HAMILTON – Remember the name Mana Iwabuchi.
The diminutive Japanese 15-year-old is destined to emerge as one of the future stars of international football, judging by her mercurial efforts on the opening day of play in Group C at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup tournament in Hamilton.
On a day of multiple highlights, Iwabuchi’s inspirational playmaking was a key factor in Japan’s enthralling 3-2 victory over a highly fancied USA team.
France also unveiled an emerging star in striker Pauline Crammer, who notched the first hat trick in FIFA women’s U-17 finals as her team romped to a 6-2 win over Paraguay in the late game.
But Iwabushi was something else again. She says she has modelled her game on Brazilian female great Marta, and it shows.
She is highly skilled, with an array of party tricks, and a keen eye for when to best use them. She has lovely poise, movement and vision – and an educated left foot to match. Her touches in the attacking third were invariably brilliant.
However her most breathtaking moves at Waikato Stadium were based on sheer simplicity. Carefully weighted through balls, perfect dummies, and crisp one-twos were presented as objects of footballing beauty.
Iwabuchi later said she could do a lot better with her dribbling, and confessed to suffering from nerves. But it is the teams yet to face her who should be feeling more anxious.
It was a bonus that a crowd of 4,816 – believed to be a record for a football match at Waikato Stadium – was present to add atmosphere to a rollercoaster match. Busloads of schoolchildren shipped in, populating the Wel Energy Trust Stand, which like everything else at the stadium, has been stripped of its usual identifying ads and replaced with FIFA hoardings.
Rather than be rattled by conceding a soft early goal, Japan took control and peppered the USA goalmouth with a series of enterprising moves. They finally gaining reward when Iwabuchi – who else — fittingly pounced on a crossbar rebound to slam home a crisp left footer.
It was one of six occasions in two matches that the crossbar at the western end of the ground came into play.
The game changed completely at the start of the second half. USA dominated, got their passing going, and Japan wilted.
Having shown the best of women’s football, Japan duly displayed the worst. For a second time a goalkeeping howler gifted USA the lead following a speculative shot from Mandy Laddish in the 51st minute.
Under no pressure, Japanese keeper Saki Nakamura fell over, allowing the ball to bounce over her and into the net. If that was embarrassing, Nakamura at least later redeemed herself with two fine late saves which secured three points.
Natsumi Kameoka provided another of the day’s highlights when she thundered home an amazing 35m volley to again draw Japan level, after being set up by Iwabuchi. And six minutes later super-sub Kei Yoshioka banged in another volley for the winner.
At the final whistle the Japanese, who had been so inscrutable with much of their play, celebrated passionately. They offered a combined bow to the feverish support they received from the Wel Energy Trust Stand.
It was Japan’s first victory over the USA in a women’s FIFA match and may yet prove decisive, though Laddish was confident the USA would bounce back strongyl in the next two matches.
"But we have to do better in midfield," she said.
Japan, USA and France all have much to commend them, but only two teams can progress. It’s an unwritten rule that every Fifa tournament needs a Group of Death, and in this case it may be Group C.
Japan have a quicksilver midfield and slick attack, but it won’t have gone unnoticed that their backline is nowhere near as sharp.
French coach Gerard Sergent was among those impressed in the stands.
"It was a very good match," he said. "Japan are a very good team. They play beautiful football."
Sergent’s team had a clear edge in technique, tactics and physique against Paraguay and should have won by a wider margin.
As a contest it was not quite as riveting as the Japan-USA game, but it still produced plenty of drama.
France raced to a 3-0 lead and really should have doubled that, with Crammar showing pace and composure in the final third to net twice, while Charlotte Poulain also scored in the opening 17 minutes.
The goals mirrored the moves the French had worked so hard on in a training session at Gower Park a day earlier.
But Paraguay showed resilience to snatch two goals against the run of play, including a brilliant curling free kick from Jacqueline Gonzales just before half time.
With France 5-1 up and the match seemingly of statistical interest only, controversy erupted.
Lea Rubio – who had already been yellow carded — received a straight red card from Thai referee Pannipar Kamnueng for a high foot in a midfield challenge. She left the pitch in tears.
The match was then reduced to a 10-a-side contest when Gonzales created her own slice of history, becoming the first player to score a goal and be dismissed in the same women’s U17 finals match.
Gonzales had protested at the awarding of France’s final goal, after substitute Camille Catala shrugged off two attempted fouls in a surging run down the right wing.
The assistant referee waved her flag for the foul, but referee Kamnueng played the obvious advantage, given Catala was on her feet and goalbound.
However the ferocity of the flag-waving prompted the final Paraguayan defender and keeper to pull out of their challenges and Catala nonchlantly slid the ball home on a tight angle.
There were numerous stoppages, and the game lost direction in the final 20 minutes, though it did give the stretcher bearers a good workout with numerous incursions onto the pitch.
In stoppage time Paraguay grabbed an unexpected consolation goal in pouncing on some indecisive French defending for Paola Genes to nod home.
France wont be able to get away with such sloppiness against Japan, though on the evidence of their opening performance, still have much in reserve.
There seems to be a tendency for coaches to play down the impact of their stars at this level.
Crammer’s classy and composed finishing has thrust her forward as a possible Golden Boot candidate. But Sergent ‘s verdict was brief and non-committal.
"She can score more," he said.