By Izzy Yard
Hosts Australia earn an emphatic victory to keep their World Cup dreams alive, a ruthless Japan dismantle Spain, Zambia beat Costa Rica to earn their first World Cup win and Nigeria secure their place in the knockout stages after a goalless draw.
Australia 4 Canada 0
Embed from Getty ImagesHosts Australia have turned around their tournament and kept their World Cup dreams alive after thrashing Canada to send the highly-fancied Canucks home.
The Matildas went into the game in third place in their group meaning they had to win to avoid a humiliating early exit.
Australia took the lead inside 10 minutes when Hayley Ruso fired the ball low across goal into the bottom left-hand corner. It was originally ruled offside, but this was overturned by VAR giving Australia an all-important lead.
Australia continued to dominate possession which led to a second goal for Ruso. Just two minutes after a disallowed goal, keeper Kailen Sheridan did not deal with a corner and Ruso was able to poke the ball home.
Australia started the second half with a similar intensity to the first 45 minutes, and Mary Fowler scored their third goal in the 56th minute.
Canada had some late chances but just couldn’t find the back of the net, and it went from bad to worse in the last minutes of the game as Jessie Flemming gave away a penalty which Stephanie Catley converted to earn the joyous Matildas an all-important victory and a place in the last 16.
Japan 4 Spain 0
Embed from Getty ImagesIt was an enormous win for Japan who thrashed Spain to earn themselves the top spot in Group C despite only having 23% of possession.
Spain had the opening chances but it was Hinata Miyazawa of Japan who put the ball into the back of the net in the 12th minute to open the scoring.
Japan scored their second goal from a counter attack when Spain gave the ball away cheaply, and it was Riko Ueki who took her chance with a shot that took a deflection off Irene Paredes and past Misa Rodríguez
Japan made it three before the end of the first half, with Miyazawa scoring her second goal of the game by finding the top left hand corner.
Spain dominated possession and made the Japanese defence work hard but they weren’t able to take their chances.
And Japan saved the best until last with an amazing solo goal from Mina Tanaka who curled the ball into the top left-hand corner to make it a statement win for Japan.
Japan will now face Norway in the last 16 with Spain’s opponents being Switzerland in the first games of the knockout stages.
Costa Rica 1 Zambia 3
Embed from Getty ImagesZambia managed to secure their first World Cup win to finish the tournament on a high despite already being eliminated.
Lushomo Mweemba got them off to a flying start with a goal after only two minutes and 11 seconds – the fastest goal of the tournament so far.
Susan Banda doubled Zambia’s lead from a penalty, awarded after her shirt was pulled in the area. This goal was the 1000th goal in Women’s World Cup history.
Costa Rica were able to pull one goal back with a close-range finish from Daphne Melissa Herrera Monge, and with plenty of time left to play it was game on.
It looked as though Costa Rica had a chance to equalise from the penalty spot before the decision was overturned by VAR.
And Zambia sealed the deal in the dying moments of the game with Racheal Kundanaji slipping the ball into the back of the net to give the Copper Queens their first World Cup win.
Nigeria 0 Ireland 0
Embed from Getty ImagesNigeria needed just a point to secure their place in the knockout stages, so this goalless draw means they will now finish in second spot behind Australia.
Ireland, who had been eliminated before this game, managed to gain their first point at this World Cup.
They had the first chance of the game through Arsenal’s Katie McCabe’s fizzing effort from outside the box but her effort was wide of the right hand post.
Nigeria also had their chances but Asisat Oshoala’s shot flew across the face of goal and wide.
Both teams went into half time goalless and it was a similar story in the second half with missed chances. Nigeria ramped up their game and Oshoala went close again but couldn’t hit the target.
The final whistle brought a conclusion to this goalless draw with Nigeria in high spirits knowing they have a last 16 place.
Featured image credit: Photo by Alex Grimm – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
