Japan beat Vietnam 2-0 in women"s final round qualifying opener

In Group A, Japan beat Vietnam 2-0 at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

09/04/2007 00:00:00

In Group A, Japan beat Vietnam 2-0 at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

Thailand shocked Korea Republic 1-0 even as Japan, DPR Korea and Australia recorded comfortable wins in the opening final round qualifying matches of the Women”s Olympic Football Tournament 2008.

In Group A, Japan beat Vietnam 2-0 at the National Stadium in Tokyo. Hiroshi Ohashi”s side dominated the proceedings with impeccable ball possession and Homare Sawa scored the opener on 36 minutes for the hosts off an Eriko Arakawa cross. Tomoe Sakai added another in the 73rd minute.

SI”m happy to have collected the three points today,⬝ said Ohashi. SWe created many chances but we couldn”t score the third goal.⬝

In the other group game, Thailand stunned Korea Republic 1-0 in front of home fans at the Ansan City WA Stadium.

In Group B, Asian runners-up Australia posted a comprehensive 15-0 win over Hong Kong at the BCU International Stadium in Coffs Harbour.

The Matildas raced to a six-goal half time lead before adding a further nine goals in the second half in a match played in sunny but blustery conditions.

Striker Kate Gill scored five goals for the second consecutive international match following her five-goal h au l against Chinese Taipei in February. Midfielder Collette McCallum scored a hat-trick while there were also goals for Sarah Walsh 2, Cheryl Salisbury 2, Joanne Peters, Joanne Burgess and Danielle Small.

In the second group game, DPR Korea brushed aside Chinese Taipei 8-0 in Pyongyang.

The two group winners will represent Asia at the Beijing Olympics next year while China, who qualify automatically as hosts, will be the third team.

Group A