Women’s World Cup 2015/Japan

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This article is about the Japanese national women’s football team at the Women’s World Cup 2015 in Canada. Japan was the only Asian team to take part in the World Cup final for the seventh time. Also as defending champion, the team had to qualify again. This was achieved by winning the 2014 Asian Championship for the first time. At the World Cup, Japan reached the final as four years earlier and met the USA again, but lost the title by the highest final defeat.

Qualification
Japan did not have to qualify for the Asian Championship, but was – like Australia, China and South Korea – set.

Group phase

Already by the first place in the group Japan was qualified for the World Cup.

Semi-finals

Final

Coach Norio Sasaki used a total of 25 players in the five games, whereby he spared some regular players in the second and third group game against the weaker opponents. Only two players (Megumi Takase and Rumi Utsugi) were used in all five games, but were only four times in the starting lineup. The best scorers were Azusa Iwashimizu, Emi Nakajima, Chinatsu Kira, Nahomi Kawasumi, Mizuho Sakaguchi and Yūki Ōgimi with two goals each.

Preparation
After the Asian Championship, the Japanese played several test matches and also participated in the Asian Games. Only in the final were they defeated by the North Koreans not admitted to the World Cup and thus took second place:

13 September 2014 in Tendo against Ghana: 5:0 (5:0)
15 September 2014 at the Asian Games in Incheon against China: 0:0
18 September 2014 at the Asian Games in Incheon against Jordan: 12:0 (8:0)
22 September 2014 at the Asian Games in Incheon against the Republic of China 3:0 (2:1)
26 September 2014 quarterfinals at the Asian Games in Incheon against Hong Kong: 9:0 (4:0)
29 September 2014 Semi-finals at the Asian Games in Incheon against Vietnam 3:0 (1:0)
1 October 2014 final at the Asian Games in Incheon against North Korea: 1:3 (0:1)
25 October 2014 in Edmonton against World Cup host Canada: 3:0 (1:0)
October 28, 2014 in Vancouver against World Cup host Canada 3:2 (1:0)

In March 2015, the team again participated in the traditional Algarve Cup in Portugal, meeting Denmark (1-2 on 4 March), France (1-3 on 9 March) and host Portugal (3-0 on 6 March). As a group third, Japan only reached the 9th place match against Iceland on March 11, which was won 2-0. The 9th place is the worst place yet of a reigning world champion in the Algarve Cup. However, Germany took only 8th place in the Algarve Cup 2007 before the successful defending championship.

On 24 May 2015, the team met New Zealand in Kagawa and on 28 May 2015. May in Nagano on Italy and won both games 1-0.

The team shall:

Order
On April 24, 2015, a provisional squad with 40 players was released