Former Japan youth worldwide Aoi Kizaki is the most recent soccer expertise to hitch AFC Toronto of the brand new Northern Tremendous League.
Kizaki, 26, is the membership’s fifth signing, becoming a member of Canadians Cloey Uddenberg, Jade Kovacevic and Leah Pais and American Croix Soto.
The previous Japanese under-19 and under-20 worldwide can play each within the backline and midfield.
Since marking her skilled debut with Urawa Reds in 2016, Kizaki has made greater than 100 appearances within the Japanese Girls’s Empowerment Skilled Soccer League (WE League) with subsequent stints with Elfen Saitama, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and most lately Tokyo Verdy Beleza.
The six-team NSL is ready to kick off in April, with franchises in Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax, together with Toronto.
Toronto coach Marko Milanovic calls Kizaki a quintessential Japanese participant. “Technically and tactically very proficient. Very very comfy on the ball. Very disciplined,” he mentioned in an interview.
Whereas Kizaki has performed left again at youth degree for Japan, Milanovic expects to deploy her as a holding midfielder. She will be able to additionally play on the midfield flank or at centre again.
“Becoming a member of AFC Toronto is an unbelievable alternative to develop as a participant and embrace a brand new model of soccer, new tradition and a brand new skilled atmosphere,” Kizaki, whose title is pronounced Ow-ee Key-za-Kee, mentioned in an announcement. “I’m excited to deliver my expertise and fervour to the membership, contribute to its success, and encourage the subsequent era of gamers.”
Milanovic mentioned Kizaki must modify to the physicality and tempo of the North American recreation.
“However as soon as she will get used to that facet of the sport, we predict she might be very, very efficient.”
The coach mentioned Kizaki was really useful whereas he and sporting director Billy Wilson have been scouting the FIFA Girls’s U-20 World Cup in September in Colombia the place they talked to Japanese coaches.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Dec. 5, 2024
