Japan to Play US in World Cup Final

Japan 3 : 1 Sweden

by Kara McDermott

Before this tournament, Japan had only advanced out of group play once in their World Cup career, in 1995. They have never played in a semi-final match before. But today, with a sound drubbing of Sweden 3-1, they will play in the finals on Sunday. They came back from a goal deficit to thoroughly dominate for most of the game.

The early game position was crowded in the center. Japan fielded a standard 4-4-2 formation to counter Sweden’s 4-5-1. Both teams have favored using their centers in their previous game, and certainly in this game as well that’s where most of the action was without either team really spreading the field that much.

Sweden looked slightly better to start and capitalized early in the 10th minute of play. Josephine Oqvist intercepted a poor pass between two Japanese defenders, took the ball into the box and seeing that goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori was staying back, took her time before sending the ball far post over Kaihori’s outstretched hands.

Japan did not allow the advantage to stay long.

In the 19th minute, Shinobu Ohno played a quick pass to Aya Miyama on the left side who crossed to Nahomi Kawasumi on the far post. She dove for the ball, getting whatever she could on it, and redirected the ball between goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl’s leg to equalize.

From there, Japan held the run of play. The greatest threat they posed was on the transition. Always aggressive Sweden gave far too many chances to free kick master Miyama, but managed to hold the goal line even for the rest of the half despite Japan holding a possession advantage of 64% – the highest of any game past group play.

Japan didn’t let up after half. In just the 46th minute Ohno took a long shot that beat goalkeeper Lindahl in the air. Sweden was saved for the moment by a well-placed crossbar.

But still, they opened themselves up with sloppy defensive fouls, narrowly missing giving up a penalty kick in the 49th minute with a rough foul at the edge of the box.

Japan continued to toy with Sweden, keeping the ball at their feet by stringing short passes together continuously. Neither team played much of a running game, forgoing through balls for built offensive attacks.

Captain and currently the only player to get a hat trick in this World Cup Homare Sawa broke the stalemate for Japan in the 59th minute. A series of shots and deflections by Japan lead to a long ball served into the goal area, past Lindahl to Sawa waiting just behind her. She got a weak bouncing header, but it was enough to get it into the net.

Still not satiated, Japan tallied a go-ahead just five minutes later. Lindahl was forced to come out and just out of her box to challenge Kozue Ando, she deflected it, but the ball went right to Kawasumi 35 yards out. She bombed a textbook shot that flew perfectly into the far post, not touching the ground until past the line.

Sweden’s fate was sealed. At the 71st minute mark, Sweden had not had a shot since their goal in the 10th minute. In the 72nd minute they had a corner kick opportunity, with almost all the Swedish offensive lined up on the penalty box. The kick was mistimed and flew into a crowd of three Japanese defenders for an easy clear before the runners could get in.

Sweden was previously 7-1-1 against Asian teams in the World Cup, but unfortunately must tally another in the loss column in heartbreaking fashion. They will play for consolation third-place medals on Saturday against France and will have a strong test in that.

Japan, already making history, will continue their storybook World Cup by advancing to the finals for the first time in their history to play the US on Sunday. Their career record against the Americans is an intimidating 0-22-3, but they have been discounted at each stage of the tournament so far, and the US will have to be sure not to do the same.

Japan has already done better than that 1995 team, but will be using that as inspiration. Because the team that sent them home that year on a 4-0 victory? The United States.

The final will be played in Frankfurt on Sunday at 11:45 a.m. PST.

Kara McDermott also writes for her blog, Waving the Rave. (www.wavingrave.wordpress.com)