Japan suffers defeat in a 3-1 match report from Spanish Chronicle
Spain Secures a Confidence-Boosting Victory Over Japan Ahead of Euro Cup
The Spanish women's football team clinched a 3-1 victory over Japan in their friendly match at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque in Madrid on Friday. This win was a crucial boost as Spain prepared to face off in the UEFA Women's Euro Cup, scheduled to kick off in Switzerland next week.
Despite some initial disjointed play following the competitive break, Spain demonstrated the grit and resilience needed to pull off a victory against a formidable rival like Japan, the fifth-ranked team in the world. The Spanish squad expertly controlled the game, playing patiently and distributing minutes effectively.
Montse Tomé, with Aitana Bonmatí sidelined due to fever, selected an eleven featuring eight potential starters, aiming to take control from the outset against a well-organized Japanese team. Spain sought openings by employing a lot of mobility from the midfielders, with Ona Batlle's powerful runs on the right wing causing problems for the Japanese defense.
However, generating clear-cut chances was challenging, as each Spanish player was usually marked tightly by a Japanese defender, and there was a lack of the usual long-distance precision. The heat also made it difficult for the world champions to play their fluid, high-octane football. The only real threat in the first half came from a slightly off-target shot by Alexia Putellas in a corner kick situation and a break by Vicky López, whose cross-back didn't find a finisher.
Japan, struggling to stretch the play and defend against Spanish attacks, capitalized on a mistake by Laia Aleixandri and took the lead through Tanaka's well-placed finish in the box. However, Spain remained unfazed and quickly responded with a goal from Claudia Pina, who netted after a clever combination involving Batlle, Caldentey, and Putellas.
In the second half, Esther González and Jana Fernández were introduced to freshen things up, and Spain nearly scored on several occasions. Pina and Vicky López both missed opportunities before López leveled the score with a well-placed shot after Tanikawa's error in the back. The hydration break hindered Spain's momentum somewhat, but they regained control and started creating more chances.
Alexia Putellas came close to scoring, missed by just a fingertip, before Vicky López's strike found the back of the net to put Spain ahead. The goal deflated Japan, and Spain continued to apply pressure, with Mariona Caldentey's shot hitting the crossbar. In the closing minutes, Athenea del Castillo sealed the victory with a powerful strike.
Spain will depart for Switzerland on Sunday to begin their Euro Cup campaign, kicking off against Portugal on Thursday.
Additional Facts:
- Spain's recent form includes a notable 2-1 home comeback win against England in the UEFA Women's Nations League, where Claudia Pina was instrumental by scoring twice after coming off the bench.
- Japan had recently lost 2-1 in a friendly against Brazil, conceding a late goal after initially taking the lead early in the second half.
- Spain holds a positive historical record against Japan women's teams, having won four out of their seven meetings.
- Google recently introduced Gemini CLI, its new open-source AI coding agent designed for programming tasks directly from the terminal.
- Ukraine reported a bombing on a Russian airbase in Volgograd.
- Carmen Borrego, despite the ongoing controversy between Alejandra Rubio and Joaquín Prat, remains unshaken in her convictions.
The Spanish women's football team, after their 3-1 victory over Japan, will take the confidence gained into their upcoming UEFA Women's Euro Cup matches. Spain's impressive display against the fifth-ranked team, Japan, showcased their control and resilience, as exemplified in the second half by Vicky López's goal that sealed the victory.
