Utah Royals FC Forward Mina Tanaka Helps Japan To Olympic Win
Jul 31, 2024, 11:17 AM
NANTES, FRANCE - JULY 31: Mina Tanaka #11 of Team Japan controls the ball against Deborah Abiodun #13 of Team Nigeria during the Women's group C match between Japan and Nigeria during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de la Beaujoire on July 31, 2024 in Nantes, France. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
PARIS, France – Japan controlled the match, and Utah Royals FC forward Mina Tanaka benefited, heading home her team’s second goal in a 3-1 win over Nigeria. Japan advances to the quarterfinals with the win.
Japan (2-0-1, 6 pts) faced Nigeria (0-0-3, 0 pts) in the final match of pool play at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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Japan's Women's National Soccer Team secures victory and advances to the quarter-finals! Read more about their triumph here: https://t.co/MQXK8Zi1iw
— すーぱーニュースちゃん (@Super_News_Chan) July 31, 2024
Utah Royals forward Mina Tanaka started the match for Japan. Tanaka scored Japan’s second goal before being substituted out at halftime. Royals forward Ify Onumonu did not play for Nigeria.
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First Half
Japan opened the match with an aggressive attack that allowed them to pepper New Zealand with shots. 22 minutes in, Japan’s Maika Hamano finally got the lid off the goal, beating keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie to take a 1-0 lead.
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MAIKA SCORES HER FIRST OLYMPIC GOAL! 🥳
Japan lead Nigeria 1-0. 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/OptOJ7Q3T9
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) July 31, 2024
Japan struck again in the 30th minute when recently signed Royals forward Mina Tanaka scored with a perfectly placed header to make it 2-0.
LET’S GO @minatanaka_9!! https://t.co/sWLijX7mni
— Utah Royals FC (@UtahRoyalsFC) July 31, 2024
Jennifer Echegini helped Nigeria cut the deficit in half when she beat Ayaka Yamashita with a 42-minute goal.
Japan reclaimed a two-goal lead after Hikaru Kitagawa ripped a ball from distance for a 3-1 lead.
Second Half
Japan spent much of the second half, preserving its two-goal lead.
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Team Japan held on to claim the 3-1 win.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering the Utah State Aggies, Locals in MLB, and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees, Beehive baseball, and Aggie athletics coverage here.
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