The 2011 winners move serenely into the quarter finals, where they’ll meet either Sweden or the USA. The 1995 champions meanwhile go home. Congratulations to Japan, commiserations to Norway, and thanks for reading this MBM. Over to Sophie Downey’s match report…
Hinata Miyazawa’s fifth goal of the tournament doesn’t just put her in the lead for this year’s Golden Boot. It also matches the record for most goals in a single World Cup by a Japanese player, set by Homare Sawa who scored five in 2011 as the Nadeshiko won the title.
Delight for Japan, who thoroughly deserved to win tonight. They dominated from the off, and while it’s true that their first two goals came about as the result of defensive mistakes, they forced those errors. And their third goal was sublime. Hinata Miyazawa now leads the chase for the golden boot with five goals. Norway go home with the consolation of a fine header by Guro Reiten; the 1995 winners defended staunchly but came up short in the end.
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FULL TIME: Japan 3-1 Norway
Japan will play either Sweden or the reigning champions USA in the quarter finals!
90 min +6: Japan break and look for a fourth, but Fujino hoicks over the bar. No matter, because …
90 min +5: Graham Hansen crosses deep from the right. Roman Haug wins a header at the far stick. Kumagai blocks. Norway want a penalty for handball but the referee isn’t interested.
90 min +3: Japan clear their lines and move upfield. The clock is their friend now. The nerves would have been clanging had Yamashita not sensationally denied Saevik.
90 min +1: Roman Haug heads across the face of the Japanese goal from the left. Saevik rushes in and powers a header towards the top right. It’s surely a goal, but somehow Yamashita claws it away! What a save that is. She’s not had much to do this evening, but when she’s been called upon, she’s stepped up to the plate in style!
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90 min: There will be five additional minutes.
89 min: Hasegawa drops a shoulder to gain ground down the right and hits a cross-cum-shot that nearly creeps into the top right. Mikalsen is forced to claw out for a corner, from which nothing comes.
88 min: Miyazawa drives down the left and crosses low for Ueki, whose first-time shot is blocked. Norway are in damage-limitation mode now.
88 min: Bjelde makes way for Horte.
87 min: Hasegawa wins the ball in the midfield and goes for goal from the best part of 40 yards, having spotted Mikalsen off her line. She doesn’t get enough power behind the shot and the keeper claims.
85 min: Fujino feeds Miyazawa again, her diagonal pass releasing her into the Norway box on the left. Instead of shooting, Miyazawa looks for Ueki in the middle. Poor choice as Norway clear, though the flag pops up for offside anyway. VAR might have had something to say about that had she shot and scored, though. It looked very tight.
83 min: Hegerberg swings a leg at a cross coming in from the left. The ball flies over the bar in the All Blacks style.
GOAL! Japan 3-1 Norway (Miyazawa 81)
Fujino picks up possession just to the right of the centre circle. She drifts infield and spots Miyazawa haring down the middle. She rolls a perfect defence-splitting pass towards Miyazawa, who takes a touch before entering the box and rolling into the bottom right. Simple as that. What a counter!
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80 min: Japan sit back, draw Norway towards them, and …
78 min: Maanum has a dig from the edge of the D. Yamashita handles carefully. Norway are suddenly asking a few questions.
77 min: Bjelde swings in a cross from a deep position on the left. Roman Haug heads harmlessly wide. But Norway come again, Graham Hansen dribbling in from the right. The ball ricochets down the channel to Saevik, who is suddenly free on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box! She spins and drags a low shot across goal and wide left.
75 min: Nothing comes of the corner.
74 min: Norway win a corner down the left. Before they take it, on comes their star woman. Hegerberg replaces Tuva Hansen.
73 min: Ueki is immediately in the thick of it, twisting Engen’s blood down the right wing with a remarkable dribble. She crosses. Mjelde intervenes with a diving header. Mikalsen claims.
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72 min: Mina Tanaka makes way for Ueki, arguably the star of the show against Spain.
71 min: Japan have enjoyed 70 percent of possession during the last ten minutes. Norway just 21. It’s not easy to equalise when you don’t have the ball.
70 min: Miyazawa drops deep and slides a defence-splitting pass down the middle for Fujino, who isn’t able to control. Had she taken that in, she was clear on goal.
68 min: Fujino stands on Roman Haug’s foot. Accidental but clumsy, and the Norway striker will have felt that. A brief pause for some treatment. Roman Haug is good to continue.
67 min: Endo, quarterbacking from a deep position on the left, nearly releases Shimizu on the other flank. Tuva Hansen does extremely well to stand strong and usher the ball out for a throw.
65 min: … so Norway haven’t sent on Ada Hegerberg in their time of need. Yet.
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63 min: Norway make the first changes of the evening, replacing Boe Risa and Haavi with Saevik and Maanum.
62 min: Japan continue to dominate possession. Norway are having to dig in.
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60 min: Norway attempt to put a rare attack together but Hasegawa wins possession with a hustle deep inside her own half. She’s been excellent all over the park.
58 min: … so having said that, Japan spend a couple of minutes in Norway’s half, stroking the ball hither and yon, just because they can.
56 min: Japan are now happy to sit back and let Norway have the ball. Straight out of their Spain playbook.
54 min: Norway look a little dejected after that. They’ve come back before, they’ll need to keep that in mind. “The turnaround in Japan’s possession stats from the Spain game is staggering,” writes Richard Hirst. “Is there any other team which can play such different styles of football with equal ease?”
52 min: Shimizu’s shot was on target, so at least that’s not a second own goal for Engen. But that’s about all that can be said about another defensive fiasco for Norway. Not sure what Risa was thinking about there.
GOAL! Japan 2-1 Norway (Shimizu 50)
Hasegawa tries to control on the penalty spot, her back to goal. She can’t keep possession. The ball breaks to Boe Risa, who inexplicably rolls it towards Shimizu, rushing in from the right. Presumably a pass, it was never getting to Tuva Hansen. Shimizu shoots. It deflects off the luckless Engen and into the bottom right.
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49 min: Reiten pings a first-time pass down the inside-left channel but Roman Haug doesn’t read it. Japan counter through Miyazawa, who briefly threatens to tear clear down the middle, but just as she prepares to shoot on the edge of the box, Mjelde pokes clear. What defence!
47 min: Hasegawa bursts into a little pocket of space 25 yards out. She chests down and sends a bobbler towards the bottom right. Easy enough for Mikalsen. That’s Japan’s first shot on target despite all of their possession.
Norway get the second half started. No changes.
Half-time correspondence. Our postbag is teeming with an email. Kári Tulinius has written it. “I’ve been impressed that Norway have kept calm, because Japan must be incredibly dispiriting to play against. Not only do they press relentlessly, but their attack is unpredictable, as likely to end in a long range shot as a through ball or a cross. All things considered, it’s a marvel a Norwegian hasn’t tackled a Japanese attacker in the style of Zé Maria on Cruyff.”
There’s already been one Round of 16 tie decided today. Here’s how it unfolded, courtesy of Sarah Rendell.
HALF TIME: Japan 1-1 Norway
Japan’s goal was farcical, Norway’s magnificent. Japan have been the dominant side, but Norway have stood firm. Both sides have reason to be happy with their performance.
45 min +2: Tanaka arrives late for a loose ball on the edge of the Norway box. Engen gets there first, clears, and cops a whack on the boot for her trouble. Tanaka apologies and all is well.
45 min: There will be two added minutes.
43 min: Hasegawa rolls a delicious pass down the inside-left channel for Endo, who should collect and bear down on goal … but she misreads and allows the ball to sail out for a goal kick. Norway were undone there. Endo smiles wryly, knowing that was a great opportunity. It would have been a picture-book goal.
41 min: The ball sits up for Shimizu on the right-hand edge of the box. She aims a rising shot towards the top left. Mikalsen is beaten but the ball sails over the bar.
40 min: A little pocket of space for Nagano, 25 yards out. She thinks about shooting but slips a pass down the left channel for Miyazawa instead. Mjelde gets across to slam the door shut.
38 min: Japan get back to pinging it around in the patient style.
36 min: Roman Haug wins another header on the edge of the Japanese box. The ball’s shuttled wide right to Graham Hansen, whose cross is cleared easily enough. Norway haven’t attacked much, but when they have, they’ve done so with purpose.
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34 min: Back on the field of play, Japan continue to press and probe without making any significant inroads.
32 min: The crowd get a Mexican wave going. No doubt the sort of thing to irk the purists, but it sounds like everyone’s having a wild party, so good for them. Actually, good for them for irking the purists, too.
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30 min: Hasegawa drops deep before sending a long diagonal towards Shimizu on the right. Shimizu has the beating of Hansen but miscontrols and sends the ball out of play for a goal kick. Norway look a little bit more comfortable at the back since the equaliser.
28 min: Japan stroke the ball around patiently. Suddenly they speed it up as Fujino takes on Hansen down the right. The corner’s taken short then rolled into the box for Tanaka, who can’t sort her feet out to get a shot away in time. Norway clear their lines.
26 min: … but Norway have gained confidence after the equaliser. Roman Haug wins a header that nearly releases Haavi down the middle, then Reiten pearls a shot wide left from distance. Good game, this.
24 min: Japan don’t look particularly ruffled at being pegged back, though. Hasegawa creams a delightful diagonal pass towards Endo on the left. Playmaking that oozes confidence. Then Tanaka pings one wide right from 25 yards.
22 min: Reiten’s header was right in the corner. Yamashita had no chance whatsoever. Just a wonderful goal, and one that came very much against the run of play. It had been all Japan from the get-go.
GOAL! Japan 1-1 Norway (Reiten 20)
Norway attack for the first time … and Japan’s defence is breached at this World Cup for the first time! Risa is sent scampering down the right. She reaches the byline and pulls back a cross. Reiten rises and plants an unstoppable header across Yamashita and into the top left! That’s one hell of a finish, and out of nowhere, Norway are back in it!
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19 min: Hansen ships possession carelessly in the centre circle, allowing Miyazawa to tear towards the Norwegian box. Harviken blocks the eventual shot. Japan come again, Endo crossing from the left. Mikalsen slaps the ball out for a corner, but is then awarded a free kick, Tanaka having been a bit too eager in the challenge.
17 min: To be fair to Engen, Fujino was making a dangerous run in behind her, and would have been favourite to get to the cross first, had an intervention not been made. Engen had to play the ball.
GOAL! Japan 1-0 Norway (Engen og 15)
A goal had been coming, but this is kind of farcical. Miyazawa turns up on the left flank. She cuts inside and crosses. Engen sticks out a leg to block only to send the ball bouncing slowly towards the bottom left. Mikalsen is out of position and isn’t able to spin and scramble back to scoop away in time. The ball rolls apologetically into the net, and Japan lead.
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14 min: Endo tears down the left again and wins a corner. Fujino curls it in. Tanaka wins a header and sends the ball towards the bottom right. Roman Haug blocks on the line and clears. She’s not been able to show in attack yet, but already Roman Haug has two big defensive contributions to her name. A different sort of hat-trick is on.
12 min: Miyazawa works her way down the left and wins another Japanese corner. It’s worked back down the flank then floated into the box by Nagano. Kumagai competes on the right-hand edge of the six-yard box. Roman Haug is forced to concede another corner. Nothing comes of that one, but Japan are turning up the heat now.
10 min: Roman Haug, the hat-trick hero of Norway’s last match, against the Philippines, takes her first touch of the evening. It’s not of the ball, but the back of Shimizu’s legs. Norway can’t get into this game at all.
8 min: The shots keep coming in from all angles. Miyazawa has a dig from 25 yards, the ball flying a ways wide right.
6 min: Endo makes good down the left and whistles a low cross into the middle. Norway clear in a panic but the ball finds Shimizu out on the right. Shimizu sends what shall be charitably described as a speculative shot across Mikalsen in the Norway goal and quite a long way over the bar.
4 min: Japan are seeing quite a lot of the ball in these early exchanges. The possession stats are unlikely to mirror the ones from the Spain game.
2 min: Nothing comes of the corner but that’s a gauntlet thrown down immediately by Japan. Norway looked a little shaky at the back there.
1 min: Japan are on the front foot immediately, Fujino making a nuisance of herself down the inside-right channel. She crosses low, and Mikalsen has to paw away from Miyazawa. Japan quickly come again down the same flank and win the first corner of the game.
Japan get the party started. A wonderful atmosphere in Wellington. Meanwhile here’s Rob Logie: “The pennant is a Yatagarasu, a three legged (count ‘em) crow from East Asian mythology, beats an eagle hands down.”
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The teams are out. Anthems first, as Kimigayo (His Imperial Majesty’s Reign) and Ja, vi elsker dette landet (Yes, we love this country) are performed with the requisite gusto. Football next!
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The kits. Japan will switch out of their first-choice blue shirt into pink and purple tonight …
… but Norway get to wear their favoured red. However the Japanese win the pennant showdown with ease; their eagle is brooking no nonsense and not handing over that ball any time soon.
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The Norwegians have a job on their hands tonight. They’re ranked number 16 in our power list, which is topped by … Japan. For reference, Spain are eighth in the list, and they’ve just battered Switzerland 5-1.
Japan make three changes to the XI that started the 4-0 win over Spain. Mina Tanaka Aoba Fujino replace Hikaru Naomoto and Riko Ueki up front, while Yui Hasegawa gets the nod over Honoka Hayashi in midfield.
Norway make one change to the team that began the 6-0 victory over the Philippines. Ingrid Syrstad Engen comes in for Frida Maanum. Sophie Roman Haug retains her place up front ahead of Ada Hegerberg, who has been back in training after her groin injury but isn’t deemed fit enough to start.
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The teams
Japan: Yamashita, Takahashi, Kumagai, Minami, Shimizu, Nagano, Hasegawa, Endo, Fujino, Mina Tanaka, Miyazawa.
Subs: Momoko Tanaka, Miyake, Sugita, Naomoto, Ueki, Hayashi, Seike, Moriya, Hamano, Chiba, Ishikawa, Hirao.
Norway: Mikalsen, Bjelde, Mjelde, Harviken, Tuva Hansen, Engen, Risa, Reiten, Caroline Hansen, Haug, Haavi.
Subs: Fiskerstrand, Sonstevold, Horte, Bergsvand, Saevik, Hegerberg, Eikeland, Blakstad, Maanum, Lund, Josendal, Pettersen.
Referee: Edina Alves Batista (Brazil).
Preamble
Japan have brought their a-game to the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Their record in the group stage was nigh-on perfect: a 5-0 rout of Zambia, a 2-0 breeze past Costa Rica, and a 4-0 thrashing of Spain, the latter a patient and brilliantly executed smash-and-grab job requiring just 22 percent of possession. With playmaker Riko Ueki and golden-boot favourite Hinata Miyazawa in fine fettle, they’re the hip choice to go all the way and add to their 2011 victory.
Norway haven’t been quite so impressive. They started their campaign with a shock 1-0 defeat to co-hosts New Zealand, followed by a jittery goalless draw with Switzerland, but a 6-0 spanking of the Philippines steadied the ship and provided succour, and their star turn Ada Hegerberg is fit again after a groin strain. Will she replace Sophie Roman Haug, who scored a hat-trick against the Philippines? A nice conundrum for coach Hege Riise to have as she works out how to break through the parsimonious defence of the Nadeshiko.
Kick off is 8pm in Wellington, 5pm in Tokyo, 10am in Oslo, 9am BST. It’s on!
