Sweden holds off Japan, sets up delicious semifinals match with Spain
Sweden rode yet another goal by defender Amanda Ilestedt and got a second from the penalty spot via Filippa Angeldal to defeat Japan, 2-1, Friday in Auckland, New Zealand and advance to the semifinals of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
The Swedes will stay in Auckland to face Spain, which defeated the Netherlands on Thursday night, in Tuesday's semifinal (kickoff at 4 a.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app). The victory also ensures that a first-time champion will be crowned at the Aug. 20 finale in Sydney, as Japan was the last former titlist remaining.
Japan vs. Sweden Highlights | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup | Quarterfinals
Play of the game
The opener was Ilestedt's fourth goal of the tournament. Unlike the first three, it wasn't scored with the 5-foot-11 center back's head. It did come off a set play, however, which has proved to be the Blue and Yellow's most potent weapon at this World Cup.
[Golden Boot race tracker: 2023 Women's World Cup top scorers]
With 31 minutes gone in the first half, playmaker Kosovare Asllani swung in a free kick from the left side that Japan failed to clear. The ball pinged around the box before finding its way to Ilestedt, who stabbed it past keeper Ayaka Yamashita with her right foot:
Sweden's Amanda Ilestedt scores goal vs. Japan in 32' | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
The strike pulled Ilestedt into a four-way tie for second in the World Cup's Golden Boot race with Dutch forward Jill Roord, France's Kadidiatou Diani and Alexandra Popp of Germany. Japan's Hinata Miyazawa leads the competition with five goals.
Turning point
Japan had been the most consistent team of all at this World Cup. It looked like perhaps the title frontrunner after trouncing an excellent Spanish squad in the group stage. And it was never in this one at all.
Sweden put its stamp on the game from the opening whistle, thoroughly dominating the Japanese with aggressive, direct play. The first half ended with Peter Gerhardsson's team outshooting the 2011 world champs 11-0 and controlling 60-percent of possession.
Sweden could have been up 2-0 easily before Ilestedt's breakthrough. Asllani nearly doubled the advantage late in the first half before Angeldal did early in the second, but Yamashita was just able to touch her shot onto the post.
[Japan vs. Sweden highlights: Sweden to semis after 2-1 win]
Still, Japan found its feet with about half an hour of regular time remaining and began creating scoring opportunities. In minute 76, Madelen Janogy took down Riko Ueki in the box only for Ueki to rifle her penalty attempt off the crossbar – seemingly ending any chance of a miraculous comeback.
Japan wasn't close to done, though, with substitute Honoka Hayashi finally pulling one back just moments after Aoba Fujino's free kick and the rebound were both somehow kept out the woodwork.
Japan's Honoka Hayashi scores goal vs. Sweden in 87' | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup
But it proved to be too little, too late, even with 10 minutes of stoppage time given at the end of the second half.
Key stat
This is the second straight time and third in the last four tourneys that Sweden has reached the final four. Funny enough, the year it didn't (2015 in Canada) get that far marked the only time Sweden failed to reach at least the quarters.
Reactions to Sweden upsetting Japan in the quarterfinals | World Cup NOW
What's next for Japan?
Coach Futoshi Ikeda and his players will be kicking themselves for waiting way too long to spring to life in this match. Had the Japanese performed during the opening hour the way they did afterward, they could easily be the team advancing.
Instead of returning to the last four since making back-to-back appearances in the final in 2011 and 2015, they're going home.
What's next for Sweden?
The strongest team never to win a Women's World Cup – it has finished third three times and runner-up once – the Blue and Yellow have perhaps their best chance ever this month. After defeating the top-ranked, two-time champion United States in the round of 16 and then eliminating Japan in such convincing fashion on Friday, the field has opened up for Gerhardsson's side.
That's not to suggest that beating Spain will be easy. It won't. But there is clearly momentum building for the Swedes, who rode a polished, mature performance and a little bit of luck – necessary elements for any title-winning team – into the semis. Could this be Sweden's year at long last?
Sweden defeats Japan to advance to the World Cup semifinals | World Cup Tonight
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
