In front of 20,957 spectators at the Wellington Regional Stadium, the Japanese, number eleven in the world, set the course for victory early on in the smash hit against number six Spain. Hinata Miyazawa gave the Asians the lead in the 12th minute, Riko Ueki made it 2-0 a day after her 24th birthday (29′), and just before the break Miyazawa made things clear with her second goal (40′). ). Shortly before the end, Mina Tanaka completed the Spanish debacle (82nd).
Thanks to the Schützenfest, Japan secured victory in Group C with the maximum of nine points and without conceding a goal in front of Spain and will now meet Norway in the round of 16 on Saturday (10:00 a.m. CEST, live on ORF1). The Spaniards, who optically dominated the game with more than 75 percent possession of the ball, but ran into the open knife when the Japanese counterattacked, are now dueling against Switzerland on Saturday (7:00 a.m., live on ORF1) for promotion to the quarter-finals.
4-0 through Tanaka
Mina Tanaka completed an impressively efficient display with eight minutes from time with Japan’s fourth goal.
Japanese champions of efficiency
The Spaniards, who were also flawless after two games, kept possession of the ball as usual, but remained completely harmless. Japan defended deep and played quickly and purposefully when winning the ball. That should pay off. In the twelfth minute, Jun Endo broke through the high Spanish defense with a pass to Miyazawa, who thumped past goalkeeper Misa Rodriguez with a low shot. In the 29th minute, a deflected shot by Ueki landed in the goal.
Ueki gives himself 2:0
One day after her birthday, 24-year-old Ueki gave herself a World Cup goal.
Japan never got into serious trouble, and a harmless header from Jenni Hermoso over the goal was Spain’s best chance (37′). The third dangerous counterattack by the Asians made it 3-0: Miyazawa completed the attack with a powerful shot from the right side of the penalty area (40′).
Miyazawa adds another hit
The 24-year-old was once again unstoppable by the Spanish defense and made it 3-0 before the break.
The second half was uneventful with one exception. The Japanese didn’t defend quite as deeply, but didn’t counter as directly as before the break. The Spaniards inefficiently passed the ball to each other. As a result, there were hardly any chances. But shortly before the end, Japan struck again: Mina Tanaka sank the ball in the Kreuzeck (82nd), which is worth seeing.
Special achievement for Zambia
In the duel between the two previously unbeaten teams in Group C, Zambia was able to celebrate at least one sporting success against Costa Rica. The Africans celebrated their first success at a finals with a 2-1 win. Lushomo Mweemba (3′) and Barbra Banda from the penalty spot (31′) made things seem clear even before the break. Melissa Herrera’s goal shortly after the restart (47′) added tension to the game, but Racheal Kundananji destroyed the Central Americans’ hopes of a point in added time.
1-0 for Zambia
Lushomo Mweemba scored the opener for Zambia after just three minutes.
The 8,117 spectators at Hamilton’s Waikato Stadium did not witness Zambian football history. Because Barbra’s successful penalty was the 1,000 overall. Goals in the history of women’s world championships held since 1991. The first goal was scored by China’s Ma Li, who kicked off a 4-0 win over Norway in the first finals 32 years ago.
Banda scores 1,000. World Cup goal
Zambia’s captain not only made it 2-0, but also scored the 1,000. goal in World Cup history.
Soccer World Cup, Group C
Japan 4-0 Spain (3-0)
Wellington, 20.957, SR Koroleva (USA)
Torfolge:
1:0 Miyazawa (12.)
2:0 Ueki (29.)
3:0 Miyazawa (40.)
4:0 Tanaka (82.)
Yellow cards: Carmona, Hernandez
Japan: Yamashita – Takahashi, Kumagai, Minami – Shimizu (59./Moriya), Hayashi, Nagano (59./Hasegawa), Endo (85./Sugita) – Naomoto, Ueki (67./Mi. Tanaka), Miyazawa (46. /Fujino)
Spain: MI Rodriguez – Batlle, Paredes, Galvez, Carmona (46./O. Hernandez) – Bonmati, Abelleira (72./Zornoza), Putellas (62./Redondo) – Paralluelo (82./E. Gonzalez), Hermoso, Caldentey (62./Navarro)
Costa Rica – Sambia 1:3 (0:2)
Hamilton, 8.117, SR Bouchra Karboubi (MAR)
Torfolge:
0:1 September (3.)
0:2 Band (31./Elfmeter)
1:2 Herrera (47.)
1:3 (90.+3)
Yellow cards: Alvarado, Benavides, del Campo and Tembo, Banda
Costa Rica: Solera – del Campo, F. Villalobos, Benavides, Coto – Alvarado (90.+1/Pinell), R. Rodriguez – Herrera, G. Villalobos (72./Salas), Chinchilla – Scott (85./Valenciano)
Zambia: Musonda – Belemu, Musase, Mweemba, Tembo – S. Banda – Chitundu (85./Mapepa), HN Chanda (90.+9/Mubanga), Katongo (74./Wilombe), Kundananji – B. Banda