Trailing early and needing a win to save its playoff hopes, Japan submitted a stunning comeback to upend a previously unbeaten England on day four of the women’s U20 championship at Hong Kong Football Club.
Japan was 1-1 heading into the game with a heartbreaking 12-11 loss to Ireland in its first contest. England, defending a semifinal appearance in the last edition of the event, was 2-0 with a +44 goal differential in its previous games.
England led 6-3 after a furious opening 12 minutes with two goals apiece from stars Freya Moody and Annie Mather.
Japan turned the game on its head from there, scoring the next five goals and tilting the pace of play towards its style to take an 8-6 lead into halftime.
Japan strangled the flow of the game in the second half, limiting the overall total to five goals in the second two quarters after the two teams combined for 14 goals in the first two quarters. In the key second and fourth quarters, Japan allowed no shots from England.
Japan got the offensive output it needed from Miri Akiyama, who scored five goals, including a crucial, personal three-goal run in the second half that gave Japan its first lead of the game. She also scored two back-to-back goals in the third and fourth quarters to restore a four-goal cushion after England cut the deficit to two. Aikyama was named the player of the match.
Riho Kasai played her part in Japan’s ball control with an impressive 9/13 showing on draw controls. Yuka Kawase also contributed a goal and three assists
Moody finished with three goals for England, followed by two for Mather and two for Molly Light.
The result opens up a dramatic race for the two playoff spots in Pool D between Japan, England and Ireland, who is 2-0.
Japan has one game remaining against Hong Kong, China on Tuesday, which it must win to advance to the playoffs.
England has one game remaining against Ireland on Tuesday morning, which is shaping up to be a blockbuster between European heavyweights where every goal counts. By then, Ireland will have played Jamaica on Monday.
England will likely need a win to force a three-way tie on record in the standings, and have to come on top on goal differential. As of now, considering the +12 single-game cap on differential, England may need to win by three or more goals.
