Key events
Half-time (Japan 2-0 Costa Rica)
Another really dominant performance from Japan. What did you make of that half of football?
I still feel like Japan are holding back, I’m waiting for them to put their foot down. But maybe that’s a reflection of Costa Rica still stopping them from breaking through.
Let me know what you think.
45 + 5 mins: Japan work the ball around the middle for a bit, but it’s intercepted and cleared by Benavides. That will be it I think for now.
45 + 4 mins: Mariana Benavides sends the free kick forwards but it bounces straight back out to the halfway line and Japan regain possession.
45 + 3 mins: Sorry forgot to say there are 5 minutes added to this first half. I was worrying about people’s knees. Now Chinchilla has just gone down after a challenged from Kumagai.
45 + 2 mins: A cross in is controlled down by Tanaka who passes to Naomoto. She looks offside, but the flag stays down. Naomoto rushes and sends the ball out.
45 + 1 mins: Oh no the replay of a shot from Tanaka shows the ball absolutely slamming into the inside of Villalobos’s knee. She has walked off the pitch for now. Oh no she’s back on already!
45 mins: Costa Rica have a player down in their penalty area getting some treatment. Ah it’s Villalobos. Maybe cramp?
43 mins: Fabiola Villalobos is working so hard at right back. It might not seem obvious from the score but she is thwarting chances.
42 mins: Shot from Tanaka from outside the area is just high off the crossbar! Solera may have had that covered anyway.
41 mins: Japan look so strong. Although still making some errors they are then winning back the ball afterwards, regrouping in pushing again.
40 mins: Maria Salas showing some of that frustration – she thinks she was pushed, but the referee is not interested.
39 mins: There’s a foul by Herrera and I think the Costa Ricans might be starting to get a bit frustrated.
38 mins: Nice cross in from Naomoto finds Tanaka on the edge of the six-yard box but her header is straight to Solera.
37 mins: Costa Rica starting to flood the area with red shirts whenever Japan push forward. Tanaka looks so threatening, but the pass through is to a player offside.
36 mins: Another long lob forward from Costa Rica is intercepted by Japan.
33 mins: Foul by Herrera. Japan have a free kick. Costa Rica have looked vulnerable at set pieces, and Japan have got numbers. The free kick is a fizzer and the resulting shot from Miyake is off target.
31 mins: Japan regroup after a slight scare. Their passing is near immaculate on the edge of the area. Tanaka goes down in the area but nothing comes of it. Risa Shimizu sends a rebounding ball wide of goal.
30 mins: Costa Rica push up, passing it across the line of defenders and have a chance in the penalty area! It goes across the face of goal and Chinchilla can’t get there in time.
28 mins: Two goals in quick succession and I feel like this could just escalate now. Costa Rica’s defence doesn’t have a lot in reply.
GOAL! Japan 2-0 Costa Rica (Fujino 27′)
After Tanaka’s header goes wide, Fujino is able to pick it up outside the area, turns and runs back in and on a ridiculously tight angle sends it between Solera and the near post. Beautiful stuff!
GOAL! Japan 1-0 Costa Rica (Naomoto 25′)
After a brief trip into Costa Rica’s half, a pass from right to Naomoto is helped after defender Coto slips. Naomoto slams it past Solera.
22 mins: Naomoto with the first corner on the left. Drops short of Tanaka who tries a sneaky flick back, but to nowhere and its out for a goal kick.
20 mins: A shot fired into Maria Coto goes out for a Japan corner.
19 mins: Japan are certainly looking dangerous, but still turning over possession in midfield thanks to good pressure and pace fro the Costa Ricans. Naomoto sends another chance across the face of goal.
18 mins: Gabriela Guillen has a crack, it was going wide anyway and Ayaka Yamashita has it covered.
16 mins: A sort of cross sort of shot from Fujino is picked up easily by Solera.
15 mins: Costa Rica gets some passes away in the midfield, but can’t hold to possession when the ball is sent forward.
Oh WOW right-back Naomoto has another shot which is again expertly saved by Solera! The rebound is fumbled over the line.
14 mins: The cheering and drumming from Japan supporters in Dunedin is pretty impressive! It’s not a huge stadium, and has a closed roof so maybe that’s amplifying it a bit.
12 mins: A brilliant save from Solera! Saki Kumagai is essentially unmarked and heads it toward goal. Another corner for Japan, and Solera comes out to catch it.
11 mins: Japan have another corner after Fabiola Villalobos takes it over the line. The Japan defenders come up.
10 mins: A cross into the area from Yui Hasegawa goes over everyone and out past the far post. Things are looking more promising now for Japan. Hikaru Noamoto is dispossed in the midfield by Melissa Herrera.
8 mins: Solera slips as she runs towards a back pass but manages to clear it in time as Tanaka steams towards her.
7 mins: The delivery from Fujino is headed wide Tanaka.
6 mins: Japan are not quite dominating the play as expected against this 36th-ranked side. But Japan have their first corner.
5 mins: Nice ball from Mina Tanaka through to Aoba Fujino on the edge of the area but her heavy touch sends it over the line.
4 mins: Maria Coto draws a free kick, but Japan take back possession straight away. Costa Rica goalkeeper Daniela Solera gets her first touch with an easy pick up.
2 mins: Costa Rica are pushing early up the right and Japan are clearing with a bit of desperation it seems.
1 min: A couple of long balls from each team to start off with, and a few turnovers.
Kick-off!
Peeeeeeeeeeep! (I’m led to believe that’s how we start things here.) The game is under way in chilly Dunedin.
Will Japan go back to back? Can Costa Rica get a few more shots on goal!?
Peter has noticed the lovely surname of one of Costa Rica’s players.
“Chinchilla is a wonderful, velvety name for a striker. Chinchilla glove, iron fist! Or should I say, chinchilla socks, iron foot!”
She’s a midfielder I think, but no matter.
Just a few minutes to go now! The teams are walking out of the tunnel.
When the football gets under way I will drop in some links to the players in the action as it happens. But if you want to get up to speed with all 736 players in the tournament (because what better way to spend your time is there), the complete player guide is here and ready for you.
Costa Rica lineup
And here’s the updated list for today’s game. Looks like Costa Rica have made a couple of changes from their starting XI against Spain:
23 Daniela Solera
20 Fabiola Villalobos
4 Mariana Benavides
2 Gabriela Guillen
3 Maria Coto
16 Katherine Alvarado
15 Cristin Granados
12 Maria Elizondo
7 Melissa Herrera
9 Maria Salas
14 Priscila Chinchilla
Japan lineup
A few changes for Japan too:
1 Ayaka Yamashita
5 Shiori Miyake
4 Saki Kumagai
3 Moeka Minami
2 Risa Shimizu
16 Honoka Hayashi
8 Hikaru Naomoto
14 Yui Hasegawa
6 Hina Sugita
15 Aoba Fujino
11 Mina Tanaka
Costa Rica team guide
At their second Women’s World Cup, Las Ticas are generating a lot of excitement back home. Check out the expert team guide to see how Amelia Valverde’s team are placed for the 2023 tournament.
Japan team guide
Can the current generation from Japan recreate some of the magic from the previous decade. The 2011 winners have said they want to use their showing at this tournament to reinvigorate women’s football in Japan. Mari Hibino has all the background on the Nadeshiko in the team guide.
Kurt has emailed me from Cincinnati, Ohio – very ready for the next USA game.
“We are 21 hours away from the USWNT facing the Netherlands in group E in a rematch of the 2019 final.”
The two teams are out and about warming up.
Group C standings
Japan sit in number one spot in the Group C table after the first game with three points. Spain are in second also on three points but behind on goals. Costa Rica are third and Zambia are at the bottom.
It looks like there are more Japanese fans at the moment, but there’s a couple of Costa Rican supporters around too!
Costa Rica 0-3 Spain match report
As Sid Lowe writes in his report from the opening Group C game last Friday – the match could be neatly summarised by the fact the Costa Rican goalkeeper got cramp.
Spain were so prolific with their shots that Daniela Solera’s touches were on par with those of her outfield teammates.
The world No 6 team completely dismantled their 36th-ranked opponents, despite Solera’s incredible effort in goal.
Costa Rica had just 19% of possession and one shot fo the entire game.
The minute-by-minute detail is here if you feel the need.
The Japan team have sussed out the pitch in Dunedin, as fans start to head into the stadium.
Japan 5-0 Zambia match report
The former champions Japan got off to a flying start against debutants Zambia on Saturday in New Zealand.
Hinata Miyazawa scored twice and forward Mina Tanaka found the net in the second half, after having two earlier efforts called back for offside.
The game was not without drama: multiple VAR decisions interrupted play, and the Zambian goalkeeper Catherine Munsonda was sent off in 90 + 7th minute for taking out a breaking Japanese forward.
Zambia’s substitute goalkeeper Eunice Sakala then miraculously saved the penalty only for it to be ruled she moved over her line too soon. The retaken penalty was converted.
If you want to check back on any of the detail from that game take a look at Sarah Rendell’s minute-by-minute blog.
Preamble
Jo Khan
Hello there! It is day seven of the 2023 Women’s World Cup and my goodness is the time flying. We’ve only been waiting for four years, and then it just flashes by so fast.
There are three games on the schedule today, the first being the subject of this live blog: Japan v Costa Rica in Dunedin, New Zealand. Stay with me, Jo Khan, for team info and minute-by-minute action, kick-off is 5pm local time/3pm AEST/2pm JST/11pm CST/6am BST. Sorry if I didn’t include your time zone, please don’t take it personally.
Spain and Zambia play later in Auckland, and then Group B’s Canada and Ireland face off in Perth.
You can get in touch with me via email or tweet @_jokhan. Let me know where you are watching/following from today.