 Tamura was pulled out of the field due to an injury in the 13th minutes.

As getting into the second half, Korea Republic enhanced their defensive intensity. After stealing the ball with early pressure and intense approach toward the ball, they carried the ball down the side spaces and behind the defensive line of Japan and equalised in the 40th minutes. Japan succeeded to hang on to Korean attacks by repeating solid defence as the whole team during the tough stretch of the match that gradually turned to be defensive. However, in the 57th minuets Japan successfully started moving the ball from the throw-in at the own half despite Korea Republic’s severe pressure. #11 Kutsuwada fed a pass to #16 Miura, who beautifully got around a Korean defender on receiving the ball to strike the go-ahead goal, which ended up bringing the final match to Japan.

In spite of the opponent’s severe pressure, Japan took advantage of their strength to maintain composure physically and mentally and keep playing with positive energy. At the same time, there is still a challenge to pursue quality of technique that overcomes the pressure.

Comments

MIURA Haruka（Urawa Reds Ladies Junior Youth）
I played the match as a forward. I strongly felt like winning the match because we lost 2 matches against Korea Republic last year. After we were tied in the second half, I felt like scoring a goal at any cost. To do that, I tried to look around well so that I could see opponents’ positions and receive the ball unchecked. I was able to score the goal because I was again unchecked and was able to see where the goalkeeper was. The tomorrow’s final will be against D.P.R. Korea. When we had a match against them before, we lost. I was very disappointed. I want to win next time. To achieve that, I will try to continue today’s good play and improve bad play.

TOGAWA Yuki（JFA Academy Fukushima）　　 
Today at the semi-final we played against Korea Republic who beat us last year. They were very good team having speed, power and technique. I played a defensive midfielder. I wasn’t in a good shape because we have many matches in a raw. So I tried to be smart and make quick judgement by looking around more than I do normally. When I did so, I successfully thread a through ball behind the line. But I have a lot of reflections that could have been done, taking an angle one step behind or shifting the defence quickly.
I myself found some good plays. I feel like making use of it and improving what I need to improve. I will go to bed early after doing good stretching and be well-prepared for good performance tomorrow. Because tomorrow’s match is against D.P.R. Korea whom we lost in the qualifier, I definitely want to win the championship.

AOKI Haruka（Urawa Reds Ladies Junior Youth）
Today we were slow to switch offence and defence as mostly defending again after stealing the ball. But football is a competition. The result that we got a win gave me confidence.
I am a defender, so I didn’t want to allow a goal. After the goal, the good thing was that I was able to call out the teammates to improve team’s mood and be aware of defensive line’s control and one-on-one approach. But there is still something that needs to be improved as the defensive line is not perfect in terms of its up-and-down movement.
The final is against D.P.R. Korea who we had a match in the qualifier round. As revenge, I feel like not just winning but bashing them up. Of course, we need to allow no goals. We will win at any cost!