Germany, England into quarter finals

HANGZHOU – Defending champions Germany and England booked their places in the women’s World Cup quarter-finals on Monday but there was despair for Japan who narrowly missed out.

Germany’s Birgit Prinz and Renate Lingor scored the only goals of the game to shatter Japanese dreams in a hard-fought 2-0 victory here, while England walked all over South American champions Argentina 6-1 in Chengdu. It means Germany top Group A on seven points and will play the runner-up in Group B, likely to be North Korea, in Wuhan on Saturday.England finished second with five points and can look forward to a clash with the winner of that group, expected to be the United States, in Tianjin on the same day.Prinz, a triple World Player of the Year, is a clinical markswoman and proved once again on Monday why she was the both player of the tournament and top-scorer at the last World Cup in 2003.The talismanic 29-year-old, who once had the chance to become the first woman to play in Italy’s Serie A, for Perugia, but turned down the offer, played a crucial role in Germany’s victory.She led the early charge as the Germans cut through Japan’s defence like butter and bombarded the goal with shots.Prinz got her reward in the 21st minute, lurking on the edge of the penalty box to meet Lingor’s corner which she rifled into the net on her second touch.The Japanese defence became increasingly dogged as Germany pushed forward, with coach Neid bringing on 19-year-old sensation Fatmire Bajramaj to add penetration.But it was only three minutes from the end that Lingor finally sealed victory by firing home a penalty after Martina Mueller was brought down inside the area.In Chengdu, Kelly Smith scored twice to send England into the quarter-finals and end a nightmare tournament for Argentina, who conceded 18 goals and scored just one, reflecting the gulf between them and the best teams in the world.Star striker Smith pounced in the 64th and the 77th minute to bring her World Cup tally to four goals in three games and ensure England made the last eight for the first time since 1995.AFPIt means Germany top Group A on seven points and will play the runner-up in Group B, likely to be North Korea, in Wuhan on Saturday.England finished second with five points and can look forward to a clash with the winner of that group, expected to be the United States, in Tianjin on the same day.Prinz, a triple World Player of the Year, is a clinical markswoman and proved once again on Monday why she was the both player of the tournament and top-scorer at the last World Cup in 2003.The talismanic 29-year-old, who once had the chance to become the first woman to play in Italy’s Serie A, for Perugia, but turned down the offer, played a crucial role in Germany’s victory.She led the early charge as the Germans cut through Japan’s defence like butter and bombarded the goal with shots.Prinz got her reward in the 21st minute, lurking on the edge of the penalty box to meet Lingor’s corner which she rifled into the net on her second touch.The Japanese defence became increasingly dogged as Germany pushed forward, with coach Neid bringing on 19-year-old sensation Fatmire Bajramaj to add penetration.But it was only three minutes from the end that Lingor finally sealed victory by firing home a penalty after Martina Mueller was brought down inside the area.In Chengdu, Kelly Smith scored twice to send England into the quarter-finals and end a nightmare tournament for Argentina, who conceded 18 goals and scored just one, reflecting the gulf between them and the best teams in the world.Star striker Smith pounced in the 64th and the 77th minute to bring her World Cup tally to four goals in three games and ensure England made the last eight for the first time since 1995.AFP