- Title: Japan and Sweden fans confident ahead of their World Cup quarter-final
- Date: 11th August 2023
- Summary: AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (AUGUST 11, 2023) (REUTERS) WOMEN'S WORLD CUP FOOTBALL STATUE IN SQUARE CLOSE-UP OF WOMEN'S WORLD CUP LOGO ADIDAS PHRASE "IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING" VARIOUS OF KEY ROBB, 47, AND HER SON MAURICE ROBB, 12, JAPANESE FANS FROM CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND (SOUNDBITE) (English) KEY ROBB, 47, JAPANESE FAN FROM CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, SAYING: "I'm pretty confident that Japan is going to win tonight because they've been playing really, really well, and, so, I really hope that they will win, and the score will probably be 2-0, and this is the first time for me to watch professional football at the stadium, so, I'm super excited." VARIOUS OF PEDESTRIANS IN SQUARE DOWNTOWN (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TAKAHIRO YOSHIBAYA, 29, JAPANESE FAN FROM TOCHIGI PREFECTURE OUTSIDE TOKYO, JAPAN, SAYING: "I’m supporting Fujino Aoba. She’s 19 years old, a very young player but her striking skills are very good. When I watch her playing, I get excited and want to cheer for her. She’s a good player." VARIOUS OF CHRISTOPHER SEO, 35, JAPANESE FAN LIVING IN AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, IN JAPAN JERSEY JAPAN CREST (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRISTOPHER SEO, 35, JAPANESE FAN LIVING IN AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, SAYING: "I'm going to the game tonight to see Japan-Sweden tonight at Eden Park, and I'm supporting Japan." REPORTER: "Why?" SEO: "I'm originally from Korea but I lived in Japan for three years between 2019 and 2021, and then I used to work and live there, had some awesome experiences in Japan, went to actually see some of the Japan games, and I love how Japan has played as a team in this tournament. Campaign's been fantastic, phenomenal performance, and I love how the national team is showing the humbleness and support for the crowds here, and just having an awesome time throughout the campaign. It's lovely to see them on the TV, and it'll be an awesome experience for me to go and support in person as well." CROWD IN FIFA FAN FEST WATCHING SPAIN VS NETHERLANDS MAN WEARING JAPAN GEAR VARIOUS OF CHELSEA RORER, 37, U.S. FAN FROM OAHU, HAWAII, SUPPORTING JAPAN, IN STANDS WITH WIFE (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHELSEA RORER, 37, U.S. FAN FROM OAHU, HAWAII, SUPPORTING JAPAN, SAYING: "And yes, we have tickets to the game. We're staying right by the Eden Park, so walking distance. Pretty stoked about that. We're cheering for Japan. I think the score's going to be 3-0, hopefully. I think they're definitely going to wipe them out, and I am rooting for Japan because number one, the U.S. is out, but secondly, basically my little adopted sister Mahina Maeda is on the Olympic surf team for Japan, hopefully making it this year as well and I wanted to support her going forward." VARIOUS OF CLOSE FAMILY SWEDEN FLAG ON SCARF MORE OF CLOSE FAMILY SWEDEN BEANIE (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANNA CLOSE, 47, SWEDISH FAN LIVING IN AUSTRALIA, SAYING: "Yeah, well, of course, we're going for Sweden and in actual fact we bought these ticket six months ago, banking on Sweden winning their group and winning the round of 16. So, we bought tickets for this game six months ago, so, yeah, we're counting on Sweden winning this game." (SOUNDBITE) (English) PHIL CLOSE, 43, SWEDISH FAN LIVING IN AUSTRALIA, SAYING: "Yeah, no, we're really excited. Six months ago we banked on Sweden winning the group and following this finals route, so, we bought our tickets to fly to New Zealand and support them. So, very happy to see them take out the USA, which was a very, very tight game. We had a lot riding on the result of that game so we're pumped to be here and hopefully support them all the way." VARIOUS OF PAULINA JASSO, FOOTBALL FAN FROM MEXICO CITY, PLAYING GOALKEEPING GAME (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PAULINA JASSO, 38, FOOTBALL FAN FROM MEXICO CITY, SAYING: "I'm going to the game tonight, Japan against Sweden. It hurts because I'd like for football to win. Japan is fantastic. They're very fast but Sweden is Sweden. What more? Why am I rooting for Sweden? Because I used to live there for a time, and I like the school of football that they have developed, the football project. But yeah, that's it." CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER PLAYING GOALKEEPING GAME FANS IN FIFA FAN FESTIVAL
- Embargoed: 25th August 2023 04:14
- Keywords: Eden Park FIFA FIFA Women's World Cup Japan vs Sweden Women's World Cup World Cup fans supporters
- Location: AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
- City: AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
- Country: New Zealand
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Sport,World Cup
- Reuters ID: LVA001369610082023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: An increasingly confident Japan's status as genuine title contenders will be tested in Friday's (August 11) clash with Sweden.
Twelve years ago, 'Nadeshiko' made history by becoming the first, and so far only, Asian country to win the Women's World Cup at the 2011 tournament in Germany.
Futoshi Ikeda's side are in fine form and look on course to match the feat this year, having scored 14 goals in four games to surpass their previous goalscoring record in a campaign.
Sweden will be counting on their experience and physicality to push them to victory.
The third-ranked Swedes, who have kept three straight clean sheets, have reached the last eight of the World Cup on seven occasions and eliminated pre-tournament favorites United States in the round of 16.
Fans of both teams at the FIFA Fan Festival in Auckland expressed confidence in their teams.
(Production: Nathan Frandino, - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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