How did the Japanese softball team make the gold medal match?

Question

I thought they lost to the Americans in the semis? I've never heard of a team losing in the semis making it to the finals to play the team they lost to in the semis. It just doesn't make any sense.

Answer 1

It is called

the Page System Playoff

http://en.beijing2008.cn/sports/softball...

every event has their own committee that makes the rules

Answer 2

it was a bad day for the usa team

Answer 3

top 2 qualifiers played each other, while third and 4th played each other. winner of 1 v 2 (US) went through to gold medal match, loser played the winner of 3 v 4. Winner of that match goes through to play for the gold medal whilst the loser gets bronze.

gives the top teams qualifying a second chance. which japan used to great effect

Answer 4

It took me ages to work this out but what i can gather is it's because of their rankings going into the semi's.

During the prelim games they were ranked on games they won or lost.

USA 1st ranking

Japan 2nd

Canada 3rd

Australia 4th

So the top 2 had to play each other and the winner when straight to the Gold medal game

The bottom 2 then had to play each to to see who would play the loser from the top game. The winner of that game got into the gold medal game and the loser got Bronze.

It just happened that Japan lost the first game then had to play Australia who had beaten Canada and won that so they played in the game which was for gold.

sounds wierd but thats how it goes.

Answer 5

never under estimate an opponent