Japan played this game at their pace from the start. They held the ball, passed with confidence and closed France down whenever they needed to. It was a performance of World Champions, for about an hour anyway! The irony is that, after what seemed like about 70% possession – and France racking up goal attempts, albeit from distance, without causing Miho Fukumoto in the Japan goal any problem – Nadeshiko Japan scored their two goals from free kicks into the box against the much more physically imposing French. Size really doesn’t matter, you know! The French had tried a little physical stuff – in particular when Wendie Renard tried her best to put Shinobu Ohno out of the game with a horrific challenge early on. TV replays showed it was, or could have been, a real leg breaker. The same defender was lucky to get away without seeing red – for a second yellow – with a similar challenge on Yuki Ogimi later in the game.
The first goal came from a deep Aya Miyama free kick which the French keeper made a mess of and Ogimi forced the ball home from close range. That was the score at the break, and Japan – with that dominant possession and superbly patient passing – had never seemed in trouble. The World Champions added a second when Miyama’s free kick – again – was headed home by Mizuho Sakaguchi and looked to be cruising to victory and then …..
… France finally got a goal, and a foothold to get back into this Olympic semi-final, in the 76th minute, when Sameshima was uncharacteristically made to look slow in the left back position and the right wing cross from Elodie Thomis was blasted home by Eugenie Le Sommer and moments later France were awarded a penalty kick when Le Sommer – an effective substitute indeed – was upended by Sakaguchi, but Bussaglia put it wide and Japan heaved a collective sigh of relief. But it was far from over, as France suddenly realised that maybe they had a chance in this game, yet, as they poured forward they left space that Kawasumi and Ogimi almost took advantage of, the keeper having to come out of her area to close down a through ball and keep France in with a shout as the clock ticked down.
With nothing to lose France continued pushing forward in the final ten minutes and Japan were finally tested, but remained tight at the back/rode their luck (delete as applicable) and as more space opened up, Ogimi broke free, advanced toward goal in the final minute of regulation time and calmly slotted the ball past the keeper. It came back off the post and Japan had to withstand four added minutes. but see it out they did and a nation continues to be enthralled by these ladies who, two years ago won the ultimate prize – FIFA’s World Cup. Can they add an Olympic gold medal to that? Whatever happens, the country can be proud of Nadeshiko Japan.
Suffice to say – and I won’t apologise for saying it again – the final will need a strong referee who will not allow the thuggery that the USA team CAN come up with. If they play to win, fairly, they are a great team to watch – it will be a final worthy of a gold medal game. If they come out kicking, and get away with it, the Games will be cheated. Japan saw what the USA team will do to win – if they are allowed to – in Sweden, pre-Olympics, even in a “friendly” – a game in which midfielder Rumi Utsugi was hacked out of the Olympics by some dreadful tackles. Please, USA, don’t resort to that!
Japan – if they win – will be the first team in history to win the World Cup and then Olympic gold…. having said that, the country is already proud and, if they do their best, a silver is as much as anyone EXPECTED” before the games started…. Business Class return flights? Who knows!
JAPAN – Fukomoto; Kinga, Kumagai, Sameshima, Iwashimizu; Kawasumi, Sawa, Miyama, Sakaguchi; Ogimi; Ohno
Pictures show Shinobu Ohno in action with INAC Kobe ….
