Women"s team lose 2-0 to Japan in first Olympic qualifier

Japan, who won a silver medal at the Asian Games, opened the scoring with a goal by Japan’s leading marksman Homare Sawa in the 36th minute. Tomoe Sakai scored another goal for Japan to seal a 2-0 victory for the hosts.

It was Vietnam’s sixth straight defeat to Japan in their six encounters. In their last meeting at the 2006 Asian championship, the Vietnamese team lost 5-0 to Japan.

Japan dominated for most of the match, but they failed to create a clear scoring chance in the first half as the Vietnamese players kept their attacks at bay. It took them 36 minutes to take a 1-0 lead. Sawa struck home a headed pass from Eriko Arakawa, following a cross from Kozuke Ando. Japan created two chances at the end of the first half, one from a free-kick by Kinga and another from a cross from the left by Aya Miyama, but neither was converted.

After the break, Japan continued their dominance, threatening the Vietnam goal more. One shot from Sawa, from a pass by Shinobu Ono, found the net in the 54th minute, but it was disallowed for Sawa was flagged offside. Five minutes later, Miyama’s shot narrowly went wide, while one Kinga right-footer went over the bar in the 77th minute.

The Vietnam team did not create one decent chance during the game.

Vietnam will host the Republic of Korea, who lost 1-0 to Thailand, while Japan will visit Thailand in the second match day of their group on April 15.

Nhan dan