There are 2 days to go to the first match of the Asian Qualifiers Final Round, Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016. Nadeshiko Japan had official training for 1 hour at their match venue Kincho Stadium on 27 February.

When they arrived at the stadium, it was raining heavily. After a short while, when the players went outside on to the pitch the rain stopped and they began the official training. The first session was passing exercise. They checked the venue’s turf condition while sharing their ideas about play on the pitch. The team had a closed-door session for the first 15 minutes to check their combination through an intrasquad game.

The team’s defender IWASHIMIZU Azusa reviewed the training: “defence players could check dangerous moments when we mismatch our movements and we had a good time to understand each other. However, this is just training; we can analyse and make good assumptions, but there are times when we never know what the opponents will do and what will happen until we play.” She commented based on her experiences and emphasised the importance of preparation.

Australia has played in the Olympic Games twice: 2000 in Sydney, and 2004 in Athens. They went up to quarter final in the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup last year. The squad players are mainly the same as the ones in the World Cup and are aiming at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro after 12 years.

Nadeshiko Japan on the other hand, has strengthened the team’s condition to play the official game during this season, and has promoted mutual understandings through series of training camps in Ishigaki in mid-January and in Nakagusuku, Okinawa in February. The players seem to have a good level of tension to work hard on training sessions.

The first match of the the Asian Qualifiers Final Round, Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016 against Australia Women’s National team will kick off at 19:35 at Kincho Stadium on 29 February. Meanwhile, in Yanmar Stadium Nagai, there will be 2 matches: Vietnam vs China PR, and Korea Republic vs. DPR Korea.

Players' Comments

DF ＃13  ARIYOSHI Saori (NIPPON TV BELEZA)
In the official training, we could check our build-up play and our set plays. Australia seemed to be tired due to the consecutive matches and hot weather at the last World Cup, but I think they can move more this time. They are speedy and tall l, so we will have to be patient at times to make our rhythm of play. We will do our best getting ready very well for this match.

FW #16  IWABUCHI Mana (FC Bayern Munich/Germany)
I could score a goal in the match against Australia in the quarter final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015, but I have already switched my mind to the future. Now I regard them as an opponent team and prepare well to beat them. I think we won’t always have the time to get goals in the Asian Qualifiers Final Round. We want to get goals when chances are given, and also to defend well to maximise each of the goals we score. I will keep myself greedy to get goals, always being a part of opportunities.

Nadeshiko Channel (Japanese version only)

Schedule

*The schedule and venues are subject to change.

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