• Japan had a dominant 5-0 victory against Zambia.
• Hinata Miyazawa scored two goals.
• Japan will play agauinst Costa Rica on July 26.

Japan had a strong start to their FIFA Women’s World Cup campaign with a dominant win against debutants Zambia in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Hinata Miyazawa scored two goals, and Mina Tanaka and Jun Endo each added one, securing a 5-0 victory for Japan.

Zambia’s goalkeeper, Catherine Musonda, received a second yellow card for conceding a late penalty. Her replacement, Eunice Sakala, initially saved the penalty, but it was retaken due to her being ruled to have come off her line, and Riko Ueki converted the second attempt.

With this win, Japan moved to the top of Group C, ahead of Spain on goal difference. Notably, a penalty has been awarded in all seven games of this year’s tournament, but only three have been successfully converted.

Japan’s Aoba Fujino posed a significant threat early on, forcing Musonda into a save and hitting the woodwork with a powerful shot from a distance.

Zambia received some lifelines with VAR interventions ruling out goals for Japan due to offside decisions.

However, Japan eventually broke through just before halftime when Miyazawa calmly finished a delivery from Fujino.

In the second half, Tanaka scored her first goal after an earlier offside call and Miyazawa added her second goal. Endo contributed to the scoring with Japan’s fourth goal.

In the final moments of added time, Musonda brought down Ueki in the box, receiving her second yellow card and conceding a penalty.

Despite Sakala’s initial save, VAR ruled she came off her line, and Ueki converted the second attempt, sealing Japan’s 5-0 victory.

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