A hat-trick from skipper Homare Sawa and a first half Shinobu Ohno goal booked Japan a quarter-final berth at the women’s World Cup with a 4-0 win over Mexico on Friday. It was a magnificent individual performance from Sawa, competing in her fifth World Cup, which stole the show as she lifted the Japanese to just their second quarter-finals after 1995.
The 32-year-old combined perfectly with fellow midfielder Aya Miyama to score two early goals after 13 and 39 minutes, adding her third on 80 minutes for a Japanese World Cup record. Ohno netted after 15 minutes.
“Even for myself it was a bit of a surprise,” said Sawa. “I didn’t dare imagine I could score so many as three goals. “The first and second were in combination with Miyama and she really gave me a nice ball. You could also say they’re Aya’s goals too.” Mexican coach Leonardo Cuellar admitted his side were shell-shocked.
“To take two goals so soon shook the team. They didn’t allow us to settle. It’s difficult to catch up against a team that is very technical and skillful,” said a tearful Cuellar. “This was a very painful defeat. Psychologically, mentally and physically we will have to recover before the next game.
The Japanese demolished Cuellar’s young side to achieve their second win in as many games after their 2-1 opening success against New Zealand.
With a maximum six points they are assured of one of the two group qualifying spots to advance to the final eight with one group game to go. Nicknamed ‘the Nadeshiko’ — a pink flower symbolising grace and beauty — the Japanese showed their mettle as they overwhelmed Mexico from the outset. Sawa, the country’s record 168-capped player, headed in after 13 minutes from a perfectly delivered Miyama freekick and two minutes later her INAC Leonessa teammate Ohno doubled their account from a Yuki Nagasto cross. The Mexicans could find no answer to the attacking Japanese as Sawa continued the rout six minutes before the break when she rose above the melee in front of goal to head in a Miyama corner.
The Japanese thought they had a fourth just before the break but Yuki Nagasto’s effort was ruled offside. After the break, Stephany Mayor’s long-range effort offered some hope to the Mexicans but it was saved with one hand by a diving Ayumi Kaihori. Key striker Maribel Dominguez, who had been struggling with a calf injury, was replaced by defender Kenti Robles after 62 minutes as Cuellar tried to plug Mexico’s leaky defence. But Sawa slammed home their superiority with her third when she fired in past diving 16-year-old keeper Cecilia Santiago following a Yukari Kinga cross on 80 minutes.
Three minutes later Norio Sasaki substituted the midfielder for Rumi Utsugi and a celebrating Sawa ran off the pitch to an ovation from the crowd 22,291 crowd. The Japanese didn’t give up their search for a fifth goal with Nagasto and Miyama missing two last-gasp efforts. Earlier Germany joined France in the quarter-finals of the women’s World Cup from Group A after the hosts and defending champions spluttered to a 1-0 win over Nigeria on Thursday.
