By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
The Nadeshiko of Japan thrashed former FIFA Women’s World Cup champions, Norway 3-1 in the second game of the Round of 16 matchup between both countries played at Regional Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand Saturday morning in Nigeria.
Japan was dominant in its three-game sweep of Group C, scoring the most goals throughout the group stage with 11 even as the ex- World Champions themselves also has the most prolific offensive player so far in Hinata Miyazawa on five goals so far, and its defense has been just as brilliant, notching three shutouts in the three games.
Norway, the second-place team in Group A, has a question mark regarding the health of star Ada Hegerberg. She trained with the team Friday, but started on the bench vs. Japan.
Sophie Roman Haug, Hegerberg’s replacement, scored a hat trick against the Philippines in the group stage.
However, Japan went ahead in 15′. It came as a result of an error, but Japan’s forceful attacks coaxed an own goal from Norway’s back line as defender
Ingrid Engen scores an own goal.
But it did not take long before Norway stormed back into the game with a perfectly placed header by Guro Reiten in 20′ and the scoreline stayed same until half time.
On resumption, Japan’s manager Futoshi Ikeda who was visibly pleased with his team’s energy in the first half urged his wards to go for a kill as Norway’s defense always scrambled to stop the Japanese ladies.
Japan is used to scoring goals in bunches, and though it only found the back of the net once in the first half, it created plenty of chances to increase that number in the second half by scoring two more
Japan’s persistence paid off in the 50′, when a slew of nifty passes freed up Risa Shimzu, who put away a nice chip shot. READ ALSO:
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Norway didn’t get many chances in the second half, and this attempt from Karina Saevik in 77′ was probably its best to chance to tie the game, but it was just hit too far left.
But Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa scored the third goal in 81′
She’s the tournament’s leading goalscorer for a reason as she calmly caressed the ball into Norway’s net after being played in inside the box.
With this victory, Japan joins Spain as the second country to qualify for the quarter-final stage while Norway became the second European nation to crash out of on-going competition after Spain thrashed Switzerland 5-1 earlier on Saturday.
