Sweden withstands late Japan comeback, 2-1, to make semifinals

For the first time in the country's history, Spain has reached the semifinals of the Women's World Cup after defeating the Netherlands 2-1 in extra-time.

The news was happily received by men's tennis No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who congratulated the team for making the semifinals and urged the players to go for more at the tournament.

Spain has enjoyed a fantastic turnaround at the World Cup having been thrashed 4-0 by Japan in the group stages.

"You always dream of a moment like this," coach Jorge Vilda told FIFA after the quarterfinal victory against the Netherlands.

"We’ve reached the semifinals for the first time, we’re among the four best in the world, but we’re not going to stop. Today, yes, celebrate, but tomorrow we will prepare for the semifinals because we want to be in the final."

After two thrilling games and two identical scorelines, we have our first two teams in the semifinals of the Women's World Cup.

In the first match of the day, Spain needed extra-time to defeat the Netherlands 2-1 and reach the final four for the first time in its history.

Mariona Caldentey’s penalty after a VAR-reviewed handball decision looked to have won the match for the Iberians with just nine minutes remaining, but the Dutch leveled when Stefanie van der Gragt – whose handball had gifted La Roja its penalty – drilled home a brilliant effort in the first minute of added time.

In a tense period of extra-time, teenage substitute Salma Paralluelo struck the winner after 111 minutes with a left-footed effort off the inside of the far post to make history for Spain.

Read more about that here.

Then in the later kick-off, Sweden beat Japan 2-1 thanks to defender Amanda Ilestedt's fourth goal of the tournament and Filippa Angeldal’s second-half penalty.

Riko Ueki missed a penalty late on for Japan, but Honoka Hayashi’s goal with three minutes of regulation time remaining ensured a heart-pounding finish.

Sweden held on, though, and will now face Spain in the country's fifth World Cup semifinal appearance on Tuesday.

Read more about that game here.

No team had looked better than Japan heading into its quarterfinal with Sweden.

Head coach Futoshi Ikeda had his side playing an exciting, free-flowing brand of soccer, which was blowing teams away.

No team scored more goals (11) than Japan in the group stages, it smashed semifinalist Spain 4-0 in its final group stage match and it easily beat Norway 3-1 in the last-16.

But, against Sweden, the Nadeshiko looked to run out of steam.

It was timid for much of the match and only started turning up when it was 2-0 down.

Even then, it had chances to level the game — Riko Ueki missed a penalty — but Japan will be left ruing the missed opportunity.

Being knocked out of a World Cup is always more disappointing when you don't perform to the level that's expected, and Japan's players looked heartbroken at the final whistle.

This year looked to be a huge chance for the Nadeshiko to lift the World Cup, but now the tournament is wide open.

Victories for Spain and Sweden see them book the first two spots in the semifinals, while defeat for Japan means that we are guaranteed to see a first-time champion crowned on August 20.

Can England and France make it an all-European final four? They'll have to get past Colombia and co-host Australia respectively in the other quarterfinals for that to be the case, with those matches scheduled for Saturday.

Here's the line-up for the semifinals at present:

Spain vs. Sweden (August 15 at 4 a.m. Eastern Time)

England or Colombia vs. France or Australia (August 16 at 6 a.m. ET)

After knocking out both the US and Japan, Sweden is now a major contender for the title and Amanda Ilestedt seems to be its secret weapon.

The defender was named Player of the Match against Japan after scoring her team's opening goal, but it's by no means her first of the tournament.

The Arsenal star has now scored four goals at the World Cup and is just one behind current leading scorer Hinata Miyazawa.

Another goal against Spain in the next round and we could seriously be talking about a defender possibly being named the tournament's top scorer.

Yet another thing about this tournament being unpredictable and can't miss.

Japan's late goal marked just the second time that Sweden and goalkeeper Zećira Mušović have conceded in this tournament.

The shot-stopper has been central to the Blågult's run to the semifinals, particularly against the US when she produced a heroic performance and made 11 saves. Since records began in 2011, that was the most saves in a single game at the Women's World Cup for a goalkeeper who kept a clean sheet, according to Sky Sports.

With her club team, Chelsea, Mušović has to vie with Germany's Ann-Katrin Berger for game time, but this World Cup has offered her the chance to seize the limelight and demonstrate her true capabilities.

The 27-year-old was born to Serbian parents who had escaped the war in their home country. She preferred table tennis to soccer in her youth, according to FIFA, but quickly felt at home in the latter when she switched from being an outfielder to a goalkeeper aged 12.

Fast-forward 15 years and Mušović is now preparing to face Spain for a spot in the World Cup final — a feat Sweden has achieved just once before in 2003.

Full-time in Auckland and, despite a late comeback from Japan, it's Sweden which advances to the semifinals with a 2-1 victory.

Not many would have predicted that at the start of the game. Japan has been the best team of the tournament up to this point, thrilling fans with an attacking, high-scoring brand of soccer.

But Sweden dominated the first hour of this game and is deserving of its place in the final four thanks to a first-half strike from Amanda Ilestedt and Filippa Angeldal's second-half penalty.

Fittingly, Swedish pop group ABBA's "Mamma Mia" is played inside the stadium as the players celebrate the win.

Next up will be Spain in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Well, here we go!

Japan has been knocking on the door in the closing stages of this match and it finally scores in the 87th minute.

Honoka Hayashi gets the goal after a chaotic run of play.

Japan had smashed the crossbar just moments before from a free-kick, but eventually finds the breakthrough seconds later as Hayashi reacted quickest to a poor clearance to give her team a lifeline.

We are now into 10 minutes of stoppage time. It's all Japan.

Finally, Japan seems to have woken up and has a number of shots on the Swedish goal.

As the attacks keep coming, Riko Ueki goes down in the box and a penalty is awarded — despite what appeared to be minimal contact.

But it's missed! Ueki hits the bar and the score stays 2-0 to Sweden.