well, this brought a smile to my face today.
The 25 Members of Nadeshiko Japan Has Been Announced
This time, Aya Miyama (28, Okayama Yunogo Belle) and Homare Sawa (34, INAC Kobe Leonessa) have returned to Japan's national team, whose nickname is "Nadeshiko Japan." It looks like the manager Norio Sasaki will have his best players, including those who belong to European clubs. Both of Aya Sameshima (25, Vegalta Sendai Ladies) and Yukari Kinga (29, INAC Kobe Leonessa) haven't been chosen for the national team due to injury.
Japan's national team is going to face off against New Zealand's national team at Tosu Stadium (Capacity: 24,490) on June 20, 2013. After that, Nadeshiko Japan will play against England's national team at the Pirelli Stadium (Capacity: 6,912) on June 26, and will take on Germany's national team at the Allianz Arena (Capacity: 67,812) on June 29. Right before heading to Europe, the number of Japan's national team players is supposed to decrease from 25 to 18.
The players with an asterisk (*) have been selected for Japan's women's national soccer team for the first time. It has been expected that Ayaka Watanabe (23, INAC Kobe Leonessa) will go in for injured Aya Sameshima. Unlike Mari Kawamura, who earlier played for Fukuoka J. Anclas and appeared in a match at the Algarve Cup 2013, none of the national team members are playing in Japan's Challenge League.
Nadeshiko Japan squad:
GK: Ayumi Kaihori (INAC Kobe Leonessa), Miho Fukumoto (Okayama Yunogo Belle), Misaki Amano* (Vegalta Sendai Ladies), Erina Yamane (JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies)
DF: Azusa Iwashimizu (NTV Beleza), Asuna Tanaka (INAC Kobe Leonessa / 1. FFC Frankfurt), Saori Ariyoshi (NTV Beleza), Rumi Utsugi (Montpellier HSC Feminine), Yuki Sakai (Vegalta Sendai Ladies), Kana Osafune (Vegalta Sendai Ladies), Ayaka Watanabe* (INAC Kobe Leonessa), Saki Kumagai (1. FFC Frankfurt)
MF: Nahomi Kawasumi (INAC Kobe Leonessa), Marumi Yamazaki (Albirex Niigata Ladies), Emi Nakajima (INAC Kobe Leonessa), Nanase Kiryu (NTV Beleza), Aya Miyama (Okayama Yunogo Belle), Homare Sawa (INAC Kobe Leonessa), Mizuho Sakaguchi (NTV Beleza), Megumi Kamionobe (Albirex Niigata Ladies), Kozue Ando (1. FFC Frankfurt)
FW: Yuki Ogimi (1. FFC Turbine Potsdam), Shinobu Ohno (Olympique Lyonnais Féminin), Mana Iwabuchi (TSG 1889 Hoffenheim), Karina Maruyama (Speranza F.C. Takatsuki)
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so much happiness, have an awesome future Nadeshiko star as bonus:
