The third round matches will be held on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November in the 37th Empress’s Cup All-Japan Women’s Football Tournament.

For the teams in Nadeshiko Challenge League and other regional leagues, upsetting superior Nadeshiko League clubs to advance to the third round surely was their unavoidable obstacle in front of them. The two teams who successfully passed such test in this tournament are Waseda University (Kanto/Tokyo) and Daito Bunka University (Kanto/Saitama).

Defeating Fukuoka J Anclas (Nadeshiko League Second Division/Fukuoka) in the first round and AS Harima Albion (Nadeshiko League Second Division/Hyogo) in the second round, Waseda University now face defending champions Nippon TV Beleza. The university side showed their tenacity by coming back from two goals down in the second round contest to eventually edge Harima in the penalty shootout. They certainly need to go all out against the reigning champions.

Daito Bunka University kept a clean sheet against the Challenge League’s Norddea Hokkaido (Hokkaido) 2-0 before they came back from behind to win against Ehime FC Ladies (Nadeshiko League Second Division/Ehime) 3-2. With the ongoing momentum, they now challenge Vegalta Sendai Ladies (Nadeshiko League First Division/Miyagi). Led by MURAYAMA Momoka who scored three goals in the last two matches, how deep Daito Bunka’s offence can go against Sendai, Nadeshiko League’s second best squad, is worth paying attention to.

There are many more fixtures that fans cannot afford to miss. Nadeshiko League’s second division champions AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies (Nadeshiko League Second Division/Nagano) go head to head against Urawa Reds Ladies (Nadeshiko League First Division/Saitama). Nagano’s YOKOYAMA Kumi recorded 35 goals in the 27 league matches and two in the second round of this tournament. Urawa, however, are also highly motivated to surpass their bitter ending of last year’s tournament where they finished as runners-up. The battle of their wills and attacking prowess will only intensify the match-up.

The battles among surviving teams from Nadeshiko League Division 1 and 2 and college teams will get even more heated in the rest of the competitions. Representing their own region push the players even further and assist them play even harder. It is really interesting to see which teams will remain standing for the elite eight contests.

JFA-TV (Japanese version only)　

The 37th Empress's Cup

Sat.7 November 2015 - Sun. 27 December 2015
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