Japan celebrate their round of 16 win against Norway. Photo credit: Fifa Women’s World Cup via Twitter.
The stage was set in Wellington, with a buoyant crowd awaiting the cut-throat encounter between two sides packed with quality but bringing very different stories from the group stage. However, it was Japan who continued their fine form in the competition, emerging victorious by 3-1.
Team Setups
Hege Riise was evidently wary of Japan’s attacking threat and with good reason following their ruthless display against Spain. It led to Ingrid Engen sitting just between defenders Maren Mjelde and Mathilde Haarviken. Having leaked goals in the opening games, the system seemed to work well for long stints in the match.
On their part, Japan pushed up, pinning Norway’s wing-backs and enjoyed long spells of possession. Contrary to their match against Spain, the team was forced to open up spaces against a deep-lying Norway, instead of being able to employ effective counter-attacking football.
The two teams exchanged stints of possession for the first ten minutes, with both settling relatively well. Japan ramped up the pressure with consecutive corner kicks, but despite working through a number of seemingly rehearsed routines, the team could not trouble Norway’s goalkeeper too much.
An Even First Half
Having had a tumultuous start to the competition, things seemed to go a notch worse for Barcelona defensive midfielder Ingrid Engen who ended up beating her own goalkeeper. A cross teased from the left wing had her lunging a boot at it which sent Japan into the lead.
Despite falling a goal behind, Norway showed great character and evened things on the twenty minute mark. Vilde Boe Rise continued proving her importance in the squad by sending a delightful cross which Guro Reiten headed into the far corner.
Japan returned into the driving seat in terms of possession, but Norway managed to nullify their venom for long spells during the first half. One of the best opportunities landed at the feet of Risa Shimizu, with the ball’s deflection falling into her path just outside the box. The full-back struck on the volley but could not find the target. A few moments later, Yui Hasegawa cut open the defence with a through ball for Jun Endo to chase, but there was just a little bit extra on the pass which saw the opportunity fade away.
Shimizu fires Japan back into the lead
Japan hit the ground running in the second half, with Hinata Miyazawa making a blistering run behind the defence. Despite Maren Mjelde putting enough pressure to thwart her chance on goal, the warning shots had been fired. In fact, Japan nudged forward into the lead just a minute later, though this time, they were heavily aided by the Norwegian team. Risa Shimizu who had already threatened in the first half, found her goal by chasing an errant back-pass from Boe Risa into Mjelde and getting some luck with the deflection to push Japan back into the lead.
Norway’s lack of an immediate response prompted Hege Riise to look to her bench as the sixtieth minute expired, with Karina Saevik and Frida Leonardsen Maanum relieving Emilie Haavi and Vilde Boe Risa, respectively. Japan’s Futoshi Ikeda responded by bringing on Riko Ueki for Mina Tanaka with just under twenty minutes to go. She immediately threatened by getting past the defence. However, Mjelde intercepted the cross and headed into the safety of Mikkalsen’s hands.
Riise responded by bringing out her ace in Ada Hegerberg who replaced Tuva Hansen. Unlatched from that defensive system, Norway started to roll through the gears in attempt to equalise. Caroline Graham Hansen made a nuisance of herself for Japan’s defence, which led to the ball to fall into the path of Karina Saevik who was in space on the side of the six-yard box. However, the forward pulled the strike just wide from the tight angle. Graham Hansen next set up Maanum on the edge of the box but her strike was straight into the hands of Ayaka Yamashita.
Norway’s attempts defeated by deadly counter
However, the more Norway flooded forward, the more it opened up spaces for Japan to race into on the counter. The deadly blow came in the 81st minute. Hinata Miyazawa was released behind the defence by Aoba Fujino and placed in the bottom right corner to give Japan the comfort of a two-goal lead.
Hege Riise threw in her last dice, brining on Sara Horte for Thea Bjelde in the 88th minute. However, Japan kept piling pressure on the Norwegian defence, detracting them from having an opportunity to get their forwards in play. Despite this, they managed to get to the ball into Caroline Graham Hansen who beat her marker and delivered a deep ball as the match went into injury time. Sophie Roman Haug knocked it back into the six-yard box but Karina Saevik’s header was kept out by Japan’s Yamashita. The ball recycled back into Graham Hansen, but her second delivery was also thwarted by Japan’s defence.
The full-time whistle blew after five minutes of injury time, confirming Japan’s place in the quarter-finals, while ending Norway’s journey in the competition. Japan will next face the winner between USA and Sweden.
Japan will now face Sweden in the FIFA Women’s World Cup quarter-finals.
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