Former champions Japan delivered a dominant performance in their Women’s World Cup opener against debutant Africans Zambia. The match, held at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, New Zealand, saw Japan secure a resounding 5-0 victory.
Japan displayed their prowess in pass-and-move football, outclassing Zambia throughout the game. Hinata Miyazawa scored twice, while forward Mina Tanaka found the net in the second half after having two earlier goals disallowed for offside by VAR. Winger Jun Endo added a fourth goal in the 71st minute, and substitute Riko Ueki sealed the victory with a penalty in stoppage time after Zambia goalkeeper Catherine Musonda was sent off.
The Japanese team, champions in the 2011 World Cup and runners-up in 2015, started the match with an attacking 3-5-1 formation, demonstrating their determination from the beginning. They had already tested Musonda with two impressive saves, hit the post, and had a Tanaka goal ruled out before Miyazawa opened the scoring in the 43rd minute.
Tanaka finally got a goal that counted in the 55th minute, converting a cross from Endo. She also provided the assist for Miyazawa’s second goal in the 62nd minute. The Japanese team consistently found spaces behind the Zambian defense, leading to Endo’s fourth goal in the 71st minute.
The late penalty, converted by Ueki, saw Musonda being sent off after receiving two yellow cards. Zambia captain Barbra Banda, who scored the winning goal against Germany two weeks ago, struggled to make an impact in the match, and her team failed to register a single shot on goal.
With this victory, Japan joins Spain at the top of Group C. Their next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday in Dunedin.
