Japan’s 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign came to an end at the quarter-final stage as they were beaten 2-1 by Sweden on Friday morning.
Both Risa Shimizu and Honoka Hayashi featured in the defeat at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand, with the latter notching a goal late on to make for an interesting stoppage time period.
Heading into the tie, Japan had been faultless throughout their campaign so far, easing through the group stage with victories over Zambia, Costa Rica and Spain before dispatching Norway 3-1 in their round of 16 tie.
Sweden meanwhile had also navigated through their group stage matches in superb fashion with wins over South Africa, Italy and Argentina, before coming out on top against the defending champions United States in a thrilling penalty shootout.
Indeed, they took the lead in this quarter-final clash after 32 minutes, with Arsenal defender Amanda Ilestedt struck her fourth goal of the tournament from the edge of the six-yard box after Japan failed to clear their lines.
Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita kept Japan in the clash when she tipped an effort by Sweden captain Kosovare Asllani onto the post.
However, there looked to be no coming back for Japan when Filippa Angeldahl doubled the lead from the spot after the video assistant referee (VAR) awarded the spot-kick after Liverpool’s Fuka Nagano was adjudged to have handled the ball.
Then it was Japan’s turn to be awarded a penalty, but Riko Ueki’s 76th-minute attempt clattered off the bar. Hayashi came off the bench late and slotted home in the 87th minute, becoming the second West Ham United women’s player to score at a World Cup after Risa Shimizu’s goal against Norway.
Aoba Fujino hit the woodwork from a free-kick deep into stoppage time, but Sweden saw the game out to make it into the last four, bringing Japan's World Cup journey to an end.
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