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Own goal and bitter mistake
Japan’s goal machine overheats against Norway
8/5/2023 11:56 am
After three dominant group victories, Japan continued with a show of force in the World Cup round of 16 and bowled Norway out of the tournament. The Scandinavians, after all former winners at the World and European Championships and the Olympics, goof twice, while Japan counters fantastically.
Japan’s goal machine also ran hot against Norway, earning the Asians a place in the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup. The two-time Asian champion won the ticket for the round of the top eight with a 3-1 (1-1) win over the Scandinavian co-favourites, where they will face either Olympic silver medalist Sweden or defending champion USA.
An own goal by Ingrid Engen (15th), Risa Shimizu (50th) and Hinata Miyazawa (81st) ensured Japan’s tournament goals 12, 13 and 14. For Norway it was only enough for an interim equalizer from Guro Reit (20th). A year after losing the preliminary round at the European Championships, the Scandinavians once again ended a fragmented tournament early.
The Japanese confirmed in Wellington the strong impression they had made throughout the tournament. With a dominant game and a lot of running work, the 2011 world champion gained advantages. The lead was logical, Engen had deflected a cross from Miyazawa.
Miyazawa with her fifth goal
Norway came back out of nowhere with Reit’s header, the 1995 world champion’s 100th World Cup goal, and from then on put up more resistance – and that too after Japan shortly after the break by Shimizu’s right-footed shot after a catastrophic miss by Bøe Risa in their own penalty area took the lead again. But the Scandinavians didn’t manage to get in front of the opposing caste in a really dangerous way. Japan let ball and opponent run.
Karina Saevik (77th) missed a possible equalizer from an acute angle with a rare chance. Shortly before, the former world footballer Ada Hegerberg had come onto the field. However, when Miyazawa made it 3-1 with her fifth goal of the tournament after a fantastic counterattack, the game was decided.
On Sunday (11 a.m. CEST/ARD), Sweden and the USA will play Japan’s opponents for the quarter-finals on Friday (9.30 a.m. CEST). It should be a tougher chunk for the Asians than Norway.