Japan close to next round of Women's World Cup after 2 - 0 triumph over Costa Rica
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Japan are one step closer to the last 16 of the FIFA Women’s World Cup after a 2-0 win over Costa Rica in Dunedin.
The Nadeshiko currently top Group C and will have their progress to the next round confirmed if Spain avoid defeat against Zambia later today.
Hikara Naomoto opened the scoring for Japan in the 25th minute and Aoba Fujino followed up two minutes later to become the first teenager to score for Japan in the Women’s World Cup.
Japan had been on top from the early stages and Naomoto drew a save from Daniela Solera in the 15th minute and the Nadeshiko should have hit the front only for Aoba Fujino to slice wide having not spotted Risa Shimizu at the back post – who was ready to shott into the empty net.
Naomoto got into the box on the left again ten minutes later and this time she slotted the ball into the net with a precise shot low and hard into the bottom corner.
Fujino made up for her earlier error two minutes after the goal when the teenager showed excellent skill on the right wing to breakaway from her marker and take the ball into the box before blasting the ball past Solera at an incredibly tight angle.
Post match the Player of the Match, Naomoto said, “I knew I would have opportunities to score when Aoba [Fujino] or Mina [Tanaka] had the ball.
“I missed the first one but it was good I was able to score the second. I was happy because I wanted to contribute to the team's victory. We defended well and everyone worked hard with good discipline to win the ball back and start attacks.”
Japan’s Head Coach Futoshi Ikeda said, “Although we won our first match, we knew this one would be difficult. Costa Rica are a team that use various ways of playing, but we had prepared ways to handle this.
“As in in the first match, our defence was well focused. I think the whole team was able to see ways to start attacks after we recovered possession. It's our strong point that we can play in our Nadeshiko way, regardless of which players are on the pitch.”
Japan Women: Ayaka Yamashita; Saki Kumagai, Moeka Minami, Shiori Miyake; Yui Hasegawa, Honoka Hayashi (Fuka Nagano 74), Risa Shimizu (Miyabi Moriya 90), Hina Sugita; Aoba Fujino (Hinata Miyazawa 59), Hikaru Naomoto (Kiko Seike 74), Mina Tanaka (Riko Ueki 59).
Subs not used: Chika Hirao, Momoko Tanaka, Hana Takahashi, Rion Ishikawa, Jun Endo, Maika Hamano, Remina Chiba.
Booked: None.
Costa Rica Women: Daniela Solera; Mariana Benavides, Maria Coto, Maria Paula Elizondo, Fabiola Villalobos; Katherine Alvarado, Cristin Granados (Raquel Rodriguez Cedeno 64), Gabriela Guillen (Gloriana Villalobos 46), Melissa Herrera; Priscilla Chinchilla, Maria Paula Salas (Sheika Scott 76).
Subs not used: Priscilla Tapia, Genesis Perez, Carol Sanchez, Emilie Valenciano, Valeria Del Campo, Alexandra Pinell, Mariela Campos, Catalina Estrada, Soa Varela.
Booked: Priscilla Chinchilla (86).
Referee: Maria Sole Ferrieri Caputi.
Attendance: 6,992
