Spain’s Aitana Bonmati shook the web and assisted on one other to guide the world champions to a 2-1 comeback victory over Japan on the opening day of the Olympic girls’s soccer match.
Meanwhile, the United States started their quest for a fifth gold medal with a commanding 3-0 win over Zambia at Nice Stadium.
Trinity Rodman struck within the seventeenth minute with an excellent play, and Mallory Swanson scored twice in fast succession, between the twenty fourth and twenty fifth minutes, securing the U.S. their first three factors in Group B.
Zambia was lowered to 10 gamers on the half-hour mark after a crimson card for Pauline Zulu, who left the pitch in tears.
Olympic debutants Spain recovered from an early aim in Nantes and defeated Group C rivals Japan, avenging a 4-0 group-stage loss to the Asians in final yr’s World Cup, which they went on to win.
Aoba Fujino’s excellent free-kick opened the scoring for Japan, however Ballon d’Or winner Bonmati equalized simply 9 minutes later with a easy end.
Spain dominated possession within the second half and sealed the win within the 74th minute because of a Mariona Caldentey strike from a Bonmati cross, placing them on the high of the group.
“We have started the Games very well. I’m happy for the win. (The World Cup loss against) Japan left us with a thorn in our side,” Bonmati stated.
“The goal we conceded didn’t change our mentality. We played our football and deserved the win.”
Elsewhere, reigning Olympic champions Canada additionally claimed a 2-1 comeback victory over New Zealand in St. Etienne on the primary day of motion in Group A.
France’s Marie-Antoinette Katoto scored twice to assist the hosts to a 3-2 win over Colombia of their Group A opener in Lyon.
Katoto opened the scoring after six minutes, capitalizing on a misplaced cross by Linda Caicedo. Kenza Dali doubled the lead within the 18th minute earlier than Katoto accomplished her brace with a header three minutes earlier than halftime.
Colombia’s Catalina Usme and Manuela Pavi then scored within the 54th and sixty fourth minutes, respectively, to make it 3-2. However, their hopes for a comeback and a primary Olympic win had been dashed when Mayra Ramirez obtained a crimson card 5 minutes from time.
Germany made a powerful begin to the match in Marseille with a 3-0 win over Australia in a Group B match, because of targets from Marina Hegering, Lea Schüller, and Jule Brand. Hegering scored with a header within the twenty fourth minute, Schüller added one other header within the sixty fourth minute, and Brand contributed a aim to seal the rout for the 2016 Olympic champions.
Brazil earned a 1-0 win over Nigeria in Bordeaux in Group C. Gabi Nunes scored within the thirty seventh minute following a cross from Brazil’s all-time main scorer Marta, who’s competing in her sixth Olympics.
Source: www.dailysabah.com