By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
The good run of the former FIFA Women’s World Cup winners Japan came to halt today (Friday0 as Sweden shocked the Nadeshiko 2-1 in the quarter-final match at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.
Friday’s epic match featured five Golden Boot favorites in Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa, Riko Ueki and Mina Tanaka, along with Sweden’s Amanda Ilestedt and Fridolina Rolfö — while Japanese goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita and Swedish goalie Zećira Mušović are also on the short list for this year’s Golden Glove award.
But it was Sweden that carried the day after the ball bounced all around Japan’s net and Sweden’s defender Amanda Ilestedt, who is one of the top goal scorers so far smacked in a goal on the right side of the net in the 32′ to give Sweden the first goal.
After going behind, Japan came all out to attack but it was Sweden that got off seven shots with three on goal in first half. Japan did not register a single shot, but its defense was the catalyst for keeping the deficit to 1-0 at the end of the first half.
On resumption, Japan’s coach Futoshi Ikeda tweaked the team to try to unlock Sweden’s defense but Swedes later scored the second goal after a VAR review determined that Japan midfielder Fuka Nagano made contact with the ball, Sweden was rewarded with a penalty kick, which Filippa Angeldal knocked through in 51′.
Japan and Sweden which are ranked Numbers 1 and 7, respectively, in the latest World Cup power rankings before the match displayed very high standard of football with eyes on the semi-final ticket.
The Japanese were awarded a penalty kick in the 76′ but Riko Ueki’s shot went off the crossbar and her header off the ricochet went above the net.
But they continued to look dangerous throughout the contest and mere seconds after Aoba Fujino’s free kick somehow didn’t go in the net, Japan cut the deficit in half when Honoka Hayashi punched in a score on the left side of the net in the 87′.
Also, Fujino got off a close-up shot for Japan, but Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic sent it to the left. She has been in excellent form in the competition. Musovic had earlier blocked a shot on goal to keep Sweden’s lead at 2-0 until Hayashi scored against her to end the match 2-1 in favour of Sweden.
Elsewhere, Spain defeated Netherlands 2-1 in extra time in the first match of the day at Wellington Regional Stadium in New Zealand with Spain’s Salma Paralluelo scoring the winning goal in 111′.
Paralluelo broke the tie for Spain, knocking in a goal on the left side of the net after the full time scores stood 1-1 to warrant the 30′ of extra time to be played.
The cagey match was heading for a stalemate before Spain was awarded a penalty kick after Netherlands’ defender Stefanie Van der Gragt made contact with the ball in her box.
Maria Francisca Caldentey Oliver then knocked in the penalty kick off the left post, giving Spain a 1-0 lead in 81′.
But when Spain thought the match has been and lost, Stefanie Van der Gragt got away from the crowd and powered in the game-tying goal on the left side of the net for the Netherlands in the 90+1′.
However, Spain’s Paralluelo scored the winning goal in 111′ to knockout the Netherlands which checked in at Number 2 by Spain ranked 2 respectively, in the latest World Cup power rankings before the match. READ ALSO:
- CPPE raises concern over CBN’s MPR hike to 27.50%
- NiMet predicts 3-day sunshine, haziness from Wednesday
- Warning strike: Labour directs C’River workers to resume Wednesday
- Nigerian banks resilient amid pressure – CBN
- Tinubu nominates 3 board members for Code of Conduct Bureau
Spain and Netherlands match featured three Golden Boot favorites in Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso and Alba Redondo, along with the Netherland’s Jill Roord while Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar is on the short list for this year’s Golden Glove award.
Spain was led by 25-year-old captain Aitana Bonmatí, who has a point to prove in this tournament en route to cementing herself as the Best Women’s Player in the world.
The Netherlands were without star midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk, who was ruled out of the quarterfinals after picking up her second yellow card of the tournament in the knockouts versus South Africa.
If players received two yellow cards during two different matches before this round, they were automatically suspended from their team’s subsequent match.
