World Cup NOW: Japan dominates Spain in convincing World Cup win
Japan made it known that it is a force to be reckoned with in its final 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Group Stage match against Spain, scoring three goals in the first half and ultimately adding one more, winning by a margin of 4-0 on Monday morning.
Japan controlled the match throughout, dominating possession and coming through with timely strikes. Hinata Miyazawa continued to be a key player for the Japanese, as she collected her third and fourth goals of the World Cup and for the time being, gave her the outright lead for most goals in the tournament.
The World Cup NOW crew — Jimmy Conrad, Leslie Osborne and Freya Coombe — discuss how Japan proved it is ready and able to win the World Cup this year.
Conrad: "Japan was absolutely incredible, but are they title contenders, Leslie? Can we go there already given this performance against Spain?"
Osborne: "Yeah we can. They outclassed Spain from a technical standpoint, from a tactical standpoint and their game plan coming in with how disciplined they were defensively. They were extremely organized, and they sat back in that mid-block. They just outclassed Spain and frustrated them completely. We talked about their mentality and their ruthlessness in attacking the middle third and how it could be the difference maker. Well, yeah it ended up being the difference maker, so this is a 90-minute performance. They outclassed them, and they were firing on all cylinders, so yeah, they are peaking at the right time. This is the type of football you want to be playing heading into the Knockout Stage.
Conrad: "The only time Japan has won all their Group Stage games was when they got to the Finals back in 2015, so that is a good omen for them. What have you been most impressed with, Freya?"
Coombe: "I think that tactical flexibility, as we have seen that they were able to sit back and then go into transition, and it is a change from the usual possession style, but I think they look really fit and really fresh. I know that having that number of rotations and subs they used in the previous game has allowed their squad to do that. They just looked so good. They looked fast to the ball and the ability for them to rotate that team as much as they have and for everyone to play their part and not miss a beat makes them a real title contender."
Check out the full Women's World Cup schedule and how to watch each match live here. Find the latest scores here.
