Risa Shimizu struck the decisive goal before Hinata Miyazawa scored for the fifth time at the tournament as Japan beat Norway 3-1 in the round of 16 to reach the Women's World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday.
Nadeshiko Japan opened the scoring when Miyazawa's cross was deflected for an own goal by the Norwegian defense, but Guro Reiten's header erased the deficit in the first half at Wellington Regional Stadium before the Asian side made their domination count after the break.
Manager Futoshi Ikeda's squad will face the United States or Sweden in the quarterfinals on Friday.
"We were expecting a really tough game. We knew Norway were going to play to their strength but all of our players really worked hard," Ikeda said.
"We made several adjustments in the second half and it was great that they led to the goals and the win. The midfield players were dropping back a bit too deep to receive the ball, so I told them to go forward and also use the space down the flank well."
World No. 11 Japan controlled possession from the start and led in the 15th minute when Miyazawa's early diagonal cross from the left deflected off Ingrid Syrstad Engen's foot as she attempted to block. The ball bounced all the way to the goal and crept just inside the near post, beyond the diving arms of keeper Aurora Mikalsen.
But 12th-ranked Norway equalized against the run of play five minutes later when Vilde Boe Risa's first-time cross from the right was met by Reiten, whose towering header floated into the top left corner as Japan conceded for the first time this tournament.
Shimizu had a sight on goal four minutes from the break when a ball from the left dropped outside the box. Her first-time drive went over the bar, but the right wing-back's venturing runs paid dividends five minutes after the break.
Boe Risa set up another goal, but this time at the wrong end, with her wayward pass inside the Norwegian box pounced on by Shimizu, whose shot also took a deflection off Syrstad Engen's sliding foot before nestling in the net.
Norway had the chance to level as Caroline Graham Hansen's dribble from the right saw the ball drop nicely for Karina Saevik, but her shot from an angle flashed past the far post.
Frida Maanum also had a clear shot from outside the box but sent it straight at keeper Ayaka Yamashita before Japan sealed the tie nine minutes from time.
Aoba Fujino received the ball inside her own half and went past the halfway line before threading a superb through ball behind the Norway backline. Miyazawa, as with her two goals against Spain in their final Group C game on Monday, kept her cool and slotted past the keeper. The attacker now leads the race for the golden boot.
Saevik had a header saved on the line by Yamashita as Norway sought for a way back in the closing stages, but to no avail, as 2011 winners Japan comfortably held on against the 1995 champions.
"We were really frustrated in 2019 and although there is still a long way to go, we cleared the first hurdle," said Shimizu, referring to Japan's narrow round-of-16 loss to eventual runners-up the Netherlands at the previous World Cup. "I thought it was a really good win today."
"There were lots of positive words from our players, there was no one saying negative things when it became 1-1. It's a really cheerful team with everyone on the same page and we want to keep progressing."
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