# 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.

## 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. 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. 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.
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. She played 122 games and scored 11 goals for Japan until 2016.

## Club statistics

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

## National team statistics

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