In a spirited international friendly at the Go Go Kanazawa Stadium, Japan’s women’s national football team secured a decisive 4-0 victory over Ghana’s Black Queens on Saturday, July 13.
The Japanese squad showcased their prowess from the start, with forward Mina Tanaka nearly opening the scoring in the second minute, only to be thwarted by an excellent save from Ghanaian goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan Findib.
Tanaka remained a constant threat, hitting the post ten minutes later and forcing another brilliant save from Findib to keep the match scoreless.
Despite the Black Queens’ resilient defense, their efforts were undermined when veteran player Portia Boakye received a red card in the 23rd minute, leaving Ghana with ten players for the rest of the match.
Taking advantage of their numerical superiority, Japan broke the deadlock just after halftime. Tanaka finally found the back of the net with a precise pass from Chelsea’s Maika Hamano.
The momentum continued in Japan’s favor, with Hamano doubling the lead in the 65th minute, followed closely by a third goal from Aoba Fujino just two minutes later.
Fujino then set up West Ham forward Riko Ueki, who sealed Japan’s 4-0 triumph with a well-placed shot ten minutes from the end.
The match served as a crucial warm-up for Japan ahead of the Olympic Games, while Ghana used the game to gauge their readiness for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Despite the loss, the Black Queens will look to regroup and refine their strategy in preparation for the upcoming continental competition.
