Hinata Miyazawa stole the show with a hat-trick as Japan roared past India 11-0 in their AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026 Group C tie at the Perth Rectangular Stadium on Saturday.
After struggling to break down Chinese Taipei’s deep defensive block in the opening game, Miyazawa and her teammates came out with a clear plan to attack early.
“I’m very happy I was able to score in the second half. As a team, we also talked about wanting to score early because the first match was difficult and there were moments when we struggled to find the net,” said Miyazawa.
“In the first match, Chinese Taipei defended deep so even though we had a lot of possession it was difficult to create clear chances. But staying patient and still getting the win was very important.”
The 26-year-old Manchester United forward, who returned to the left flank for the first time since the FIFA World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, produced a moment of instinctive brilliance for Japan’s third goal.
“Playing on the left side felt familiar and I enjoyed finding ways to break it down. On the third goal my movement was instinctive when Riko (Ueki) spotted the space, I ran straight into it and scored.
“Today we expected a similar approach (from India) and I’m happy we were able to score in different ways, including runs from midfield,” added Miyazawa.
Ueki, who started from the bench also starred with a hat-trick of her own – showcasing the depth within Nils Nielsen’s squad.
“Communication among the players is really strong and everyone can give their best no matter who plays.
“Each goal reflected players using their own strengths, whether dribbling past opponents or other individual plays. Seeing that teamwork and individual skill translate into goals was really satisfying,” said Miyazawa.
AFC Media
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