With national icon Asako Takakura at the helm and experienced skipper Hina Sugita guiding her teammates on the pitch, Japan are certainly a talented side both on and off the pitch.
Japan have a storied history in this event, despite this being just the fourth edition to date. In 2008 in New Zealand they reached the quarter-finals, the same result they achieved in the Azerbaijan event in 2012.
The biggest moment for this side has to be making the final in 2010 where they were on the edge of a maiden U-17 Women’s World Cup title, only to be downed on penalties against Korea.
This side is far from shy when it comes to finding the back of the net, scoring a total of 34 goals in only three games during qualifying.
The Young Nadeshiko has gone on to clinch a top-two spot thanks to a 2-0 opening victory over Spain and a 10-0 thrashing of Paraguay and will be hoping to take maximum points into the quarter-finals to set up match against the second ranked Group C side.
It’s a daunting task for the Kiwis who have met Japan on three previous occasions, without notching a win or even a single goal.
At the 2010 U-17 World Cup they went down 6-0 and two years later in Azerbaijan had brought the deficit to 3-0. In a pre-tournament event the two sides attended during February in the USA, that difference had been extended back out to 5-0.
As well as past results not falling in the Young Ferns favour, Japan also appear to be in top form at this event, which their results so far clearly show.
As expected midfielder and captain Sugita is firing on all cylinders, helping herself to a hat-trick in just 11 minutes during her side’s dismantling of Paraguay, a feat that earned her the Live Your Goals Player of the Match.
While aware of the task that looms before her side, New Zealand coach Jitka Klimkova remains positive that her side is still in the running to snatch a quarter-final berth.
“Japan are favourites for the competition. We met them in a friendly in the United States and they beat us [5-0],” she says.
“That match was useful for us because now we’re better prepared to take them on.”
If New Zealand can successfully snatch a win over the group favourites, they’ll also need to rely on the results of the match between Spain and Paraguay. With three points, Spain currently sit behind Japan, while New Zealand and Paraguay are equal on one-a-piece.
The Young Football Ferns will play Japan in their final Group C match in the National Stadium of Costa Rica in San Jose, kick-off is at 12 noon today (Monday 23 March NZT).

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