The 38th Empress's Cup All Japan Women's Football Championship is scheduled to start Saturday 22 October, deciding the best women’s team in Japan. SAWA Homare who retired much to everyone’s regret, after playing with INAC Kobe Leonessa and won the championship last year, talked about the things to watch for this championship in two parts.

――You have played in the Empress’s Cup for twenty times, tell me what does the Empress’s Cup mean to you.

SAWA　Every time I play in this championship, I was bit nervous and lonely at the same time because “It’ll be over if I lose the next game.”  As the final match used to be held in New Year’s Day, I really focused on winning the match, as this game marks the end of the season as well as brand new start of the year. The kick-off of the final at that time was around 10:00, it was funny we say good bye “Have a good year” on the previous day and meet them again 6:00 next morning which is just couple of hours later (laugh). Very impressive with a lot of memories, once it was snowing.

――The last season, you made a retirement announcement in the middle of the championship.

SAWA　I made the retirement announcement when we could play three more games at most if we can keep winning till the final. I gave all I got in remaining three games because I wanted many people who assisted and supported me to watch me playing in the last three games, I wanted to give them back the favors I received. And I was really glad to hear my teammates saying “We’ve got to take SAWA-san to the final no matter what.”

――So what you really want to see at the championship this year?

SAWA　Looking from outside the pitch, I look forward to watching the former team and their players playing hard in the match. I am sure the club who won through the regional qualifiers is hunger for beating the stronger team. These clubs usually build up their confidence as they keep winning the tournament, that’s surely another attraction.

In the 32nd Championship in the year 2010, I was with Nippon TV Beleza and we lost to Tokiwagi Gakuen High School in the third round. I was so embarrassed and shocked to lose to high school team. In the last year, Beleza was way ahead of the other clubs in the regular season but lost to Albirex Niigata Ladies in the semi-final of the Empress’s Cup, nobody can tell you what will happen. And probably a head-to-head compatibility that really counts, that’s another thing you should not miss.

*All the contents of this interview will be featured in the Championship program available at the game venues.

38th Empress's Cup All-Japan Women's Football Championship

2016-10-22(Sat.)～2016-12-25(Sun.)

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