AFP/Ottawa
Japan coach Norio Sasaki admitted his side struggled to control England before a dramatic own-goal sealed a 2-1 win at the Women’s World Cup and set up a title rematch with the United States.
Defender Laura Bassett turned the ball into her own net deep into injury time to send a heartbroken England home from their first semi-final and holders Japan through to their second straight final in Vancouver next Sunday.
The opening two goals came from penalties from Japan captain Aya Miyama (33) and Fara Williams (40) as a gritty English side matched the reigning champions.
Japan’s ‘Nadeshiko’ had been unable to dictate play the way they had in their five previous games, which were also won by one-goal margins.
“Today we had a tough game. I thought we could play the way we wanted to and we could stick to our plan, but they were playing in a very simple manner and they were also powerful,” said Sasaki.
“England were more mobile than I was expecting, and we struggled to cause them problems.
“We didn’t play as well as I’d hoped, but we’ve qualified which is the main thing.”
The Japan coach saw the own-goal more as the result of his players pressing for the winner than a mistake from the devastated Bassett.
“As for the own goal, I feel sorry for the player, but
Yuki Ogimi was right behind her ready to pounce, so I don’t
think it would have made a difference either way,” he explained.
“We still created the goalscoring opportunity ourselves—for me, it’s more a goal made by Nahomi Kawasumi and Ogimi than an own goal.”
Japan must ‘take risks’
Sasaki’s players had been motivated to do well for teammate Kozue Ando, who broke her ankle in the opening game and returned to Japan for surgery.
“In the dressing room, Kozue Ando told the players over the phone that she would be at the final in Vancouver to support them,” the coach said.
“I think that provided them with the motivation to qualify.”
The former FIFA world coach of the year said he told his players at half-time to take more risks. “The style England played, they were taking risks. I told my players not to be afraid of making mistakes otherwise we wouldn’t be able to take chances,” he said.
Sunday’s championship match will be a third clash for a major title between Japan and the United States. In the 2011 final in Frankfurt, Japan won on penalities, but the Americans went on to take Olympic gold in 2012 by beating Japan in the final.
“In the final against the USA I think we can go in with a fresh prespective. It’s a final and there is nothing beyond that. We must not be afraid to make mistakes. This is what I will tell the players.”
‘Hearts of lions’
England coach Mark Sampson praised the Japanese side.
“We have to pay credit to Japan. We saw today why they’re world champions, they’ve got hearts of lions.
“They hung in there and they stayed in the game. They represent their country in a manner their country should be very, very proud of and okay it was a horrible moment for us but huge credit to the Japanese team for withstanding that England onslaught in the second half.
“I’ve never seen a team do that to this Japanese team, to just park the bus in their half of the pitch and create chance after chance. Japan have shown their character, their resilience and their determination to defend this title.”
Japan celebrates return to final
Japanese football fans screamed with joy yesterday after ‘divine winds’ blew their women’s national team into the World Cup final following a heart-stopping 2-1 win over England.
The team, known as ‘Nadeshiko’ in Japan, will play the United States for the title in Vancouver on Sunday, a rematch of the 2011 final in Frankfurt where the Japanese won on penalties to become the first Asian World Cup champions. That victory brought a jolt of much-needed happiness to a nation reeling from the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami less than four months before. Yesterday, crowds throughout Tokyo shouted in triumph as an injury-time own goal from defender Laura Bassett gave Japan the win over England.
“The divine winds have blown in favour of Japan,” said Noriko Kimura, 35, who was part of a group of some 200 frenzied supporters gathered at a public viewing in Tokyo as commuters headed to work. Cries of “Be careful!” rang out during the game, along with occasional sighs of relief. Some fans wrapped themselves in Japanese team jerseys, while one mother watched with her infant in her arms.
“It’s such a delight that we won with this kind of last-minute goal,” said 29-year-old Yui Okamoto. Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga also hailed the victory, telling his usual morning news conference that he would be cheering the team on when they faced the Americans on July 5, though it will be early Monday morning in Japan. “It’s really splendid, the result of all the hard efforts by coach (Norio) Suzuki and everyone on the team,” the usually staid Suga gushed. “I applaud them from my heart for making it to a second straight final, and I’m sure all Japanese feel the same.”
Many people, including Suga, looked forward to the match as a chance for Japan to avenge their loss to the United States in the 2012 London Olympics final. “We will definitely beat the United States again for the second straight World Cup title,” Kennosuke Tominaga, a 55-year-old supporter, said.
