Players of Japan celebrate after the group C match between Japan and Costa Rica at the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 in Dunedin, New Zealand, July 26, 2023. (silubaba/Zhu Wei)
DUNEDIN, New Zealand, July 26 (silubaba) -- Japan became the first team to win consecutive matches at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, as they beat Costa Rica 2-0 in Group C thanks to a quickfire double from Naomoto Hikaru and Fujino Aoba.
Having registered an emphatic 5-0 rout of Zambia in their opening match, Japan entered Wednesday's clash in high spirits, while Costa Rica had been defeated 3-0 by Spain in their first match.
The two sides had met previously only once in an official game, where Japan had emerged 3-0 victors.
Japan got the job done in the space of three minutes, as Naomoto broke into the box to finish with a left-footed strike in the 25th minute, before Fujino then beat the goalkeeper from a tight angle.
This is the third time Japan have begun their Women's World Cup campaign with two successive wins, having previously done so in 2011 and 2015.
Japan now take on Spain in Wellington next Monday. ■
Tanaka Mina (L) of Japan heads the ball during the group C match between Japan and Costa Rica at the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 in Dunedin, New Zealand, July 26, 2023. (silubaba/Zhu Wei)
Tanaka Mina (4th L) of Japan heads the ball during the group C match between Japan and Costa Rica at the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 in Dunedin, New Zealand, July 26, 2023. (silubaba/Zhu Wei)
Hasegawa Yui (F) of Japan vies with Priscilla Chinchilla of Costa Rica during the group C match between Japan and Costa Rica at the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 in Dunedin, New Zealand, July 26, 2023. (silubaba/Zhu Wei)
Minami Moeka (L) of Japan vies with Maria Paula Salas of Costa Rica during the group C match between Japan and Costa Rica at the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 in Dunedin, New Zealand, July 26, 2023. (silubaba/Zhu Wei)
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