Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Chengdu: Japan's latest bid for a maiden AFC Women’s Asian Cup title began emphatically on Thursday as the East Asian champions brushed aside Myanmar 8-0 in their Group A opener.
Azusa Iwashimizu got the ball rolling for the four-time runners-up after just four minutes at Chengdu Sports Centre before two-time AFC Women’s Player of the Year Homare Sawa and Mami Yamaguchi handed the Nadeshiko a comfortable half-time lead.
Aya Sameshima and Aya Miyama both added superb strikes at the start of the second half for Japan, who won the East Asian Football Federation Championship title in February, before Yamaguchi, Sawa and substitute Megumi Kamionobe sealed the win.
Norio Sasaki's Japan started at a fast pace and were rewarded after just four minutes as centre-back Iwashimizu was allowed to run into the area unchallenged and send an unstoppable close-range volley high into the roof of the Myanmar net from Miyama's deep corner.
And six minutes later Miyama again provided the delivery, this time an inviting left wing cross for captain Sawa to head home from the edge of the six yard area, again giving Myanmar goalkeeper Thin Thin Soe no chance.
USA-based midfielder Sawa was denied a second four minutes later as the 2004 and 2008 AFC Women’s Player of the Year met Miyama's corner and saw her header beat Thin but cleared off the line.
Japan continued to pour forward and after Yamaguchi and Yukari Kinga both went close, their third duly arrived after 27 minutes after Sawa was bundled over in the box as the midfielder charged towards goal and Yamaguchi stepped up to fire the resulting penalty high into the net.
Yamaguchi rippled the side netting three minutes after half-time following a flowing Japan move, but just a minute later Sameshima added the fourth as the midfielder cut back inside the area after being expertly played in and superbly lifted the ball over a stranded Thin from the left side of the area.
Five minutes later Miyama got her name on the score-sheet as the midfielder drilled home a low shot from the edge of the area before Yamaguchi fired into an empty net for the sixth after Thin had opted to punch Sameshima's chipped cross.
Sawa's second arrived in spectacular fashion with 18 minutes remaining when the midfielder rifled home a first-time effort into the roof of the net from 25 yards before Kamionobe tapped into an open goal after a cross from fellow second-half substitute Megumi Takase cut out replacement goalkeeper May Khin Ya Min with four minutes remaining.