(MENAFN- Arab Times) A late goal from substitute Mana Iwabuchi put holders Japan into the semi-finals of the Women's World Cup on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Australia.
Iwabuchi, 22, got the breakthrough after 87 minutes in a tense quarter-final dominated by Japan in sweltering temperatures of 31 degrees celsius in Edmonton.
It put the 2011 champions through to the last four where they next meet England who beat Canada 2-1 in Vancouver on Saturday.
The second semi-final will see Germany and the United States, both former two-time winners, playing in Ottawa.
"As the Australian players were tired I said to Mana when I sent her in: 'you are going to decide it'," explained coach Norio Sasaki of the forward who came on after 72 minutes.
The Japanese were dangerous early but had little to show for their efforts during the first 20 minutes in the Commonwealth Stadium.
Forward Shinobu Ohno threatened for the 'Nadeshiko' but hit over the crossbar, and soon after sent just wide.
Matildas goalie Lydia Williams proved solid as she pushed Japan captain Aya Miyama's shot on goal over the bar on 33 minutes.
Just before the break Australia had a chance to break the deadlock only for Kyah Simon's long range effort to go straight into the hands of Ayumi Kahori in goal.
Australia allowed their best chance go abegging when a Mizuho Sakaguchi error on 54 minutes let Sam Kerr through but her tame effort went straight at Kahori.
Japan continued to look dangerous but Miyama and Yuki Ogmi both missed in front of goal. Sasaki brought on Iwabuchi for Ohno after 72 minutes and she finally got the winner from close range off a corner after Azusa Iwashimizu's shot had been blocked.
"Even though it took us a long time to score, our patient playing resulted in this win and has given us confidence for our next game," said Sasaki.
Said Australian coach Alen Stajcic, "Certainly the better team won. It's a heartbreaking experience for all of us.
"Even though they scored off a scrappy goal and a set piece in the 88th minute they were probably better at more aspects of the game than we were.
"We expelled a lot of energy defending in that first 20 minute period. They were a lot more composed throughout the 90 minutes." It was a fifth win in as many games in Canada for the fourth-ranked Japanese, who beat Australia 1-0 in the Asian Cup final last year.
The Matildas, at 10th, the lowest ranked team left in the tournament, go home after getting past the knockout rounds for the first time in their history by beating Brazil 1-0 in the last 16.
Japan coach said they were trying to recreate the emotion of winning in 2011 when they claimed a dramatic penalty shoot-out win against the United States to lift the spirits of their nation recovering from a devastating earthquake and tsunami.
"The emotion that we created in 2011 we certainly would like to be able to recreate that for the Japanese people," said Sasaki. Stajcic said it had been hard for his young side.
"Their starting lineup would probably average 28-29 years and ours 22-23," he said.
Meanwhile, England scored twice in three first-half minutes then held on to beat hosts Canada 2-1 on Saturday and book a spot in the Women's World Cup semi-finals against Japan.
The hosts had been hoping to secure the semi-final spot against the defending champions on Canada Day, July 1, in Edmonton but instead it was England who moved into the last four of a World Cup for the first time.
England coach Mark Sampson paid tribute to the opposition and fans.
"I have never been in a stadium as loud, as passionate for their team as that was, they couldn't have pushed us any further we had to really, really dig deep today to get the result we wanted," he told reporters.
"They've shown a desire I have never seen in an England team before to hang on in there and get us through to the next round."
Without a men's or women's World Cup title since 1966, and exasperated by another failure at the men's U21 European Championships, the "Lionesses" have become the toast of England.
"We're history makers again, only the third England team to get to a semi-final, we have now joined that 1966 and 1990 club, very, very proud of the whole group," beamed Sampson.
After conceding just one goal in four matches, Canada surrendered two in three minutes early in the opening half.
England opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Canadian defender Lauren Sesselmann slipped on the ball, leaving Jodie Taylor a clear path to the goal. She made no mistake, whipping a low shot past a diving Erin McLeod.
Three minutes later Lucy Bronze sent a shudder through the capacity crowd 54,027 when her looping header sailed over McLeod's outstretched hand, deflected off the crossbar and into the net.
Canada pulled one back just before the break when England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley could not handle Ashley Lawrence's shot and Christine Sinclair, Canada's all-time leading scorer, was there to pounce on the loose ball and drive it home.
"We hadn't written the script to be 2-0 down that early," said Canada coach John Herdman.
"I'm proud of my girls, they give you everything, it just wasn't good enough tonight and the dream is over.
"We knew it was going to be a physical contest tonight, you get the English fighting spirit against the Canadian grit."
Soaking up the energy of the sold-out crowd, Canada pushed forward in the second half but could not unlock England's defence and test Siobhan Chamberlain, who came on for Bardsley in the 49th minute after the starting goalie had an allergic reaction that caused her eyes to puff up and affect her vision.
Meanwhile, Germany midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsan has a hyperextended left ankle and the team is not certain if she will play in Tuesday's World Cup semifinal against the United States.
Marozsan was injured in Friday's quarterfinal against France. She entered the game as a substitute at halftime and converted the fourth penalty shot in the shootout that Germany won 5-4 to settle a 1-1 tie.
After the shootout, Germany coach Silvia Neid said Marozsan's ankle was swollen and she didn't know how she walked to the spot to take the kick.
The United States beat China 1-0 in their quarterfinal for the chance to meet Germany at Montreal's Olympic Stadium.
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