Women's World Cup: England and Japan compared ahead of semi-final
Wednesday 1 July 2015 23:50, UK
England's impressive 2-1 win over Women's World Cup hosts Canada last Saturday sets up a semi-final clash with reigning champions Japan in Edmonton on Wednesday.
Mark Sampson's Lionesses are only the third England side – male or female – to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
Ahead of the game at the Commonwealth Stadium we take a look at the tale of the tape between the two teams.
World ranking
Heading into Canada 2015, England were ranked as the sixth best team in women's football, while opponents Japan – the current world champions – trail Germany, USA and France in the standings in fourth position.
Tournament history
The history-making Lionesses are in unchartered territory in terms of their progress at a Women's World Cup. England made history against Norway, winning the round of 16 tie in this new 24-team format to record their first-ever World Cup knockout victory.
They followed that up with Saturday's 2-1 win over host nation Canada to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time after three previous losses at the quarter-final stage.
England can take heart from Japan’s performances at the Women’s World Cup over the last quarter of a century. Japan failed to make it out of the group stages in four of the first five tournaments they contested before beating USA on penalty kicks to win the 2011 final in Germany.
The Japanese team, who go by the nickname Nadeshiko in their home country, followed up their World Cup victory by claiming silver at the London 2012 Olympics before winning the AFC Asian Women’s Cup last year.
Path to the semi-final
Japan have been quietly efficient in disposing of the opposition during the course of this tournament. They boast the second meanest defence in the competition, conceding just twice and have won each of their five matches so far by a single goal, scoring seven in total.
But they left it late to seal their place in the last four, with Mana Iwabuchi coming off the bench to scramble home an 87th minute winner against Australia in the quarter-finals.
England have had mixed fortunes at Canada 2015 but have got better with every game to win four in succession following a 1-0 loss to France in their World Cup opener. They came from behind to beat 1995 winners Norway 2-1 in the round of 16 and won by the same scoreline against host nation Canada in the quarter-finals.
Recent meetings
England are unbeaten in their last three meetings with Japan, drawing twice and winning once. The last meeting between the two sides was at Burton’s Pirelli Stadium and finished 1-1, with Eni Aluko’s first-half strike cancelled out by Japan’s Nahomi Kawasumi.
England came out on top in the last meeting between the two sides at a World Cup. That came in Group B of the 2011 tournament – which Japan went on to win – with Ellen White and Rachel Yankey on target in a 2-0 victory for the Lionesses.
Travel factor
England have clocked up around 3,000 miles travelling in Canada during the course of this tournament, including an 800-mile journey from Vancouver following their quarter-final triumph against Canada.
England’s travel exertions coupled with the searing heat during their closely-fought matches must surely be taking its toll on Mark Sampson’s side. Japan’s quarter-final with Australia also took place in Edmonton, so the Nadeshiko have the added benefit of having been based in the city for the best part of a week.
Experience
Liverpool Ladies star Fara Williams will extend her own international appearance record to 146 when she anchors England's midfield against Japan on Wednesday night. The playmaker is one of a select group of players, including David Beckham, to have scored at three World Cups in an England shirt.
The influential midfielder has won the league title at club level in her last two seasons and if she can affect Wednesday night’s game, England stand a great chance of reaching Sunday’s final in Vancouver.
In women’s football players don’t come much more experienced than Japanese legend Homare Sawa. The 36-year-old has featured in four Olympic tournaments for Japan and became the first player – male or female – to play in six World Cups when she started Japan’s Group C opener against Switzerland. Sawa has made almost 200 international appearances and is Japan’s record scorer with 82 goals.
Key match-up
Manchester City and England Women’s skipper Steph Houghton has become an increasingly influential presence as the tournament has progressed but she faces another stern examination of her credentials when she lines up against Japan centurion Yuki Ogimi.
Houghton knows Ogimi well as the agile and dynamic Wolfsburg forward was with Chelsea Ladies last season. Houghton may hold a psychological edge over the 28-year-old after helping Manchester City to two wins over Ogimi’s Chelsea at the end of last season, including a 2-1 final-day victory which denied Chelsea the title.
What the managers say
England's Mark Sampson
"They are history-makers again, the third ever England team to get to a semi-final. We now join the 1966 and the 1990 club, and I'm very proud of the whole group."
Japan's Norio Sasaki
"The emotion that we created in 2011 we certainly would like to be able to recreate that for the Japanese people,"
