WOMEN'S SOCCER WORLD CUP 2011: Double delight for Homare Sawa

Japan playmaker Homare Sawa has ended the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 in Germany as the tournament's towering figure. The midfield schemer, the driving force behind her country’s ultimate triumph, claimed the adidas Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament, and the adidas Golden Boot as top scorer. Japan's first-ever moment of glory on the global footballing stage will forever be associated with the 32-year-old’s consistently outstanding displays and priceless goals.

USA stars Hope Solo and Abby Wambach, goalkeeper and centre-forward for the unlucky but gallant losers, also collected two individual awards apiece. Here it is the review and the accolades handed out at the end of the tournament.

adidas Golden Ball: Homare Sawa (Japan)

In her fifth appearance at the FIFA Women's World Cup, the Japan No10 was more precious to her team than ever before. Deploying all her reserves of experience, skill and creativity, Sawa not only put in the spadework in front of her back four, effortlessly linking defence and attack with intelligent passes, but also released her forwards with killer through balls. The icing on the cake was her clinically-taken haul of five goals.

The 32-year-old superstar stamped her authority all over the finals, crowning her personal triumph in the final with a stunning 117th-minute equaliser to level the scores at 2–2, send the game into penalties, and ultimately realise her dream of global glory. “She's a ball-winner, the orchestrator of her side’s build-up play, and a goal-getter all in one. She's definitely one of the most complete players," declared Tina Theune, a FIFA Women's World Cup-winning coach with Germany in 2003 and a member of the FIFA Technical Study Group, speaking exclusively to FIFA.com. Sawa was not only named best player at the tournament, but also takes home the adidas Golden Boot as top scorer.

adidas Silver Ball: Abby Wambach (USA)

The once-in-a-generation USA striker missed the 2008 Women's Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing with injury, but she exploded back onto the world stage in Germany. She contributed no fewer than four goals as the North Americans came within a couple of minutes of a third FIFA Women's World Cup triumph, powering all her goals home with her head. Very few defenders were able to cope with the 31-year-old's intelligent movement, eye for goal and unyielding will to win, as she overtook the legendary Michelle Akers as USA’s top scorer at the finals, moving onto 13 goals to the latter's 12. Wambach was one of the biggest personalities in Pia Sundhage’s team at the tournament, although coming so near and yet so far on Sunday takes just a little of the gloss off a superb personal achievement.

adidas Bronze Ball: Hope Solo (USA)

Already hailed as the star keeper in the women's game, Hope Solo impressively confirmed that standing at the FIFA Women's World Cup finals in Germany. The first-choice US shot-stopper is not only a commanding presence between the sticks, but also boasts outstanding reflexes and calm control of her own penalty area. She did not concede until her side's third group fixture, where she was finally beaten by a Lisa Dahlkvist penalty against Sweden. In the thrilling quarter-final against Brazil, she made a world-class save from Daiane in the shoot-out to book her side's place in the last four. In addition to the adidas Bronze Ball, Solo was also named the tournament's best goalkeeper.

adidas Golden Boot: Homare Sawa (five goals, one assist)


adidas Silver Boot: Marta (four goals, two assists)

Brazil superstar Marta, named FIFA World Player of the Year five times on the bounce, showed all her silky class in her side’s four matches. Danger threatened for the Brazilians’ opponents whenever Marta took possession, as she deftly deployed her perfect skills and athleticism to weave her way towards goal, where she again demonstrated her clinical effectiveness. The striker scored four goals in as many games, but quite apart from her individual ability, proved a good team player with two assists and any number of penetrating passes. The tournament ends with a bitter taste for the world's best player, as the shoot-out defeat in the quarter-finals means she still lacks a major international trophy.

adidas Bronze Boot: Abby Wambach (four goals, one assist)

adidas Golden Glove: Hope Solo
Hyundai Best Young Player: Caitlin Foord (Australia)

At the tender age of 16, Caitlin Foord is already a key member of the Australia senior side, showing huge promise and maturity both in right midfield and at right-back. A golden future surely beckons following three much-praised displays at this FIFA Women's World Cup, where she combined solid defence with attacking creativity. “She has the potential to become the archetypal modern defensive player," declared April Heinrichs, TSG member and former USA coach, speaking exclusively to FIFA.com.
FIFA Fair Play Award: Japan

The Nadeshiko not only won a place in the hearts of women's football fans all over the world with their superb passing game and individual skill, they were also adjudged the fairest team at the tournament. Norio Sasaki’s players collected just five yellows and one red card at the finals. The new world champions, whose post-match thank-you banner addressed to their friends all over the world will remain one of the enduring images of the tournament, comfortably carried off the FIFA Fair Play award.


All-star team

At the end of a tournament packed with incident, highlights and top-class football, 21 players were named in the All-star team. Goalkeepers: Ayumi Kaihori (JPN) and Hope Solo (USA). Defenders: Alex Scott (ENG), Laura Georges (FRA), Erika (BRA), Saskia Bartusiak (GER), Sonia Bompastor (FRA) and Elise Kellond-Knight (AUS). Defensive midfield: Shannon Boxx (USA), Homare Sawa (JPN), Caroline Seger (SWE) and Jill Scott (ENG). Attacking midfield: Kerstin Garefrekes (GER), Shinobu Ohno (JPN), Louisa Necib (FRA), Anonman (EQG), Aya Miyama (JPN) and Lauren Cheney (USA). Forwards: Lotta Schelin (SWE), Marta (BRA) and Abby Wambach (USA).

Homare Sawa: "I could never imagine this"


While a key element of Japan’s run to winning the FIFA Women’s World Cup was their team ethic and synchronised style of play, the star of the side was undoubtedly Homare Sawa.

The midfielder finished the tournament as the top scorer with five goals, and added the Player of the Tournament award to her Golden Boot. By scoring Japan's second goal, the No10 also became the oldest goalscorer ever in a FIFA Women's World Cup Final. As willing to work back and help her defence as she was adept in creating and finishing chances, Sawa thoroughly deserved her recognition.

We spoke to the 32-year-old straight after the Final in Frankfurt to get her thoughts on the penalty shoot-out victory over USA, her theory on the success of the team, and what it means to win individual honours.

Did you believe that you could go all the way at the beginning of the tournament?

Homare Sawa: Before the tournament we came here to go for the championship and to at least break into the final four. We came here for a medal but I could never have imagined winning it and I could never have imagined collecting the Golden Boot as well as being a world champion.

Having been a part of the national squad for nearly two decades, how do you feel personally now that you have achieved this success?

This is my fifth World Cup and I did nothing in the previous four so I’m very happy with the result today. I’ve been a national team member for 18 years so this has been a long, long wait. I’ve been through the difficult times for women’s football in Japan so I really feel relieved. It doesn’t feel like reality.

I could never have imagined collecting the Golden Boot as well as being a world champion.

What do you think makes this Japan team so special?


None of our players gave up and they worked hard until the last minute. When the score went to 2-1, I thought it might be difficult for us but nobody gave up and that’s how we made it. We were a good team throughout the tournament and remained united as one. The substitute members supported us all the way through the competition and the young players remained calm. The players like Miyama, Fukumoto and Kinga all developed and grew up a lot after the Beijing Olympics and they helped us a lot.

What is your message to all of the fans in Japan who have supported you throughout the tournament?

This is something that we gained as a team and we’ve had a lot of support from the Japanese people back home. I feel very grateful and thankful for all of those fans who supported me and the rest of the team.

What does it mean to you to win the Golden Boot and Ball?

It's absolutely great to win all these trophies. But they're not for me. The team played so much of a part in me winning these awards that I can't really take any personal pride in receiving them.

Who do you want to dedicate this victory to?


To my parents, particularly my mother. After we reached the final, she flew all the way to Germany to watch the game today. I feel really grateful to my mother and I want to dedicate it to both of my parents.

WOMEN'S SOCCER WORLD CUP 2011: Japan's character seen in women's World Cup victory

http://www.fifa.com/

At perhaps the most tense time in Sunday’s FIFA Women's World Cup final - preparations for the penalty kick shootout - TV cameras showed Japanese coach Norio Sasaki smiling and laughing with his players. Cameras focused on the U.S. women showed a different mood, with expressions of grit, focus and determination.


The contrast was stark, and that wasn’t a surprise to Sasaki.

"It seemed to me there was more pressure on the Americans," he said.

It was a remarkable moment for Japan, a country that has had little to smile about this year, and a keen insight from the coach of a team that had not beaten the Americans in 25 games.

But Sasaki’s assessment was spot-on.

The Japanese women made three of the four shots they took in the penalty shootout, while the Americans could find the net on only one.

"We had made it all the way to the final, extra time and penalties. We had come a long way, so maybe we handled the pressure better. We had twice come back, and that eased the psychological pressure," he said in an Agence France-Presse story on NDTV.com.

The Japanese team lifted the trophy as world champions. They also lifted the spirits of a nation struggling to recover from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that left more than 20,000 people dead or missing, destroyed miles and miles of cities and farmland, and caused a leak from a nuclear power plant that has turned of a 25-mile radius around the plant into a virtual no-man’s land.

For all the smiles and laughs in Japan’s pre-shootout huddle in Frankfurt, Germany, on Sunday, it was a different tack from the one Sasaki took before his team’s quarterfinal against defending champion Germany, when he showed them pictures of the March 11 devastation as inspiration.

Those images gave the Japanese women something to fight for and made them want to be an example.

“Japan has been hurt, and so many lives have been affected,” captain and leading scorer Homare Sawa said in a New York Times report. “We cannot change that. But Japan is coming back, and this was our chance to represent our nation and show that we never stopped working.”

Sawa was right about that. Twice, Japan fell behind by a goal against the Americans, once in regulation and once in overtime, and twice they got tying goals as the clocked ticked into the final minutes.

"Not one of the players gave up," Sasaki said..

Merry White, a professor of anthropology at Boston University and an expert on Japanese culture, said the women’s performance illustrated some key qualities of Japanese society: hard work and resilience.

“It wasn’t only skills that got them close. … It’s the effort that counts,” White said.

They’d certainly put in an historic effort taking down Germany and then favored Sweden in a semifinal, and then tying the top-ranked U.S. team through 120 minutes. And White says that could account for the light mood as the Japanese team prepared for the penalty shootout.

“The women were jubilant that they’d gotten that far,” she said, but they probably thought they had an edge, too.

“They believe in will,” she said, showing “when we put our minds to something we can do it.”

Add one more quality that brought confidence: teamwork.

White said Sasaki’s smiles showed that.

“It sure looked like he was at one with the women, working with them instead of above them,” White said.

The team was nicknamed the nadeshiko, a floral metaphor for an ideal Japanese woman with virtues including loyalty, domestic ability, wisdom and humility. Not mentioned is leadership, but that’s a quality the team took Sunday.

The nation’s defense minister, Toshimi Kitazawa, said he hopes its politicians can learn from the women’s spirit and teamwork as officials try to solve the nuclear crisis at the tsunami-damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant.

“I am delighted. The team showed great perseverance and sent a good message toward recovery from the major disaster,” he said, according to a report on JapanToday.com.

In Tokyo’s sports bars in the early morning hours Monday, average citizens, at least, were buying in.

"At a time when things are going so bad for Japan, this news makes me so happy," Saori Shiratori was quoted as saying in the Los Angeles Times.

"When we won, I went crazy and hugged everyone I could," Yuri Itoga told the Times. "This ecstatic feeling is a lot more intense because we suffered the disaster in March. It makes me feel like I can't just sit around and do nothing."

WOMEN'S SOCCER WORLD CUP 2011: Japan sink Sweden, reach first final against USA

Japan sink Sweden, reach first final


Japan reached the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ for the first time with a deserved 3-1 win over a Sweden side who had previously won every match they had played at Germany 2011.

Twenty years ago the teams met in the tournament in China PR, with the Scandinavians running out 8-0 winners, but there was to be no such repeat in Frankfurt as the Nadeshiko continued their 15-year unbeaten run against their opponents.

Sweden were dealt a blow shortly before kick-off, when inspirational captain Caroline Seger was forced to withdraw from the starting line-up with an injury to her left calf. The 26-year-old sat out of the Blagult’s training session last night, but aggravated the muscle again in the warm-up. Orebro’s Marie a Hammarstrom was the late replacement. Japan also made one change, with Nahomi Kawasumi replacing Yuki Nagasato as the focal point of their attack.

There was a large and receptive crowd of 45,434 at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Stadium, with the roof not only acting as a shelter from the heavy showers which had affected Hessen during the day, but also as a sounding board for the fans’ loud cheers to bounce off.

It was the Swedish supporters who were singing after ten minutes. Homare Sawa’s mis-placed pass was latched on to by Oqvist, who powered past Azusa Iwashimizu and hit a shot which flew over Ayumi Kaihori, via a slight deflection off Saki Kumagai, and into the net.

The Sweden forward had a hand in the game’s next goal, but unfortunately for the her it was at the wrong end. Following a powerful run down the centre from Shinobu Ohno, the ball was played to Aya Miyama on the left. She crossed into the box and, under intense pressure from Oqvist, Kawasumi’s touch took the ball beyond Hedvig Lindahl.

Following a spell in which the teams traded spells of possession, the game's next real chance came when Japan won a free-kick on the edge of the area following Charlotte Rohlin’s foul on Kawasumi. Predictably, Miyama stepped up to take the free-kick, which almost caught Lindahl off-guard before she recovered well to push the ball around her right-hand post.

Sweden, on the other hand, were struggling to create any real opportunities and balls played down the channels for Lotta Schelin failed to reach their intended target.

The second-half began at a frenetic pace and the Asians almost took the lead when Ohno’s dipping half-volley clipped the top of the crossbar. On the hour mark they managed it. Following good build-up play down the right, the ball was played along the edge of the box before it was swung into the danger zone. Lindahl came to claim it but failed to make it, and Sawa was on hand to head home her fifth goal of the tournament.

Four minutes later Japan doubled their advantage. Lindahl came out to deal with a long ball which seemed destined to reach Kozue Ando, but her clearance fell straight to Kawasumi, who hit a hopeful shot from 35 yards. The 25-year-old forward seemed as delighted as the Japanese fans to see her effort fly over the Sweden goalkeeper and defence and ripple the back of the net.

With a shots on goal ratio of 11 to one in favour of Japan, Thomas Dennerby sent on Jessica Landstrom, Sofia Jakobsson and Antonia Goransson for Linda Forsberg, Marie Hammarstrom and Oqvist respectively, in a bid to bring his side back into the match. Although Sweden enjoyed a greater territorial advantage, the hard-working Japan defence limited them to just a handful of half-chances.

Indeed, it was Norio Sasaki’s side who remained the more threatening in the final stages and they closed the game out extremely well to book a place in Sunday’s final, also here in Frankfurt, against USA. Sweden, however, must regroup to face France in Sinsheim on Saturday evening in the match for third place.

Player of the match: Aya Miyama (JPN)

WOMEN'S SOCCER WORLD CUP 2011: Japan and France create history

Japan, France create history


Saturday 9 July 2011

 The dividing line between joy and sorrow is wafer-thin at times, as was proved yet again on a remarkable and wholly memorable first round of quarter-finals at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2011™. Holders and favourites Germany lost a match at the tournament for the first time since a 3–2 quarter-final defeat to USA fully 12 years ago, dashing the hosts’ dream of a third global triumph on the trot, while France once and for all laid to rest a ghost from the past.

Five years to the day after the French men's team fell to Italy on penalties in the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™, also on German soil, Les Bleues claimed a berth in the last four for the very first time after overcoming England in another dramatic shoot-out. It also means the French women have qualified for the 2012 London Olympics, whereas the spectre of England's woes from the penalty spot at major tournaments surfaced once again.

Germany controlled long stretches of their clash with the Japanese in Wolfsburg, but created very little by way of clear-cut chances against the Asians’ flawless rearguard. Early in the second half of extra time, Japan substitute Karina Maruyama showed how it should be done, latching onto a sublime Homare Sawa pass to net the winning goal.

Before that, the Leverkusen crowd witnessed what was only the fourth penalty shoot-out in the history of the FIFA Women's World Cup. The role of tragic hero fell to England's oldest player, captain Faye White, who blasted her team’s fifth spot-kick against the bar. While the French celebrated, the salt in English wounds was exiting the tournament without losing a match in normal or extra time. However, the French victory was by no means undeserved, as Les Bleues were the better team on the day, even if they had to wait until the 88th minute before Elise Bussaglia cancelled out Jill Scott's opener.

Results

England 1-1 France (aet, France win 4-3 on penalties)

Germany 0-1 Japan (aet)

Goal of the day

England-France, Elise Bussaglia (88th minute)

In a dramatic finish to normal time, France were rewarded for a half-hour onslaught on the English goal, when Bussaglia took her courage in both hands, thrust to the edge of the box, and curled a stunningly precise shot with her left foot straight into the top corner. The glorious finish from the 25-year-old, a native of Champagne-Ardennes in the north of France, patently broke battling England’s hearts, and will be seen in retrospect as the pivotal moment in a tense and exciting game.

Memorable moments

Extra-time times two

Prior to the tournament, all the experts warned that the top nations are now tightly bunched in terms of quality, tactics and fighting spirit, and the passionate crowds have been treated to genuinely close and exhilarating women's football throughout. As a result, it was no surprise that the first day of the knockout stages saw both matches go into extra time, although the phenomenon has already occurred at the FIFA Women's World Cup in the past. At another record-breaking edition of the tournament, the 1999 finals in the USA, Brazil won the third-place play-off and the hosts sent a 90,185 crowd at the Pasadena Rose Bowl into raptures with victory in the Final, both on penalties and on the same day. Even in the absence of the hosts from now on, it seems the fans can look forward to drama and thrills all the way in Germany.

The sacred ritual

Despite pre-match tension, stress and a huge media presence in the build-up to a do-or-die encounter, some things remain sacred. As the England team bus approached the Arena in Leverkusen at around 5pm in the afternoon, coach Hope Powell and her staff were seen taking a cup of tea, totally in accordance with an ancient and long-standing institution in their home country. It was, of course, only 4pm in Britain, which is traditionally tea-time for the English. And why not enjoy a refreshing cuppa when you can? A little calm before the storm of a FIFA Women's World Cup quarter-final can only have been a good thing.

The stat

600 - Jill Scott's superb opener in Leverkusen was one for the history books, as the 24-year-old netted the 600th goal in the history of the FIFA Women's World Cup. The 1.80m midfielder will have mixed feelings about the goal, however, as it was not enough for England to book a place in the last four.

The quote

“Our problem was that we just couldn't score, because England ran and defended for their lives. But obviously, I'm delighted we've ended up winning, even though we were behind until shortly before the final whistle in normal time, and then again in the penalty shoot-out,” France coach Bruno Bini.

Next up

Sunday 10 July

Sweden-Australia, Augsburg, 1 pm CET

Brazil-USA, Dresden, 5.30 pm CET

WOMEN'S SOCCER WORLD CUP: Miyama free-kick grabs Japan victory

Aya Miyama’s well executed free-kick earned Japan a 2-1 defeat of New Zealand in Group B’s opening match at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Germany 2011™. Yuki Nagasato had put the Asians ahead, before Amber Hearn equalised for the Oceania side.


While Japan and were the favourites to emerge victorious, they were forced to work hard for the win against a New Zealand side who pressed them from the first minute to the last. The Asians took control of the game from kick-off and Miyama had two attempts in the early stages, though both went wide of Jenny Bindon’s goal. It did not take the Nadeshiko long to open the scoring, however. An expertly placed through-ball from Shinobu Ohno was threaded in between central defenders Rebecca Smith and Abby Erceg, and Nagasato timed her run to perfection to lob the advancing keeper.

With the Kiwis’ defence looking nervous and stretched, it seemed as though the Asians may take advantage, but John Herdman's side responded in the best possible way just six minutes later when Ria Percival’s inch-perfect cross was headed home by Hearn.

Only the post came in between Japan and their second goal in the 18th minute, when Mizuho Sakaguchi should have done better after being supplied by Yukari Kinga. Although the Japanese had the majority of the possession after that chance, New Zealand’s committed defending limited them to just a handful of half-chances.

It was largely the same story for the first half of the second 45 minutes, Japan enjoying a huge territorial advantage with New Zealand looking for opportunities on the counter-attack. However, it was a break from substitute Mana Iwabuchi which led to the second goal. The forward’s pacy, direct run was stopped on the edge of the box by a foul from New Zealand skipper Smith. From the resulting free-kick, Miyama curled the ball over the wall and beyond the dive of Bindon to put the Japanese ahead.

In the closing stages, Iwabuchi had a glorious chance to double Japan's advantage, but fired tamely into Bindon’s hands from close range after Homare Sawa’s shot was only partially cleared. Iwabuchi also tried two impressive shots from distance but both went wide.

While Japan will be happier with the result, both sides will be looking for improvements in their next games against Mexico and England respectively.