Challenge League First Round

Champions Tokiwagi Gakuen High School got their season off to a good start with a win over Tsukuba, with the schoolgirls often struggling at season opening due to the large number of newcomers to their side. In Kanto, Yamato Sylphid had a large win over Norddea Hokkaido and Orca Kamogawa were delighted to win their first league game in front of a very large crowd. In the West, Bunnys Kyoto fell to a heavy defeat to Shizuoka Sangyo, while Fukuoka started their promotion campaign with a tidy victory over Nagoya. The JFA Academy were the only away team to win, taking three points against the Niigata University of Health and Welfare.


Tokiwagi Gakuen High School  1 - 0  Tsukuba FC Ladies
(Attendance: 200)

The champions' new side were looking for a good start to the season,
and showed their attacking intent from the kickoff

Tsukuba's only win of last season came on the opening day away to Tokiwagi Gakuen

The visitors' best chance of the first half came when Suzuki Aguri missed this crossed ball and Taguchi Hikari headed goalwards...

only for Sasaki Koko to clear off the line

Tokiwagi Gakuen got into their attacking stride more in the second half, though Takahashi Ami inexplicably missed in front of an open goal

Moments later Tokiwagi Gakuen won a free kick, taken by Takikawa Yume. Kunika Shoko stretches but cannot reach, and with the ball rebounding off the crossbar...

Naito Takaho (obscured) was just one of a number of players in green waiting to pounce

For Naito, delight at scoring a goal in her first league appearance was mixed with relief that her team was finally in front

Tokiwagi Gakuen High School:
Suzuki Aguri, Sasaki Koko, Naito Takaho, Yamashita Mio, Sugita Mei, Suzuki Hinako (capt), Kuroda Maya, Takikawa Yume, Kawakita Miku, Takahashi Ami, Kato Yua
Subs: Tsuda Marin (Kato Yua, 68 mins), Nakamura Megumi (Tsuda Marin, 87 mins)
Unused subs: Sunada Kaho, Nishimura Miri, Shibayama Fumina
Scorers: Naito Takaho (83 mins)
Booked: Kato Yua

Tsukuba FC Ladies:
Kunika Shoko (capt), Koike Riko, Taguchi Hikari, Kakinoki Runa, Fujii Shiho, Kohanawa Moe, Kamei Yumi, Ina Chizuru, Kikuchi Sayaka, Oki Shiho, Inoue Ai
Subs: Oyama Sari (Kohanawa Moe, 67 mins), Ushiku Maho (Ina Chizuru, 75 mins), Ojima Hitomi (Inoue Ai, 76 mins), Endo Reira (Kamei Yumi, 80 mins)
Unused subs: Nakagawa Yoshimi


Orca Kamogawa FC  2 - 0  Japan Soccer College Ladies
(Attendance: 1,201)

Orca Kamogawa FC:
Arima Shizuka (capt), Nakamura Mami, Takahashi Nana, Miyamoto Mao, Ishii Yurina, Sato Eriko, Matsunaga Tomoe, Imai Sayuri, Nishio Manami, Nagaki Mariko, Matsunaga Yoshie
Subs: Nakashima Ayaka (Sato Eriko, 65 mins), Hirano Rina (Nagaki Mariko, 72 mins)
Unused subs: Kawabe Hanami , Maruyama Akane, Fukusho Nozomi
Scorers: Nagaki Mariko (11 mins), Matsunaga Yoshie (27 mins)
Booked: Nakamura Mami

Japan Soccer College Ladies:
Daiguji Haruna, Moriya Kanna, Takahashi Sakura (capt), Komatsu Misato, Saito Mami, Matsumoto Hotaru, Konno Hitomi, Sakaguchi Yuki, Nakagai Yuna, Yamazaki Sayuri, Hirai Sakina
Subs: Kondo Ayuko (Matsumoto Hotaru, 58 mins), Sagou Marimo (Nakagai Yuna, 86 mins)
Unused subs: Hamada Momoka, Tanaka Sakura, Omura Kiyoka


Yamato Sylphid  5 - 1  Norddea Hokkaido
(Attendance: 721)

Yamato Sylphid:
Nakazawa Yui, Senda Marina, Nishiyama Haruka, Okamori Kasane, Utsumi Yui, Matsuyama Tomo, Abe Sayaka (capt), Yamazaki Yuki, Hori Yoshie, Mitsuhori Shizuka, Ishibuchi Yuki
Subs: Yamamoto Rina (Ishibuchi Yuki, 59 mins), Yoneda Saki (Mitsuhori Shizuka, 71 mins), Onodera Shiho (Nakazawa Yui, 79 mins), Shikata Nao (Abe Sayaka, 79 mins), Akaboshi Nami (Yamazaki Yuki, 79 mins)
Scorers: Abe Sayaka (8 mins), Mitsuhori Shizuka (13 mins), Hori Yoshie (38 mins), Yamazaki Yuki (42 mins), Yoneda Saki (83 mins)

Norddea Hokkaido:
Sawada Norimi, Yoda Natsuki, Minato Akiho, Kikuchi Ruri, Shirayama Mai, Watanabe Mayuko (capt), Hasatani Toko, Narumi Wakana, Fukasawa Miki, Tomita Mai, Fujie Nanase
Subs: Hashimoto Eri (Tomita Mai, 35 mins), Hoshiyama Ayaka (Fujie Nanase, HT), Uno Rei (Narumi Wakana, 73 mins)
Unused subs: Sasano Yako, Azusa Reina
Scorers: Hoshiyama Ayaka (78 mins)


Niigata University of Health and Welfare  1 - 3  JFA Academy Fukushima
(Attendance: 63)

Niigata University of Health and Welfare:
Ogawa Mai (capt), Meguro Marina, Ono Haruka, Matsubara Yuki, Okakura Mika, Nagasawa Natsuki, Yamaya Ruka, Kosuda Rina, Miyashita Ayane, Miura Yui, Yamatani Sachi
Subs: Masuda Rena (Yamatani Sachi, 64 mins), Kinoshita Fuki (Miyashita Ayane, 75 mins)
Unused subs: Shimozono Nene, Yamazato Arisu, Matsumoto Sonoka
Scorers: Yamaya Ruka (65 mins)

JFA Academy Fukushima:
Hannah Stambaugh (capt), Suzuki Haruna, Nezu Makoto, Yonei Honoka, Tomioka Chihiro, Kadowaki Mai, Takahashi Fuko, Togawa Yuki, Endo Jun, Ibaraki Mitsuba, Iseri Natsuki
Subs: Iwai Ran (Kadowaki Mai, 64 mins), Arai Miyu (Suzuki Haruna, 78 mins), Ishida Chihiro (Ibaraki Mitsuba, 90+1 mins)
Unused subs: Chikazawa Rena, Ono Haruka
Scorers: Endo Jun (52, 59, 80 mins, pen)


Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita  4 - 1  Bunnys Kyoto SC
(Attendance: 351)

Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita:
Terada Ikumi, Shiroshita Chinatsu, Shimamura Kumiko, Yamada Yui, Miyazaki Kaoru, Kubota Mitsuki, Kanefuda Anzu, Ishida Risa, Nishiyama Mei, Hirano Asami (capt), Horie Mitsuki
Subs: Fujiwara Kana (Ishida Risa, 61 mins), Kuchiki Hikaru (Shiroshita Chinatsu, 78 mins), Igarashi Kiharu (Terada Ikumi, 88 mins), Tanaka Ayaka (Yamada Yui, 88 mins)
Unused subs: Fujita Momoka
Scorers: Hirano Asami (16, 77 mins), Shiroshita Chinatsu (51 mins), Kubota Mitsuki (85 mins)

Bunnys Kyoto SC:
Gocho Misaki, Ikeda Asumi, Ishii Saki, Yamamoto Yumi (capt), Sakai Nozomi, Sawada Yuka, Kiyohara Marie, Matsuda Nozomi, Yoshizawa Ai, Sato Rina, Nishikawa Itsuki
Subs: Hanazaki Rena (Yoshizawa Ai, 53 mins), Hayashi Saki (Nishikawa Itsuki, 69 mins), Kuratani Yuuna (Ikeda Asumi, 69 mins)
Unused subs: Takagi Misa, Sengoku Raimu
Scorers: Kiyohara Marie (2 mins)


Fukuoka J. Anclas  2 - 0  NGU Nagoya FC Ladies
(Attendance: 518)

Fukuoka J. Anclas:
Tokaji Minori, Ono Reiri, Hanada Aiko, Yanagita Shiori, Marugata Rie, Ukita Kotone, Nariai Hitomi, Fukui Shihori, Imanaka Yuri, Yasuda Kuniko, Fujimoto Yuki (capt)
Subs: Kobayashi Natsumi (Ono Reiri, 57 mins), Tomoda Natsuki (Nariai Hitomi, 73 mins), Sato Kaede (Fukui Shihori, 85 mins)
Unused subs: Tsuchiya Aya, Sakanashi Sakura
Scorers: Fujimoto Yuki (35 mins, pen), Tomoda Natsuki (78 mins)

NGU Nagoya FC Ladies:
Unoki Mao, Kitagawa Kana, Michikura Hiroko, Sugiyama Yuka (capt), Ito Haruka, Minami Mana, Takasu Sakiho, Wada Makoto, Kato Ibuki, Takenaka Rina, Ogawa Yui
Subs: Nomura Natsumi (Wada Makoto, HT), Shirota Miki (Kato Ibuki, 57 mins), Imai Mayura (Minami Mana, 78 mins), Oshima Kaho (Ito Haruka, 83 mins)
Unused subs: Ueda Erina