West Ham United women’s team forward Riko Ueki earned her 43rd international cap for Japan in a narrow 2-1 defeat to Brazil at a sold-out Estádio Cícero de Souza Marques in Bragança Paulista.
Following a 3-1 loss in the first match of the international double-header, this second fixture proved a much tighter affair. Japan dominated much of the first half, creating several clear chances and striking the post. Their persistence paid off early in the second half when Brighton & Hove Albion’s Kiko Seike finished off a slick team move just a minute after the restart to put Japan ahead.
However, Brazil equalised just seven minutes later through an unfortunate own goal from a corner. Japan hit the post again shortly after, but the move came at a cost. Seike, who had earlier scored, landed awkwardly and was forced off with injury. Ueki replaced her, playing the final half-hour.
The winner came in the closing stages. Just six minutes into her senior debut, 19-year-old Ingrid Aparecida Jhonson, who has impressed during her breakout season with Corinthians, combined with Manchester City’s Kerolin on a quick counter-attack before calmly lifting the ball over the on-rushing goalkeeper.
The result marks the first time in over two years that Japan have fallen to back-to-back defeats.
