Substitute Megumi Takase headed in a late clincher as women's world champion Japan pulled off another famous win by edging the United States 1-0 to advance to the championship match at the invitational Algarve Cup on Monday.
Takase, on as a 65th-minute substitute for Kozue Ando, met Aya Miyama's corner from 12 meters with just six minutes left to see off the defending Algarve champions in Group B in a rerun of last year's World Cup final.
"It was nice to score from a corner. I'll take any goal," said Takase. "We still have the final to play in and I want to score in that game, too. We have to try and keep our eyes on the prize and go all the way."