Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Shizuoka: AFC Women’s Asian Cup hosts Jordan delivered an improved performance, but were still beaten by Japanese top-flight side Nojima Stella Kanagawa as they finished their training camp with a 4-1 loss.
The hosts, who reached the National Cup final and finished eighth in the Nadeshiko League in last year’s campaign, showed their class early on, taking a two-goal lead into the break thanks to goals from Arisa Minamino and Sae Kitakata.
Forward Kitakata, 19, added her second shortly after half time, before former Japanese youth international Arisa Matsubara made it 4-0 in the 59th minute.
Jordan pulled a goal back late in the contest through 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup star Sara Abu-Sabbah, but there would be no further scoring as Nojima Stella held on for a convincing win.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Canberra: Star Matildas forward Sam Kerr has added a new honour to her already-bulging trophy case, with the 24-year-old being crowned Young Australian of the Year at a ceremony in the Australian capital.
Kerr won the award after a sensational 2017, in which she dominated the club scene in both Australia and the United States, and led the Australian national team to fourth in the FIFA World Rankings with 11 goals in six matches in the second half of the year.
The Young Australian of the Year accolade is the latest in a long line of awards for Kerr. In addition to being named the 2017 AFC Women’s Player of the Year, she was voted Most Valuable Player in the US-based National Women’s Soccer League and won the Julie Dolan Modeal for the outstanding player in the Australian W-League.
Kerr’s newest honour, for which Australians from all walks of life are eligible, sees her become the first footballer to win the award, joining celebrated athletes such as Olympic gold medallists Cathy Freeman and Ian Thorpe.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kobe: With just over two months until the 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, reigning Korean Women’s Player of the Year Lee Min-a has joined Japanese powerhouse INAC Kobe Leonessa.
Lee, who added seven goals to Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels’ championship-winning 2017 campaign, joins the three-time Japanese champions, who finished second behind NTV Beleza last year.
The forward is set to become teammates with Japanese internationals such as Aya Sameshima and Mana Iwabuchi, players she is expected face in the 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Korea Repubic and Japan have both been drawn into Group B, alongside Vietnam and 2010 winners Australia.
Lee - who played in thee of Korea’s four Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers, and scored against India – told the the Yonhap news agency she was focused on a successful tournament in Jordan, where the top five finishers will qualify for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Foshan: China PR completed a perfect week, beating Colombia 2-0 to lift the trophy, while Thailand claimed bragging rights against neighbours Vietnam as the curtains came down on the CFA Four Nations Tournament in Guangdong Province.
CHINA PR 2 (Wang Shuang 39’, Ren Guixin 63’)
COLOMBIA 0
A delightful free-kick from the brilliant Wang Shuang, and a Ren Guixin tap-in, helped Siggi Eyjolfsson to his first piece of silverware as China PR head coach, as the eight-time Asian champions proved too strong for Colombia.
The Steel Roses took charge from the off, testing Colombian goalkeeper Sandra Sepulveda on a number of occasions before Wang rattled the crossbar with a free-kick in the 19th minute.
It was another Wang free-kick that broke the deadlock, when the star midfielder curled the ball beyond the motionless Sepulveda and into the net with her left foot from 20 metres just prior to half-time.