Japan win Women's World Cup
Reuters - Monday 18 July 2011, 02:40
FRANKFURT - Japan won the Women's World
Cup on Sunday for the first time, stunning the heavily favoured
United States 3-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in extra-time.
Japan was in need of a good news story after the tsunami
disaster which rocked the country in March and their women's
football team delivered it in dramatic fashion despite being
dominated for long spells in the final.
"To our friends around the world - thank you for your
support," was the simple message on a giant banner the Japanese
women carried around the pitch after the match.
It was hard to imagine a more thrilling finale to the
three-week tournament played in packed stadiums before
enthusiastic crowds around the country and in front of record
television audiences of up to 16 million in Germany alone.
On Sunday, Japan fell behind in normal-time and again in
extra-time but hit back out of the blue on both occasions before
prevailing in the shootout as the top-ranked U.S. team lost all
their confidence, sending a series of poor efforts at goal.
The United States were chasing a third World Cup title and
dominated for long periods but wasted their many chances,
especially in the first half.
Their confidence crumbled when it came to the spot-kicks and
they missed three of their four shots while Japan converted
three of four.
Shannon Boxx and Tobin Heath had their spot-kicks stopped
while Carli Lloyd's shot sailed high above the crossbar before
Abby Wambach finally converted to keep alive U.S. hopes.
Saki Kumagai then blasted a well-placed shot high to the
left over diving U.S. keeper Hope Solo to give Japan an
insurmountable 3-1 lead in penalties, sparking wild celebrations
with her team-mates in front of the sell-out crowd of 48,837.
"We're so happy about the title and so happy that we stayed
in the tournament so long," said Homare Sawa, Japan's captain
who scored the second equaliser for Japan. She won the Golden
Ball as the top player and Golden Boot as well.
"Now we're number one," Sawa added after Japan had also
upset hosts Germany and Sweden to reach the final. "We had so
much self-confidence all the way to the end and we all believed
in ourselves all the way. That's why we won deservedly."
"BITTER DEFEAT"
It was the first time in 26 matches that Japan had prevailed
against the United States, who won the World Cup title in 1991
and in 1999.
The Americans had won 22 of the previous matches against
Japan, with three draws. After Germany, winners of the last two
World Cups in 2003 and 2006, they were the favourites to win
what would have been a record third title.
The Americans, cheered on in Frankfurt by many U.S. military
personnel stationed in Germany, also had backing from U.S.
President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,
who had vowed to watch Sunday's final.
"It's a bitter defeat," said U.S. defender Alex Krieger. "We
played well. It's very disappointing. Japan played well too. It
was a great match but we didn't do it. We didn't take advantage
of chances and we also made some defensive mistakes."
Krieger told Germany's ARD TV she had no explanation for a
defensive blunder that gave Japan their first equaliser.
"Unfortunately we gave them a gift with that goal," she
said. "I didn't see what happened. But I still think we played
well. We're happy that we won the silver medal. It's
disappointing but I think we played well."
The United States had started strongly, dominating the first
half. They broke the deadlock in the 69th minute when Alex
Morgan scored a stylish goal.
The American, who came off the
bench at half-time, outsprinted defender Yaki Kumagai on to a
long ball from Megan Rapinoe and expertly fired her shot into
the corner.
Aya Miyama equalised in the 81st minute when she tapped in a
loose ball in front of the U.S. goal after woeful defending.
Wambach's header in the 104th minute looked to have given
the U.S. victory in extra-time.
Japan came back again, however, with the same never-say-die
approach that helped them to upset defending champions and hosts
Germany in the quarter-final, when Sawa scored in the 117th
minute.
Japan were reduced to 10 when Azusa Iwashimizu was
dismissed in the 120th minute.