World Cup: Own goal gives Japan 2-1 win over England in semi

EDMONTON, Alberta – England defender Laura Bassett was inconsolable as she lay face down on the field, sobbing.

Japanese players gathered at the other end of the field in celebration – and relief – in realizing how close they came to squandering a chance to defend their Women’s World Cup title.

After Japan was outplayed for much of the second half, a turn of Bassett’s foot followed by a fortunate bounce off the crossbar led to an own goal in the final minute of stoppage time that allowed Japan pull out a 2-1 victory in the semifinal Wednesday. Japan will travel to Vancouver, B.C., to face the United States on Sunday in a rematch of the 2011 championship game in Germany.

“Oh, what a tough one, what a tough one to take,” a red-eyed England coach Mark Sampson said. “I can’t speak about the game. I can only speak about how incredibly proud I am of my group.”

Japan coach Norio Sasaki acknowledged there were several tense moments when England could have scored in the second half.

“But that’s the game of soccer,” Sasaki said through a translator. “And at the end, we were able to obtain such a dramatic goal.”

Nahomi Kawasumi drove up the right side and sent a cross into the middle for Yuki Ogimi. Bassett was in full stride when she reached out with her right foot, caught the ball flush and inadvertently directed it toward her net. The ball struck the crossbar and bounced in just before goalkeeper Karen Bardsley could get across.

“I was very happy,” said player of the match Saori Ariyoshi, referring to watching the ball go in. “Well, we did it. That’s how I felt.”

After the final whistle, Bassett lay on the field and had to be helped off by her teammates and Sampson.

“It really was a horrible moment obviously for Laura, but you could see the regard in which the team holds Laura,” Sampson said. “OK, she’s hurting now, but tomorrow morning she’ll wake up, she’ll have 22 teammates and a group of staff give her a hug and tell her how proud we are of her.”

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. Germany lost 2-0 to the U.S. on Tuesday.

Japan will be facing what’s become a familiar foe in the U.S. with a championship on the line. It beat the Americans on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw in the 2011 World Cup final.

The United States responded by beating Japan 2-1 to win the gold medal at the 2012 London Games. Overall, the U.S. is 24-1-6 against Japan.