Women's World Cup - Champions Japan shrug off Netherlands

BC Place, Vancouver: Japan 2 (Ariyoshi 10, Sakaguchi 78) Netherlands 1 (Van der Ven 90'+2)

Japan rolled on through to the quarter-finals, brushing aside tournament new girls the Netherlandsand showing they are more than ready to defend their World Cup.

Japan were a class above from the outset, demonstrating just why they were the best team in the world in 2011 with neat passing and exquisite vision.

They scored their opener after just 10 minutes, Yuki Ogimi hitting the crossbar then Saori Ariyoshi sliding home the rebound.

The Netherlands were disappointing in the first half, with Manon Melis encapsulating their display by fluffing their best chance as her touch let her down, allowing the ball to bounce off her standing leg and out for a goal kick.

They were brighter in the second half, but Japan sealed their victory with a characteristic goal consisting of one-touch passing and a beautiful finish from Mizuho Sakaguchi.

Kirsten van der Ven gave the Netherlands some last-minute hope as Ayumi Kaihori threw her shot behind her into the net, but it was too little too late.

HIGHLIGHTS

7' MISS! Brilliantly timed run by Melis, but her touch is poor, embarrassingly flicking off her standing leg before she can get the shot away.

10' GOAL! Well, that didn't take too long. Good play down the left, Ogimi hit the bar with a header, then Ariyoshi hit home the rebound.

45' MISS! Very much enjoying Ohno's insistence on heading the ball - she meets Ogimi's cross as she's been left entirely unmarked in the box again.

76' CHANCE! What a chance for the Netherlands! Closest they've come so far, from a corner, and Kaihori does well to bat that away.

78' GOAL! What a beautifully slick goal from Japan, one-touch passing and Sakaguchi curls that in left-footed.

90'+2 GOAL! And there's a consolation for the Netherlands, thanks in no small part to the keeper throwing van der Ven's shot in.

KEY STATISTICS

Japan have led at half-time in all four of their games so far at this Women's World Cup.

Five of Japan's six goals at this Women's World Cup have come in the first 29 minutes of the game.

TALKING POINT

Can Japan defend their World Cup? On the evidence here, the answer has to be yes. The tidiness of the team, the slickness of the passing, all combine to indicate that they are going to be very difficult to knock off their perch.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Yuki Ogimi (Japan): It could have been most of Japan's team, to be honest, but Ogimi edges it for her constant harrying and effort.

PLAYER RATINGS

Japan: Kaihori 8, Iwashimizu 8, Kumagai 8, Sameshima 8, Sakaguchi 8, Miyama 9, Kawasumi 8, Ohno 9, Utsugi 8, Ogimi 9, Ariyoshi 8. Subs: Sawa 7, Iwabuchi 7.

Netherlands: Geurts 7, V. Lunteren 7, V. der Gragt 7, V. den Berg 7, Dekker 7, Melis 7, Spitse 7, Miedema 7, V. de Donk 7, Martens 7, V. Dongen 7. Subs: van den Ven 7, Middag 7.

Japan keep Women's World Cup title defence alive with win over Holland

• Japan 2-1 Holland
• ‘Nadeshiko’ to meet Australia in quarter-finals

Japan completed the quarter-final lineup for the Women’s World Cup on Tuesday when the defending champions rolled into the last eight with an impressive 2-1 win over Holland.

The only team in the tournament to have won every game, Japan dominated the Dutch debutants with their speed and skill and move on to Edmonton and a Saturday meeting with Australia, who booked their last eight spot with an upset of Brazil.

An early strike from Saori Ariyoshi and a 78th-minute missile from Mizuho Sakaguchi accounted for Japan’s scoring, while Kirsten Van De Ven provided some late drama when her tame injury-time header somehow found its way past a static Ayumi Kaihori.

Playing their first match in nine days, Holland looked rusty and were fortunate to reach the break just 1-0 down after Japan dominated the opening half, generating chance after chance and hammering 13 shots at the Dutch goal.

But Holland came to life in the second and were close to finding an equaliser in the 75th minute off a wild scramble from a corner, Kaihori blocking the initial goal-bound deflection before Van De Ven had her blast blocked on the line.

Despite the close call the Japanese refused to panic and the ‘Nadeshiko’ calmly worked the ball down the field with Sakaguchi providing a thundering finish to some superb buildup play that included a cheeky back heel pass and dummy run.

The match against Australia is a repeat of last year’s Women’s Asian Cup final that the Japanese won 1-0 in Vietnam.