Hinata Miyazawa scored a couple of objectives, whilst Mina Tanaka and Jun Endo each and every added a objective and an lend a hand, as Japan close out Zambia 5-0 to open Women’s World Cup play Saturday for either side.
Miyazawa discovered the again of the online with one-time finishes on both sides of halftime to protected a very easy win over the Copper Queens in what used to be their World Cup debut.
Tanaka, denied objectives two times on offside calls, scored in equivalent type within the fifty fifth minute, assisted by way of Endo.
Endo then scored within the 71st minute, discovering herself on my own at the left facet of goalkeeper Catherine Musonda’s objective and slotting house a left-footed strike.
Not most effective did Tanaka see two objectives referred to as again by way of VAR for offside, the Nakeshido had been awarded an early second-half penalty most effective to peer it rescinded for but every other offside name.
The Group C conflict used to be the primary time a senior World Cup fit used to be hosted at Hamilton’s Waikato Stadium. Saturday’s attendance of 16,111 just about crammed the stadium that holds simply over 18,000.
Zambia struggled to search out its footing in its World Cup debut. Star striker Barbra Banda discovered herself remoted on the most sensible of the pitch and marked by way of 3 Japanese defenders for a lot of the evening.
Deep into second-half damage time, the Copper Queens’ fortunes went from unhealthy to worse as goalkeeper Catherine Musonda, who began the fit instead of an injured Hazel Nali, used to be despatched off with a moment yellow card for a bad within the field.
Initially, Riko Ueki’s penalty hit the bottom of the crossbar, however VAR dominated the penalty to be retaken for goalkeeper encroachment. Ueki despatched her moment probability into the decrease proper nook of the online.
KEY MOMENT
Aoba Fujino just about scored two times within the first 10 mins of the fit, however it used to be her ranging run and next lend a hand within the forty third minute that put Japan in keep an eye on. The victory used to be Fujino’s first World Cup fit and primary lend a hand for her nation at simply 19 years previous.
WHY IT MATTERS
Japan now sits first in Group C, forward of Spain on objectives scored, and the Nakeshido stay unbeaten in opening World Cup suits since 1995. With a loss and 5 objectives to the worst on objective differential, Zambia faces a longshot combat to qualify for the spherical of 16 with Spain and Costa Rica as its subsequent fighters.
WHAT’S NEXT
Japan will shuttle to Dunedin to stand Costa Rica, who had been close out 3-0 in a deficient appearing towards Spain. Zambia will tackle a assured La Roja in its moment fit of the gang level in Auckland. Both suits will likely be performed on Wednesday.
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