Winning start

Congrats, ladies, well-done. I'm hoping for a final between Japan and Germany.

Wow they are so short! Congrats!

Wow they are so short! Congrats!

i thought it was an aerial view :) too early to rush and say....congrats.

Wow they are so short! Congrats!

A common excuse that the men's team makes whenever they lose. (Their diminutive stature) The Nadeshiko however, constantly put them to shame

A great start. Congrats.

However, I watched the 2nd half and they didn't really look champion quality at all. I was surprised at how the swiss seemed to dominate and had many shots on goal.

Perhaps the 1st half was much better. I hope so because i don't think a similar performance will hold up against the other powerhouses.

Good luck for the next game.

browny1

Well, I saw the entire match (3 a.m. UK time) on the other hand.

You just did not see Japan's misses and complete dominance whenever they wanted to. Japan also hit the post when all but not scoring seemed impossible.

The Swiss run but hardly created anything, save for a decent chance they had.

Of course the Swiss played well but Japan did not press on that much (as they did not have to).

Awesome! I will be visiting Vancouver for their next match against Cameroon!

A common excuse that the men's team makes whenever they lose. (Their diminutive stature) The Nadeshiko however, constantly put them to shame

@Christopher Glen Totally agree! In general, Japanese ladies do much better on the world stage in almost every sport compared to the men. Go Nadeshiko!

Congrats to them. Not the greatest game, by the sounds of it, but hopefully this victory helped them get rid of any nerves they had and they can play as the champions they are.

Ganbarre, Nadeshiko !

The Nadeshiko however, constantly put them to shame

Let's get rid of the "girly" terminology here and call them what they are, the Japanese National Women's Soccer Team!

Bugs the hell out of me that the media has to put a tag on these athletes. Samurai Japan...image...strong, dedicated, bushido...samurai. Women...Nadeshiko...a "flower"...delicate, pretty, less than men.

These women are athletes deserving of the same respect that men get without the cultural bs attached.

I highly doubt that other women's teams from around the world would appreciate being tagged with the handle that the Japanese women's team gets from the media here. It's all a part of separation of men and women.

Keep them equal! Women were samurai too! Call them Samurai Japan as well! Or better yet, keep it simple and quit the subliminal and subconscious discrimination of women here, call them what they are..

The Japanese women's soccer team!

"The Japanese women's soccer team!"

NO, NO and NO!!!

This is not an American sport; the rest of the world calls it FOOTBALL.

FIFA:

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA /Françoise);

International Federation of Association Football (English).

Fifa certainly does not mean International Federation of Sucker!

And well done to the NADESHIKO JAPAN.

"The Japanese women's soccer team!" NO, NO and NO!!! This is not an American sport; the rest of the world calls it FOOTBALL.

Fine, The Japanese Womens Futbol Team!

"The Japanese women's soccer team!"

NO, NO and NO!!!

This is not an American sport; the rest of the world calls it FOOTBALL.

FIFA:

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA /Françoise);

International Federation of Association Football (English).

Fifa certainly does not mean International Federation of Sucker!

Theres nothing funnier than tweaking a Brit about the whole football/soccer silliness. gets them every time

That would be cool if they ended up in a rematch with the USA.

Please, people! Remember it's being played in Canada. The host team can kick ass, too, you know (although one wonders with that first game). And since my loyalties from a fan perspective lie first with my birth-country, Canada, and second with my adopted country, Japan, I'd like to fret over a final between the two, but I think I'd have a heart attack before it ended.

As a former player and coach, I love the immaculate game, and won't miss many matches. Good luck to all involved is all I can say at this point.

And as for the comments about the labeling of the Japanese women's team as sexist, I couldn't agree more that it's just that - the misogynist attitude of Japan's mainstream media perpetuating a medieval impression of the value of women. It sucks.

I really thought the caption "(8)" meant eight-years-old. The JT photo on the front page was smaller than the one above but the caption was the same.

Yubaru : Let's get rid of the "girly" terminology here and call them what they are, the Japanese National Women's Soccer Team!

Probably the Japanese don't have a problem with it. I think it is OK for a women's soccer team to have a pretty nickname.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_women%27s_national_football_team

Following the increase in public interest in women's football in Japan, the JFA organized a public contest to select a nickname for the team. "Nadeshiko Japan" was chosen from among about 2,700 entries and was announced on 7 July 2004. "Nadeshiko", a kind of dianthus, comes from the phrase "Yamato Nadeshiko" (大和撫子, "ideal Japanese woman").

Peeping tom - thanks.

Are you suggesting with your comments "...dominance whenever they wanted to" and " ...Japan did not press on that much as they did not have to", that as a professional world class outfit they didn't give 100% effort???

If that's true (which i don't believe is) then everyone should be duly shocked and heads rolling as the Swiss equalizer in injury time was only cms off.

I stand by my impression of the 2nd half as being of a standard that will not progress them far - also corroborated by many sports commentators.

I suspect they will lift their game next outing - although they are only playing the minions.

Probably the Japanese don't have a problem with it. I think it is OK for a women's soccer team to have a pretty nickname.

Which is all a part of the problem. Education about equality is lacking in this country and anyone who thinks this doesnt matter is not thinking the problem through.

The men have a nickname, and the women have a nickname. I'm failing to see the lack of equality.

Nadeshiko is just a nick name with little meaning outside of japan - but I've always thought it's trite and a little condescending, because the word implies faithful, dutiful, petite, coy girl who will diligently take care of the menfolk. A good housewife & mother.

When I learnt of the naming years ago, I couldn't match the meaning with my favourite player Sawa and her team mates - all of whom were anything but dainty flowers.

When I learnt of the naming years ago, I couldn't match the meaning with my favourite player Sawa and her team mates - all of whom were anything but dainty flowers.

And they are athletes, so no need for the dainty moniker! Equal rights for women in this country are lacking to say the least and even seemingly trivial things like this name subconsciously reinforce the image of women being "different" and "unequal" with men.

Things won't change unfortunately until women themselves realize the differences. It starts with education from birth.