Young Nadeshiko find strength through adversity

In their second group stage tie of the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Poland 2026™, Japan shared the spoils with the USA in an entertaining 2-2 draw. Despite giving up the lead twice, they pegged their opponents back to secure a vital point.

Japan fell behind in the 35th minute, and it wasn’t until the 74th minute that Natsumi Tago brought them back level. The parity was short-lived, however, with Alex Buck restoring the USA’s lead a mere 60 seconds later.

Nevertheless, the Asian side refused to give up. With 83 minutes on the clock, Konoha Nakamura hit a delightful curling effort that snuck just inside the post, bringing the scores back level. Although victory ultimately eluded them, Nakamura’s intervention from the bench proved to be a valuable one for Japan.

Looking back at her strike, Nakamura said: “Mone Sato’s run in behind drew the defenders out, freeing up the centre for me.  It was definitely a chance that the whole team worked to create.”

She also discussed her feelings coming on as a substitute, adding: “My first focus was on getting us the result. We were behind at the time, so I wanted to get us a goal.”

This was precisely what transpired. The moment Nakamura entered the pitch, she was proactive and focused on delivering the result that her team needed  by changing the flow of the game from the bench – a perfect example of Japan’s single-minded, teamwork-focused attitude.

The Young Nadeshiko made hard work of their opener against New Zealand, labouring to a 2-1 victory, and have yet to really demonstrate what they are capable of. The team struggle to score at times, and have been slow to regain momentum after conceding.

Nevertheless, they found a late winner in their first game and twice made their way back into the match against the USA. With different players making crucial contributions and a pair of challenging games under their belt, the team is becoming increasingly strong as a unit.

According to head coach Akira Ijiri, their ability to twice come back from behind was “because they refused to give up until the end, and played with Japanese teamwork and single-mindedness.”

“There are certainly a lot of areas where we can improve,  but the team is growing rapidly with every game they play. I think that difficulties represent opportunities to develop,” he explained, adding, “We always see ourselves as challengers in a game. We approach every match like it’s a final, so there’s absolutely no room for negativity.”

Based purely on results, Japan’s World Cup journey has been far from smooth sailing. However, one thing that has stood out has been their refusal to be defeated, and their ability to solve problems within a game. Rather than being a signal of stagnation, their struggles are an important part of the team’s development.

Their next match will be the final group stage game against Italy. As they continue to grow through adversity, the Young Nadeshiko are now looking to turn their progress into victory and book their place in the knockout stages.