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By John Edwards
Bobby dazzler: Keisuke Honda (left) nets with a dazzling free kickThomas Sorensen added another entry to the catalogue of World Cup goalkeeping blunders as Japan marched into the last 16 in Rustenburg on Thursday night.
Denmark's Stoke keeper was at fault for Japan's 17th minute breakthrough and committed a blunder of Robert Green proportions in the second half, when a weakly struck long-range free-kick skipped through his hands, only to bounce back off a post.
Japan gave the impression of being intent on nothing more than safeguarding second place when Yasuhito Endo was booked for time wasting in the 12th minute.
How misleading that proved, as they hit the Danes with two stunning free-kicks inside the opening half-hour.
Dead ball experts: Yasuhito Endo curls in Japan's secondSorensen pulled off a pointblank save from Daisuke Matsui in the 13th minute but was found wanting when Keisuke Honda took aim - ambitiously, it seemed - with a 30-yard free-kick.
As the Japan midfielder let fly with his left foot, Denmark's hapless keeper took a step to his left, before desperately scrambling to his right and failing at thin air.The kick was motoring but Sorensen needed no reminding that he should have kept it out. Japan then hit another spectacular free-kick in the 30th minute. Honda may have assumed set-piece duties but Endo stepped forward to bend a shot round the Danish wall and beyond Sorensen's reach.
Denmark hit back in the 80th minute following a push on Daniel Agger inside the area. Though Eiji Kawashima parried Jon Dahl Tomasson's spot-kick, the veteran striker bundled the loose ball over the line.
However, substitute Shinji Okazaki made it safe for Japan in the 88th minute with a simple close-range finish, after Honda's brilliant turn and cut-back.
Lucky boy: Thomas Sorensen palmed Endo's free kick onto the crossbar
Unbridled glee: Japan celebrate at the final whistle [endtext]
