Own goal propels Japan over England

Associated Press

EDMONTON, ALBERTA

Laura Bassett scored into her own net during second-half stoppage time, giving Japan a 2-1 victory over England in a Women’s World Cup semifinal.

The decisive goal Wednesday came when Japan’s Nahomi Kawasumi drove up the right side and sent a cross into the middle for Yuki Ogimi. Bassett reached out with her right foot and caught the ball flush, inadvertently sending it toward her net. The ball struck the crossbar and bounced in just before goalkeeper Karen Bardsley could get across.

The defending champions advanced to play the United States in the championship game at Vancouver on Sunday. It’s a rematch of the 2011 championship game in Germany, when Japan won on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw.

Bassett was inconsolable at the end of the match, lying flat on the ground, her face in the turf. She then needed assistance from teammates and her coach before leaving the field.

It was a torturous finish for the sixth-ranked Lionesses, who have made their deepest run in four World Cup appearances. England had never won an elimination game until this year.

England will remain in Edmonton to play top-ranked Germany in the third-place match Saturday. England lost 2-0 to the United States on Tuesday.

England lost despite controlling much of the second half against the fourth-ranked Japanese. And that was despite what Japan coach Norio Sasaki had said a day earlier, when he suggested his players were “superior.”

The teams traded penalty kick goals seven minutes apart in the first half.

Aya Miyama opened the scoring in the 33rd minute by driving the ball into the open left corner while Bardsley guessed the wrong way.