Kelly Smith (R) of England watches the ball as defender Hiromi Isozaki (L) of Japan falls down during their opening 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup football tournament Group A match at the Hongkou Stadium in Shanghai on Tuesday, September 11, 2007. [Photo: AFP]

A 2-2 draw brought the second match of Group A between England and Japan to an end at Hongkou Football Stadium Tuesday night.

Aya Miyama was the hero for Japan as her injury-time free-kick earned the Asian side two goals.

England looked to have won the game after Kelly Smith's two quick-fire goals on 81 and 83 minutes, but Miyama, who had earlier fired Japan in front from another free-kick, came to their rescue in the last minute.

The first half saw no scoring from each side. In the first 15 minutes, Japan players tried several times, shooting and taking corners. But their efforts ended in vain in front of England's dense defending.

England's best chance came in the 38th minute, but it fell to Nigerian-born Eniola Aluko. Smith flicked the ball over the defense to Aluko who hurdled the in-rushing goalkeeper and had an open goal at her mercy but side-footed wide.

In the 55th minute, Miyama scored for Japan with a free-kick from some 25 meters to put Japan 1-0 up.

Miyama's first dead-ball effort precipitated a period of sustained England pressure, which was capped when Player of the Match Kelly Smith struck twice.

That looked enough for England until Miyama drove the ball past Rachel Brown to give Japan their first ever point against European opposition at the FIFA Women's World Cup.

After Germany's 11-0 drubbing of Argentina in Shanghai 24 hours earlier, England and Japan produced a good advertisement with a fiercely contested 2-2 draw in Group A's another fixture.

The two sides are both next in action in Shanghai on Friday, when Japan take on Argentina and England face the early group leaders Germany.