Japan Triumphs Over Spain 4-0: Double Scores from Hinata Miyazawa Seal Impressive Victory

Japan demonstrated their formidable prowess at the Women’s World Cup, trouncing Spain to emerge as the Group C leaders and setting the stage for a round of 16 clash with Norway.

The 2011 world champions effortlessly registered three goals before half-time, thanks in part to Hinata Miyazawa who scored twice, raising her total to four goals and earning her the title of the tournament’s top scorer.

Miyazawa, the attacking midfielder, opened the scoring for Japan with a composed finish following a breach in Spain’s defence. Riko Ueki then increased the lead with a deflected shot that curved into the goal.

Miyazawa, who had previously scored twice in Japan’s initial group match against Zambia, brought the score to 3-0 with a shot across goal that landed into the net, to the delight of the 20,957 spectators.

Mina Tanaka, who entered the game as a substitute, added a fourth goal in the 82nd minute, further exacerbating Spain’s misery.

Aftermath of Japan’s Crushing Defeat of Spain to Lead Group

Japan began the final group match lagging behind Spain on goal difference, despite both teams having maintained flawless records in New Zealand thus far.

Japan’s next match will be held in Wellington, where they’ll square off with Norway, the 1995 world champions, on Saturday at 09:00 BST.

Spain, as the group runners-up, are heading to Auckland, where they are set to face Switzerland at Eden Park on Saturday at 06:00.

Dominant Japan Showcases Expertise

Despite making five changes to the team that triumphed over Costa Rica in Dunedin five days prior, Japan was relentless, seizing control on a windy evening in the capital of New Zealand.

This match against Spain, following victories against Zambia – newcomers to this World Cup – and 36th world ranked Costa Rica, was the occasion for Japan to really display their serious intent.

Japan executed a vigorous performance, characterized by extraordinary goal scoring, against a Spanish team that had been riding a wave of confidence after consecutive wins.

Miyazawa, who also provided the assist for Ueki’s goal, appears to be a potent force and will play a pivotal role if the two-time finalists are to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2015.

Throngs of Japanese fans, many dressed in vibrant masks and national attire, witnessed a commanding display by their team in Wellington. Following their third consecutive victory in New Zealand, Japan appears unstoppable.

Spain Struggles to Keep Pace

Spain was decidedly inferior and must quickly move past this crushing defeat with a game against Switzerland looming in five days.

They were among the first European teams to qualify for this tournament, after a flawless qualifying campaign in which they topped the table with an eight-point lead and didn’t allow a single goal in eight matches.

Spain had kept a clean sheet for 180 minutes in New Zealand prior to this game, but were outmaneuvered and outperformed by a stylish Japanese team.

Spain’s manager, Jorge Vilda, asserted, “We have yet to see the best from the Spanish team, and I’m confident we’ll see a turnaround against Switzerland. There’s no reason for despair. This defeat stings, the players are upset, and I’m convinced they’ll step up their game in the next match.”

Despite a disappointing night for Spain, two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas managed to play for 62 minutes. She has been steadily regaining her full fitness after a severe knee injury that had sidelined her for almost a year before Euro 2022.

Player Ratings of the Match

Yui Hasegawa was the standout player of the match with an average rating of 9.15 for Japan. Other notable players included Endo (8.76), Minami (8.67), Ueki (8.62), and Kumagai (8.58) for Japan. The lowest-rated player for Japan was Yamashita (7.57).

Game Stats

Despite having only 23% possession compared to Spain’s 77%, Japan managed to make their opportunities count with 5 shots on target from a total of 7, compared to Spain’s 2 shots on target from a total of 10. Spain committed 12 fouls in contrast to Japan’s 3.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Women’s World Cup

More about Women’s World Cup

• Japan National Football Team: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_women%27s_national_football_team
• Spain National Football Team: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain_women%27s_national_football_team
• Women’s World Cup: https://www.fifa.com/womensworldcup/
• Group C Standings: (No specific link provided in the original text, can be found on FIFA’s official website)
• Wellington Stadium (Venue): (No specific link provided in the original text, can be found on relevant sports websites)
• Auckland Eden Park (Venue): (No specific link provided in the original text, can be found on relevant sports websites)
• Hinata Miyazawa Profile: (No specific link provided in the original text, information can be found on sports websites or her official social media profiles)
• Riko Ueki Profile: (No specific link provided in the original text, information can be found on sports websites or her official social media profiles)
• Norway National Football Team: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway_women%27s_national_football_team
• Switzerland National Football Team: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_women%27s_national_football_team
• Women’s World Cup 2011: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup
• Women’s World Cup 1995: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_FIFA_Women%27s_World_Cup
• Ballon d’Or: https://www.francefootball.fr/news/2021-women-s-ballon-d-or-alive-and-kicking/1311030
• Euro 2022: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Women%27s_Euro_2022 (Note: The link refers to the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, which Alexia Putellas might have been affected by)