Germany advances to quarterfinals

Defending champion Germany, with a record-setting goal from Birgit Prinz, beat Japan, 2-0, at Hangzhou, China, on Monday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup.

England was the second team to advance from Group A with a 6-1 win over Argentina in Chengdu.

Germany finished the group stage with seven points, followed by England with five, Japan with four and Argentina with none.

Germany will meet the second-place team from Group B -- probably the United States or North Korea. England gets the Group B winner, again probably the U.S. or North Korea. Group B wraps up today, with the U.S. playing Nigeria at Shanghai at 4:45 a.m. PDT and needing only a tie to advance.

Germany dominated its game and opened the scoring when the ball fell to Prinz’s feet off a corner kick in the first half. She quickly buried the ball into the top of the goal for her 13th goal in World Cup finals competition.

That breaks the record Prinz shared with American Michelle Akers.

Two goals by Kelly Smith, one each by Fara Williams, Jill Scott and Vicky Exley plus an own goal gave England second place in Group A behind Germany.

Argentina trailed after the ninth minute on an own goal. A cross was floated into the penalty area and Argentine captain Eva Gonzalez -- under no pressure -- tried to head it back to her own keeper but connected too firmly and put it into the net.

Argentina goes home with an 0-3 record and a goal difference of minus 16 -- the worst record by any team in World Cup history.