HAMILTON – Japan made their title intentions clear today at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup with a well deserved 3-2 win over tournament favourites USA at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

It was the first time the USA have lost to Japan in any form of the women’s game and was watched by a crowd of over 4800, the largest turnout for a football game in Hamilton in over six years.

The match showcased the best, and the worst of women’s football where the skill and finesse of the players was contrasted with some horrendous goalkeeping gaffs.

USA got off to a dream start in the third minute when a long throw into the box was dropped by Japanese goalkeeper Saki Nakamura onto the foot of Vicki DiMartino, who has likely never scored an easier goal in her life.

After the goal the first half turned into something of a one-woman show, with Japan No10 Mana Iwabuchi, a skilful, beautifully-balanced player, using her low centre of gravity to carve out chance after chance for the impressive Japanese.

Japan striker Akane Saito was twice denied by the crossbar before Iwabuchi took matters into her own hands capping off a magnificent showing by ramming home a 32nd-minute equaliser after Chiaki Shimada’s initial shot had come back off the crossbar.

The US took the lead again in the second half through a speculative Mandy Laddish shot which bounced over the falling Japanese goalkeeper and into the goal to the elation of the USA side.

The goal did little to extinguish the Japanese threat and soon after Iwabuchi was pulling the strings in the centre of the park. It was her clever pass into space that set up Natsumi Kameoka in the 68th minute to unleash a 35 metre rocket into the USA net to level the scores.

Six minutes later it was substitute Kei Yoshioka who stole the headlines after cushioning the ball with her chest before lofting home a looping volley with the outside of her foot to win the match for the Japanese.

Japanese coach Hiroshi Yoshida was delighted with the sides peformance.

“It feels great. We are very happy with the result.”

“I wasn’t that concerned that we were twice behind but it was important we played our best to the end of the game.”

“My advice was to concentrate on doing what we knew we could do.”

 

He described playmaker Mana Iwabuchi as “the key player” but also singled out Chinatsu Kira and Natsuki Kishikawa for praise.

 

He said Japan would seek to play a similar pattern against France.

 

Japanese star Mana Iwabuchi said she was nervous at the proposition of facing the americans.

 “Because it was our first game, and against the US, I was a bit nervous.

 

“I wasn’t able to control the ball so well in the second half because of the pressure.

“I can do a lot better with my dribbling.”

 

“We really wanted to win, and because we were able to do that, we want to finish at the top of the table.

Asked if Japan were now a real contender for the title, she gave a resounding “yes”.

Click here for a photo slideshow by Peter Drury from the Waikato Times.

FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup – New Zealand 2008

 

Japan (1) 3

USA (1)  2

Waikato Stadium

Hamilton, New Zealand

Thursday 30 October 2008

Kick-off: 12h00

Attendance: 4800 

JPN: 1. Saki NAKAMURA; 2. Kozue CHIBA; 3. Minori CHIBA; 5.Natsuki KISHIKAWA (c); 6.Natsumi KAMEOKA; 7. Chiaki SHIMADA (20. Yoko TANAKA 59’); 8. Yuko TAKEYAMA; 9. Chinatsu KIRA (19.Haruka HAMADA); 10. Mana IWABUCHI; 11. Akane SAITO; 12. Yuiko INOUE (14. Kei YOSHIOKA 69’);

Substitutes not used: 4. Nagisa OKUDA; 13. Takako SUGIYAMA; 15.Saori TAKAHASHI; 16. Sakiko IKEDA; 17.Minami ISHIDA; 18. Marika OHSIMA;21. Ayaka SAITOH

Yellow cards: Mana IWABUCHI 90+3’

Red cards:

Coach: Hiroshi YOSHIDA(JPN)

USA: 18. Taylor VANCIL; 3. Amber BROOKS; 5.Erika TYMARK (19.Elizabeth EDDY 32’); 6. Cloee COLOHAN (c); 7. Courtney VERLOO; 8.Vicki DiMARTINO; 10. Kristie MEWIS; 11. Sam MEWIS (9. Sam JOHNSON 86’)13. Julia ROBERTS; 14. Mandy LADDISH (20. Olivia KLEI 52’); 17. Rachel QUON;

Substitutes not used: 2. Lexi HARRIS;; 12. Hayley BROCK; 15. Kate BENNETT; 16. Morgan BRIAN;21. Jenn PETTIGREW; 1.Alexa GAUL; 4. Crystal DUNN;

Yellow cards: Rachel QUON 70’

Red cards:

Coach: Kazbek TAMBI (USA)

Referee: Thalia MITSA (GRE)

Assistant Referee 1: Romina SANTUARI (ITA)

Assistant Referee 2: Secim DEMIREL (TUR)

4th official: CHRISTINA DORCIOMAN (ROU)

Group C Standings:

  MP W D L GF GA Pts
Japan 1 1 0 0 3 2 3
France 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Paraguay 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
USA 1 0 0 1 2 3 0