The JFA 26th U-18 Japan Women's Football Championship final took place at J-GREEN Sakai on Monday 9 January.

Final

Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara Due 0-0 (0-0, 0-0, Ex:0-0, 0-0, PK:3-4) Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Menina

Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara Due (Kanto 4/Kanagawa), who lost in the semi-finals of the last two tournaments, have reached the final for the first time in club history. Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Menina (Kanto 1/Tokyo), the team with the most titles won in the competition, will compete against them in an effort to claim their 10th championship.

While Menina displayed great individual skills and speed, Nojima Stella applied intense pressure from the front line to create numerical advantage and to keep their opponents on their toes. In the first half, Menina came close to scoring the opening goal when HIWATARI Moka carried the ball upfront to strike a shot. Nojima Stella also created a close opportunity in the second half, when ARUGA Runa struck a shot off of a cross sent by ODAKA Yume. Although both sides had their share of opportunities, the match remained scoreless after 90 minutes.

Both teams remained resolute throughout extra time, as Nojima Stella's INABA Miyu's shot was blocked by her opponent, while Menina's HIJIKATA Maya's shot hit the crossbar, sending the match into a penalty shootout to determine the victor.

In the penalty shoot-out, Menina's goalkeeper WULF Jessica Yuri stopped two penalties to help her side to a 4-3 victory and claim their 10th title. Menina was also awarded with the fair play award.

Coaches and Players' Comments

MIDORIKAWA Kohei, Coach (Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara Due)
It was our first final as a club, so I sent the players off by telling them to enjoy the match. We wanted to finish the match within regulation time, so it's regrettable that we couldn't score a goal, but the players did a really good job of applying pressure from the front and preventing our opponents from possessing the ball. I am also grateful to my predecessor Ms. TANABE Tomoe for laying the foundation of this team.

NEBU Momoko (Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara Due)
This year's team was able to practice with the same intensity as in a match, and the whole team kept a high standard. Although it was disappointing to lose, we were able to compete until overtime because of all the work we put forth in our physical preparation. Personally, as a forward, I was unable to deliver results in the last two tournaments, but I was able to score goals in this one. Even though I have made progress in some areas, the fact that I was unable to score in the final shows that I still have a long way to go in terms of development.

SAKAGUCHI Keisuke, Coach (Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Menina)
Some of our players got injured before the tournament so we thought it would be difficult to reach the final this year, but the team made steady progress to win one match at a time and even showed a great performance in the semi-finals. However, we were unable to demonstrate the football style we aspire to, which is to take the initiative of the match through ball possession. The players must learn from today’s match in order to make the most of this opportunity for the future if they are to become a mainstay for Beleza and the national team.

HIJIKATA Maya (Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Menina)
We didn’t have many chances to have the entire team together for a lot of the competitions held this year, so we wanted to finish this tournament on a high note. Two years ago, we won the championship “for the seniors,” but this time the juniors fought for us. I am very happy to have such good juniors. However, as an individual, I feel that I still need to work on my ability to score goals in crucial moments. I'll keep pushing myself to reach higher goals.

JFA 26th U-18 Japan Women's Football Championship

Tournament Dates: Tue. 3 - Mon. 9 January 2023
Venue: J-GREEN Sakai (Osaka)

Tournament Information