Japan on Monday(today) humbled Spain at the Wellington Stadium 4-0 in the last Group C match to top the group and set up a Round of 16 against Norway on Saturday, 5th August 2023.
Spain could not introduce virus into the computerized Hi-Tech Japanese girls as fast and quick Japanese right winger, Hinata Miyazawa scored a brace to climb into the class of highest scorers at the tournament as she had banged a brace against Zambia in their first group game.
Hinata scored the first goal of the game when Captain Kumagi exchanged passes with Endo only to find Mynavi Sendai Attacker of Hinatu who though plays as a right winger scored with her left foot. Hinata came scoring the 3rd goal in the 40th through Ueki connect to complete her second brace at the tournament.
Riko Ueki who plays for Tokyo’s Verdy Beleze was found by Hinata and her shot at goal ripped a ricochet off the leg of a defender to climb the air far above the Spanish Goalkeeper’s reach in the 29th minute.
Already a record was created because Japan had never scored two goals against Spain in the first half of any of their meetings but Hinata peppered the Spanish girls with the 3rd goal before the break. (Pepper them is a social slang in Nigeria that means hurt them with your acts).
Substitute Mina Tanako scored the 4th goal for Japan through their rapid breakthroughs as she dribbled her way into the net in the 82nd minute after collecting a thorough pass. Tanako had scored against Zambia in the 5-0 drubbing.
Japan thus tops Group C winning all three matches scoring 11 goals with a clean sheet (no goal conceded); Spain is 2nd with two wins earning 6 points and a lose scoring 8 goals and conceding 4; Zambia is 3rd with a win and two loses earning 3 points, scoring 3 goals and conceding 11 goals while Costa Rica rocks the bottom of the table going out with Zambia as the team lost all their matches with no point, scored one goal and conceded 8.
Japan had qualified for Knock out stages in their last four outings and Spain is intheir 2nd Knockout round qualification. Japan lost their final group games at 7 of 8 world cup except the win against Ecuador 1-0 in 2015.
Spain has never lost to Japan at the world cup and has never topped their group in the competition.
Spain will meet Group A winners, Switzerland in the Round of 16 on Saturday 5th August at 0600 hours while Japan meets Group A runners-up Norway at 0900 hours still on Saturday 5th August.
Spain thrashed Costa Rica 3-0 and Zambia fell to Japan 0-5 in the group first round; Japan slammed Costa Rica 2-0 and Spain walloped Zambia 5-0 in the second round.
Zambia earned her first ever win of the tournament 3-1 over Costa Rica.
To determine the two teams that will move to the Round of 16 in Group B, Nigeria will meet Republic of Ireland at 1100 hours at the Suncorp Stadium while at the same time, hosts Australia will contest for survival against Canada at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium later today.
Tomorrow Tuesday 1st August, group E matches will be concluded at 0800 hours as Vietnam meets Netherlands at Forsyth Barr Stadium and Portugal try the Yankees of USA at Eden Park.
Group D matches will also be decided same tomorrow at 12 noon as the Lionesses of England tackles China at Hindmarsh Stadium and Haiti faces Denmark at NIB Stadium.
By Eniola Olatunji
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