It got very exciting, Japan are one of the best teams in the tournament ..."Japan coach Futoshi Ikeda said Sweden had done a fine job stifling his midfield but he thought his players should hold their heads high. SWEDEN STRIKEFor a team whose most potent attacking threat came from set pieces, it was no surprise that Sweden took the lead via a free kick. It was only the second goal Japan had conceded in New Zealand and the first time they had been behind but they were unable to break the stranglehold the Swedes had on them. Sweden captain Kosovare Asllani almost doubled the lead just before the break but was denied by a combination of the fingertips of Japan goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita and the post. Japan looked a pale imitation of the side that had romped in the quarter-finals and got their first attempt on goal in the 63rd minute.

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Persons: Amanda Ilestedt, Hannah Mckay AUCKLAND, Riko Ueki, Honoka, Peter Gerhardsson, Futoshi Ikeda, dethroning, Kosovare Asllani, Ayaka Yamashita, Yamashita, Johanna Kaneryd, Fuka Nagano, Angeldal, Ueki, Madelen Janogy, Aoba, Zecira Musovic's, Hayashi, Nick Mulvenney, Ken Ferris Organizations: Soccer Football, FIFA, Eden, Spain, Japan, Thomson Locations: New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Eden, Auckland , New Zealand, United States, SWEDEN, Swedish, Sydney