Japan beat the Netherlands 2-0 on Wednesday to qualify for the final of the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia.
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The midfielder Manaka Matsubuko scored twice, celebrated wildly and led to
Japan will be in the final of the Women’s Under-20 World Cup in Colombia on Wednesday, their third in a row, after beating the Netherlands 2-0, who were unable to continue their surprise in the youth tournament.
At the Pascual Guerrero stadium in Cali, the Asians dominated their rival, breaking the game open with a double from the American NC Courage player and will seek their second title in the category on Sunday in Bogotá against North Korea, who defeated the United States 0-1 in the other semifinal. Michihisa Kano’s team took control of the ball from the first moment and established themselves in the Dutch field.
The Nadeshiko smothered their opponents’ outflows with pressure, and they had a hard time getting the ball to forwards Iris Remmers, Bo Van Egmond, and Fleur Stoit. The first chance was created by winger Miyu Matsunaga with a through ball to Matsukubo, who shot past goalkeeper Femke Liefting, who was the star of the quarter-final against hosts Colombia.
Japan vs. Netherlands at the World Cup.
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The team also began to do damage down the left flank, where the partnership formed by full-back Rio Sasaki and forward Rihona Ujihara, a headache for defender Louise Van Oosten, brought the team closer to the opponent’s goal.
However, the Oranje began to close up and made it difficult for their opponents to attack, although they did not take advantage of this to try to do damage on the counterattack, so their forwards were still not making much of an appearance. Despite this, Japan managed to get back in the game with a shot from top scorer Maya Hijikata and two from long distance from midfielder Aemu Oyama, one of which crashed off Liefting’s post.
In the second half, the Asians continued to attack and scored the goal in the 55th minute in a great collective play that started on the left by Hijikata. From there, she changed front and found the full-back Nana Kashimura, who passed the ball to Matsunaga in the area, who drove and passed the ball to Matsukubo, who with a very strong shot overcame Liefting’s resistance in the 55th minute.
Japan vs. Netherlands.
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Dutch coach Roos Kwakkenbos brought on Eva Oude Elberink to try to gain more control and the team began to look to the tall Van Egmond in the air.
Japan, meanwhile, slowed down the pace of the match, but did not stop causing damage on the counterattack, especially with the speed of Hijikata who dropped to the left when Chinari Sasai came on. In that context, in the 83rd minute, midfielder Miku Hayama filtered a pass to Matsukubo, who deflected between the winger Van Oosten and the central defender Djoeke de Ridder and defined with strength to close out the match.
The goal extinguished the flame of the Dutch, who let time pass and defended to prevent the score from being greater for a Japanese team that will seek its second title in the tournament at the El Campín stadium in Bogotá after the one won in France in 2018.
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