Canada falls to Japan in first U-17 international soccer test

In its first international match in this new women’s U-17 cycle, Canada fell 1:2 to Japan in Carson, CA, USA. With still less than a full week under its belt, the Canadian team came together quickly for this women’s U-17 international match on Friday 26 August 2011 at Field #4 at the Home Depot Center. Japan goals by Yuka Momiki and Akari Shiraki were countered by a late Canadian strike by Kajal Parmar.

Canadian U-17 head coach Bryan Rosenfeld said it was a good showing against one of the best teams in the world, with Japan’s national "A" side the current FIFA Women’s World Cup champions. The two sides will face each other one more time in three days on Monday 29 August.

"Everything is still new to this team, but we have come along way in just six days," said Rosenfeld.

Parmar of Surrey United scored Canada’s lone goal in the 86th minute. It was a "great play" forward by Myriam Guay to Parmar, with Parmar able to spin past one defender and then get past a second defender before beating the goalkeeper Miyu Someya.

Japan’s goals were scored in the 22nd and 69th minutes. Momiki scored the first goal after making a blindsided run and getting past the defender before beating Canadian goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan. Shiraki scored the second goal after a nice combination play with her midfielder.

Coach Rosenfeld noted that both goalkeepers played well in the match, making some very good saves on chances at both ends of the pitch. Japan created about nine good chances while Canada created six. Both sides had one corner kick apiece.

After the match, coach Rosenfeld selected midfielder Nicole Loncar of Brams United SC as his player of the match.

Canada’s starting XI featured Kailen Sheridan in goal, Valérie Moisan at left back, Kadeisha Buchanan and Leticia Skeete at centre back, Lindsay Agnew at right back, and Jasmine Mander, Nicole Loncar, Ashley Lawrence, Nichelle Prince, Elissa Neff and Amandine Pierre-Louis from the midfield up through to the attack.

Coach Rosenfeld made eight substitutions, the first of which replaced Mander with Rebecca Quinn in the 24th minute. Rosenfeld also switched Pierre-Louis for Summer Clarke (46′), Prince and Quinn for Kajal Parmar and Valérie Sanderson (61′), Moisan and Neff for Kathryn Baker and Nicole Lindsay (75′), Buchanan for Myriam Guay (82′), and Agnew for Buchanan (re-entry because of an injury at 90’+1).

Japan’s starting XI featured Miyu Someya in goal, Miho Manya at left back, Ruka Norimatsu and Arisa Matsubara at centre back, Risa Shimizu at right back, Mizuki Nakamura, Miki Irie, Miki Ito and Yuka Momiki at midfield, and Ayaka Noguchi and Miwa Sasaki up front.

Coach Yoshita Hiroshi made five substitutions, the first of which replaced Irie with Ayaka Inoue in the 32nd minute. Hiroshi then made four more substitutions at the half, replacing Noguchi, Norimatsu, Shimizu and Sasaki with Yuka Toriumi, Rika Masuya, Yuri Nagamachi and Akari Shiraki.

This was Japan’s second match in two days, with coach Hiroshi featuring 21 players over the two days. Today’s group of 16 players included 10 that also played yesterday, although they all played less than the full 90 minutes in one or both of the matches. On 25 August, Japan drew 2:2 with USA with first-half goals by Miki Hirata.

Canada’s 11-day national camp runs 20-30 August 2011 in Oxnard and Los Angeles, CA. In this first match, coach Rosenfeld featured 18 of his 20 players. The Canadian women’s U-17 team, with players all born in 1995 or later, is preparing for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Azerbaijan 2012.