Multiple weather delays didn’t stop Tokiwagi Gakuen High School from dominating Saturday’s Target USA CUP girls U16 MNUFC division championship game. Tokiwagi defeated KoldingQ, a Denmark team, 4-1 to repeat as tournament champions. Tokiwagi goalie Kana Nishikawa won the Golden Glove award which is given to the tournament’s top goalie. Forward Madoka Sato won the Golden Boot award after leading Tokiwagi in goals scored.
Midfielder Tomoka Nakamura’s immediate goal to open the game set the tone for Tokiwagi’s offense on Saturday. Tokwagi’s direct and quick passes helped the team control possession throughout the contest. Rio Kikuchi scored at the end of the first half, putting Tokiwagi up 2-0.
KoldingQ didn’t go down without a fight. Forward Caroline Borch scored to start the second half, cutting Tokiwagi’s lead down to one. Less than a minute later, Tokiwagi star Madoka Sato fired back with a goal, increasing the team’s lead to 3-1. Midfielder Tomoka Nakumara scored her second goal of the day en-route to extending Tokiwagi’s lead to 4-1. KoldingQ goalie Frieda Ravnskjae made impressive saves throughout the game.
“Everybody worked together today to score those goals,” said Tokiwagi forward Madoka Sato.
Tokiwagi’s dominance throughout Target USA CUP doesn’t surprise many. Tokiwagi cruised through the tournament’s semi-finals on Friday, beating Blaine SC 8-0. The squad also won the U19 division of Target USA CUP’s weekend tournament on Sunday.
Tokiwagi goalie Kana Nishikawa won Target USA CUP’s Golden Glove award. Nishikawa gave up only two goals throughout the tournament. Nishikawa’s constant saves took pressure off Tokiwagi’s defense.
Goalie Kana Nishikawa poses with the 2019 Target USA CUP Golden Glove Award. (NSC/Grace Tafolla)
Tokiwagi’s Madoka Sato took home the tournament’s Golden Boot award. Sato led Tokiwagi in goals scored throughout Target USA CUP. She notched one goal in the championship game.
Madoka Sato poses with the 2019 Target USA CUP Golden Boot Award. (NSC/Grace Tafolla)
“I didn’t kick those goals for myself or for the award,” said Sato. “I’m just happy I could help the team win.”
Futbol Consultants take home title
The 13U Boys MNUFC division final also had a distinctly international flair. Futbol Consultants San Jose defeated QPCC Football Blue from Trinidad and Tobago by a score of 5-0.
Futbol Consultants San Jose won the U13 Boys MNUFC Division Saturday. (NSC/ Aidan Berg)
Consultants got on the board with an own goal on a clearance mistake by QPCC, but after that left little doubt about the outcome. Golden Boot-winning forward Andrey Morales scored two goals from distance, one in each half. Fellow forward Luis Espinar added two scores of his own, both in the second half on perfectly-timed runs. Goalkeeper Diego Tristan earned the Golden Glove award for his work in goal, bringing up fellow goalkeeper Julian Osborne to share in the celebration.
– Aidan Berg
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