Mana Iwabuchi's 87th minute goal was enough to send Japan into the last four as they narrowly overcame a determined Australia tonight.
This was bound to be one of the best matches of the tournament so far as two fantastic footballing sides clashed in the latter stages, with everything at stake. Japan, the reigning World Champions, would be the favourites coming into the game, but Australia have already shown their quality this summer, beating Brazil in the last round, and would be no pushover.
As I said in my match preview, one would expect Japan to control the game and dominate possession, but Australia would see their fair share of the ball and were bound to be a big threat on the counter with the pace of players like Samantha Kerr and Lisa de Vanna.
Whilst Japan named an unchanged line-up from their 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in the last 16, Australia made two changes to the team that beat Brazil. Tameka Butt was replaced by Katrina Gorry in midifeld and Michelle Heyman made way for Kyah Simon up front, the latter an alteration that has become extremely predictable this summer, happening frequently during and before games, albeit this is not a bad thing.
It was far from a surprise to see the player who scored the winning goal in the last round, Simon, come into the team either, having made such a telling impact off the bench last time out. She was part of the switch to a more attacking approach as the Matildas shifted into a 4-3-3 set up, having lined up as a 4-2-3-1 against Brazil.
Japan came into the game with two players on yellow cards, with one resulting in a suspension for them for the semi-final clash, if they were to get there. Striker Shinobu Ohno was one of these, but the other, Saori Ariyoshi, was the far more notable risk at right-back. Kerr would be keen to run at the defender as a result, as she would be extremely reluctant to dive in or commit herself to a challenge, meaning she could represent a weakness in this marvellous team.
Australia's set-up suggested that they were really going to go for it tonight, but the majority of the opening exchanges were spent in the Matildas' half as Japan tried to break them down. They almost did so with eight minutes played as Ohno was played through on goal, but despite her attempted lob beating the onrushing goalkeeper, Lydia Williams, it landed on top of the net, as opposed to inside of it.
Still, Australia posed an early question of Japan's rather vulnerable defence, with Simon racing through the middle but being thwarted at the last moment by a great last ditch tackle from Azusa Iwashimizu, one which she had to get right inside the area.
Japan's build-up play was good, but they were lacking real conviction in the final third, with passes just too heavy at times or lacking that necessary accuracy, meaning a defender could step in and intercept most of the time.
Laura Alleway and Alanna Kennedy were doing well in the centre of defence, but Japan were still creating the odd chance, with Ohno having another just past the 20 minute mark when Nahomi Kawasumi found her in the area, but her first time finish was wide of the mark.
Something that was evidently surprising in the first quarter of the match was how slow Australia were in their transitional play. When opportunities came to counter, with Japan stretched and defenders out of position, the Matildas were hesitant to play the quick and incisive football they have displayed so effectively so far this summer, with reasons unknown.
However, a chance came for them to take the lead just short of the half-hour mark when Kerr was cynically fouled by Iwashimizu from 25 yards out. Kennedy stepped up to take, and she wasn't far off scoring her first international goal as her effort curled just a yard or so wide of the keeper's right hand post.
Still, reluctance to capitalise on chances continued to cost Australia in promising moments, Gorry hesitating to shoot on the edge of the box when space opened up after a pacey run down the left from de Vanna with 30 minutes on the clock.
Moments later, Williams was forced into a save at the other end when Aya Miyama fired powerfully at her goal, and the resulting corner saw Iwashimizu's header blocked and cleared off the line by Elise Kellond-Knight.
Still, despite starting the half on the back foot, the Matildas ended it strongly, albeit with few chances to speak about other than a long distance strike from Simon in the final minute. Kerr and de Vanna were growing into the game and really testing their opponents' back line, with Kerr in particular really targeting Ariyoshi down the left.
They started the second-half well too, with Japan getting sloppier on the ball and allowing their opponents to see more of it. Kerr had a great chance with 54 minutes on the clock as well, Mizuho Sakaguchi losing possession in the middle of the park and almost serving a costly punishment. Emily Van Egmond picked the ball up and fed Kerr, but she tried to place her shot from the edge of the box as opposed to going for power, and Ayumi Kaihori read it well to save comfortably.
Just moments later though, Ohno had another chance as she dropped off Kennedy and Alleway to find space in the area to latch onto Kawasumi's cross, but despite losing her markers, she was unable to make contact with the ball and instead saw the cross evade her attempted header.
Japan continued to threaten though in a promising spell for them, and on the hour they almost constructed the goal of the tournament with some delightful play. Kawasumi started the move, teasing her opponent inside the area before slipping in Ariyoshi with a cute backheel, and her cross was almost turned in with a cheeky flick from Miyama at the near post, but it instead hit the sidenetting.
A minute later Yuki Ogimi, who had been quiet so far in the game, turned and fired a few yards wide, before Ariyoshi almost found Ohno in the box, but for a great interception by Kennedy, who was having a superb match in defence.
Australia had looked extremely tired since the break, and their transitional play, which had been lacking energy so far in the game anyway, was suffering as a result. To change this, Alen Stajcic opted to bring off De Vanna with just over 20 minutes to go, introducing teenager Larissa Crummer into the match, and Japan responded with a change of their own five minutes later as Iwabuchi replaced Ohno.
At this point, it was hard not to draw similarities between how this game was poised, and how Australia's 1-0 win against Brazil was with just less than 20 minutes remaining. The Matildas' opponents were threatening heavily, but they were resisting each attack well and limiting them to few clear-cut chances. At the other end, they were threatening at times, albeit it was more positive play than concrete opportunities.
Stajcic continued to make attacking changes too as the game went on, Heyman the next to be introduced as Gorry departed following an impressive 75 minutes in middle. Japan were running out of ideas now though, looking for crosses instead of displaying their usual passing game. Australia were happy with this, with their defence towering over their opponents' attackers and able to win these high balls every time as a result.
However, one cross in the 85th minute should have given them a winning goal, Ogimi on the end of a delicious delivery from Kawsumi but volleying just wide of the post having failed to connect with it properly as it bounced off her ankle and wide.
Yet, she was only left ruing the miss for two minutes, as Iwabuchi would capitalise on some corner kick confusion shortly afterwards, pouncing onto a loose ball and bundling it over the line after a fantastic initial save from Williams to deny Iwashimizu, putting Japan ahead with three minutes to go.
Australia needed to go for it now, Simon coming off for Ashleigh Sykes and the team moving to three at the back. Three added minutes was what they were given to save their so far terrific World Cup campaign, but Van Egmond's strike from 30 yards concluded the match, Kaihori holding as the referee blew for full time.
Japan battled through in the end, narrowly defeating a very, very strong Australia side who defended admirably but just lacked their usual pace on the counter, and this prevented them from capitalising on potential opportunities.
The Matildas' ran themselves into the ground, with Kennedy, Kerr, De Vanna and goalkeeper Williams in particular putting on wonderful performances, but all was in vain in the end as their hearts were broken late on. They can hold their heads high though, having exceeded all expectations this summer and showed what they are capable of.
As for the reigning champions, they again went about their business and remain the only team in the competition to have won all their games this year. Their passing was incredible at times, and if they show this in more than just glimpses in the last four, then they are fully capable of retaining their title with their persistence going forward.
They are unlikely to face another side that will defend this sternly when looking at the teams remaining, and so their flair will shine more in the semi-finals, and this can help them go all the way again.