After it began on Saturday 3 January, the JOC Junior Olympic Cup 18th All Japan Youth Women's Football Tournament enters the semi-final phase on Tuesday 6 January.

Game 1 of Semi-finals

Nippon TV Menina (Kanto 1/Tokyo) vs Vicsale Okinawa FC Navita (Kyushu/Okinawa)

Nippon TV Menina (Kanto 1/Tokyo), winning every four championship since 2010, have climbed up the tournament in style as they cruised past SHRINE.L.FC (Tohoku/Aomori) 16-0 in the first round and AS Elfen Saitama Mari (Kanto 4/ Saitama) 5-1 in the second round. It is worth watching the performances of Shimizu Risa, Hasegawa Yui and Momiki Yuka, who play on the club’s top team Beleza as well as scoring abilities of Toriumi Yuka and Ueki Riko, who scored four goals each in this tournament.
The opposing Vicsale Okinawa FC Navita (Kyushu/Okinawa) made their first-ever appearance in the national tournament. They kept clean sheets both in the first and second rounds to reach the semis. Head coach Kuniyoshi Atsushi in charge of the team expressed his motivation ahead of the contest against one of the top teams, saying “Our initial objective was to win the opening match. But now we will try for the top. I will send my players onto the pitch and help them perform to the best of their ability.” As the club was established when current overage players were in the first grade of junior high (2006), this tournament is going to be a summarisation of one chapter for our club history. They will certainly display its outcome.

Game 2 of Semi-finals

JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies U-18 (Kanto 3/Chiba) vs Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies Youth (Kanto 2/Saitama)

JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies U-18 (Kanto 3/Chiba) reached the last four after they beat Kusunoki Club Ladies (Tokai 2/Mie) 9-0 in the first round and then kept another clean sheet with an 8-0 win over FC VICTORIES (Kansai 2/Hyogo) who they faced in the third-place match last year. JEF have constantly turned in a good result as they won the second place two years ago and third place last year. Ahead of the semi-finals, captain Oya Madoka says “With quick transition between offence and defence, we will concentrate on defence and attack in our favour. This is going to be my last national tournament in my high school life, so I hope we can win and get to the final.”

JEF’s opponents Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies Youth (Kanto 2/Saitama) capped the consecutive 4-0 wins in the first match over NGU Nagoya FC Ladies (Tokai 1/Aichi) and in the second match over Albirex Niigata Ladies U-18 (Hokushinetsu/Niigata), but the players are not satisfied with their performances, saying that “We could’ve got more goals.” As they claimed third place two years ago and runners-up last year, they are seeking a further state. It appears to be an exciting contest as the teams square off again after the last matchup at the Kanto regional qualifiers (Urawa 3-0 Chiba).

Who will advance to the championship final of women’s club teams of the U-18 generation? Come and see the semi-final clashes at the match site.

JOC Junior Olympic Cup The 18th All Japan Youth Women's Football Tournament

Sat. 3 January 2015 〜 Wed. 7 January 2015
Osaka／J-GREEN Sakai

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