Germany, England into World Cup quarters as Japan crashes

HANGZHOU, China: Defending champion Germany and England booked their places in the women's World Cup quarterfinals yeterday but there was only despair for Japan after it narrowly missed out.

Germany's Birgit Prinz and Renate Lingor scored the only goals of the game to shatter Japanese dreams in a hard-fought 2-0 victory, while England walked all over South American champions Argentina 6-1 in Chengdu.

It means Germany top Group A on seven points and will play the runner-up in Group B, likely to be North Korea, in Wuhan on Saturday.

England finished second with five points and can look forward to a clash with the winner of that group, expected to be the United States, in Tianjin on the same day.

Asian No 1 North Korea takes on a desperate Sweden today and is confident of getting the result it needs, while two-time champion America should easily beat basement team Nigeria.

Prinz, a triple World Player of the Year, is a clinical markswoman and proved once again why she was both player of the tournament and top scorer at the last World Cup in 2003.

The talismanic 29-year-old, who once had the chance to become the first woman to play in Italy's Serie A, for Perugia, but turned down the offer, played a crucial role in Germany's victory.

She led the early charge as the Germans cut through Japan's defence like butter and bombarded the goal with shots.

Prinz got her reward in the 21st minute, lurking on the edge of the penalty box to meet Lingor's corner which she rifled into the net on her second touch.

The Japanese defence became increasingly dogged as Germany pushed forward, with coach Silvia Neid bringing on 19-year-old sensation Fatmire Bajramaj to add penetration.

But it was just three minutes from the end that Lingor finally sealed victory by firing home a penalty after Martina Mueller was brought down inside the area.

In Chengdu, Kelly Smith scored twice to send England into the quarters and end a nightmare tournament for Argentina, who conceded 18 goals and scored just one, reflecting the gulf between them and the best teams in the world.

The star striker pounced in the 64th and the 77th minutes to bring her World Cup tally to four goals in three games and ensure England made the last eight for the first time since 1995.

The game got off to the worst possible start for Argentina when captain Eva Gonzalez scored an own goal in the ninth minute.

Jill Scott pounced barely 60 seconds later with a long-range effort to put England a well-deserved 2-0 up at half time.

The South Americans then gave away two penalties and had Catalina Perez sent off - the first red card of the championships - leaving them in all sorts of trouble.

Fara Williams converted the first penalty kick in the 50th minute, Smith scored her brace and then substitute Vicky Exley added another from the spot on 90 minutes.

AFP

(China Daily 09/18/2007 page22)