A late own-goal by England defender Laura Bassett put defending champions Japan into the final of the Women’s World Cup on Wednesday with a 2-1 win.
The tie looked to be heading for extra time with the scores locked at 1-1 after captain Aya Miyama scored a penalty on 33 minutes at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium only for Fara Williams to level for England five minutes before the break, also from a penalty kick.
But two minutes into injury time, Bassett send the ball into her own net to end her team’s dream run to their first World Cup semi-final.
Japan next play the United States in the final at Vancouver next Sunday.
Two-time winners the United States beat Germany 2-0 in their semi-final in Montreal on Tuesday.
Sunday’s final will be a rematch of the 2011 final in Frankfurt, which Japan won 3-1 on penalites after the game finished 2-2 following extra-time.
The Americans went on to take Olympic gold in 2012 by beating Japan 2-1 in the final.
England now prepare to meet former two-time winners Germany in Saturday’s third-place playoff match in Edmonton. – Agence France-Presse
