WOLFSBURG, Germany, July 9, (AFP): Hosts and defending champions Germany were knocked out of the women’s World Cup on Saturday as they were beaten 1-0 by Japan after extra-time in the quarter-finals.
The winning goal came in the 108th minute when Japan captain Homare Sawa put in a superb long-range pass and substitute Karina Maruyama drilled her shot past Germany goalkeeper Nadine Angerer.
Having won both the 2003 and 2007 editions, this is the first time Germany have lost at a women’s World Cup since they were beaten 3-2 by hosts the USA in the quarter-finals of the 1999 tournament.
Japan have now got beyond the quarter-finals for the first time as their previous best performance was a last-eight appearance in 1995 in Sweden.
Japan will now face either Australia or Sweden, who meet on Sunday, in the semi-final in Frankfurt on Wednesday.

Having won Group A with three victories, Germany were bidding for a third consecutive title, while Japan came in as Group B runners-up after losing their final pool game to England.
Germany suffered an early setback when key midfielder Kim Kulig headed over the bar and limped off with a knee injury after an awkward landing on three minutes.
Coach Silvia Neid was forced into bringing on defender Bianca Schmidt and left-back Linda Bresonik pushed up into midfield.
It was predominantly German one-way traffic in the opening stages in front of a sold-out crowd of 26,067.
Powerful midfielder Celia Okoyino da Mbabi, who ran herself ragged over the course of the night, had a shot parried away by Japan’s goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori on 13 minutes.
Captain Kerstin Garefrekes saw her effort fly across the face of the goal on 22 minutes.
Japan finally came into the match and their clearest chance was when forward Yuki Nagasato fired wide with half an hour gone as the Germans dropped off their early pace.
Mexico referee Quetzalli Alvarado finally showed the first of three second-half yellow cards in the 55th minute as the Japanese produced some loose tackles.
Japan midfielder Aya Miyama fired over twice with two long-range efforts as normal time faded and Germany forward Inka Grings had an appeal for a penalty turned down in the final five minutes after she was shouldered off the ball.

After 10 minutes of extra time, Grings found the ball at her feet in the area but fired wide to make way for attacking dynamo Alexandra Popp.
The game was finally decided in the second period of extra time when Japan stunned the home crowd with the crucial goal to reach the last four.
France advanced to their first ever Women’s World Cup semi-finals on Saturday with a dramatic 4-3 win on penalties against England.
Player of the match Camille Abily missed France’s first penalty but Claire Rafferty and Faye White then failed to net England’s last two to send Les Bleus through to a final four showdown with either Brazil or the United States
Despite France dominating for most of the game Jill Scott had put England ahead after 59 minutes before Elise Bussaglia equalised two minutes from time.
“Again England get knocked out on penalties, how boring is that?” said England coach Hope Powell.
“To get to penalties we did well. It was just unfortunate we missed two. It was just tired legs. At the end we were dead on our feet. Unfortunately when it came down to penalties you have to applaud France.”

France coach Bruno Bini paid tribute to his side who dominated the 120 minutes of play with 33 shots on goal to just seven for England, who have not beaten the French in 37 years.
“Until three minutes before the final whistle we thought we could lose this match even though it could have been 3-0 for us,” he said.
“Our match was going well but we weren’t getting our reward. That was unacceptable but in the end we were rewarded. Life is beautiful, we worked so hard for this.”
Apart from suspended keeper Berangere Sapowicz, France fielded the same team that crushed Canada 4-0, including five Lyon players who won last season’s Champions League final.
Technically superior the French outplayed their rivals before the break but were unable to convert any of their chances to the disappointment of the 26,395 crowd.
England’s best early shot on goal came seconds into the game when Kelly Smith beat the off-side trap, rounding goalkeeper Celine Deville, only to have her effort an an open goal blocked.
French midfielder Abily’s long range shot after four minutes went flying over the bar, while a powerful 25th-minute Gaetane Thiney effort from outside the box was pushed out by Karen Bardsley in the England goal.

The French pushed forward and three minutes later a Marie-Laure Delie effort went just wide with Louisa Necib’s attempt grazing the crossbar moments later.
Bardsley, who pulled off some superb first-half saves, did well five minutes before the break when she rose to hold a dangerous curling Necib corner.
Back after the break the French continued causing all sorts of problems for the English defenders with Montpellier striker Delie twice going just wide with Bardsley holding a Thiney effort.
Scott missed a chance to put England ahead after 55 minutes when she picked up a cross from Rachel Unitt only for her header to go just left of goal.
But four minutes later she made no mistake with the Everton midfielder latching onto a Rachel Yankey cross to rifle in her second goal of the tournament from 20 yards out.
The French piled on the pressure as they went in search of the equaliser with Delie missing a chance after 66 minutes, with another effort from substitute Elodie Thomis held by Bardsley.
But Bussaglia finally got the equaliser as the Paris Saint Germain midfielder’s shot hit the post and curled into the net ensuring that the match went into extra-time.
“I felt really bad. But because we won I’ve already forgotton about it,” said Abily of her penalty which was saved by Bardsley.
“We deserved it. We dominated 120 minutes. I think we finished better than England which helped us to have a bit more fressness in the penalties.”