In a thrilling international women’s friendly match, Japan’s Nadeshiko squad dominated Ghana’s Black Queens, winning 4-0 at the Kanazawa Go Go Curry Stadium on Saturday morning.
The match was a crucial preparation opportunity for both teams, with Japan gearing up for the 2024 Paris Olympics and Ghana preparing for the 2023 Women African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco.
The first half was a closely contested affair, with neither team able to break the deadlock. However, Ghana’s Vivian Adjei’s introduction in the 46th minute marked a turning point, and Japan capitalized on this momentum shift to take the lead in the 51st minute through Mina Tanaka’s goal.
Maika Hamano doubled Japan’s lead in the 65th minute, and Aoba Fujino added to their tally just two minutes later. Despite making three substitutions, Ghana was unable to stem the tide, and Riko Ueki sealed the win for Japan with a goal in the 80th minute.
The comprehensive victory serves as a boost for Japan ahead of the Olympics, while Ghana will look to bounce back from this loss with another friendly match against an opponent yet to be named.
