Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tokyo: Reigning champions Japan have announced their squad for AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018, with World Cup-winning striker Nahomi Kawasumi making a surprise return to the national team for the first time in two years.
The US-based 32-year-old – whose glittering résumé includes a FIFA Women’s World Cup, the 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup and an Olympic silver medal, was named in Asako Takakura’s side despite not featuring for the Nadeshiko since March 2016.
Kawasumi (pictured above, right), who contributed two goals when Japan became world champions in Germany in 2011, is yet to feature in Takakura’s plans since her appointment as head coach following the 2016 Rio Olympics qualifying tournament.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/japan-algarve_cup_2.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sydney: The 23 players tasked with winning Australia’s second Asian women’s title have been revealed, after head coach Alen Stajcic named a star-studded squad for next month’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Jordan.
Key players Sam Kerr, Katrina Gorry, Emily van Egmond and Alanna Kenendy are all present, in addition to Matildas all-time top scorer Lisa De Vanna, who is set to appear in the tournament for a fifth time.
However, influential winger Caitlin Foord will not be on the plane to Jordan after the 2016 AFC Women’s Player of the Year failed to recover from the foot injury she sustained in the recent W-League finals series.
Kyah Simon, Steph Catley, Hayley Raso and Emily Gielnik – all recent fixtures on the Australian injury list – have recuperated sufficiently to be named in the squad.
Stajcic’s squad is blessed with experience. 13 of the 23 players named have amassed over 50 international caps, and four – Kerr, De Vanna, Simon and Michelle Heyman – have scored at least 20 international goals.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Manila: Rabah Benlarbi will lead the Philippines to next month’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup, after being named the new women’s national team head coach by the Philippine Football Federation (PFF).
Benlarbi was appointed as an assistant coach last month, but has been elevated to the senior role three weeks before the tournament begins in Jordan. The PFF also confirmed Joyce Landagan and Steven Joseph Hoffman as assistant coaches.
The well-travelled Frenchman, who holds a UEFA ‘A’ Licence, replaces English coach Richard Boon, who had overseen the team’s California-based training camp in January and February.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Seoul: Korea Republic have named their final squad for next month’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018, with a 23-strong playing list announced on Friday.
Head coach Yoon Duk-yeo made two changes to the playing group that finished equal seventh at this week’s Algarve Cup in Portugal, with Kim Do-yeon and Kim Hye-yeong replacing the injured Sim Dam-young and Shim Seo-yeon.
Chelsea star and Taegeuk Ladies all-time top scorer Ji So-yun headlines the squad, with the 27-year-old just one appearance away from becoming the fourth Korea Republic international to reach 100 caps.
Ji is one of five players who play their club football abroad, alongside newly Norwegian-based midfield leader Cho So-hyun, Melbourne Victory forward Jeon Ga-eul and INAC Kobe Leonessa duo Cho Ye-seul and Lee Min-a.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Amman: Ticket sales for Asia’s flagship women’s national team competition, the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018, have started today.
Some of the world's top female footballers will battle it out for the crown of Asia when the Finals kick off on April 6 - just 30 days away - in Jordan’s historical capital city Amman.
The eight teams competing for continental glory represent some of the world's leading women's football countries and the incredible variety of the Asian continent - and beyond: China PR, reigning champions Japan, Korea Republic, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, and Australia who will cover the biggest distance to travel to the Finals will join hosts Jordan in Amman as the competition starts on Friday, April 6. The final will be played on April 20 at 20:00 local time.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Amman: West Asia is playing host to the AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in just 30 days, and the timing couldn’t be better for a generation of talented Jordanian players.
Jordan has led the way in developing the women’s game in West Asia, winning the WAFF Championship on three occasions, reaching the top 50 in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings and hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2016.
Now, the nation is set to welcome the stars of Asia for the largest, most significant women’s tournament the continent has to offer.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tokyo: Japan’s Saki Kumagai has lived out the sort of moments that belong only in the wildest dreams of most footballers.
In 2011, as a 20-year-old, she scored the winning spot-kick when the Nadeshiko beat the United States on penalties in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final, before moving to Germany, then France, where she has won 10 major trophies with Olympique Lyonnais.
That haul of silverware includes UEFA Women’s Champions League titles in the last two seasons, with Kumagai, again scoring the decisive penalty in a shootout to complete a historic personal double in the 2016 win.
Now 27, and considered one of the world’s elite players in defence or midfield, Kumagai has won nearly all there is to win in the game, but there is one trophy that has eluded her - the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Japan became champions for the first time four years ago, but Kumagai played no part in the tournament, as club duty kept her in France while her Japanese teammates overcame Australia in the final in Ho Chi Minh City.