Japan has booked its place in the Asian Cup semifinals with an initially hard-fought but ultimately sublime 7-0 victory over the Philippines at Stadium Australia.
For 45 minutes, the Filipinas stood firm against the Asian Cup’s hottest team, repelling wave after wave of Japanese raids, before eventually crumbling to a side with the continent at its feet.
It was another supremely impressive performance from the delightful Nadeshiko, and one that underlined its status as the tournament’s team to beat.
It was a dazzling, porcelain blue afternoon in Sydney as a sea of Philippines flags and jerseys converged on Olympic Park, with fans of the Southeast Asian side accounting for the majority of the 13,321 supporters in attendance.
Adeline, a Philippines fan draped in her nation’s flag, said that should come as no surprise.
“Filos, they come in big groups and are keen to support,” Adeline said.
“Anything national for Filipinos, we’ll show up.”
Up until Sunday, the Philippines had played three matches at the tournament, but hadn’t had an opportunity to take to the field in Sydney.
Kat and Adeline were amongst a sizeable contingent of Philippines fans at Stadium Australia. (ABC News: Henry Hanson)
Kat, another Sydney-based Philippines supporter, said the match at Stadium Australia provided the Harbour City’s sizeable diaspora community a rare and welcome opportunity to support a Filipino national team on Australian soil.
“It’s my first time seeing the Philippines play international sport in person,” Kat said.
“It’s fun to be able to hold the flag and wear our colours.”
Kat and Adeline watched on as their team, still an emerging force in women’s football, fought admirably and at times chaotically in an energy-sapping first half.
Japan was the pre-tournament favourite and has made good on its promise in Australia, having cruised through the group stage with three wins and an eye-watering +17 goal difference.
And the Nadeshiko was once again breathtaking against a Philippines side set up to defend, defend and then defend some more.
The Filipinas’ Australian coach Mark Torcaso made five changes to the side that secured group stage progression last Sunday, with 21-year-old goalkeeper Nina Meollo a surprise inclusion for her first appearance of the tournament.
Meollo was heavily involved from the outset, delighting the vocal Filipino crowd with a slew of highly impressive saves, including a sharp stop to a wickedly deflected effort early on.
But the dam always felt likely to burst and, with half-time fast approaching, it eventually did, albeit in a way rather ill-befitting of such an irresistible Japanese outfit.
With Meollo having parried a cross into the six-yard box, the ball ricocheted from boot, to head to goalkeeper glove, before eventually finding its way over the line, courtesy of a point-blank diving header from Mina Tanaka.
And when Toko Koga made it 2-0 in the third minute of stoppage time, an uphill battle for the Philippines began slipping into the realms of impossibility.
An inspiring Japanese side
Japanese support at Stadium Australia was less visible, with fans decked out in Nadeshiko blue largely engulfed by Philippines jerseys of the same colour.
However, for Sydney’s Japanese community, it was also a priceless opportunity to see their team in action.
Born in Japan, Sayoko is now Sydney-based and was in attendance with her daughter Poppy, who said the game provided her family an opportunity to connect with their heritage.
“It means a lot to us because we don’t have any Japanese family living in Sydney. They’re all in Japan,” Poppy said.
“So, I think it’s a nice way to kind of connect with our family and for me, my heritage.
“It’s somewhere closer to home than having to go all the way to Japan to see our family. It’s nice to support them here.”
Sayoko, Poppy and Harrison were supporting Japan at Stadium Australia. (ABC News: Henry Hanson)
The family had never before watched a Japanese side play in Australia, and was particularly excited by the all-conquering Japan team on display at the Asian Cup.
Sayoko, who wasn’t much of a football fan for the majority of her life, said the current Japanese women’s side had inspired her so much she had joined a team herself.
“When I was young I never played, but now I’m really into it,” Sayoko said.
Japan turns it on
And Sayoko would have watched on with considerable joy as Japan flicked a switch after half-time.
With the Filipinas’ resolve broken, Japan combined for five more well-taken goals, completely dictating terms as shadows lengthened on both Stadium Australia and the Philippines’ admirable Asian Cup charge.
Central defender Koga nabbed a second goal on her way to a player-of-the-match performance, while Riko Ueki came off the bench to find the net for the fifth time in the tournament, moving her level with Australia’s Alanna Kennedy in the race for the golden boot.
Japan will face South Korea in the second semifinal on Wednesday, before the Philippines dust themselves off for a World Cup qualification play-off on the Gold Coast on Thursday.
The Matildas get the semifinals underway on Tuesday, when they take on China in Perth.
ABC Sport will continue its coverage of the Women’s Asian Cup with radio calls and live blogs of both semifinals, beginning on Tuesday.
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