Japan are firming as legit challengers for the Girls’s World Cup after cashing in on Norwegian errors to ebook a spot within the quarter-finals.
Hinata Miyazawa iced a 3-1 win for Nadeshiko on Saturday night time in Wellington along with her fifth purpose of the event, placing her on high of the golden boot race.
Norway solely had themselves in charge for his or her spherical of 16 exit, making terrible defensive blunders in each halves.
Ingrid Syrstad Engen scored an early personal purpose, deflecting Miyazawa’s cross agonisingly previous Aurora Mikalsen, who scrambled however may solely watch the ball trickle inside the web.
After equalising by way of Guro Reiten’s nice header, Norway then succumbed to Japan’s hyper-press.
Within the fiftieth minute, Vilde Boe Risa laid on a hospital move within the field which Risa Shimzu picked off, taking a contact earlier than scoring a simple go-ahead purpose for Japan.
After resisting Norway’s stress for a second equaliser, Miyazawa then raced onto an excellent defence-splitting move by Aoba Fujino, and the sport was finished.
Nadeshiko totally merited their win, controlling the tempo all night time within the battle of the previous World Cup winners.
Japan, the 2011 champions, ran rings round their Scandinavian opponents, who triumphed in 1995.
When Norway did rating – the primary purpose Japan have conceded to this point this event – it got here towards the run of play.
Norway seemed most harmful with the ball at Caroline Graham Hansen’s ft, significantly with former Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg left on the bench till the 74th minute.
It was Hegeberg’s first look for Norway since their opening night time loss to New Zealand.
Ayaka Yamashita then pulled out a contender for save of the event to disclaim Karina Saevik’s header by only a few centimetres: one other signal it wasn’t to be Norway’s night time.
Hege Riise’s facet face a possible inquest following their exit after their opening night time loss to New Zealand sparked infighting.
Japan, in distinction, look a well-drilled staff working in concord.
Their victory means they advance to a gathering with both the US or Sweden in Auckland on Friday.
