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Sweden's Magdalena Eriksson celebrates her side's quarter-final win over Japan. Photo / AP

Before this tournament, not many people were talking about Sweden. Now you start to wonder who could stop them.

After eliminating the United States on penalties, Sweden managed another eye-catching result in a thrilling quarter-final, upsetting another former world champion Japan 2-1 at Eden Park on Friday night.

The demise of Japan means there will be a new champion crowned, after the earlier exits of the USA, Germany and Norway.

It was a very different performance from Sweden’s “hang on and hope” effort against the Americans, as they were much more assertive and fluid with the ball, especially in the first half.

But it was the Swedes’ defensive game that caught the eye, as they completely shut down Japan - who had been a superb attacking force in the tournament - for 60 minutes.

Sweden are also remarkably tenacious and are developing a happy habit of riding their luck.

They got two fortuitous goals against Japan, including a debatable penalty, while the woodwork came to their rescue twice - including a missed Japanese spot kick.

But they also dominated the majority of the match and deserved their victory.

The world No 3 are far from the most attractive team left but are very hard to beat, which is the recipe needed at this stage of the tournament.

Japan couldn’t get much going until the last half hour and missed the chance to get on the board in the 76th minute when Riko Ueki’s penalty was denied by the crossbar. However fellow substitute Hayashi Honoka tucked home a rebound 10 minutes later to provide a grandstand finish

But Sweden hung on and will face Spain in Tuesday’s semifinal at Eden Park.

It will be a tough result to take for Japan, who had lit up the past fortnight. They started with plenty of fizz, with their passing and movement, along with some inventive corners and free-kick routines. From the start they showed a willingness to pass into tight spaces as they tried to draw the Swedish press in.

But the Europeans didn’t bite, staying compact and organised.

Sweden should have gone ahead in the 24th minute, but Stina Blackstenius poked her shot wide of the near post, with the goal at her mercy.

Japan’s best first-half chance came moments later but a dinked cross eluded two players at the far post.

The side were trying to knit together their passing game but it wasn’t easy. Their players were getting muscled off the ball in midfield and Sweden were covering the spaces well.

The first goal in the 32nd minute was a litany of Japanese errors. First, captain Sakai Kumagai gave away an unnecessary free kick in a dangerous area. Once the ball was delivered, Japan had several chances to clear but couldn’t as the ball pinballed around the area before defender Amanda Ilestedt lashed home from close range.

Sweden were unlucky not to extend their lead just before halftime, as a Blackstenius drive was brilliantly tipped on to the post by Ayaka Yamashita in what was one of the saves of the tournament.

The sense that it wasn’t going to be Japan’s night came with the controversial 51st-minute penalty. By the letter of the law it may have been correct, but it again showed the mess that VAR’s forensic approach has created.

From a Swedish flick on, the ball struck Fuka Nagano, though she was completely unsighted and the contact was clearly unintentional. But the referee awarded the spot kick – concluding the arm was in an unnatural position – and Filippa Angeldal made no mistake, dispatching her effort into the bottom left corner.

After that, Japan woke up, finally playing the football that characterised their tournament. The passing got snappier, their movements more confident and they created three good chances in quick succession, with Swedish keeper Zecira Musovic saving the best of them.

Japan looked to have a way back when Ueki was tripped in the area, but the striker crashed her penalty attempt against the crossbar, in what felt like their last hope.

But there was a lot more to come.

Musovic tipped an Aoba Fujino free kick on to the crossbar, before Hayashi Honoka’s dramatic intervention after a nice move inside the area.

That set up a big finish, with 10 minutes of added time, but Japan couldn’t find the equaliser their efforts probably deserved.

Sweden 2 (Amanda Ilestedt, Filippa Angeldal)

Japan 1 (Hayashi Honoka)

HT: 1-0