Japan scored their 14th goal in the Women's World Cup and secured their first-ever quarter-final spot after defeating Norway 3-1.
In the 81st minute, Hina Miyaazawa recorded Japan's fifth goal of the tournament, sealing their fourth consecutive quarter-final appearance. Risa Shemezu's 50th-minute goal helped Japan maintain their lead after Ingrid Saeter's equalizer in the first half.
Guro Reiten scored a fantastic goal for Norway in the 21st minute, leveling the match at 1-1 by halftime.
After suffering a 4-0 defeat with only 23% possession in the group stage final against Spain, Japan demonstrated a commanding performance with over 60% possession in the Round of 16.
Whether it was long shots or fast-paced play, Japan continued to surge forward while Norway, who only managed one goal in the group stage, struggled to catch up.
The tension was palpable in the final minutes when the defense pulled through. In the 81st minute, Miyaazawa skillfully controlled the ball from the left side and then passed it to Engen, who tried to match Miyaazawa's move but ended up playing it right into Shemezu's path, who then quickly fired it into the right side of the goal.
Miyaazawa celebrated her 81st-minute game-winning goal with a passionate run and marked victory with her hand on Mikalsen's wide shot.
Japan's group stage performance was impeccable, winning all three matches and scoring 11 goals without conceding a single one. This remarkable record also includes the match against Spain, where they secured victory on their own in the first two games before suffering a 4-0 defeat.
The average number of goals per match in this Women's World Cup may be lower than in the previous edition (2.94 in 2019, now reduced to 2.63 in 2023), but the group stage still witnessed some fantastic goals. Here, Telegraph Sport ranks the top 10 goals.
Japan had 61% possession, making them a formidable team throughout the match, leaving Norway with only eight shots in the entire game.
After an imperfect group stage performance, Norway was determined to secure their spot in the knockout rounds. Defeating New Zealand in the tournament opener and then tying with Switzerland without conceding a goal, Norway managed to reach the knockout rounds.
In the knockout stage, they defeated the Philippines 6-0, which proved to be their only victory in the tournament.
On the other side, Japan won all four matches in the group stage, without conceding a single goal, making their match against the United States or Sweden on Sunday a highly anticipated and thrilling encounter.
Given the way the United States has played in the World Cup so far, it will be challenging to predict how USWNT will fare against Japan's well-organized team if they advance past Sweden.
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