A clinical Ellen White brace saw England beat Japan and win Group D but Scotland are out after letting slip a 3-0 lead to Argentina in dramatic circumstances.
England survive Japan pressure as White seals the win
Ellen White struck twice to see England win all three group-stage World Cup games for the first time but the Lionesses had been pegged back for a long spell by the Nadeshiko.
Japan might well have taken an early lead but for Karen Bardsley super save, turning a long-range Kumi Yokoyama free kick onto the angle and over.
But on 14 minutes Georgia Stanway played in White to smartly beat goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita.
Yuika Sugasawa came off the bench in the second half as Japan created a number of chances, forcing Bardsley into a good stop.
With England still struggling to hold onto a narrow lead, Karen Carney entered the field and set up White for a second well-taken goal 6 minutes from time.
England will now be in Valenciennes on Sunday to face one of the best third-placed teams.
Re-taken stoppage-time penalty eliminates Scotland
Scotland were well on course for the win they needed to likely take them into the last sixteen but it all went nightmarishly wrong in the last 20 minutes.
Kim Little stabbed the ball home after Vanina Correa parried Erin Cuthbert’s effort, Jen Beattie doubled the lead when heading in a Caroline Weir cross and a place in the second phase looked on for Shelley Kerr’s side after Cuthbert made it 3-0 from Leanne Crichton’s header which had been turned onto the post.
However, on 74 minutes Dalila Ippolito set up fellow sub Milagros Menendez to reply and Florencia Bonsegundo’s shot off the bar pulled it back to 3-2.
Four minutes into added time and Sophie Howard’s challenge on Aldana Cometti ended in a VAR-awarded spot-kick which Lee Alexander saved but by coming off her line too soon and Bonsegundo buried the retaken penalty.
