Utah Royals FC Forward Mina Tanaka Helps Japan To Olympic Win

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.

RELATED: Utah Royals Sign Japanese Olympian Mina Tanaka

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.

RELATED: Keep up the Olympic medal count here.

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.

RELATED: Utah Native Haley Batten Makes History For Team USA With Silver Medal Win

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.

Follow The 2024 Summer Olympics With KSL Sports

The 2024 Paris Olympics occurs Friday, July 26, through Sunday, August 11. The Paris Games comprises 329 events across 19 days, with 754 competitions and ceremonies for over 10,000 athletes.

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.

Find KSL Sports coverage of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics here.

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