Women’s World Cup: Japan lay ghost of 2019 to rest

WELLINGTON, August 5

Hinata Miyazawa scored her fifth goal of the tournament as Japan beat Norway 3-1 in a clash of former champions today to reach the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup for the fourth time.

Japan have been on a mission to bury the memory of their disappointing exit at the last-16 stage in 2019 and move on to play the winner of tomorrow’s clash between holders United States and Sweden.

Although they conceded their first goal of the tournament to Guro Reiten’s header, an own goal from Norway’s Ingrid Engen as well as second-half strikes from Risa Shimizu and Miyazawa got them across the line in front of a crowd of 33,042.

Miyazawa’s 81st-minute goal moved her out of a tie with Germany captain Alexandra Popp as the tournament’s leading goalscorer as well as matching Homare Sawa’s Japanese record for a World Cup set in 2011 when the Nadeshiko clinched the title.

Spain play their cards right

Auckland: Five days after Spain’s shock loss to Japan, a bold squad reshuffle by coach Jorge Vilda paid off for the Spanish team today as they thrashed Switzerland 5-1 in their last-16 clash.

The victory launched La Roja into the quarters for the first time in their history.

“(The 4-0 loss to Japan) really hurt and the healing of that pain will continue,” Vilda said. “So we analysed what we could do, we trained, we saw what the players were like, we analysed the rival.”— Reuters