Japan cruises to opening win over Zambia at Women’s World Cup
HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) — Hinata Miyazawa scored a pair of objectives, whereas Mina Tanaka and Jun Endo every added a aim and an help, as Japan shut out Zambia 5-0 to open Women’s World Cup play Saturday for either side.
Miyazawa discovered the again of the web with one-time finishes on both facet of halftime to safe a simple win over the Copper Queens in what was their World Cup debut.
Tanaka, denied objectives twice on offside calls, scored in related trend within the fifty fifth minute, assisted by Endo.
Endo then scored within the 71st minute, discovering herself alone on the left facet of goalkeeper Catherine Musonda’s aim and slotting dwelling a left-footed strike.
Not solely did Tanaka see two objectives known as again by VAR for offside, the Nadeshiko have been awarded an early second-half penalty solely to see it rescinded for yet one more offside name.
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The Group C conflict was the primary time a senior World Cup match was hosted at Hamilton’s Waikato Stadium. Saturday’s attendance of 16,111 practically crammed the stadium that holds simply over 18,000.
Zambia struggled to seek out its footing in its World Cup debut. Star striker Barbra Banda discovered herself remoted on the prime of the pitch and marked by three 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 match rather than an injured Hazel Nali, was despatched off with a second yellow card for a foul within the field.
Initially, Riko Ueki’s penalty hit the underside of the crossbar, however VAR dominated the penalty be retaken for goalkeeper encroachment. Ueki despatched her second probability into the decrease proper nook of the web.
KEY MOMENT
Aoba Fujino practically scored twice within the first 10 minutes of the match, but it surely was her ranging run and subsequent help within the forty third minute that put Japan in management. The victory was Fujino’s first World Cup match and first help 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 Nadeshiko stay unbeaten in opening World Cup matches since 1995. With a loss and 5 objectives to the unhealthy on aim differential, Zambia faces a longshot struggle to qualify for the spherical of 16 with Spain and Costa Rica as its subsequent opponents.
WHAT’S NEXT
Japan will journey to Dunedin to face Costa Rica, who have been shut out 3-0 in a poor exhibiting in opposition to Spain. Zambia will tackle a assured La Roja in its second match of the group stage in Auckland. Both matches shall be performed on Wednesday.
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