Japan advanced to the quarter-finals of this year's FIFA Women's World Cup Finals after overcoming fellow previous trophy winners Norway 3-1 in front of 33,042 fans at Sky Stadium on 5 August. "Nadeshiko" were swiftly into their stride, threatening the Norwegian goal within 45 seconds of the kick-off. Aoba Fujino wriggled through challenges to the by-line, from where she crossed the ball towards Hinata Miyazawa, only for Aurora Mikalsen to get a vital palm to the sphere and divert it to safety. After Risa Shimizu had fired a teasing cross-shot just past the far post, Yui Hasegawa played an angled eleventh minute ball in for Saki Kumagai, following a short corner. Sophie Roman Haug won the aerial duel with her rival, at the expense of another corner, which Fujino delivered to the near post. Mina Tanaka was lurking in the vicinity, and directed a header goalwards which Roman Haug cleared off the line. But she wasn't there to repeat the dose on the quarter hour, as Japan took a deserved lead via an unlikely source. The goal was quintessential Japan, with Hasegawa feeding Tanaka, who switched play to Shimizu. She brought Fuka Nagano into play, and onto Fujino the ball travelled. She teamed up with Miyazawa, the pair working a one-two on the left before Miyazawa delivered a cross towards the corridor of uncertainty. Retreating Norwegian midfield anchor Ingrid Engen stretched to cut out the delivery, but only succeeded in diverting the ball beyond Mikalsen, who, despite her best efforts, couldn't prevent her team-mate from conceding an own goal. That setback briefly rattled the Norwegians, and they went close to seeing the deficit double soon afterwards. A Maren Mjelde error was pounced on by Miyazawa, who cruised downfield past two opponents before unleashing a shot from the edge of the penalty area which was blocked to safety by Mathilde Harviken. "The Red Flames" responded to this by levelling the scores in the twentieth minute, one of the best headed goals you'll see at this World Cup. Mikalsen launched a goal kick downfield, picking out Caroline Graham Hansen on the right. She took on and evaded two opponents before threading a pass through to Vilde Boe Risa, in space beyond the last defender. While this was taking place, Guro Reiten was running through the middle of the pitch without anyone from "Nadeshiko" in close attendance - a fatal mistake! For when Boe Risa saw her unmarked team-mate arriving on the edge of the penalty area, she delivered a cross which invited Reiten to soar between Nagano and Hana Takahashi and direct a superb header into the top far corner of the net - 1-1, and how! That equaliser gave Norway renewed resolve, and for the next twenty minutes, an on-field arm wrestle ensued, with neither team able to make headway as defences countered attacking instincts. Tanaka and Reiten exchanged wayward shots on goal during this phase of play, but gradually Japan regained the upper hand, and twice went close to regaining the lead before the half-time whistle. Shimizu fired a shot under pressure over the bar in the 41st minute after Hasegawa and Tanaka had combined neatly, while Jun Endo was a stride away from latching onto a gorgeous Hasegawa through ball which took out four opponents soon afterwards. Japan continued to threaten after play resumed, Miyazawa and Endo creating an opening for Hasegawa to neatly control the ball. Her 47th minute shot was smothered by Mikalsen, who looked on two minutes later as Mjelde put off Miyazawa in her shooting stride, another opening which had Hasegawa's paw marks all over it. "Nadeshiko" regained the lead in the fiftieth minute. Endo, Miyazawa and Hasegawa combined neatly, only for the last-mentioned's lay-off to be intercepted by Boe Risa. But she gifted the ball to

Shimizu, who punished the error in merciless fashion, rifling home despite the attentions of the fast-closing figures of Engen and Harviken. Japan continued to dominate possession after taking the lead, forcing Norway to mount a rearguard action with the hope that they could strike on the counter-attack. To do that, however, the ball is required, and it seemed attracted to "Nadeshiko" players as if they had magnets in their boots! For all their possession, however, Norway's resistance meant chances were at a premium for the Japanese, and it was a full twenty minutes after the goal before they eked out another opening. Hasegawa and Miyazawa carved an opening through the middle for Fujino, but the delivery was just too far in front of her - if she'd reigned in the ball, she would have been one-on-one with Mikalsen … Three minutes later, freshly introduced substitute Riko Ueki made her presence known instantly, sweeping past both Harviken and Engen before targeting Miyazawa with a cross. Mjelde's diving headed clearance diverted the ball back to her goalkeeper. Norway made a change of their own soon after, of the tactical variety, sacrificing a defender for Ada Hegerberg, and it nearly paid instant dividends. Graham Hansen cut in off the right, but her cross was cut out by Hasegawa. It broke kindly for the unmarked Karina Saevik, however, but she dragged her shot past the post. Twelve minutes from time, with Norway in the ascendancy and Japan now in backs-to-the-wall mode, Graham Hansen and Saevik worked a one-two on the right before the ball was played into the stride of Frida Maanum. She directed her twenty yard shot at Ayaka Yamashita, who had seen very little of the ball in this contest up to this point. Japan responded to Norway's tactical change in the best manner possible - by taking the game away from them on the scoreboard with a scintillating counter-attack nine minutes from time. Moeka Minami fed Fujino, who played the ball through for Miyazawa, who outsmarted the defence to leave herself one-on-one with Mikalsen - a cool, fuss-free finish gave Japan a 3-1 lead, and left Norway looking at scaling Mt Everest in order to keep their World Cup hopes alive. Before they had the chance to do so, Japan came close to increasing their advantage to three goals. Hasegawa robbed Hegerberg of possession and motored forward before lashing a thirty-yarder which Mikalsen grabbed. In the 89th minute, Ueki got to the by-line before pulling the ball back into the stride of Hasegawa, who swept past three defenders on a wonderful run before unleashing a curling effort which was heading by the near post until Mikalsen tipped her shot over the bar. That save was bettered at the other end of the pitch in stoppage time. Norway mounted an all-or-nothing attack, Graham Hansen leading the charge past one opponent before her cross to the far post was headed inside by Roman Haug for Saevik. From eight yards out, she headed goalwards, high rather than downwards. Yamashita launched herself high to her left to pull off a fabulous one-handed save, Kumagai stepping in to complete the clearance and stave off any last hopes Norway held of mounting a late comeback. Fujino fired the last shot of the contest over the bar following Nagano's break, but her miss mattered not as far as Japan was concerned, the 2011 winners celebrating a 3-1 triumph over the 1995 winners to maintain their hopes of claiming the prize in 2023. Japan:          Yamashita; Takahashi, Kumagai, Minami; Shimizu, Hasegawa, Nagano, Endo; Fujino, Tanaka (Ueki, 72), Miyazawa Norway:     Mikalsen; Bjelde (Horte, 88), Mjelde, Harviken, Hansen (Hegerberg, 74); Boe Risa (Maanum, 63), Engen, Reiten; Graham Hansen, Roman Haug, Haavi (Saevik, 63) Referee:      Edina Alves (Brazil)