Japan comfortably ended New Zealand's interests in the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Finals on March 23, eclipsing the Young Ferns 3-0 at the Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in San Jose to finish top of the group. There was only one team in it from the outset, with the Young Ferns forced to defend solidly by their Young Nadeshiko counterparts, often at the expense of corners - Japan earned seven in each half. They didn't engineer too many openings, however, something from which Jitka Klimkova's charges should take credit. Hope Gilchrist's timely intervention prevented the wily Rikako Kobayashi from exploiting Nana Ichise's early ball forward in the sixth minute, while a further twelve minutes elapsed before Mizuka Sato was afforded Japan's next chance, when Liz Anton sliced a clearance straight to her. The midfielder's effort was wayward, unlike that which opened the scoring in the twentieth minute. Hikaru Kitagawa and Mizuki Saihara combined on the left, with the latter scooting past two opponents en route to the by-line, from where an angled ball into the goalmouth found Yui Hasegawa arriving bang on cue. She steered the ball home past the wrong-footed Emma Fulbrook to break the deadlock, but not the Young Ferns' resistance. With Gilchrist, Anton and the solidly performed Sarah Morton putting in huge shifts, the Kiwis continued to restrict Japan's attacking thrusts. They even managed one of their own in the 28th minute, the best passage of football New Zealand produced in the entire competition. Paige Satchell's burst down the left ultimately saw her forced to check her run and seek support, which came in the form of Jade Parris. She linked with Hanna English, whose first match in Costa Rica this was. The fullback quickly linked with Isabella Richards and Issy Coombes before Morton, bombing forward down the right, was brought into play to deliver an early cross intended for Martine Puketapu. Sadly for New Zealand, it was too near goalkeeper Natsumi Asano for their captain to exploit, but it was nonetheless a passage of play to savour for a Young Ferns team which, considering the outcomes of the three-match series against Australia last year and the NTC Invitational Tournament six weeks ago, hasn't endured too many moments of joy in this campaign overall. Kitagawa rattled the side-netting just after the half-hour mark, while Meika Nishida stung the gloves of Fulbrook with a twenty-yarder soon after, before inspiring a 43rd minute attack which culminated in Fulbrook requiring two attempts to keep out Sato's effort. The second spell got off to a lively start through Saihara, who swept in off the left flank past two opponents before unleashing a thumping drive which Fulbrook did well to turn over the bar in the 48th minute. Three minutes later, Koboyashi did English a treat before fizzing in a cross which Hasegawa was racing in to meet at the near post. Fulbrook prevailed, however, and repeated the dose moments later to thwart Koboyashi, as she looked to get on the end of Kitagawa's good work down the left - the fullback had a storming game. On the hour, Koboyashi produced a brilliant run at the Young Ferns defence which saw her evade four challenges before eventually going to ground inside the penalty area. The ball broke for Ichise, who

directed her ten yard drive straight at Fulbrook. Kitagawa deserved a goal for her performance, and came within inches of getting it in the 68th minute, after evading a couple of challenges and attempting to chip Fulbrook. But Young Nadeshiko had just three minutes to wait before they could celebrate their long overdue second goal in this encounter. Hasegawa picked out Nishida with a corner which the midfielder met with a bullet header. It was too hot for Fulbrook to handle, and required a goal-line clearance by English to spare the 'keeper's blushes. This landed at the feet of Hasegawa, who picked out Saihara with her cross. The striker's drive was spilled by Fulbrook, inviting Ichise to shoot instinctively at goal. The ball struck Anton's arm as it headed for the net behind her, leaving Brazilian referee Ana Marques with a tough decision to make. Thankfully, she applied common sense in administering punishment to Anton, whose intent to stop the ball with her arm was non-existent - it was a case of ball striking limb. The yellow card was the perfect answer, well in keeping with the spirit in which the game was played. Japan elicited ample punishment from the penalty spot, Koboyashi's cool-as-you-like spot-kick completely deceiving Fulbrook as the Young Nadeshiko starlet doubled her country's advantage nineteen minutes from time. They wasted little time in looking to build on their two-goal cushion. Substitute Shiho Matsubara's first involvement saw her angled fifteen yarder smothered by Fulbrook fifteen minutes from time. Three minutes later, Asato Miyagawa came desperately close to increasing Japan's lead with a crossbar rattler, the rebound from which prompted a Young Ferns counter-attack which culminated in substitute Ashley Arquette firing tamely at the target while under pressure. Eight minutes from time, Daisy Cleverley combined with Puketapu on the right, only for New Zealand's captain to lose her footing just as she was shaping to shoot. The ball fizzed well wide of the near post, the Young Ferns' last chance of the match. For their group-winning opponents, however, there were two more opportunities, both of which materialised in stoppage time. Hasegawa's sumptuous free-kick from just outside the penalty area arced over the wall and crashed off the crossbar - it deserved better fate. Japan had just seconds to wait before they could celebrate their 3-0 triumph, Matsubara sweeping home the final goal with virtually the last kick of the game after a devastating run down the left past four opponents by Kitagawa, who gathered possession on half-way and took on all-comers before picking out her team-mate with a precise cross. Young Nadeshiko carry on into the quarter-finals and possibly beyond, while the Young Ferns head for home, wiser for the experience and with numerous lessons to be absorbed from the campaign, the final two matches of which saw them well beaten on the park, but thankfully not disgraced on the scoreboard. Japan:         Asano; Hashinuma, Okuma, Ichise, Kitagawa; Sato (Kono, 46), Hasegawa, Miyagawa, Nishida (Matsubara, 74); Koboyashi, Saihara Young Ferns:    Fulbrook; Morton, Gilchrist, Anton (booked, 70), English (Ingram, 89); Cleverley; Puketapu, Richards (Arquette, 73), Coombes, Satchell; Parris (Kingi, 81) Referee:    Ava Marques (Brazil)