Japan Win World Cup on Penalties

原标题：Japan Win World Cup on Penalties

Japan have beaten the favourites 最有希望获胜者 USA 3-1 on penalties to become the first Asian nation to lift the FIFA Women's World Cup.

The underdogs 冷门球队 Japan came from behind 后来居上 twice in a thrilling game to lift the trophy.

America’s Alex Morgan opened the scoring 开始进球 with a low strike before Aya Miyama poked in 踢入 the equaliser late in normal time 正常时间。

A similar pattern developed in extra time 加时赛 with the USA going ahead early. They seemed comfortably on course to victory 胜利在望 and were just three minutes from an historic third world title before Japan’s captain and star player Homare Sawa scored a sensational equaliser 激动人心的追平的进球。

We ran and ran – we were exhausted but we kept running.

Homare Sawa

USA pressed again in search for a late winner 后发制人，能定胜负的一球。 Morgan was en route 在途中 to scoring her second before she was brought down 被绊倒 by Azusa Iwashimizu on the edge of the area, who received a straight red 一张红牌 from the referee.

But the free-kick came to nothing 没有结果 and was followed by the whistle to signal the end of extra-time.

A nervous-looking Shannon Boxx set the tone 决定（队伍）的气氛 for USA's penalty kicks as she struck her spot kick 点球 straight at Ayumi Kaihori. The Japanese keeper also saved from Tobin Heath while Carli Lloyd blazed over the bar 飞过球门框。Abby Wambach was the only player to find the back of the net 进球了 but by this stage Japan had the advantage.

Japan missed one but scored the all-important 具有决定性的 penalty when young defender Kumagai stayed cool to fire in 射进 a brilliant spot-kick high into the net.

"We ran and ran – we were exhausted but we kept running," said Sawa, the top scorer in the tournament with five goals.

"Not one of the players gave up," the coach, Norio Sasaki, said. "The penalty kicks are always a 50-50 percent chance."