Sweden booked a semi-final meeting with Spain at the Women’s World Cup after defeating Japan 2-1 on Friday in Auckland.
Amanda Ilestedt lashed in from close range in the 32nd minute to give Sweden the lead and Filippa Angeldal doubled it with a penalty in the 51st minute before Honoka Hayashi scored late on for Japan.
Japan’s run in the World Cup ended with 15 goals, more than any team left in the tournament. Hinata Miyazawa finished with five of those goals to lead the Golden Boot race, matching the team record set by Homare Sawa in Japan’s 2011 title run.
The game was a clash of styles from the start: Third-ranked Sweden were more physical while 11th-ranked Japan were more technical.
Stina Blackstenius beat a defender Saki Kumagai and faced Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita one-on-one in the 25th minute but her shot went wide.
READ ALSO: Africa Out! Morocco Loses Women’s World Cup R16 Tie To France
After Ilestedt’s goal, Kosovare Asllani nearly doubled the lead in the 42nd minute, but her blast from the top of the box was pushed away by a diving Yamashita.
Angeldal’s penalty appeared to rattle the Japanese, who struggled against the taller and more athletic Swedes. Japan didn’t get a shot off until the 63rd minute. Japan had scored at least twice in each of their previous games but had never come back from down two goals in World Cup play.
The Japanese finally made a late comeback and seriously pressured Sweden goalkeeper Zecira Musovic, who is fresh off a World Cup-record 11 saves in the win over the United States.
Riko Ueki’s penalty attempt for Japan in the 76th minute hit the crossbar and bounced clear of the goal, but Musovic was finally beaten in the 86th minute when substitute Honoka Hayashi cut Sweden’s lead to 2-1. But Sweden withstood some immense stoppage-time pressure to progress.
READ ALSO: Colombia Advance To Face England In Women World Cup Quarterfinals
“It’s wonderful, obviously,” Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson told Swedish radio.
“The game had everything. In terms of performance, we had our best of the tournament. It got very exciting, Japan are one of the best teams in the tournament.”
At the Tokyo Olympics, Sweden eliminated Japan on home soil in the quarter-finals. Sweden advanced to the gold medal game but lost to Canada.
The Swedes have never won a title at either the World Cup or the Olympics.