Azusa Iwashimizu

Azusa Iwashimizu (岩清水 梓, Iwashimizu Azusa; born 14 October 1986) is a Japanese footballer who played as a defender for Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the WE League and the Japan national team.

Azusa Iwashimizu
岩清水 梓

Personal information
Full name	Azusa Iwashimizu
Date of birth	(1986-10-14) 14 October 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth	Takizawa, Iwate, Japan
Height	1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Tokyo Verdy Beleza
Number	33
Youth career
1999–2002	Tokyo Verdy Beleza
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–	Tokyo Verdy Beleza	278	(21)
Total		278	(21)
International career
2006–2016	Japan	122	(11)
Medal record Nippon TV Beleza Winner Nadeshiko League 2005 Winner Nadeshiko League 2006 Winner Nadeshiko League 2007 Winner Nadeshiko League 2008 Winner Nadeshiko League 2010 Winner Nadeshiko League 2015 Winner Nadeshiko League 2016 Winner Nadeshiko League 2017 Winner Nadeshiko League 2018 Runner-up Nadeshiko League 2003 Runner-up Nadeshiko League 2004 Runner-up Nadeshiko League 2009 Runner-up Nadeshiko League 2011 Runner-up Nadeshiko League 2012 Runner-up Nadeshiko League 2013 Runner-up Nadeshiko League 2014 Winner Nadeshiko League Cup 2007 Winner Nadeshiko League Cup 2010 Winner Nadeshiko League Cup 2012 Winner Nadeshiko League Cup 2016 Winner Nadeshiko League Cup 2018 Winner Empress's Cup 2004 Winner Empress's Cup 2005 Winner Empress's Cup 2007 Winner Empress's Cup 2008 Winner Empress's Cup 2009 Winner Empress's Cup 2014 Winner Empress's Cup 2017 Winner Empress's Cup 2018 Runner-up Empress's Cup 2003 Representing  Japan Olympic Games 2012 London Team FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 Germany 2015 Canada AFC Women's Asian Cup 2014 Vietnam 2008 Vietnam 2010 China Asian Games 2010 Guangzhou Team 2006 Doha Team 2014 Incheon Team
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 December 2018

Club career

Iwashimizu was born in Takizawa on 14 October 1986. In 2003, she was promoted to Nippon TV Beleza after developing in their youth team. She played 260 matches in the L.League until 2017. She was elected to the league's Best XI for 12 years in a row (2006-2017).

National team career

On 18 February 2006, when Iwashimizu was 19 years old, she debuted for Japan national team against Russia.^[1] She has played in the 2007, 2011 and 2015 World Cups, winning the 2011 World Cup and winning a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics.^[2][3] In the final minute of extra time in the 2011 World Cup Final, she was sent off after receiving a red card for slide tackling Alex Morgan. Japan would go on to win the match in the penalty shootout that followed.^[4]

Iwashimizu was instrumental in Japan's victory at the 2014 Asian Cup, scoring the winning goal in both the semifinal against China and the final against Australia.^[5] She played 122 games and scored 11 goals for Japan until 2016.

Club statistics

As of 11 November 2012

Club	Season	League		Cup		League Cup		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Nippon TV Beleza	2003	17	1	1	0	-		18	1
	2004	0	0			-
	2005	16	1	4	0	-		20	1
	2006	17	3	3	0	-		20	3
	2007	19	1	3	0	1	0	23	1
	2008	16	2	0	0	-		16	2
	2009	21	2	4	0	-		25	2
	2010	17	2	1	0	5	0	23	2
	2011	16	1	3	0	-		19	1
	2012	17	1			5	0
Career total		156	14			11	0

National team statistics

^[1][6]

Japan national team Year Apps Goals 2006 10 3 2007 13 2 2008 18 0 2009 3 0 2010 13 3 2011 17 0 2012 11 0 2013 10 0 2014 14 3 2015 10 0 2016 3 0 Total 122 11

International goals # Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 7 May 2006 Kumamoto Athletics Stadium, Kumamoto Japan  United States 1–0 1–3 Friendly Match 2. 7 December 2006 Umm-Affai Stadium, Al-Rayyan Qatar  China 0–1 0–1 Football at the 2006 Asian Games 3. 10 December 2006 Qatar SC Stadium, Doha Qatar  South Korea 1–0 3–1 Football at the 2006 Asian Games 4. 4 August 2007 Lạch Tray Stadium, Hai Phong, Vietnam  Vietnam 0–2 0–8 Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics qualification 5. 2 September 2007 Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan  Brazil 1–1 2–1 Friendly Match 6. 15 January 2010 Estadio Municipal Francisco Sánchez Rumoroso, Coquimbo Chile  Chile 1–1 1–1 2010 Bicennteniall Woman's Cup (es) 7. 20 May 2010 Chengdu Sports Centre, Chengdu China  Myanmar 1–0 8–0 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup 8. 22 November 2010 Tianhe Stadium, Guangzhou China  North Korea 0–1 0–1 Football at the 2010 Asian Games 9. 22 May 2014 Thống Nhất Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam  China 2-1 2–1 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup 10. 25 May 2014 Thống Nhất Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam  Australia 1-0 1-0 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup 11. 26 September 2014 Hwaseong Stadium, South Korea  Hong Kong 5-0 9-0 Football at the 2014 Asian Games

Honors and awards

Team

Japan women's national football team

• FIFA Women's World Cup

Champion: 2011

• East Asian Football Championship

Champion: 2010

• East Asian Football Championship

Champions: 2008, 2010

• AFC Women's Asian Cup

Champion: 2014

Nippon TV Beleza

• L.League

Champions (11): 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

• Empress's Cup :

Champions: 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2017, 2018

• Nadeshiko League Cup :

Champions: 2007, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018

Individual

• L.League

Best Eleven (13): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018