The final round of the JFA 10th U-15 Japan Women's Futsal Championship took place on Monday 13 January, where two semi-final matches, and final took place at Mie Prefectural Sun Arena.

With the two semi-final matches kicking off simultaneously, Seagull Hiroshima Ladies (Chugoku/Hiroshima) and Tokachi FS Little Girls U-15 (Hokkaido) clashed at Pitch A. The match started with Tokachi FS’s YONEMURA Honatsu scoring back to back goals in the second minute, followed by a goal scored by MORI Wakana to take an early three goal lead. After Seagull Hiroshima Ladies responded by scoring two goals to get within a goal, each team exchanged a goal apiece to make it 4-3 at halftime. However, the Hokkaido side showcased their dominance in the second half, as they scored three unanswered goals to advance through to the final with a final score of 7-3.

The other semi-final match featured a fixture between Jumonji Junior High School (Kanto/Tokyo) and Catiolla Ladies (Kyushu/Oita). Facing Jumonji Junior High School, who registered 14 goals in their two first round matches, Catiolla Ladies’ coach MIURA Kiotaka later reflected, “We took a defensive approach where we kept a compact formation to support each other.” However, Jumonji Junior High still managed to find ways to score goals, as NOMURA Ami scored the opening goal from an interception made in the Catiolla territory, followed by NOGUCHI Nina’s goal in the 11th minute. Despite the efforts made by Catiolla Ladies to rally back, Jumonji Junior High School managed to keep a clean sheet to reach their second final in three years.

In the tournament final between Tokachi FS Little Girls and Jumonji Junior High School, the match started with Jumonji Junior High School taking control over the ball possession. The opening goal came in the ninth minute, when OTA Chiari converted an opportunity for the Tokyo side. With Nomura scoring a goal at the beginning of the second half, Jumonji Junior High School went onto score two more goals to cap off the tournament with a 4-0 victory, as they claimed their third overall title at the national championship.

Coach and Players' Comments

OTAKI Osamu, Coach (Jumonji Junior High School)
After being grouped with the defending champions, Fukui Maruoka RUCK, in the first round, our players were fully motivated to win the match against them. The win over the defending champions has really given a boost to our confidence. Following last year’s loss, we spent more time playing futsal and held training camps to improve our futsal skills. We also joined a men’s league to become a better futsal team. Although we are a football team, this has been a wonderful opportunity for our players, so we hope to continue to play futsal in the future.

FP #10 NOGUCHI Nina (Jumonji Junior High School)
After entering last year’s tournament as the defending champions, we ended up finishing third, so I am glad that we were able to reclaim the title this year. We were able to build a strong bond and the fact that we managed to believe in our teammates allowed us to win this title. Last year, we struggled against the long balls played by our opponents, but this year we managed to make the adjustments, and I am very glad that we were able to become the national champions.

FP #7 OTA Chiari (Jumonji Junior High School)
Last year, we suffered a very bitter experience at the semi-finals, so I am glad we were able to win the title this year. Today, we faced two teams who played rather defensively, and as a pivot, I focused on using my teammates to break through the opponent’s tight defence. I will probably focus on playing football in high school, but I hope to utilise the foot skills I gained by playing futsal to win the national title in football.

FP #9 MORI Wakana (Tokachi FS Little Girls U-15)
We gave everything we’ve got, so we have no regrets, but it is unfortunate that we couldn’t achieve our goal of winning the national title. Jumonji Junior High School was a very strong team, and they really showed us what it takes to be the best team in the nation. The skills and speed nurtured through futsal can really help us develop our football skills. I will pursue my career as a football player in high school, and I will feed off of this experience to become a better football player.

FP #9 ITAMURA Mao (Seagull Hiroshima Ladies)
As a first year player, this tournament gave me a wonderful learning experience. Every opponent we faced at this national tournament were great teams, and it really inspired me to become a better player. I have been playing mostly as a pivot and ala at this tournament, but I spoiled many scoring opportunities for our team, so I must be more critical in front of the goal. I started playing futsal in junior high school, but I am enjoying it very much. The fact that we were able to reach third place has given us great confidence. We will give our best efforts to make our return to this stage next year.

Semi-final: Seagull Hiroshima Ladies vs Tokachi FS Little Girls U-15

Semi-final: Jumonji Junior High School vs Catiolla Ladies

Final: Tokachi FS Little Girls U-15 vs Jumonji Junior High School

JFA 10th U-15 Japan Women's Futsal Championship

Tournament Dates: Sun. 12 - Mon. 13 January 2020
Tournament Venue: Mie Prefectural Sun Arena

Tournament Information