Japan reaches knockout stage with 2-1 win over Cameroon

I have been watching almost games, it's a pleasure. Women play with more passion, they really go with full force.

They roll around on the ground less that's for sure which is refreshing and generally play with more sportsmanship (sportswomanship?) than the men. Fairly dull to watch most of the time though, or horribly one-sided.

They played well I thought. Some of the girls have great control and are cool under pressure. They were a class above Cameroon.

They seem a lot less nervous than in the match against Switzerland, when they probably worked out some of the willies. Tough break for Cameroon, who still have a chance of getting through, but a big congrats to the Japanese women on winning and being the first guaranteed through to the knockout round.

Congrats on advancement to the knockout stage ! The first step to a defense of the title. Ganbarre, Nadeshiko !

Yawn. Group C couldn't be more of a cake walk. The actions over in Group D, the Group of Death.

@USNinJapan2 it wasn't a cake walk, did you even watch the game.

While Japan did score 2 goals in the first 20 minute, the Cameroon keep coming at them. Nadeshiko were able to control most of the match, but there were more than often times where Japan lost possession due to their own mistakes, which gave Cameroon plenty of chances to attack. The Nadeshiko had alot of misplaced passes, mis-weighted kicks which Cameroon easily took the ball and started their attacks. Cameroon mainly played long balls but it work several times as their 2 FWs outran the Nadeshiko Back line and got their shots in, even if it were wide.

they couldn't score more after that and Cameroon finally cut the deficit @ 90min, and with 6 minutes of Extra Time, the continually attack to keep the Nadeshiko on their toes.

I'm glad Nadeshiko Japan won, but they shouldn't have played like that sloppy passes, and should scored more goals to put the game to bed. Congratulations to advancing to round of 16, but they would get beaten if they kept playing like this. GO JAPAN! GAMBARE, NIPPON! GAMBARE, NADESHIKO JAPAN!

The ladies are in general a lot more robust than their male counterparts, who often dive and roll around in tears after a challenge. The ladies tend to just dust themselves off and get back on their feet which is a credit to soccer.

And if the Japanese ladies go back-to-back surely it will be the greatest sporting achievement in Japanese history? I wouldn't bet against it with the inspirational Miss Sawa in the team - 201 Internationals and counting.....

Seiryuu_Dan

I said the Group C was a cakewalk, not this particular match. Group C is indeed the easiest group. Japan (#3) should have had absolutely NO problems sailing through this group stage against Switzerland (#19), Cameroon (#53), and Ecuador (#48). Instead, they squeaked by first-timers Switzerland on a penalty kick and barely managed to hang on to a win against Cameroon who given a few more minutes may very well have equalized. Nadeshiko Japan is not playing well by any stretch of the imagination as evidenced by their struggles against Switzerland and Cameroon. Congrats to them for being the first to make into the knock-out stage, as incidental as it was, but this didn't happen because they were good, but because the other groups are much tougher with only Brazil being the other 6 point winner. Unless they switch gears and get their act together, Japan is going to have a much tougher time surviving the Round of 16 than they did stumbling through the unchallenging Group C.