Amman: Reigning champions Japan got an early look at the venue and the host nation for the 2018 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, beating Jordan 2-0 at King Abdullah II Stadium on Friday, just 14 days before the official tournament draw is held.
Two goals in three first-half minutes from Mana Iwabuchi laid the foundation for the win, Japan’s second in a row after they beat Switzerland last month to end a four-match winless streak.
Former Bayern Munich star Iwabuchi gave Japan the lead when she found space on the edge of the area and stroked home a soft but accurate shot from just inside the penalty area in the 27th minute.
Iwabuchi had waited 17 months since her last international goal, but her next one came just three minutes later when she played a neat one-two with Mizuho Sakaguchi to breach the Jordanian defence, and was able to complete the simplest of finishes from close range to make it 2-0.
Jordan nearly pulled a goal back when Sakaguchi’s errant defensive header lobbed over the head of stranded goalkeeper Sakiko Ikeda, with Shahnaz Jebreen only just unable to reach the ball in time to steer it into the empty net.
Asako Takakura’s team certainly had the better of the first half, but the gulf in class was a far cry from the one evident in the teams’ most recent previous meeting, when Japan won 7-0 at the 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.
Mami Ueno should have increased the Nadeshiko’s lead in the 56th minute, but she was denied at point blank range by Shalma Ghazal, and the Jordanian goalkeeper produced another strong save to prevent Iwabuchi from completing her hat-trick shortly thereafter.
Jebreen against went close for Jordan, but her shot was saved by Ikeda with 15 minutes to play, and although Michael Dickey’s side created more chances, they were kept scoreless in an international match for the first time since their 3-0 loss to Croatia in July.
As Asia’s biggest women’s tournament draws ever closer, the match was a solid hit out for both sides, and a welcome win for Japan ahead of next month’s EAFF Championship on home soil.
The two teams cannot be drawn against one another in the December 9 AFC Women’s Asian Cup Jordan 2018 draw by virtue of their status as top seeds; Jordan as hosts and Japan as winners of the last edition of the tournament in Vietnam.
Photos: FIFA.com, AFP
Source: the-afc.com