The 20th All Japan Youth (U-15) Women's Championship had its semifinals on Wednesday 29 July.

Semifinal Match 1

JFA Academy Fukushima   3-0 (1-0, 2-0)   Jumonji Junior High School

JFA Academy Fukushima (Tokai 1/ Shizuoka) took the initiative in the early stage of the match. Although the Shizuoka club threatened the sides with passing moves led by TOGAWA Yuki and dominated the match against Jumonji Junior High School (Kanto 4/ Tokyo), they failed to convert the efforts into a goal.

The second half also saw Academy keeping their pace. "We wanted to win over the opponents in terms of how strongly we wanted to win early in this match" said Academy coach MISHIO Shota. In the 31st minute, TAKEDA Asumi netted to give her side a two-goal lead. 

They did not allow any chance on the defensive side and kept the opponents from scoring. In the 55th minute, ENDO picked up a loose ball at a high position and dribbled through down the middle of the pitch. She ran through and fired a left-footed shot into the goal and eventually Academy ended the match with a 3-0 win.

Match details (Japanese version only)

Players’ Comments

TAKEDA Asumi (JFA Academy Fukushima)
The team have won through up until here, but I hadn't played well in the last three matches. My coach got mad at me at halftime of the quarterfinal and I was replaced. That was disappointing. I was down after the last match, but I was happy my teammates encouraged me and listened to me. Today I went out with a determination to work hard at any cost. I'm glad to get a goal and be able to contribute to team's win as a striker.

MIYATA Yuka (Jumonji Junior High School)
We lost the match but were able to run hard until the very end. So I have no regret. Our plan was to put a focus on defence without allowing a goal in the first half, and then we were looking to go out offensively in the second half. 

Though we were showing off our determination "going all out to defend" while allowing the opponents to attack, their first-half goal cost us a lot. Third place and fourth place are totally different. We will take advantage of what we learned today for the third-placed match and bring back a medal to Tokyo with us. We will go all out and battle it out in the next match as well.

Semifinal Match 2

Cerezo Osaka Sakai Girls 1-0 (0-0, 1-0) Albirex Niigata Ladies U-15

The match two went close from the start. Albirex Niigata Ladies U-15 (Hokushinetsu 2/ Niigata) created an opening first. In the 13th minute, after NAKAE Moe and SHIRAI Himeno connecting the ball, SATO Mayu rushed into the box for the ball at the end. 

But it was denied by the Cerezo goalkeeper. Meanwhile, Cerezo Osaka Sakai Girls (Kansai 2/ Osaka) also came close just as YOSHIZUMI Warai said after the match, "Today we were motivated most compared to the past ones and all got together as one." Cerezo showed the high motivation as MOMONO Miyuka took a shot despite being crowded out by defenders in the 23rd minute.

Match details (Japanese version only)

Players’ Comments

YOSHIZUMI Warai (Cerezo Osaka Sakai Girls)
Because I missed a penalty kick and my team lost an important match in the past, I have a trauma on it. The quarterfinal in this tournament also went into penalties, and I was very tensed when kicking the ball. 

Today we weren't able to score in the first half, so I really wanted to score in the second half. Looking back the scoring moment, (Takawa) Serika and I looked at each other right after she received the ball. So what I needed to do was just to rush into the box. I'm happy to lead my team to victory with my goal in the end.

EHASHI Katsura, Coach (Albirex Niigata Ladies U-15)
Since we lost the semifinal match last year, we have worked hard in each match with saying "Let's try hard for the sake of all the people involved in our team." So today's outcome is disappointing.

When it comes to the contest between top teams, whether you take advantage of a mere chance decides the outcome. We should stick to quality of game more, and I always told my players to "play a match being aware of what the pinches and chances are," though... I felt again that we can't play at the national stage.

Final Match Preview

The final will take place on Friday 31 July, final day of the tournament, at J-GREEN Sakai in Osaka. JFA Academy Fukushima, setting their goal to win all matches, have won through with solid offence and defence, scoring 15 goals and conceding only one goal in the past four matches so far. 

In the meanwhile, Cerezo Osaka Sakai Girls reached the final after snatching close wins in the last two matches. As Nakamura says, "We are superior to Academy in terms of team's vigorousness," they look at the top with their momentum and tenacity, which have helped them survive through. Don't take your eyes off the contest to see which team win their first title.

2015-7-31(Fri.)  12:00
JFA Academy Fukushima (Tokai 1/ Shizuoka) vs. Cerezo Osaka Sakai Girls (Kansai 2/ Osaka)

JFA-TV (Japanese version only)