AUCKLAND: In a gripping showdown at Eden Park, Sweden triumphed over Japan with a 2-1 victory, advancing to the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup and setting up a high-stakes encounter with Spain.
Center-back Amanda Ilestedt notched her fourth goal of the tournament, while Filippa Angeldal confidently converted a penalty, propelling Sweden to a hard-fought win over Japan. The match marked the first time in this World Cup that Japan trailed in a game.
Ilestedt’s decisive strike came just beyond the half-hour mark, as she capitalized on a set-piece opportunity to poke the ball into the net. Angeldal extended Sweden’s lead to 2-0 with a precisely taken penalty seven minutes into the second half.
Although Japan launched a valiant comeback attempt, they faced setbacks, with Riko Ueki missing a crucial penalty and Honoka Hayashi pulling one back for Japan with three minutes remaining in normal time.
Late Surge of Sweden’s Team
The Swedish team withstood a late surge from their opponents, securing their place in the semi-finals for the third time in four World Cups.
Amanda Ilestedt, rightfully named the player of the match, expressed her elation, stating, “It feels great to be through to the semis. We put in an amazing performance today. We played precisely as we had discussed beforehand, sticking close to the Japanese players and making it difficult for them to play their game.”
With the departure of 2011 champions Japan from the tournament, alongside previous eliminations of the United States, Germany, and Norway, the Women’s World Cup is poised to crown a new champion, adding an element of excitement to the upcoming final in Sydney.
Japan’s coach, Futoshi Ikeda, shared his perspective on the team’s journey, remarking, “The players have grown at this World Cup and we have shown what we can do on the world stage. We lost but we have to assess positively what the team did at this World Cup. I am proud that we got here.”
Having secured their place in the semi-finals, Sweden, the runners-up from 2003, are now slated to face Spain in a highly anticipated match scheduled for next Tuesday in Auckland. Spain earned their spot by defeating the Netherlands 2-1 earlier in Wellington on Friday.
The encounter between Sweden and Japan was anticipated as a clash of distinct footballing styles, pitting Japan’s finesse against Sweden’s resilience. Ultimately, Sweden’s assertive approach proved effective, thwarting Japan’s counterattack strategy that had been successful in previous matches.
