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FIFA Women's World Cup · Final · 17 July 2011

Sawa's Flick and Japan's First Star

Japan 2–2 United States · 3–1 on pens · Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt

Three minutes from defeat, Sawa flicked Japan into history.

Japan trailed twice and were three minutes from defeat when Sawa, the captain, flicked Miyama's corner in at the near post. In the shoot-out the USA went first and missed their first three, two of them saved by Ayumi Kaihori. Japan became the first Asian side to win a senior World Cup.

Japan's players celebrate winning the 2011 Women's World Cup final (Frankfurt, 17 July 2011), the match itself, after the penalty shoot-out
Photo: Allan Patrick · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The goals

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Japan 2011 Home · adidas

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