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Womens 2007 World Cup; match 2 Group A, 11/9/07 in Shanghai. England v. Japan England: R.Brown, A.Scott (L.Johnson 89), F.White, M.Phillip, C.Stoney, K.Chapman, F.Williams, K.Smith, K.Carney, E.Aluko (J.Scott 74), R.Yankey. Japan: M.Fukumoto, Y.Kinga (K.Ando 45), H.Isozaki (Y.Nagasato 86), A.Iwashimizu, R.Utsugi, T.Sakai, T.Miyamoto (A.Hara 71), H.Sawa, A.Miyama, E.Arakawa, S.Ohno. England attacked early in this crucial World Cup qualifier with Eni Aluko and Karen Carney combining nicely down the right to win a corner which Fara Williams attacked at the near post only for the ball to bobble wide. It looked like another corner but a goal kick was awarded. After this, however, England looked nervous and ill at ease in the early stages. The defence appeared hesitant on occasions, Williams and Katie Chapman found themselves outnumbered in midfield and the team as a whole were unable to get star player Kelly Smith into the game. After waiting so long to qualify for another World Cup finals a degree of nervousness was to be expected but it had to be hoped that England got their act together before any damage was done. Mary Phillip fell flat on her face on the dodgy playing surface as Japan launched their first attack but Rachel Brown was out of her box quickly to sweep up the danger. Then the England defence was caught out as a straight ball down the middle had the big haired Eriko Arakawa running through to poke a shot that bounced just wide of the post with Brown struggling. Alex Scott did get forward to play in a fine cross behind the Japanese defence but Aluko was on her heels at the far post and the chance was gone. Aluko was one of several England players struggling to get into the game. The strong running Arakawa was causing problems and Faye White conceded a free kick when she had to tug her back in a dangerous area which led to one of the most bizarre set pieces ever taken. Two Japanese players went and knelt in front of the England wall and Aya Miyama smacked the ball straight into them. We were laughing at this point but we wouldn't be later on. England's lack of composure was evident when Kelly Smith nicked possession in a dangerous area and worked space after combining with Aluko. With Carney wide open on the right Smith tried to slip Aluko away through the middle but overhit the pass badly. Suddenly England emerged from their tentative opening to enjoy a dangerous spell of pressure. Rachel Yankey went past a couple of opponents easily with nothing more than pace but Aluko again spoiled the move with a poor first touch. The first glimpse of the real Kelly Smith came when she took possession from a throw in down the right hand side of the box and turned to drive infield before shooting low for the near post. The effort was a couple of yards wide, however. Smith, warming to her task, then produced a wonderful pass to release Carney who sent over a glorious centre that Aluko and Yankey were both unable to latch onto. Moments later Smith, England's obvious star, was driving forward from midfield and ended her fifty yard run by playing Aluko into space just outside the area on the left hand side. With space ahead of her and only one defender in position to challenge Aluko chose to shoot but could only send in a miserable effort that was easily saved by Miho Fukumoto. To be honest England's centre forward looked to be entirely lacking confidence in the opening exchanges. Smith released Carney to the byeline and there was nothing wrong with her cut back but nobody in white was in position to take advantage. This was, however, much better from England. Chapman and Williams, who was unusually sloppy in her distribution, were still having their work cut out in midfield and Chapman went into the referees' book for taking Homare Sawa out late and from behind. Sawa came into this game with a huge reputation but barely caused England a problem all night and Chapman might have been better advised saving her reducer for someone else. The resulting free kick caused concern as Miyama's whipped cross flew right across the face of goal with bodies piling in but nobody could manage a conclusive touch and England survived. The 24th minute saw Fara Williams try the first of her favoured 45 yard efforts but this one was further off target than usual and Japan responded with a fine move which saw the ball dummied by Arakawa to offer Miyama a sight of goal but from just outside the box her effort was wildly over. Then, after Williams had failed to control in midfield, a dangerous ball into the box cleared Chapman to present Shinobu Ohno with a fine chance but her first touch was dreadful and England breathed again. Yankey, looking dangerous at this stage but not in the game enough, got in a decent ball to the near post but Smith was just about crowded out by the Japan defence and then Chapman, having scuffed her first effort, smacked an effort wide from 25 yards as England took their turn to attack in an even first half. At this stage Hope Powell's liking for switching the front players seemed to be confusing her own side rather than the opposition, however. Yankey, who had started brightly on the left, was now basically out of the game on the right, Aluko had been switched to the wings and looked totally lost while Carney was popping up all over the place without really getting into the game. Kelly Smith's influence was growing all the time, however. Williams, with time, space and good options, sent in another woeful effort from miles out to cap a below par first half performance but England were finishing the half the stronger. Carney produced two wicked centres in quick succession but still no-one was able to profit and Sawa made her most important contribution of the half deep inside her own area by heading a Carney free kick behind with Williams steaming in. Then came a glorious chance to take the lead. Smith looked up and bent a magnificent ball through for Aluko. The forward looked sluggish in not getting to the pass ahead of the keeper but when Fukumoto slid past the ball in her attempt to clear the England striker was left with an open goal from the right hand angle of the box. To England's immense frustration Aluko dragged her shot wide of the far post, however. England had started tentatively but improved as the half had progressed and there was reason to be optimistic as the half time whistle went. Once more England's difficulty in putting away their chances was threatening to ruin their hopes. Half Time: England 0 Japan 0 England came out determined to stamp their authority on the game and had Japan under severe pressure from the kick off. Alex Scott, impressive every time she managed to get forward, found an inspired pass to give Fara Williams a shooting chance deep inside the box but Fukumoto was able to parry her fierce drive at full stretch and once again the loose ball ran kindly for the Japanese. Williams then combined well with Smith who got in a low centre but a Japanese toe intercepted before the ball reached Aluko. England had Japan at full stretch with a series of corners and crosses but the ball simply would not fall for a white shirt inside the box. There was an almighty scramble after Aluko had sent Smith rampaging to the byeline with a lovely pass but when the ball finally fell to Chapman for a shot a Japanese body again got in the way. Japan finally got their foot on the ball and set about constructing a patient move that looked designed to draw the sting from England's efforts rather than present any real threat of their own. Katie Chapman went in to break up the attack but was harshly penalised 30 yards from goal and Japan had a free kick in a central position. Again Japanese players took their place in front of the England wall but this time they were standing and when Miyama struck for goal they ducked and the ball was flashing beyond Brown who had fatally anticipated an effort to the other corner and was unable to get back across in time. A soft goal coming at the end of a sustained spell of intense England pressure was just about as big a slap in the face as could have been delivered and suddenly England had to lift themselves. Yankey, drifting out of the game to an alarming degree despite England's positive start to the half, found Smith inside the box and the England forward produced a magnificent piece of skill to lift the ball over a defenders' head as she turned and fired in a tremendous drive as the ball dropped. Once more a valiant block saved Japan. The game now entered a phase where Japan were able to dominate possession and take the sting out of England's efforts. They rarely posed danger although Mary Phillip did have to head behind at the near post following one smart build up. England were definitely finding it harder to force the pace but Scott showed good anticipation to burst forward and intercept inside the Japanese half before slipping a fine ball through for Carney inside the area. Carney drove for the far post but again the effort was too close to Fukumoto who parried to safety. Within seconds England were coming again and Kelly Smith sent in a ferocious drive that ripped into the side netting with half the stadium thinking England had equalised. Brown was called on to make a routine save from Kozue Ando but England were becoming increasingly dominant again. With England pressing again and Japan struggling to clear their lines Smith picked up a ball just outside the area and waited for the perfect moment to release Scott who flashed a superb low ball across the six yard line which found Aluko beyond the far post. The England forward stabbed the ball goalwards only for the effort to somehow hit the retreating Hiromi Isozaki almost under the crossbar and lob over. With just over twenty minutes remaining Carney sent in a delicious left footed centre from the right wing that cleared the defence to find Yankey arriving at the far post but her header flashed wide from five yards out. It was not the easiest chance ever but it was a great chance but it was certainly right up there in the "great chance" category. Carney then decided to try and go alone and somehow bundled her way through three challengers only to then send in a weak shot that was comfortably saved. With just over a quarter of an hour remaining Hope Powell made her first change and a somewhat baffling one it was. Striker Aluko was withdrawn with midfielder Jill Scott coming on instead. This allowed Kelly Smith to go right up front but the choice of Scott as replacement instead of Lianne Sanderson still seemed a little mystifying. It has to be said that the events justified Powell's decision with Smith going on to scare the life out of the Japanese and Fara Williams getting further forward than before to really influence things consistently for the first time. Williams flicked on a throw in to find Smith in the box and then moved forward to take a return pass and send in a side footed effort that sailed just wide of the far angle. England then won a corner which spent an age bouncing around the Japanese goalmouth but the ball still refused to fall to a white shirt. Less than ten minutes now remained and it was beginning to appear as though England were fated not to score. Suddenly Alex Scott swept through to make another fine interception and when the ball fell to Carney she quickly fed Smith just inside the box. The England forward was surrounded but for once her luck was in with the ball bouncing perfectly for her as she attempted to drag the ball through and when it dropped she kept her composure to stroke home the equaliser. As Smith pulled off her boot to celebrate Japan's captain Hiromi Isozaki was having to have attention behind the goal and although the physio signalled for her to come off she had to soldier on as no replacement was ready. Almost immediately Williams won possession from a Japan throw deep inside enemy territory and slipped the ball through for Smith storming forward down the left hand side of the box. Isozaki was the player in her way and Smith swept past the wounded animal in fine style to take herself deep into the box. Approaching the angle of the six yard box Smith looked across towards the supporting Carney then decided to go for goal. Fukumoto produced a good block but England's luck had changed and the ball dropped back to Smith who belted the ball home through the keepers' legs with her right foot. This time both boots were off in celebration and England suddenly had the lead. England still looked the better side but were caught between looking to score a killer goal or simply winding down the clock. Carney took the ball into a corner and was bizarrely penalised for shielding the ball and then Alex Scott burst forward into a promising position but also tried to waste some time rather than find a colleague. Scott pulled up after this action, hopefully only with cramp, and had to be replaced by Lindsay Johnson for the final few minutes. Arakawa threatened once as she looked to get onto a decent through ball but Brown came flying out to collect at feet and kept control of the ball despite a huge collision which saw the England keeper needing lengthy treatment. This was no faking injury to waste time, however, and Brown looked far from happy as play resumed. Strangely there was no going through the motions of a drop ball and Brown was allowed to simply carry on as if nothing had happened. Still shaken England's keeper then had a nightmare moment as she threw the ball straight to Yuki Nagasato but the Japanese player was too slow to take advantage and England's keeper survived her horror moment. By now the strain was telling on everyone and Kelly Smith looked to be limping as the game entered its' final minute of stoppage time. Japan sent a long ball forward which Mary Phillip headed upwards rather than out and as she challenged for possession as the ball dropped the referee decided to award Japan another generous free kick within shooting range. Kelly Smith picked up a particularly stupid booking for encroaching within ten yards but from behind the taker and when Miyama was finally allowed to take the kick she stepped up to hammer an absolute screamer over the end of the England wall into the corner of the net. Bitch. The final whistle sounded without a restart taking place and an absolute roller coaster of a game had ended even. Judging this game rationally is almost impossible. Ten minutes from the end it looked as though England were on their way out after the first game and yet by the final whistle the draw they had managed felt like a defeat. In the final analysis it is fair to say that England should have won this game with some ease but were equally indecisive at both ends of the pitch at vital times throughout, with the obvious exception of Kelly Smith. It is nice having a truly world class player in your side but England will not go very far unless other players step up to the plate as well. This result leaves England with an even chance of qualifying but they should really already have one and a half feet in the quarter finals. Let's hope we don't live to regret the missed chances of this game. Full Time: England 2 Japan 2 England: R.Brown 4, A.Scott 8, F.White 6, M.Phillip 5, C.Stoney 6, K.Chapman 6, F.Williams 6, K.Smith 9, K.Carney 7, E.Aluko 3 (J.Scott 5), R.Yankey 3. Star Player: Kelly Smith Who else? Comes to this tournament with a massive reputation and didn't disappoint despite a slow start.
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