Japanese soccer fans were left wiping away Monday-morning tears in Tokyo sports bars as their beloved Nadeshiko were thrashed 5-2 by the US in the FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Vancouver.
Supporters had gathered early for the 8am kickoff, hopeful of seeing Japan retain the title they won four years ago against the same opponents, but the dream quickly became a nightmare as the US raced to a 4-0 lead inside 16 minutes.
Japanese fans at the downtown Tokyo sports bar Estadio booed and some broke down in tears as the Japan defense disintegrated.
Photo: AFP
Yuki Ogimi did pull one goal back for Japan in the 27th minute to loud cheers in Tokyo, where fans sensed the most unlikely of comebacks.
Those hopes grew further when Julie Johnston turned into her own net to cut the deficit to 4-2 with more than 30 minutes to play, but the US quickly put the game beyond doubt with a fifth goal two minutes later.
Japan, though, won praise for fighting back from such a woeful start and not collapsing like Brazil had in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup last year when they were walloped 7-1 by Germany.
“I’m sad, but that one goal was fantastic. They didn’t lose without scoring and I think that showed Japan’s resilience, which was fantastic,” 38-year old Tokyo resident Naomi Ushimi said as she wiped away tears.
The loss of the world title was sorely felt, but Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the women had proven role models for the rest of the country.
“Nadeshiko were runners-up for the Women’s World Cup. They went to the final two consecutive times and they united to play hard until the end. They gave courage to the Japanese people,” Abe posted on Twitter.
Japan will not have to wait four years for revenge with the Olympic Games in Brazil only a year away.
The Nadeshiko, who lifted the Asian Cup title last year for the first time, were silver medalists in London in 2012 after losing to the US in the final.
Their impressive run of results and emergence as a world power drew plaudits from the men’s team, who endured a dismal group-stage exit at last year’s World Cup finals after talking up their chances of making the quarter-finals for the first time.
“They always provide a dream,” striker Shinji Okazaki told Kyodo News. “The fact that they got to the final shows how strong they are. We [the men] must learn from them.”
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