Decorated with trophies and dripping with quality, Yuki Nagasato’s debut Westfield W-League season for Brisbane Roar was always going to be memorable.
The Japanese forward’s reputation is tremendous, having won the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the 2010 UEFA Champions League and multiple league and cup trophies in Germany and Japan.
And with a player of such calibre on their squad, Brisbane were able to rely on Nagasato to get the ball moving when it mattered.
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Nagasato unlocked defences across Australia throughout the Westfield W-League 2018/19 Season, ranking sixth in chances created across the season.
The 31-year-old would regularly play through Allira Toby and English international Chioma Ubogagu, though she was more than capable of going it herself.
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Nagasato ever-present in Roar’s see-sawing start
Mel Andreatta’s side were well below their best to begin the season.
Having scored just four goals in their opening five matches, Brisbane were fortunate to pick up seven points from the same span.
Although she missed Roar’s opening two fixtures, Nagasato was heavily present in the two goals Brisbane managed to score over the next three rounds, teeing up Chioma Ubogagu’s winner against Newcastle Jets and scoring in their 5-1 loss to Sydney FC.
The floodgates opened in a rain-soaked 4-3 win over Melbourne Victory the week after. Nagasato put another in the back of the net on the occasion, showcasing stunning ball control to bury the eventual winner.
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Nagasato corners Wanderers
132 international caps of experience came to the fore when Nagasato condemned Western Sydney to a 3-1 loss in Round 8.
Two identical crosses sent in from the left corner post were bundled home, although both Indiah-Paige Riley and the Wanderers’ Sydney Miramontez weren’t particularly well-acquainted to the goals they had each scored.
Nagasato was one of the Roar’s best in a tough defeat to eventual Champions Sydney FC in Round 12, and continued to shine in a finals-securing 4-1 rout of Canberra in Round 13.
The forward was at her dynamic best in the lead-up to finals, creating 12 chances in the final three rounds, and she was unfortunate to not score herself in their Round 14 loss to Adelaide United.
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Sad ending to stunning season
Up against the mighty Sydney FC in the Westfield W-League Semi Finals, the 31-year-old’s never say die attitude was evident.
The Chicago Red Stars striker struck a wicked finish to halve the deficit in the 92nd minute and reignite hopes of a dream fightback from Andreatta’s outfit.
It was Sydney who would ultimately prevail, signalling what felt a premature end to the season for Nagasato and the Roar.
A trophy-winner in almost every competition she’s featured in, fans will be holding out hope that Nagasato will return to the Queensland capital to secure her very own piece of Westfield W-League silverware.
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