Staff Reporter.
Zambia were handed a one-sided 5-0 defeat by former world champions Japan in their Women’s World Cup debut in New Zealand on Saturday and proved fortunate not to have lost by a larger margin.
Hinata Miyazawa (2), Mina Tanaka, Jun Endo and substitute Riko Ueki scored the goals at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton that put Japan ahead of Spain on goal difference at the top of Group C and handed Zambia a rude welcome to the top tournament in women‘s football.
Japan, the 2011 world champions, had two more strikes disallowed for offside and were awarded two penalties, one they squandered and the other pulled back for offside in the build-up.
It was a dominant performance over their southern African opponents, who failed to get a single effort in on target and saw captain and top striker Barbara Banda barely get a touch on the ball.
The Copper Queens had been expecting to do better especially after beating another former world champion Germany in a pre-tournament friendly.
Japan hit the woodwork and had an effort from Tanaka chalked off after a VAR check before Miyazawa struck the opener.
It took 43 minutes before they finally registered a legitimate goal as Aoba Fujino provide the cross at the end of a flowing move for Miyazawa to touch home as he took a gap in between the two Zambian central defenders.
Tanaka had the ball in the net again four minutes into the second half but was again ruled offside before making it 2-0 in the 55th minute, at the end of Endo’s cross from the left.
Just three minutes later, a golden chance to make it three was spurned by Fujino after she got behind the Zambia defence but blasted over the top.
But Japan did not have to wait long to extend their lead as Tanaka pulled the ball back for Miyazawa to tuck away easily amid some poor defending from Zambia.
The challenge from the Africans then wilted as they looked to lose all confidence and Endo was allowed time and space on the flank to run into the penalty area, jinx the defence and fire home for the fourth after 71 minutes.
Japan then saw Catherine Musonda make a point blank save and Martha Tembo clear off the line as they were denied an even larger winning margin.
Zambia goalkeeper Musonda was sent off for a second caution as she gave away a penalty deep in stoppage time and will be suspended for the next game.
Eunice Sakala came on as replacement goalkeeper and made a fine save to deny Riko Ueki but had moved off her line and a retake saw Ueki made no mistake for the fifth.
Zambia got their first corner of the game after 83 minutes and it is not going to get any easier for them, next up against Spain in Auckland on Wednesday. Spain opened their campaign with a comfortable 3-0 win over Costa Rica on Friday.