[DEN-JPN] with free Dear Blue webstream! at http://www.justin.tv/pet350ml/popout Japan (Norio Sasaki) (with players' ages in brackets) [lineup-4-4-2] 20 Yuika Sugasawa[21], 19 Megumi Takase[21] , 8 Miyama[27], 16 Ito[28], 14 Tanaka[23], 21 Kyokawa[18] , 15 Ariyoshi[24], 4 Kumagai[21], 3 Iwashimizu[25], 2 Kinga[27] , 12 Miho Fukumoto[28] [/lineup-4-4-2] Bit of a younger line-up.
15' 0-0 Japan has had more possession, and created a couple chances in the box. #16 Petersen already has a couple of saves, and some other work. #12 Fukumoto has had almost zero screen time. Denmark (Kenneth Heiner-Møller): (from Dear Blue's excellent graphic in Japanese) [lineup-4-4-2] 10 Pernille Harder, 7 Sanne Nielsen , 11 K.Veje, 6 M.Knudsen, 3(c) K.Pedersen, 13 J.Rasmussen , 2 L.Hansen, 15 M.Olsen, 4 L.Jensen, 8 T.Nielsen , 16 Stina Lykke Petersen [/lineup-4-4-2]
18' 0-0 Denmark press to box top wide left, pancaked by #2 Kinga with an exuberant shoulder-charge. Free kick sails past right post endline, headed back to the post, Japan pops it high but not out of box. Denmark back-flick header toward right post, but their forward is stranded offside. 19' 0-0 #15 Ariyoshi eludes 2 defenders down box left, crosses to the spot, just out of reach. Japan can't get a shot off, lose it at box top center, Denmark breaks to Japan's box top. 23' 0-0 Japan chip-cross from wide right to a leaping scrum at 9m right post. About 3 players collide in the air, ball drops to 11m mid-left. #8 Miyama pounces from box top (it worked so well once, she'll do this forever now ), chests ball into her stride, gets an awkward waist-high right instep chip, #16 Petersen blocks it with her left knee.
25' 0-0 Denmark ran at box top right, rolled a good through-ball to 14m 6-right, but Japan made her turn and lose it. 26' 0-0 Japan up the right, shoots to right post, saved. 33' 0-0 Japan chip high to #19 Takase at 25m right post. She goes up to pop a header into space in the right corner, as #4 Line Jensen jumps for same header, and they oof each other flat. No bone contact, only, um, airbags
37' 0-0 #15 Ariyoshi overlaps way up wide left, crosses to 6-top left, #20 Sugasawa tries a leaping back flick-header, pops way up and lands in the roof. 38' 0-0 Ball crosses or deflects to 15m 6-left, #8 Miyama oddly alone, shoots unconvincingly, #16 Petersen sprawls and engulfs it. 40' 0-0 Denmark get endline wide left, cross low and #3 Iwashimizu(?) taps it over. 41' 0-0 Denmark left corner, into scrum, bounces around, cleared to box top 6-left. Denmark blasts one-time low rocket, clean through heavy traffic, but right to #12 Fukumoto, who saw it all the way.
44' 0-0 Japan lose possession at Denmark's box top. Denmark can't quite clear, Japan can't quite keep control. Backpass to #16 Petersen, she clangs a rebound as #19 Takase arrives to challenge: a test of her foot skilz! Petersen dribbles two steps under Takase's shoulder-challenge, then kicks clear. More not-quite interchanges, finally ball trickles into touch. HT.
Fascinating shot of coach Norio Sasaki on the bench. He's got a large whiteboard with soccer field markings, and a full set of red/blue magnetized numbered go pieces. The board even has a "sideline" border area for the benches, and he's already laid out both teams' sub counters therein. So he can push the pieces around to mimic the field, and doodle around them. I want one 46' 0-0 Japan subs in (1 of 6) #13 Rumi Utsugi (DF => LCM) [23 yr] for #16 Kanako Ito (LCM). 46' 0-0 Japan starts quickly: cross from wide right to 6-top right post, header just wide. 49' 0-0 Japan subs in (2 of 6) #18 Nanase Kiryu (MF) [22 yr] for #21 Mai Kyokawa. Kyokawa bows to the field as she exits, like a judoka leaving the dojo
51' 0-1 #2 Kinga overlaps way up, receives at box top right, one-touch curling cross to 6-top mid-right. #20 Yuika Sugasawa slides and pokes it just enough to mess up #16 Petersen's committed sprawl, under her armpit to left back corner low.
I thank too: I am at work and can't follow the match live, but I connect from time to time to get reports... Yay at Nadeshiko japan "second team" finally scoring!
55' 0-1 Denmark play to Japan's box top. #18 Kiryu blasts a clearance high, grazes a Denmark player's face? Or her shoe comes too close on the follow-through? Or they showed the wrong replay? Yellow card on Kiryu. Denmark free kick from 25m box left, drilled to center frame high, #12 Fukumoto times her jump and palms it high and over, drops straight down onto the roof. 56' 0-1 Denmark right corner, cleared.
60' 0-1 Denmark lacks passing targets in midfield, and can't ping faster than Japan's high pressure. Looks like the field is filled with blue shirts. When Japan have it, their passes are sharp, precise, and always seem to find their mark, with no rebound. Looks like the field is filled with blue socks! 65' 0-1 Denmark subs in: - (1 of 6) #14 Kristine Pedersen for #11 Katrine Veje - (2 of 6) #17 Nadia Nadim for #7 Sanne Troelsgaard Nielsen
After only a couple of minutes, Sweden are already 1-0 up against Iceland! Lobbed goal by Schelin from an assist by Thunebro.
69' 0-1 #19 Takase stumbles at 11m left post, recovers and blasts a rising shot directly to #16 Petersen's face, "easy" catch. 71' 0-1 Japan subs in: - (2 of 6) #17 Yuki Nagasato for #20 Yuika Sugasawa - (3 of 6) #9 Nahomi Kawasumi for #8 Aya Miyama
73' 0-1 Denmark slips a pass through box left to #2 Line Røddik Hansen, but she stumbles to knees under a challenge, and it rolls over. 74' Denmark subs in (3 of 6) #18 Marie Bjerg for #4 Line S. Jensen.
And Göransson makes it 2-0 to Sweden after 12 minutes. An Almgren pass to Schelin is saved by the Icelandic keeper but the ball falls to Göransson, who puts it into the open goal.
78' 0-1 Looks like #3 Azusa Iwashimizu has non-blue discoloration on her left sleeve 80' 0-1 Denmark play over the top(?) to #14 Kristine Pedersen, she turns and carries through box top 6-right, as #12 Fukumoto comes all the way out to duel her. Fukumoto sprawls down at 15m and blocks the shot, back to Pedersen and clangs too far for her to retrieve, over for a goal kick. 81' 0-1 Denmark subs in (4 of 6) #20 Anja Thorsen for #6 Mariann Gajhede Knudsen.
Damnation. Segerström pulls down Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir in the box, giving away a penalty. Lárusdóttir scores. 2-1 after 19 minutes.
86' 0-1 #13 Utsugi(?) rips long diagonal pass to #19 Tasake through box top arc right -- slightly underweighted, forced her inward enough that her defender could shoulder-challenge. Takase rides it to 15m right post, shoots face-high and ~1 diameter wide left. 87' 0-1 Denmark blasts from (beyond?) box top, Fukumoto backpedals and catches high on her goalline.
90' 0-1 Japan free kick from 20m arc right, into the wall, cleared. 90+2' (of 3') 0-2 Denmark backpasses, #16 Petersen tries to return pass with foot -- but ball hits retreating #11 Ohno at 15m 6-right!! Ohno turns, gathers, shimmy-shakes, then lifts a hip-high ball between stranded Petersen and the right post. Petersen yells at herself. FT.
32 minutes: 3-1 to Sweden, from a goal by... Landström. No, seriously. A header too, just like the old days, after a free kick from Dahlkvist.