Nadeshiko Japan | FIFA Women's World Cup History, 1991–2023

Japan have taken part since the first tournament in 1991, when they went out at the group stage after defeats to Brazil, Sweden and the United States. They have appeared ever since, with 2023 their ninth appearance in nine tournaments. The 2011 title-winning side was not on debut but at their sixth tournament.

The Brazil match was not the quarter-final but the second group game, which Japan won 2-1 for their first victory thanks to Akemi Noda's two goals. That win took them to a first quarter-final, where they lost 0-4 to the United States. The point is not to confuse a first win with a win in the knockout rounds.

After 90 goalless minutes, Sawa lifted a pass forward in the 108th minute of extra time and the substitute Maruyama steered it into the net. The scorer was Maruyama, not Sawa, and the win took Japan to a first Women's World Cup semi-final.

Alex Morgan put the United States ahead in the second half and Miyama drew Japan level. In extra time Abby Wambach put the Americans back in front, but near the end Sawa met a corner to level for a second time. The heart of the match is that Japan never led and came back twice.

Kaihori saved Shannon Boxx's first kick and Tobin Heath's third. In between, Carli Lloyd put hers off target, which is not recorded as a save by Kaihori. Japan led 3-1 and their fourth taker, Kumagai, won the title — so the point is not to count all three failures as goalkeeper saves.

The Golden Boot is the award for the top scorer, and Sawa scored five. The Golden Ball goes to the best player of the tournament overall, so the same player took two awards measured on different terms. It does not refer to the best goalkeeper or the fair play award.

In second-half added time at 1-1, England defender Bassett tried to cut out Kawasumi's cross and turned the ball into her own net, and it was recorded as an own goal. Kawasumi supplied the decisive ball but is not credited with the goal herself.

Lloyd scored in the 3rd, 5th and 16th minutes, but Lauren Holiday also scored in the 14th in between, so the United States were 4-0 up inside 16 minutes. Japan pulled two back through Ogimi and an own goal but lost 2-5. Lloyd's three goals did not come in an unbroken run.

Having fallen behind, Japan equalized before half-time through Hasegawa on a pass from Iwabuchi. Japan created chances after the break, but conceded a penalty late in the match that Martens converted. It was settled by a late penalty inside 90 minutes, not in extra time or a shoot-out.

Miyazawa scored five goals in the five matches Japan played and won the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer. Japan beat Norway in the round of 16 and then lost 1-2 to Sweden in the quarter-finals — an illustration that the top scorer does not necessarily come from a finalist or the winners.