AFC U-14 Girls' Regional Championship 2015 (East)/Semi-final vs. U-14 Korea DPR Women's National Team
Sat. 23 May 2015 - 17:00  Playing time: 70min (35minx2)
National Football Training Centre Pitch 6 (Beijing, China)

U-14 Korea DPR Women's National Team   3-0 (1st 1-0, 2nd 2-0) U-14 Japan Selection

Scores
17'  Goal against (U-14 Korea DPR Women's National Team)
38'  Goal against (U-14 Korea DPR Women's National Team)
67'  Goal against (U-14 Korea DPR Women's National Team)

Line-ups
GK: ITO Nanami
DF: TOMIOKA Chihiro,GATTO Yukino,NAGAE Ibuki,MITANI Wakana
MF: NAKAO Momo,TANAKA Tomoko,TERADA Himeka,AOKI Yuzuka
FW: UEDA Kana,NAKAE Moe

Substitutes
GK: MIYAKE Sayu
FP: ONO Haruka,NOJIMA Ayami,SAITO Riko,OIKAWA Riko,YOSHIMOTO Konatsu,ONISHI Ayuka

19'  ITO Nanami → MIYAKE Sayu
47'  TANAKA Tomoko → YOSHIMOTO Konatsu
47'  NAKAE Moe → ONO Haruka
67'  AOKI Yuzuka → ONISHI Ayuka

Match Report

The semi-final took place in an early-summer-like weather. Japan’s opponents were DPR Korea who crashed their group B opponents by winning all three matches with scoring as many as 32 goals and allowing only one. Their physical sizes have been well recognised in the players cafeteria and their sprint drills before breakfasts and after matches have also been well-known to Japan team. 

Even at the moment of Japan’s kick-off, all DPR Korea players already positioned themselves at higher than usual, so ready to put early defensive pressure. When they got the balls, they had no mercy and kept feeding long balls which Japan had been struggling to deal with. Japan also tried to put pressure on Korean passers and had defenders throw their bodies around to block the opponents’ furious attacks. 

In the 17th minute, DPR Korea took a failed clearance by Japan in the midfield and fed a cross unguarded from the left flank, which was headed in by another player rushing in for the first goal of the match. There was also a collision between the player and Japan’s goalkeeper Ito Nanami (Jef United Ichihara Chiba Ladies Colza), who had been playing resilient defence. Ito had to leave the pitch due to an injury in that play and Miyake Sayu (Okayama Yunogo Belle U-15, U-18/JFA Academy Sakai) replaced Ito. The first half finished with Japan training one goal.

Since there was a medical emergency for a person in the stands during the half time, the second half started after about the one hour of stoppage. Even though their half time talk focused on how to start the second half, Japan conceded another goal in the 38th minute when the cross from the right flank was headed in. Japan gradually started to deal better with DPR Korea’s speed and playstyle and Japan’s possession increased, but it was not enough to create their own rhythm. Despite making a few goal-scoring opportunities, they were not able to reach good finishes. Conversely Japan allowed another goal in the 67th minute and the match finished with a 0-3 loss. 

The next day match for third place is against Korea Republic who defeated Japan 2-0 in the first contest of this match. The Japan’s young women pledged to each other to fire back for the first loss and finish the tournament with a win and smiles. 

Head Coach and Players' Comments

KATO Kenji, Head Coach (JFA National Training Centre Coach)
In every match we tried to take the initiative both offensively and defensively and we could do it in the three matches until today. But today, neither offensively nor defensively we could take the initiative. The result was a total defeat of 0-3. But against DPR Korea team that were always feeding long balls, our defenders kept the line, competed, went for second balls and kept trying to make their every shot guarded with our bodies. Offensively we could have changed the course of the match if we had looked out for the opponents a little better and moved the ball around. We couldn’t adjust to their quick pressing and disappointingly we were not able to attack effectively. By that incident, the half time got longer to about one hour, but we kept focused and working hard throughout the seventy minutes, and I think that fact will be a great asset for our players’ future. In tomorrow’s third-place match, we will play against Korea Republic that we lost to in the first match. So we want to win this time and bring the third-place medal back home. 

TERADA Himeka (Asahi Sports FC Junior Youth)
As I looked back today’s match, there came out many lessons to be learned. Out of them there are especially two big things. One is something we couldn’t do. That is playing our style of football no matter how good our opponents are. We kept defending hard for the ball against DPR Korea’s intimidating offence, but in our offence we were a little intimidated and didn’t challenge as much as we should. So in tomorrow’s match against Korea Republic, we will keep it in mind to play “our style of football”. The other thing is something we could do. That is going for the second balls after the first players competed. It was one of our goals for today’s match. I played defensive midfielder and every time after our defenders and forwards competed for the ball, I made sure to cover and pick up the second ball to feed our forwards. If we don’t get the second balls, DPR Korea keep firing shots with it or make dynamic side changes. So it was good that we were able to follow this game plan. We want to win tomorrow’s match against Korea Republic no matter what by every one of us studying what we could do today and couldn't. 

Schedule