Japan have outclassed New Zealand, winning 7-0 in the teams’ opening game at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Colombia.
From the start of the group game at Bogata’s Estadio Metropolitano de Techo, Japan took the dominant role, with well-constructed forward movements, mixing pace with devastating passes.
Time and again, the Japanese midfield were able to thread balls through the New Zealand defence for their forwards to clinically finish.
By half-time, Japan were leading 4-0 and the midway stats showed the gap between the teams.
In the first spell, Japan had 20 attempts on goal, of which 10 were on target.
By comparison, New Zealand had managed a solitary goal attempt.
The onslaught began in the 16th minute when Maya Hijikata slipped her marker and met a pinpoint cross with an outstretched leg, steering the ball past New Zealand goalkeeper Madelaine Iro.
As the barrage of attacks grew, New Zealand hung on but a three-goal burst in seven minutes put the result beyond doubt.
All were similar in their design; Japan stretched the New Zealanders across the pitch and then fired well-placed balls through the defence, for their forwards to latch onto.
Hijikata scored her second goal in the 38th minute; Chinari Sasai made it 3-0 in the 41st minute; Aemu Oyama extended the lead to four goals in the 45th minute.
In the second half, New Zealand did their best to stem the tide, and get back into the game.
But the Japanese were simply too good.
They went further ahead through Shinomi Koyama on the hour, and Miku Hayama scored her side’s sixth goal with a long-range shot in the 75th minute.
The seventh goal arrived as the referee took the game into four minutes of added time.
A corner was not fully cleared and the resulting cross was turned into the net by an unmarked Sasai.
The end-of-game stats showed Japan had 30 shots, of which 17 were on target, while New Zealand had two goal attempts, both on target.
In his post-match interview, New Zealand coach Leon Birnie acknowledged his side had been outplayed but said his squad would target the remaining group games to regroup.
Main photo: New Zealand striker Milly Clegg fends off a tackle. Photo credit: FIFA / Getty Images.
Results
Games played on Tuesday September 3, 2024 (NZT)
Japan 7 (Maya Hijikata 16’, 38’, Cinari Sasai 41’, 90+1’, Aemu Oyama 45’, Shinomi Koyama 60’, Miku Hayama 75’)
New Zealand 0
Ghana 1 (Stella Nyamekye (90+1′)
Austria 2 (Hannah Fankhauser 12′, Nicole Ojukwu 71′ pen)
Line-ups
Japan
Akane Okuma (Uruha Iwasaki 65’), Hiromi Yoneda, Ralka Okamura (45’), Manaka Hayashi (Captain), Rio Sasaki, Nana Kashimura, Aemu Oyama (Uno Shiragaki 61’), Rihona Ujihara (Miku Hayama 24’), Shinomi Koyama, Chinari Sasai, Maya Hijikata, Miyu Matsunaga (Fuka Tsunoda 45’).
Subs not used: Jessica Yuri Wulf, Manaka Matsukubo, Suzu Amano, Asaki Wada, Mao Itamura
New Zealand
Madeleine Iro, Zoe Mcmeeken (Rebekah Trewhitt 77’), Ella Mcmillan (Olivia Page 76’), Ella Findlay, Suya Haering, Kiara Bercelli (Zoe Benson 77’), Ruby Nathan (Daisy Brazendale 54’), Manaia Elliott, Emma Pijnenburg (Lara Colpi 84’), Helena Errington, Milly Clegg
Subs not used: Aimee Danieli, Amber Bennett, Marie Green, Ella Mccann, Olivia Ingham.
Officials
Referee: Dione Durán (Chile)
Assistants: Marcia Castillo (Chile), Leslie Vasquez (Chile)
Fourth official: Vincentia Amedome (Togo)
Fixtures
Game to be played on Friday September 6, 2024 (NZT)
Austria v New Zealand
El Techo Stadium, Bogotá, 1pm (NZT)
Game to be played on Monday September 9, 2024 (NZT)
New Zealand v Ghana
Pascual Guerrero Stadium, Cali, 11am (NZT)
Full schedule
The full tournament schedule can be downloaded here >>>>
This story was first published on September 3, 2024.
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