Japan team page
Squad
Coach: Hiroshi Ohashi
Roster
Goalkeepers: Miho Fukumoto, Nozomi Yamago, Misaki Amano
Defenders: Hiromi Isozaki, Yukari Kinga, Kyoko Yano, Kozue Ando, Nayuha Toyoda, Azusa Iwashimizu, Rumi Utsugi
Midfielders: Miyuki Yanagita, Ayumi Hara, Tomomi Miyamoto, Tomoe Sakai, Homare Sawa, Aya Miyama, Mizuho Sakaguchi
Forwards: Eriko Arakawa, Mio Otani, Yuki Nagasato, Shinobu Ohno
Scouting Report
Current world ranking: 10th (second in AFC)
Strengths: Japan may have stars in its lineup such as midfielder Homare Sawa, but it's teamwork that makes the squad one of the top 10 teams in the world. Short on size, but long on quickness and skill, the Japanese are a fun team to watch. They constantly run to create space and provide multiple options for attack, while at the same time staying disciplined. They are patient with the ball and calculated with their decision making. It's almost ironic that the team is referred to as Nadeshiko, the Japanese word for the wild pink carnation.
Weaknesses: Size is a concern for the Japanese squad. The tallest non-goalie on the team stands at five-foot-six, with most players averaging five-foot-three. They were out-muscled in a 4-1 exhibition loss to the United States in July. Quickness, skills and tireless work ethic will help Japan keep pace with the teams in Group A, but ultimately, teams like Germany and England have a size advantage on set pieces, which is where most goals are scored.
Player to watch: Central midfielder Homare Sawa is the key player on Japan. She's seasoned (over 120 caps), wily (60 plus career goals) and tough (despite her five-foot-five frame). Sawa will do whatever it takes for her country. She played injured through the two-game series with Mexico and helped Japan earn its fifth World Cup appearance. Sawa made her World Cup debut for Japan in 1995 as a 16-year-old. Now 28, this will be her fourth World Cup.
Prognosis: Japan has a battle on its hands to beat out England for second place in the group, but if it can control the possession of the game and avoid physical battles, Japan has as much chance as any team to reach the quarter-finals.
ROAD TO THE WOMEN'S WORLD CUP
2007 qualification route: Japan earned a spot to China 2007 by placing fourth in the final competition of the 2006 AFC Women's Championship and then defeating Mexico in a two-match playoff series to determine whether Japan or Mexico would get the one additional FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying spot shared between CONCACAF and AFC.
Qualification record: 7 matches played, 4 wins, 0 draws, 3 losses
Goals for: 22 Goals against: 8
Top goal scorer in qualifying: Yuki Nagasato (7)
Qualifying results:
**Japan, China, North Korea (Korea DPR) and South Korea qualified for the 2006 AFC Women's Championship by virtue of occupying the four top spots in the 2003 AFC Women's Championship.
Round robin (Group A): in Adelaide, Australia
July 19, 2006: Japan 5, Vietnam 0
July 21, 2006: Japan 11, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) 1
July 23, 2006: China PR 0, Japan 1
Final rounds (knock-out format): in Adelaide, Australia
Semifinal
July 27, 2006: Australia 2, Japan 0
Third-place playoff
July 30, 2006: Japan 2, Korea DPR 3
Playoffs
March 10, 2007: Japan 2, Mexico 0 in Tokyo, Japan
March 17, 2007: Mexico 2, Japan 1 in Toluca, Mexico
Women's World Cup 1st round matches (all times local)
Sept. 11: Japan vs. England in Shanghai (Hangkou Football Stadium) at 20:00
Sept. 14: Argentina vs. Japan in Shanghai (Hongkou Football Stadium) at 17:00
Sept. 18: Germany vs. Japan in Hangzhou (Hangzhou Dragon Stadium) at 17:00
WOMEN'S WORLD CUP HISTORY
Japan has maintained its position among the top nations in women's football since making its World Cup debut at the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup in 1991, appearing in every tournament since. A quarter-final berth at the 1995 event in Sweden was the best-ever result for the Nadeshiko. In that playoff game, the Japanese fell 4-0 to the Unites States.
Number of previous Women's World Cup appearances: 4
Hosted the Women's World Cup: never
1991 –: First round
1995: Quarter-finals
1999: First round
2003: First round
