ICHIHARA, Japan (Interstat) — Ayaka Inoue scored twice, including a go-ahead goal in first-half stoppage time, and JEF United W defeated Nojima Stella W 3-1 on Saturday in a WE League match. JEF United W improved to 2-1 in the competition and 2-1 overall. Nojima Stella W fell to 1-2 in the competition and 2-4 overall. Uemoto M. opened the scoring for JEF United W in the seventh minute. Mayu Otake equalized for Nojima Stella W in the 45th minute. Inoue restored the lead in the 45th minute plus two. She added her second goal in the 69th minute.

Uemoto M. scored in the seventh minute to give JEF United W a 1-0 advantage. Nojima Stella W trailed until Otake scored in the 45th minute. The goal made it 1-1. Inoue then scored in the 45th minute plus two to give JEF United W a 2-1 lead at halftime. In the 69th minute, Inoue scored again for a 3-1 lead. Neither team scored after that. JEF United W protected the two-goal advantage through the final whistle. The home side scored twice in the first half and once in the second. Nojima Stella W scored once in the first half and was held off the board after the break.

Inoue finished with two goals in 90 minutes and was JEF United W’s top performer. Otake played 90 minutes and scored once for Nojima Stella W. Inoue had also scored once in JEF United W’s previous match at Saitama W, giving her goals in consecutive appearances. Otake’s goal was Nojima Stella W’s only score of the match. JEF United W had lost at Saitama W and won at Omiya Ardija W in its previous two matches before the match. Nojima Stella W entered the match after a loss to Omiya Ardija W, a win at Parceiro Nagano W, losses to Inac Kobe Leonesa W and Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies, and a win over Chifure AS Elfen Saitama W.

The result moved JEF United W to two wins and one loss in the competition and two wins and one loss across all competitions. Nojima Stella W moved to one win and two losses in the competition and two wins and four losses across all competitions. The competition records cover WE League play. Nojima Stella W’s season has included a 2-1 home loss to Omiya Ardija W, a 2-0 win at Parceiro Nagano W, a 4-1 home loss to Inac Kobe Leonesa W, a 5-1 loss at Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies, and a 1-0 home win over Chifure AS Elfen Saitama W. JEF United W’s results before this match were a 2-1 loss at Saitama W and a 2-1 win at Omiya Ardija W.

Nojima Stella W is scheduled to play at Cerezo Osaka Ladies next, followed by a home match against Albirex Niigata W and a trip to Mynavi Vegalta Sendai Ladies. Later matches include a visit to JEF United Ichihara Chiba Ladies W, a home match against Beleza W, trips to AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies and Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina W, and home games against Omiya W and Mynavi Vegalta Sendai Ladies before another visit to Omiya W. The upcoming slate continues in WE League play. The schedule also includes a second meeting with Omiya W and a second meeting with Mynavi Vegalta Sendai Ladies.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of JEF United W 2, Nojima Stella W 1. The simulator projected a one-goal margin for JEF United W. Interstat’s ELO system had projected JEF United W with a 70.2 percent probability to win. The projection was made before the match.