Group B action got under way this afternoon at the Women’s U18 World Championship in Obihiro as Finland beat Japan by a 2-1 score. It was hard-fought game both ways, but the difference was Elisa Holopainen who scored both goals for the victors.
 
Finland will play Switzerland tomorrow while the Japanese will take on the Czech Republic.
 
The Japanese were fortunate to escape the first period in a tie. They took four minor penalties in he first 16 minutes, and after killing off three finally paid the price for their lack of discipline.
 
Holopainen opened the scoring at 17:44 on the power play, but just 72 seconds later, 16-year-old Ami Sasaki tied the score.
 
Holopainen got the only goal of the second, at 16:13 after Finland had killed off the only two penalties of the period.
 
That was all the scoring required, and the third was fairly tame. Although Japan pressed for the equalizer, the Finns would not concede it.