Japan women’s Football team defeated Australia team 4-0 in the opening game of the SheBelieves Cup women’s football tournament on thursday 20th February
Mina Tanaka scored two first half goals and set up the third goal.
The team, nicknamed Nadeshiko Japan, won its first match under new Danish head coach Nils Nielsen at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Tanaka scored in the sixth and 32nd minutes before providing an assist for Maika Hamano’s 52nd-minute goal.
Moeka Minami completed the scoring 22 minutes later against 2023 Women’s World Cup semifinalists Australia.
It is very good when you are trying something new,” Nielsen said. “It boosts the confidence when it actually works, so that’s probably the best part.
But I also liked to see the attitude of the players on the pitch. They really wanted to show some things.”
Japan next game is to Colombia on Sunday and then the United States on Wednesday in the four-team, round-robin tournament.