Red-hot Japan will face USA-Sweden winner in quarters
Hinata Miyazawa continued her inspired goal-scoring form to cap off Japan's straightforward 3-1 victory over Norway in the World Cup round of 16 in Wellington on Saturday.
The United States and Sweden need to be beware.
The Americans and Swedes will rightly be fully focused on their own clash Sunday (coverage begins at 4 a.m. ET, with kickoff at 5 a.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app) but the reality is the reward for securing victory in Melbourne might not feel like much of a prize at all.
Japan is the most in-form team in the tournament and this, its fourth straight win since the World Cup began, was further proof of its talent, ball movement and determination.
Considered to be only on the very fringe of the crop of elite contenders when things started in Australia and New Zealand, the 2011 champion is now front-running and doing it in style.
Japan needed a little luck for its opening goal, as Norway defender Ingrid Synstad Engen stuck out a foot to try to block a cross from the right but only managed to deflect it past goalkeeper Aurora Mikalsen and into her own net on 15 minutes.
Five minutes later, the Scandinavian side was level, the result of a fine header from Guro Reiten, who connected with a Vilde Risa cross and left Japan keeper Ayaka Yamashita with no chance.
Japan vs. Norway highlights
But the Norwegians, who have endured a troubled campaign marred by an array of issues, not limited to the injury sustained by star forward Ada Hegerberg, simply couldn't keep pace with their opponent's relentless running and ever-present confidence.
Risa Shimuzu put her team back front just after halftime, capitalizing upon confusion in the Norway defense to sneak in and clip the ball beyond Mikalsen.
And finally it was Miyazawa, who scored twice against Zambia and two more against Spain, rounding things off with a trademark breakaway run and a cool low finish — to put herself in outright first place in the Golden Boot race.
Japan books quarterfinal spot with win over Norway
Japan then, has barely looked flustered at any point of the tournament and tops the FOX Sports Women's World Cup power rankings. Whether the Japanese meet the USA or Sweden, they will go into the matchup with understandable confidence.
If the USWNT advances to a matchup with Japan, there will be no shortage of history between the sides to consider. Japan's late fightback and penalty shootout triumph in the 2011 final remains one of the most dramatic conclusions in Women's World Cup history.
The USA got revenge four years later, with a crushing 5-2 display as Carli Lloyd scored a hat-trick in the 2015 final.
The pair also met in the 2012 Olympics final, with the USA coming out of top with a relative level of comfort. This time, the form guide suggests, shapes up as being very different.
Martin Rogers is a columnist for FOX Sports and the author of the FOX Sports Insider newsletter. Follow him on Twitter @MRogersFOX and subscribe to the daily newsletter.
World Cup NOW crew recaps Japan's victory
