Women’s World Cup: Japan send message with thrashing of Zambia

Japan opened their Women’s World Cup campaign with a 5-0 win over Zambia.

A brace from Hinata Miyazawa led the 2011 champions to their biggest win at the tournament since 2003.

Mina Tanaka, Jun Endo and Riko Ueki also netted as Japan showed their credentials as potential World Cup winners.

Japan dominated from the start and Aoba Fujino saw her shot tipped over the bar before hitting the woodwork with a long-range drive in the opening 10 minutes.

Tanaka then had a goal disallowed for offside before Zambia keeper Catherine Musonda made a superb save to keep out Fuka Nagano.

The breakthrough did come just before half time though when Miyazawa turned in Fujino’s cross.

Japan’s dominance continued into the second half. Tanaka again had a goal disallowed for offside before a VAR decision overturned a penalty award.

Tanaka did finally get on the scoresheet though when she met Endo’s cross.

The floodgates opened for Japan once they got their second too. Miyazawa tapped in her second from close range before Endo made it four with a shot into the bottom corner.

A goalline clearance from Martha Tembo stopped Ueki from adding a fifth, but the striker was brought down by Musonda in stoppage time and converted the penalty herself to complete the scoring.

Japan could book their place in the knockout rounds by beating Costa Rica on Wednesday. Zambia face Spain the same day and are still hunting for their first shot at a World Cup.

Cover Photo: The flag of Japan” by futureatlas.com is licensed under CC BY 2.0 .