Argentina produced a superb all-round team performance to hold Japan to a scoreless draw in their FIFA Women's World Cup Finals clash at the Parc des Princes in Paris on June 10, producing the first genuine surprise of the tournament in front of 25,055 fans. "Nadeshiko", who won the trophy in 2011 and were runners-up four years ago, were expected to comfortably account for "Los Albicelestes", who had never even drawn a game on this stage previously, but the South Americans' swarming defensive effort stifled Japan's possession-based football, frustrating the Asian sensations at every turn. There was little to suspect that normal service wouldn't be provided early doors, with Emi Nakajima drilling a cross-shot across the face of goal in the eighth minute after Narumi Miura had pounced on a clearance. But Argentina had other ideas, and successfully restricted their opponents to just one more attempt of note in the first half, a Miura effort in the 25th minute which cleared the crossbar after Risa Shimizu had picked out Yuika Sugasawa in the penalty area. Within five minutes of the resumption of play, Japan demonstrated a desire to change things up a little. Kumi Yokoyama let rip from distance with a shot which drew a parried save from Vanina Correa, with Sugasawa firing the rebound over the top from an acute angle. Six minutes later, Yokoyama fed overlapping fullback Shimizu, whose low cross was cleverly dummied by Hina Sugita to allow Yui Hasegawa, racing in from deep, to let fly. But she steered her chance past the far post - arguably "Nadeshiko"'s best opening of the entire contest. Argentina's tireless efforts continued, with the occasional break out of defence being made by captain Estefania Banini in an effort to relieve the pressure to which she and her team-mates were being subjected by an increasingly agitated Japanese team. The guile of Mana Iwabuchi was introduced to the contest, but "Los Albicelestes" kept their eyes on the prize of a hard-earned point, which could well

have ended up being all three in the 73rd minute. Florencia Bonsegundo slipped as she shot tamely at the hitherto unoccupied Japanese goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita, who looked on with mild interest during the next thirteen minutes as further attempts from Bonsegundo and veteran substitute Mariela Coronel - a header from an Eliana Stabile free-kick - passed the uprights. In between times, Iwabuchi and Sugasawa worked a one-two on the right which resulted in the latter firing in a cross intended for incoming substitute Jun Endo to turn home. Agustina Barroso had other ideas, however, heading the danger to safety and ensuring Correa's continued inactivity. That Argentina's goalkeeper had little to do throughout proceedings was testament to the outstanding efforts of the players in front of her, two of whom sandwiched Iwabuchi in the 89th minute as the Japanese playmaker sought to exploit an opening. The ball was cleared into the stride of Sugita, whose long-range effort cleared the crossbar, unlike that of Hasegawa in stoppage time. Picked out by Miura's angled pass, the midfielder's goalbound effort forced Correa into a hurried save, her most significant of the match, as it confirmed that Argentina would emerge from this encounter with a priceless point to show for their Herculean efforts. When one considers that the Argentines, since the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Finals, have only been playing regularly during the last twelve months - they've been in mothballs otherwise, it makes Carlos Borrelo's team's achievement in holding "Nadeshiko" to a draw all the more remarkable - "Los Albicelestes"' finest hour-and-a-half to date, without question. Argentina:     Correa; Gomez, Barroso, Cometti, Stabile; Bonsegundo (Larroquette, 77), Bravo (Santana, 64), Benitez (Coronel, 79), Mayorga, Banini; Jaimes Japan:          Yamashita; Shimizu (booked, 38), Kumagai, Minami, Sameshima; Nakajima (Endo, 74), Sugita (booked, 45), Miura, Hasegawa; Sugasawa (Ueki, 90), Yokoyama (Iwabuchi, 57 (booked, 85) Referee:     Stephanie Frappart (France)