Norway coach Hege Riise said Japan will be hard to beat at the Women’s World Cup after the 2011 champions powered into the quarter-finals on Saturday with a 3-1 win.

Japan will face either defending champions the United States or Sweden in the last eight after outplaying Norway in Wellington.

An own goal by Ingrid Syrstad Engen gave Japan an early lead in the last-16 clash.

Norway hit back with a Guro Reiten header but Japan marched into the next round with second-half goals by Risa Shimizu and Hinata Miyazawa.

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