Japan 4-0 Spain: Womens World Cup 2023 as it happened | Women's World Cup 2023

Match report: Japan 4-0 Spain

The biggest game of the tournament so far, Canada v Australia, begins in just under an hour. The big news is that Sam Kerr is on the bench for the co-hosts Australia, who will probably be eliminated unless they beat Canada. You can follow that game with Jonathan Howcroft.

Full time: Japan 4-0 Spain

Japan will play Norway in the last 16 after dismantling Spain in spectacular style in Wellington. All four goals – two for Hinata Miyazawa and one each for Riko Ueki and Mina Tanaka - came from brainy, unmerciful counter-attacks. Their coach Futoshi Ikeda would have imagined umpteen positive scenarios last night; I doubt a 4-0 win was one of them. This was one of the great counter-attacking performances from Japan, who were as near to perfection as dammit.

Spain had all of the ball, almost 80 per cent, but created very little. And, more importantly, they kept walking into the Japanese trap. They will still expect to beat Switzerland in the last 16, but the manner of this defeat could seriously undermine their chances of going much further.

90+1 min A good free-kick from Naomoto brushes the roof of the net, though Rodriguez probably had it covered.

90 min “How to dethrone Barcelona in this year’s women’s Champions League,” says Michael Sanders. “Simply buy the Japanese national team.”

And the coach, and the data analyst.

89 min Hernandez is booked for a cynical foul on Naomoto, who would otherwise have been through on goal.

86 min ITV’s Sam Matterface informs us that this is Spain’s biggest defeat since they were plugged 5-0 by Germany in 2012.

85 min: Japan substitution Jun Endo, who made the first goal with her Harvard-educated left foot, is replaced by Hina Sugita.

This is a counter-attacking performance for the ages: 22 per cent possession, five shots, four goals. The substitute Mina Tanaka did this all on her own. She rolled Galvez neatly on the right, cut across Batlle and into the area, used Paredes as a screen and slammed the ball into the top corner with her left foot. Brilliant.

GOAL! Japan 4-0 Spain (Tanaka 82)

Utterly devastating.

82 min: Spain substitution Esther Gonzalez on, a frustrated Salma Paralluelo off.

82 min This result means Japan will play Norway on this ground on Friday evening (morning UK time).

80 min Make that four: Hasegawa’s chip is easily saved by Rodriguez. It might have been an attempted cross, but it’ll go down as as shot.

79 min Japan have still had only three shots on target in the entire game.

77 min Spain could play all night and I’m not sure they’d manage a shot on target, never mind a goal.

75 min Japan break dangerously again, with Moriya’s driven cross just evading Tanaka at the far post.

72 min: Spain substitution Claudio Zornoza replaces Teresa Abelleira.

70 min Teresa Abelleira whistles a shot over the bar from distance. Spain look resigned to their fate: Switzerland in Auckland on Friday, and possibly the USA in the quarter-final.

67 min: Japan substitution The outstanding Riko Ueki, who made one and scored one, is replaced up front by Mina Tanaka.

66 min Spain keep trying to thread passes through the middle, but there’s no eye in the Japanese needle. I’m really surprised they haven’t tried to get round the back in wide positions.

62 min: Double substitution for Spain Alba Redondo and Eva Navarro replace Mariona Caldentey and the subdued Alexia Putellas.

60 min Spain continue to be all tiki-taka and no cattle. I don’t mean to be too critical – they are still contenders to win this thing, and they are missing some vital players – but there is a recurring theme to their defeats at major tournaments. When they lost the Euro 2022 quarter-final to England they had more possession, more shots, more corners, more frustration.

59 min: Japan substitutions Miyabi Moriya and the brilliant Yui Hasegawa replace Risa Shimizu and Fuka Nagano. Futoshi Ikeda’s use of the squad in this tournament has been fascinating.

57 min “I love Spain’s tight passing and close control,” writes Michael Sanders, “but I hate the way they commit midfield fouls as soon as they lose the ball, seemingly as a team policy. So go Japan!”

It irritates me that this is rarely mentioned in the simplistic good vs evil narratives that are usually inflicted upon us. I suppose most teams do it these days; it has become an important skill, however unpleasant it might be.

55 min Hernandez wins a corner for Spain on the right. It’s punched away by Yamashita and Japan clear.

53 min Since you asked, Alexia Putellas has been very quiet.

51 min Ueki evades two challenges in the area and is about to shoot, and probably score, when Batlle makes an important lunging challenge. Moments later, Shimizu’s cross bounces up awkwardly at Naomoto, whose hooked shot loops up and is easily claimed by Rodriguez. The bounce made it a difficult chance.

48 min: Chance for Spain! Abelleira plays a nice pass towards the onrushing Batlle, just outside the area on the left. Shimizu slips, which allows Batlle’s to move into the area unchallenged, but her attempted curler goes well wide of the far post. That’s the best chance Spain have had.

47 min “I was surprised at Japan having five new starters, thinking maybe the coach wanted to rest some of the players since the team had already qualified for the next round,” writes Tuan Hoang. “But maybe the coaching staff watched Spain’s first matches closely, noticed that their defence was suspect, and came up with this outstanding, efficient gameplan.”

Whether by accident or design, the first-half performance was almost perfect.

46 min Peep peep!

Half-time substitutions Aoba Fujino replaces the magnificent Hinata Miyazawa, who is presumably being rested ahead of the knockout stages.

Spain have also made a change: Oihane Hernandez is on for Olga Carmona in defence. Ona Batlle will switch to left-back.

There have been a couple of goals in the other Group C match between Costa Rica and Zambia. You can follow that with Sarah Rendell.

Hinata Miyazawa is now the leading goalscorer in the tournament.

Half time: Japan 3-0 Spain

Or, to put it another way, Transition 3-0 Possession. Spain had almost 80 per cent of the ball in the first half, and it counted for the square root of bugger all. Japan defended immaculately and were devastating on the counter-attack. Hinata Miyazawa scored two superb goals, both demonstrations of her dizzying speed and cool finishing, with the tireless Riko Ueki getting the other one via a deflection.

Not sure I’ve seen a first half quite like that. It was a beyond-parody demonstration that possession doesn’t win matches, goals do.

45+1 min Carmona takes her frustration out on Ueki and is booked.

45 min “Fútbol!” says Charles Antaki. “Dios mío.”

What about the kits though eh.

44 min Spain, not unreasonably, look shellshocked.

42 min Japan have had three shots, on or off target, in the match.

It was another ruthless counter-attack from Japan. After a couple of neat passes to work the space on the halfway line, Ueki ran at a backpedalling Spain defence. She waited for support from the speedy Miyazawa and played an angled through ball. Miyazawa knocked it into space with her left foot and lifted it emphatically over Rodriguez with her right. That’s a majestic finish!

GOAL! Japan 3-0 Spain (Miyazawa 40)

I’m not quite sure what’s happening here, but I can confirm one thing: Japan are magnificent!

39 min Paralluelo’s long-range shot hits Miyazawa and spins behind for a corner. Spain take it short and make an utter Horlicks of it.

38 min “Staying up late on the BC coast waiting for Canada to play and watching the Spain vs Japan game,” writes Redmond Grimes. “Spain falling into the old trap. Pass, pass, pass... Japan could be worth a punt.”

37 min Batlle does get round the back on the right and drives a flat cross that is headed onto the roof of the net by Hermoso, eight yards out. It wasn’t an easy chance as she was moving away from goal when she made contact. But it was a chance.

36 min “Good to see you back,” writes Chris Mac. “When either you or Mr. Murray report MBM, in particular the PL, I usually win 75 per cent of the games. Wish me luck with this one (as it doesn’t appear to go in my favour).”

This being a weekday, I’m confused. Does that mean you’re supporting Spain?

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