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Miyazawa wins 2025 SheBelieves Cup with Japan
Thursday 27 February 2025 13:03
Manchester United midfielder Hinata Miyazawa continued her strong start to 2025 by helping Japan to win this year’s edition of the SheBelieves Cup overnight.
Our no.20 was introduced as a half-time substitute as her nation upset the odds by beating tournament hosts and favourites USA 2-1 at the Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, to win the invitational round-robin competition for the first time in their history.
A second-minute opener from Yuka Momiki – who could face us with Leicester on Sunday – gave Japan the perfect start, and after Ally Sentnor quickly got the United States back on level terms, Feyenoord’s Toko Koga notched the decisive goal five minutes into the second half.
Hini played in all of Japan’s matches at the tournament, on the back of a standout spell of form for United.
Japan’s free-scoring form in wins over Australia (4-0) and Colombia (4-1) meant they went into the top-of-the-table clash level on points with ex-Chelsea boss Emma Hayes’s USA but only needing a draw to lift the silverware, due to their superior goal difference.
With the latter playing at home, unbeaten in 17 outings since Hayes’s summer arrival and having won seven of the previous nine iterations of the SheBelieves Cup, they were undoubtedly favourites, but it was Miyazawa and co celebrating success at full-time of the encounter played in front of 17,188 supporters in California.
It sees them join USA – plus the France side of 2017 and Phil Neville’s 2019 England team – on the list of champions since the tournament started nine years ago. Congratulations, Hini!
Miyazawa is not the only member of Marc Skinner’s squad returning to Manchester with a medal from international duty, either.
Simi Awujo and Jayde Riviere have been celebrating success at the Pinatar Cup with former United head coach Casey Stoney’s Canada, since Tuesday’s 7-0 win over Chinese Taipei.
That result was enough for our duo and their compatriots to win the annual invitational tournament in Spain, on the back of a draw with China and a 2-0 triumph against Mexico earlier in this international window. We love to see it!
Not a bad way to start 2025🏆❤️🔥 pic.twitter.com/tM2u9ohtr9
— Jayde Riviere (@jayderiviere) February 26, 2025
WHO ELSE HAS PLAYED THIS WEEK?
On Wednesday evening, United midfielders Grace Clinton and Ella Toone started for England in their narrow 1-0 victory over Spain at Wembley Stadium, in the UEFA Nations League.
Their club team-mates Maya Le Tissier and Millie Turner were unused substitutes for the Lionesses in the 2023 World Cup final rematch, at which Reds forward Rachel Williams was also presented with a special legacy cap honouring her 15 senior appearances for the national team.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Celin Bizet set up Elisabeth Terland for Norway’s opening goal of a 2-1 triumph over Switzerland in the same competition, while Dominique Janssen played the entirety of the Netherlands’ come-from-behind victory away to Scotland, who had Emma Watson as an unused substitute.
Elsewhere, Nations League duty also called for the Republic of Ireland’s Aoife Mannion, who played the full 90 minutes as the Girls in Green were beaten 4-0 away to Slovenia.
Melvine Malard, meanwhile, was not called upon from the bench as France beat Iceland 3-2, with the services of young Reds Mared Griffiths, Scarlett Hill and Safia Middleton-Patel also not required for Wales in their 1-1 draw at home to Sweden.
Clinton celebrates with England’s goalscorer against Spain, Manchester City’s Jess Park.
Speaking of Sweden, Anna Sandberg featured for the country’s Under-23s for the second time this month on Monday, in a 4-1 win against Czech Republic.
At the same youth level, United goalkeeper Kayla Rendell kept a clean sheet as England scored the only goal against France in Stevenage on Tuesday, with Jess Simpson an unused sub for the Young Lionesses.
That was before England’s Under-19s beat the Netherlands on penalties, after a 1-1 draw in Wednesday’s meeting at the Albir Garden Tournament in Spain, where young Reds defender Lucy Newell was involved in the former’s matchday squad but didn’t make it onto the pitch.
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Thursday 27 February 2025 13:03
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