A last-minute Lieke Martens penalty on Tuesday took the Netherlands through to the FIFA Women’s World Cup quarter-finals as they joined Italy in the last eight, confirming Europe’s supremacy at the tournament and ending Asian interest.
The Netherlands scraped past Japan 2-1 to set up a quarter-final on Saturday in Valenciennes against Italy, who had beaten China 2-0 earlier in the day thanks to goals from Valentina Giacinti and Aurora Galli.
The results mean that seven of the eight quarter-finalists in France are European, with holders and favorites the US the sole exception.
Photo: AP
There had never previously been more than five European sides in the last eight of a Women’s World Cup.
Such an early exit is particularly painful for Japan, who won the World Cup in 2011 and were beaten finalists four years ago in Canada.
The Nadeshiko had their hearts broken in Rennes as Barcelona star Martens converted a 90th-minute spot-kick awarded after a Vivianne Miedema shot had struck the arm of captain Saki Kumagai in the box.
The European champions, who lost by the same scoreline to Japan at the same last-16 stage in 2015, are through to the quarter-finals for the first time.
“It is history that we have made. We are really proud about that, but we are not done yet here. We are really looking forward to the next game and we hope we can surprise more,” Martens said.
She had given the Netherlands a 17th-minute lead with a superb backheel flick into the net from a Sherida Spitse corner, but Japan equalized just prior to halftime, when Mana Iwabuchi supplied Yui Hasegawa to fire high into the net.
Japan had hit the post before that through Yuika Sugasawa, and Hina Sugita smashed a shot off the underside of the crossbar during a second half in which Japan were superior.
Extra time was looming when the Honduran referee penalized Kumagai, who could do nothing to get out of the way of a shot that was nevertheless heading toward the target.
“It was a penalty, it struck my hand. Of course it is very hard to accept. I am sad, but I know that that’s football,” a tearful Kumagai said.
“[The video assistant referee] is there. Sometimes cruel decisions have been taken in other matches. Today it went against us. We have to look forward and accept it,” coach Asako Takakura added.
Japan are now to look ahead to the Olympics in Tokyo next year after joining Thailand, South Korea, Australia and China in being eliminated.
It is the first time that no Asian representatives have made it to the last eight at the Women’s World Cup, with 1999 runners-up China going out after a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Italy in Montpellier.
A 15th-minute tap in from Giacinti and substitute Galli’s fierce drive three minutes after the break saw Milena Bertolini’s side see off a committed Chinese team and match Italy’s best run in the competition back in 1991.
“Today wasn’t a display of beautiful football, but the girls gave everything and we were clinical,” Bertolini told TV station Rai. “To reach the quarter-finals is hugely satisfying.”
Italy, ranked 15th in the world, have been a revelation at this World Cup, but China have been hugely disappointing and go home with just a solitary goal scored, in their 1-0 win over South Africa.
“That is football. The team that makes the first mistake pays for it,” China coach Jia Xiuquan said. “This is a major tournament which allows us to see our weaknesses. We still have work to do to improve Chinese football. We have lots of room for progression.”
Yesterday was a rest day before the first quarter-final today pitches England against Norway in Le Havre.
With much of France in the grip of a heatwave, temperatures in Paris are expected to reach 35°C tomorrow, when the hosts take on the US at the Parc des Princes.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB