Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Ho Chi Minh City: Japan remained on course for a place in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup knockout stages as a brace from Nahomi Kawasumi and goals from Nanase Kiryu and Yuki Ogimi gave the World Cup holders a 4-0 win over hosts Vietnam in their second Group A tie on Friday.
Midfielder Kawasumi swooped on a loose ball with two minutes remaining in the first-half to finally give her side the breakthrough against a resilient Vietnam rearguard action, before forwards Kiryu and Ogimi, and Kawasumi once again, netted to add gloss to the score-line with three second-half goals to ensure Japan’s first win of the tournament.
The win saw Japan extend their unbeaten start to the campaign following Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Australia, and they join the defending champions at the top of Group A, after the Matildas defeated Jordan 3-1 in the day’s earlier game, ahead of their final round of group stage fixtures on Sunday.
The World Cup champions began proceedings at Thong Nhat Stadium at a furious tempo, attacking quickly from the off and penned back the hosts in their own half for the opening quarter of an hour, a pattern that was to endure in the main for the rest of the contest.
And during that busy opening period, Japan came within inches of taking the lead as a combination of goalkeeper Dang Thi Kieu Trinh and the upright kept out Yuki Ogimi’s attempt to force in Aiya Miyama’s in-swinging corner from the left on 12 minutes.
Miyama was again involved midway through the first-half as the two-time AFC Women’s Player of the Year forced Kieu Trinh into a sprawling save to her left with a low shot from the edge of the penalty box.
With Japan continuing to keep the pressure on, Ogimi should have opened the scoring with seven minutes remaining as Nahomi Kawasumi’s inviting cross found the unmarked striker but she could only direct her header directly at Kieu Trinh who gathered the ball at the second attempt.
Just as it looked like Vietnam would creditably take the tie into half-time all square, Japan made their near constant waves of attack bear fruit to take a lead into the interval.
Miyama chose to play her corner short to Megumi Kamionobe inside the penalty area and as the defence closed in around her the ball squirmed out to a lurking Kawasumi on the edge of the area and the midfielder hammered a first time shot that flew past a motionless Kieu Trinh.
The pattern of the game continued in the second period with Vietnam defending deeply and Japan dictating play but struggling to make the most of their chances.
Ogimi continued her run of bad luck on 53 minutes Yuika Sugasawa’s cross found her again unchallenged in the box but she could only direct her free header wide of Kieu Trinh’s left-hand post.
But shortly after the hour-mark Japan did find a second that their attacking play had promised as Azusa Iwashimizu’s header crashed against the crossbar and fell kindly for an alert Kiryu who headed home into the unguarded net.
And Japan’s long awaited second was swiftly followed by a third as Ogimi finally got a header on target at the fourth time of asking to beat Kieu Trinh for her second goal of the tournament.
While Miho Fukumoto in the Japan goal was a virtual bystander for the game, her opposite number was kept continually busy as the Nadeshiko pushed for a fourth.
Unsurprisingly, it was the game’s outstanding player, Kawasumi, who finished off the scoring on 86 minutes with the midfielder curling in a sumptuous effort into the top corner from just inside the penalty area.