WE League: Kozue Ando faces former club Urawa Reds Ladies

In a WE League match on September 5, NTV Tokyo Verdy Beleza faced Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Urawa Reds Ladies. The match featured veteran forward Kozue Ando, who recently transferred from Urawa to Beleza. The 44-year-old, a former World Cup winner, started the match and created a significant scoring opportunity by assisting teammate Yuzuho Shiochi in the first half.

Despite Ando's contribution, Beleza lost the match with a score of 1-3. Ando expressed gratitude for the warm reception from former supporters at the stadium and noted the challenge of adapting to a new team style.

Urawa Reds Ladies' Kotono Sakakibara, who has recently been selected for the Nadeshiko Japan national team, also drew attention. Following two consecutive assist performances, Sakakibara aimed to expand her impact by contributing goals in high-stakes matches against top-tier rivals.