Tokyo Olympics: Ellen White scores winner as Great Britain beat Japan 1-0  

Ellen White proved the difference once again for Great Britain as they booked their place in the quarter-finals of the women’s Olympic football tournament.

The Manchester City forward was on target twice in their opener against Chile and it was her prodigious leap that left hosts Japan sweating on their knockout place.

With two wins from two, it’s job done for Hege Riise’s team for now as they prepare to round off their group stage against Canada on Tuesday. 

It was a winning goal of simplicity, coming 16 minutes from the end, that owed everything to White’s sheer determination to get her head on the ball.

Kim Little, one of two non-Englishwomen in the starting line-up, did brilliantly to shield the ball through the right channel as Japan’s defenders tried in vain to get a foot in.

Turning back, Little fed the ball to Lucy Bronze to instantly whip a high cross to the near post. White’s dart was perfectly-timed, across Nikita Parris, a Japanese defender and goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita.

White beat them all to the cross and her header looped over the helpless Yamashita and dropped into an empty net to settle an often cagey contest.

With six points from six, GB are into the last eight, where they’ll face one of the two third-placed finishers. Japan will need something against Chile in their final group contest to keep home hopes alive. 

The opening half was far from a thrilling spectacle with chances few and far between. Britain couldn’t find the fluidity going forward that had marked their win over Chile, with several moves breaking down in midfield against Japan’s resolute 4-4-2.

The closest GB came prior to the interval was when Nikita Parris floated in a free-kick that Lauren Hemp rose to win, guiding her header wide.

Japan didn’t have the advantage of a partisan home crowd at the 41,000-capacity Sapporo Dome but they did carve out the more presentable chances of the first-half.

Mina Tanaka was able to drift into a pocket of space on the edge of the GB box to fire narrowly wide of Ellie Roebuck’s goal.

Earlier, Honoka Hayashi had tried to loft a shot over the Manchester City stopper from long range but couldn’t find the elevation.

The second-half didn’t have much to live up to and a greater spark about GB was immediately evident as they seized control of possession.

Riise introduced Caroline Weir on the hour mark for added impetus and she soon won a corner from which Steph Houghton fired over the bar after the ball dropped for her.

Keira Walsh took aim from distance as the clock ticked into the final 20 minutes and won a corner via a deflection but it came to nothing.

But the breakthrough moment was just around the corner and Japan’s frustration spilled over when Yamashita barged White to the floor for little reason, picking up a booking.

GB’s game management was on point and they almost made absolutely sure in the final minute when Weir curled a left-footed free-kick narrowly over the crossbar.