The second round of the 37th Empress's Cup All Japan Women’s Football Tournament will take place on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November. From this round on, the seeded 16 teams from Plenus Nadeshiko League First Division and Second Division see their action. The contests appear to be getting more intense.

In the second round, high school teams who got through the first round, including Kamimura Gakuen High School (Kyushu/Kagoshima) and Hinomoto Gakuen High School (Kansai/Hyogo), take on nation's powerhouses. Fujieda Junshin High School (Tokai/Shizuoka) face the defending champions Nippon TV Beleza (Nadeshiko First Division/Tokyo), who won the title, 11th in their club history, last year for the first time in five years.

As Hinomoto Gakuen, facing Ange Violet Hiroshima (Nadeshiko Second Division/Hiroshima), are the high school champions who won the 23rd All Japan High School Women's Football Tournament last January and 2015 Inter-High School Championships in Football (Women) last August, the match between champions of each category draws a lot of attention.

The contests where the Nadeshiko League’s Second Division teams challenge First Division teams are also must-see. Sfida Setagaya FC (Nadeshiko Second Division/Tokyo) face Jef United Ichihara Chiba Ladies (Nadeshiko First Division/Chiba). An aggressive match is expected to take place as MORI Hitomi's three goals helped Sfida to a 9-0 rout in the first round. Round 2 have other fierce contests scheduled as well.

After edging their opening match 1-0, Japan Soccer College Ladies (Nadeshiko Second Division/Niigata) play against Vegalta Sendai Ladies (Nadeshiko First Division/Miyagi). FC Kibi International University Charme (Nadeshiko Second Division/Okayama) square off against AS Elfen Saitama (Nadeshiko First Division/Saitama).

College teams have also proved their presence so far. Waseda University (Kanto/Tokyo) take on AS Harima Albion (Nadeshiko Second Division/Hyogo) after beating Fukuoka J. Anclas (Nadeshiko Second Division/Hyogo) in the previous round.

The 23rd All Japan University Women's Football Tournament runners-up Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences (Kansai/Osaka) come up against Iga Football Club Kunoichi (Nadeshiko First Division/Mie). Daito Bunka University (Kanto/Saitama) and Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita (Tokai/Shizuoka) also won Round 1 with a clean sheet, looking to advance to Round 3 with the continuing momentum.

A total of 60 goals were scored in the 16 Round 1 matches in a wide variety of ways, including strong and lithe shots, exciting long-range strikes, goals derived from brilliant combination as well as goals from set pieces.

On the other hand, every team came out to the tournament with enforced defence as well, as it has been proved with the 12 matches so far in the tournament where one side kept a clean sheet. You cannot also miss contests with both teams tenaciously competing for a single goal, which is unique in cup competitions.

Four of the second round fixtures are to be broadcast on JFA-TV.

Live distribution (Japanese version only)

JFA-TV (Japanese version only)

The 37th Empress's Cup

Sat.7 November 2015 - Sun. 27 December 2015
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