Germany v. Japan

The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website | home

Germany v. Japan

Sayonara Japan As Deutschland Uber Alle Once More

by Jeremy Ruane

A stirring second half fight back from Japan was not enough to deny Germany's progress to the quarter-finals of the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup Finals, the reigning champions securing their passage with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over their gallant opponents.

If the first half of this match were a boxing bout, it was classic good big man versus good little man fare, and as so often happens when that is the case, the smaller opponent often pays the price.

Japan did in this match, because Germany were, quite simply, too big, too strong, too fast, too solid and too powerful for “Nadeshiko”, and the 1-0 half-time scoreline flattered the Asian combination.

Both teams began brightly, Homare Sawa engineering a promising raid in the second minute which foundered on Germany's rock-solid rearguard. The reigning world champions' response saw them surge downfield through Petra Wimbersky, who took the place of the suspended Simone Laudehr in this match.

She powered inside off the right flank before allowing Birgit Prinz to assume possession. She played the ball inside to Sandra Smisek, whose smart lay-off rewarded Wimbersky, who had continued her run forward. Her twelve-yard shot was tipped over the bar by Miho Fukumoto, who was to be a rather busy custodian before too much longer.

Inside the next seven minutes, Linda Bresonik and Melanie Behringer twice teamed up on the left to create openings for team-mates. Kerstin Garefrekes was the first to have a chance to score, but fired narrowly over the top in the fifth minute, after which Smisek's fifteen yard header was grabbed by Fukumoto.

Japan's best move of the half materialised in the fourteenth minute. Sawa ignited it, bringing into play Miyuki Yanagita, whose cross-field ball to Tomoe Sakai saw her link with Hiromi Isozaki to send overlapping fullback Yukari Kinga haring down the right. Her cross was met by a diving header from Yuki Nagasoto, but her effort lacked the power to trouble German goalkeeper Nadine Angerer.

Five minutes later, Ayumi Hara was caught in possession by Smisek, who played an instant one-two with Prinz. Only the alertness of Azusa Iwashimizu prevented the Germans opening the scoring, the defender sliding in to thwart Smisek in her shooting stride.

The European champions didn't have long to wait to break the deadlock, however. Kerstin Stegemann played a great ball forward which Smisek played wide to Wimbersky. She then played a one-two with Smisek which took her into the penalty area.

Fukumoto swatted her shot away for a corner, which Renate Lingor delivered to the far post. Prinz controlled the ball on her chest before smashing it into the roof of the net from eight yards in the 21st minute.

The Germans had the chance to double their advantage seven minutes later. Iwashimizu conceded possession cheaply just outside the penalty area. Wimbersky threaded the ball through to Behringer, who directed her first-time snapshot straight at Fukumoto.

Further Wimbersky work down the right resulted in a corner, which Lingor again sent to the far post. Prinz's header flashed past the upright, seconds after which Stegemann fired another fine ball forward, this time rewarding Garefrekes' surging run. Into the penalty area she powered, before whipping in a low cross which Smisek only just failed to make contact with.

Yanagita and Rumi Utsugi linked neatly on the left deep inside their own half in the 35th minute, and the latter's pass to Sawa saw the playmaker look to thread a pass through to Nagasoto, who would have been through on goal with just Angerer to beat had Ariane Hingst not made a fine interception.

Four minutes before half-time, a powerful burst past four opponents by Behringer resulted in a corner which saw Lingor pick out Hingst. Her header across goal found Smisek, who, from a tight angle, directed a header against the angle of post and bar.

The teams take to the field

Lining up prior to the national anthems

Team photos time

"Nadeshiko" acknowledge their supporters after the game

The Hangzhou Dragon Stadium, match venue

Looking across the ground from the top of the stand in which the media facilities are located

Two minutes later, Behringer was in again on the left flank, from where she fired in a low cross for Smisek. She fired wide, but it wasn't the last chance of the half. That was instigated by Prinz, who set off on a strong run across goal before threading the ball through to Behringer in the penalty area.

Her cross was cleared to Prinz, whose twenty-yard grass-cutter was saved by Fukumoto in the shadows of her right-hand post.

Japan came out all guns blazing in the second half, for their future at China 2007 hinged on turning the score around in the remaining 45 minutes. In the third of these, Nagasato switched play to Yanagita, whose angled cross rewarded the driving run forward of Kinga.

Her header lacked the power to beat Angerer, and while the forty-yard piledriver from Hara was hit with sufficient energy, the goalkeeper was right behind it from the second the ball left the midfielder's boot in the 56th minute.

In between times, the Germans had gone close, led by Smisek. Her right flank raid saw a pass inside to Garefrekes turned into Prinz's path. Only fine tracking and the subsequent tackle of Sakai denied the former FIFA World Women's Player of the Year her second goal of the game.

After Wimbersky had sent a twenty-yarder thundering over the bar on the hour, a long ball forward by Fukumoto four minutes later sent substitute Shinobu Ohno haring through the German defence. On as a replacement for half-time substitute Eriko Arakawa, who injured herself when landing heavily after contesting a ball with Angerer, Ohno was only denied by the goalkeeper saving at her feet.

Three minutes later, Bresonik and Lingor linked on the left, the latter releasing substitute Fatmire Bajramaj with a sublime first-time pass round the corner. The speedster hurtled past Kinga before seeing her shot tipped over the bar by Fukumoto.

In the 76th minute, both teams had chances to alter the scoreline. Nagasato slipped Ohno through Germany's defence, but she was denied by a superb covering tackle from Annike Krahn, who found Bresonik with her clearance.

The classy fullback instantly sparked a counter-attack, linking with Lingor, who sent Smisek scampering down the left. Her cross on the run to the far post found Wimbersky hurtling in looking to add the finishing touch, but she directed her effort wide of the mark.

Three minutes later, Wimbersky and substitute Martina Mueller were in full flight down the right, the latter checking inside her opponent before picking out Prinz with her cross. The striker directed her unchallenged header across the face of goal and past the far post.

Four minutes from time, Bresonik sparked off the move which ensured Germany's passage into the quarter-finals with a superb angled cross-field ball. Stegemann took it in her stride and steered it into Wimbersky's path.

The winger was felled in full flight in the penalty area by Isozaki, leaving Columbian referee Adriana Correa with no option - penalty. Lingor sent Player of the Match Fukumoto the wrong way from the spot to clinch Germany's 2-0 victory.

Japan threw everything but the kitchen sink at their conquerors in the minutes which remained as they vainly pursued a goal, but the best efforts of Kinga, Sakai and Ohno to reduce the deficit proved fruitless, and the final whistle spelled despair for Nadeshiko, and joy unconfined for Germany, who finish top of Group A with this win.

Germany: Angerer; Stegemann, Krahn, Hingst, Bresonik; Wimbersky, Garefrekes (booked, 82), Lingor, Behringer (Bajramaj, 57); Smisek (Mueller, 77 (booked, 88)), Prinz

Japan: Fukumoto; Kinga, Isozaki, Iwashimizu, Utsugi; Yanagita, Sakai, Sawa, Hara, Miyama (Arakawa, 46) (Ohno, 63); Nagasato (Miyamoto, 76)

Referee: Adriana Correa (Columbia)

2007