International Friendly Match vs Canada Women’s National Team   2nd Game
Tue. 28 October 2014   Kickoff 19:00   90 min (45min half)
BC Place (Vancouver/Canada)

Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women’s National Team)    3-2 (1st 1-0, 2nd 2-2)    Canada Women’s National Team

Scorers
33min   NAGASATO Asano (Nadeshiko Japan)
59min   Goal against Sophie SCHMIDT (Canada)
76min　OGIMI Yuki(Nadeshiko Japan)
90+1min   Goal against Sophie SCHMIDT(Canada)
90+2min  SAMESHIMA Aya(Nadeshiko Japan)

Starters
GK:  FUKUMOTO Miho
DF:  ARIYOSHI Saori,  IWASHIMIZU Azusa,  KUMAGAI Saki,  KAMIONOBE Megumi
MF:  SAKAGUCHI Mizuho, TANAKA Asuna,  IWABUCHI Mana,  NAGASATO Asano
FW: TAKASE Megumi,  SUGASAWA Yuika

Substitutes
GK:  YAMANE Erina
DF:  KINGA Yukari,  SAMESHIMA Aya,  KAWAMURA Yuri
MF:  ANDO Kozue,  MIYAMA Aya,  KAWASUMI Nahomi,  UTSUGI Rumi
FW: OHNO Shinobu, OGIMI Yuki

HT   SUGASAWA Yuika → OGIMI Yuki
HT   IWABUCHI Mana → OHNO Shinobu
68min   TAKASE Megumi → MIYAMA Aya
73min   IWASHIMIZU Azusa → KAWAMURA Yuri
83min   NAGASATO Asano → SAMESHIMA Aya
87min   TANAKA Asuna → UTSUGI Rumi

Match Report

Nadeshiko Japan entered their final game of 2014 against Canada, with whom they faced for the second time in three days. A crowd of 14,328 fans filled the stands at the stadium, which will be used for the championship game at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Japan changed nine starting members from their first game for the contest. They had Fukumoto at the goalkeeper position, while they played Ariyoshi, Iwashimizu, Kumagai and Kamionobe from the right in their defensive corps. They put Sakaguchi and Tanaka at the defensive midfielders spots, instead of Utsugi, considering her condition. Iwabuchi and Nagasato were used as side halves, in the right and left, respectively, while Takase and Sugasawa were placed up front. In the first half, Japan attempted to create chances by dribbles and connecting short passes, but Canada, on the contrary, tried to find a way to attack using long balls. The first goal came in the 33rd minute, from a corner kick. A ball kicked by Kamionobe was cleared by an opposing player, but Nagasato kicked the loose ball hard to make it into the net. On 43rd, Canada’s Sinclair put a long ball down and Leon launched a shot, but it went above the bar. They entered halftime with Japan up 1-0.

In the second half, the game turned to be a speedy contest. On 58th, Japan was robbed the ball from a set play, and Canada’s shot deflected to change the course and it went in to tie the game. On 68th, Takase was substituted with Miyama. And Miyama began to lead Japan’s attacks teaming up with Ohno and Ogimi. On 76th minute, Ogimi took a ball after Canada failed to properly clear, giving Japan a 2-1 lead. Samejima came in to play at the left side half position, and quickly participated in the team’s attacks up front. But Canada tied it at 2 all in the stoppage time, when their shot was blocked but another Canadian player netted it. Yet in the closing minute, Samejima robbed the ball from the opponents’ defender to create a 1-on-1 situation. Samejima composedly put it in the goal before the whistle was blown. Japan earned a dramatic 3-2 win.

Nadeshiko Japan finished their two-game series against Canada with two wins. They came up with some issues yet earned positive things toward the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which would start in seven months. The players will prepare themselves at their own clubs until their next national team activities.

Comments of Head Coach and Players

SASAKI Norio, Head Coach(Nadeshiko Japan)
I guess because this is the stadium for the final of next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, the game ended up being a fantastic one. Both teams showcased strong wills to win. Canada were powerful at both ends of the ball, and are a team that are making progress. I think both as a team and individuals, we learned distances and contact plays. In these two games, we came up with a lot of things we will need to reflect on, but it was valuable for us to experience things and hopefully we can take advantage of these for the World Cup.
At the stadium, we were supported by so many fans who were carrying the Japanese flags. As we got to play those games in the wonderful environments and on the pitches, it made us to think that we want to make further efforts to come back here.

NAGASATO Asano (Turbine Potsdam/Germany)
I thought that today’s game would be a good chance for me and I was putting a lot of pressure on myself.
(On her own scoring scene) Because if I stumble on that situation, we would have ben peril, so I thought that I would kick directly if I would get a ball. I’ve been playing overseas, and I’ve seen those shots numerous times and I had some image. I was too aware that it was my first goal on the national team.
Overall, there were moments I should have played more composedly, and if I had more chances to play laterally, I would have had more options on my offensive game. From now on, it’ll be important for me to keep coming up with positive outcomes on the team.

SAMESHIMA Aya (Vegalta Sendai Ladies)
Miyama told me that I can stay up front. I made the goal because they made a mistake. But you don’t get to see that kind of a scene very often. I felt like I had the ball for about 10 seconds and made that shot, thinking whether I should kick it left or right.
In the two-game series against Canada, I had different roles between the first game and second game, but I felt I still had a long way to go as I played as a side back in the first. I came with some issues like the timings on when to come back to my defensive spot and buildups. So I take them my learning process, and want to try to correct them raising my physical conditions.

MIYAMA Aya (Okayama Yunogo Belle)
Since I was substitute and with much energy to spare than my team mates, I was going to play to help the squad. About third goal, I anticipated there should be one final chance and that is why I told Sameshima to stay in up front. Fleet-footed Sameshima did a perfect job for taking advantage of it. Other scores were excellent as well for setting up from a good formation. All the conceding goals came from set-pieces. I hope to adjust what went wrong for it was good to experience this.

OGIMI Yuki (Chelsea Ladies Football Club/England)
My task was to score goal when I have to, I am glad to do that in that sense. I am really pleased with Nagasato’s goal (her younger sister) because she has prepared for this game. Having had an uneasy experience in overseas, I believe her effort finally led to generate the positive outcome.