The 36th Empress's Cup All-Japan Women's Soccer Championship Tournament soon have the final match between Urawa Reds Ladies (Nadeshiko/Saitama) and NIPPON TV Beleza (Tokyo) at Ajinomoto Stadium (Tokyo) on Saturday, January 1, 2015.

Urawa, which was qualified to the final in past two Empress’s Cup, the 31st and 32nd, has reached here safely with 11 goals and a loss in 3 games. The team has continued to make games safely even without Nakamoto Hikaru, the one of important players who made contributions to team's winning the title of Nadeshiko League in this season, due to an injury. A new heroine, Seike Kiko, appeared in the semifinal game with JEF United Chiba Ladies (Nadeshiko/Chiba). She tried to take her advantage of speed for running into a space behind the opponent and successfully scored 2 goals. Remarkable outcomes brought by Seike may have encouraged the team to compete well, stimulating other players of offensive line including especially team's ace Kira Chinatsu. Let's keep watching on Urawa's way of fighting in a new offensive style in addition to its original solid defence.

Beleza, which aims to be champion since the 31st Cup in 2009, also steadfastly advanced to the final. It has showed splendid performances in offence with keeping its clean sheet. While each player has high skill in its play individually, they have also been engaged in patient plays. In the semifinal game with Vegalta Sendai (Nadeshiko/ Miyagi), the team overwhelmed the opponent with connecting short passes during the 2nd half. It quickly encircled the opposite player to retake a ball soon after losing it, then moving to attack. The cornerstones of the team in offence and defence are MF Sakaguchi Mizuho and DF Iwashimizu Azusa, who are both key players of Nadeshiko Japan. Two, who are mentally the central pillars of the team, have led the team mainly composed of younger players.


There were 4 matches between Urawa and Beleza in this season of Nadeshiko League and then Urawa enjoyed better results of 1 win and 1 tie (2-0, the 7th Sec. 0-0, the 15th Sec.) Urawa also gained the initiative in the upper league of an exciting series near the end of this season. While Urawa beat Beleza 3-0 in the 2nd Sec., Beleza showed its guts, winning a close match 2-1 in the last 6th Sec. Urawa enjoys better results with 2 wins, a loss and a tie in this season, but no one knows what's going on the forthcoming 5th match between two teams this season. We couldn't take our eyes away from the final match to determine the champion team of women's soccer in Japan.

The 36th Empress's Cup
Final　Thu.1 January 2015  Kick Off 14:15(estimated time)　Ajinomoto Stadium(Chofu,Tokyo)

Urawa Reds Ladies(Nadeshiko/Saitama) vs Nippon TV Beleza(Nadeshiko/Tokyo)

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