BOCHUM, Germany, June 27, (AFP): A superb Aya Miyama freekick got Japan’s World Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 2-1 victory over Group B rivals New Zealand here on Monday.
Yuki Nagasato put the Japanese ahead after six minutes, with Amber Hearn quickly equalising only for Miyama to dash New Zealand hopes of a first ever point in their third women’s World Cup with a curling 68-minute freekick.
“Japan mesmerized us,” admitted New Zealand coach John Herdman.
“Particularly in the last 20 minutes and the introduction of (Mana) Iwabuchi. Japan’s form is fantastic this year. I think this team could go on and be a major threat in this tournament.
“They were pretty close at the Olympics and I think they’ve learnd from that experience.”
Japan coach Norio Sasaki believes however there is room for improvement as his side were pushed hard by the 24th-ranked New Zealand Ferns. “Today we got three points but the girls did work hard and learned a lesson,” he said.

“Rather than winning easy, today’s exercise should be beneficial for the girls in winning a difficult match.”
He paid tribute however to Miyama, stating: “She has been one of the supporting pillers of our team and did well today.” It was the second major international tournament where the two sides had met in the opening match after the 2008 Olympics where New Zealand held Japan 2-2.
The more experienced Japanese got off to a confident start with Nagasato opening after just six minutes when she lobbed a Shinobu Ohno cross past Jenny Bindon in the New Zealand goal.
But New Zealand kept pace with Hearn grabbing the equaliser after 12 minutes when she latched onto a Ria Percival corner to head past Ayumi Kaihori to the delight of the crowd at the Ruhrstadion in Bochum.
Despite the Asians making most of the running the Kiwi defence and Bindon proved solid as they held off wave after wave of attacks from the Japanese forwards who missed successive chances to pull ahead.
The Japanese pushed forward and should have scored their second goal in the 18th minute but Mizuho Sakaguchi failed to finish off a Yukari Kinga cross.

But it was a break from second half substitute Iwabuchi which proved the key as the striker’s run was stopped on the edge of the box by a foul from New Zealand captain Rebecca Smith.
Miyama curled the resulting freekick over the wall into the New Zealand net.
Iwabuchi missed a chance to double Japan’s advantage seven minutes from time as she fired into Bindon‚Äôs hands, as Hearn missed the chance to pull off a later equaliser when she hit a free kick over the bar in extra time.
In Wolfsburg, a freak long-range goal from Mexico forward Monica Ocampo saw the central Americans hold England to a 1-1 draw on Monday in their opening Group B match.
The Atlanta Beat forward was well outside the England penalty area when she hit a long-range first-half effort which curled up towards the cloudless sky before dropping down into the top left hand-corner of the England net.
The 24-year-old’s effort in the 33rd minute was enough to share the points in Wolfsburg after England midfielder Fara Williams had earlier put the Three Lions ahead.
Leonardo Cuellar’s Mexico face Group B leaders Japan in Leverkusen on Friday while England take on New Zealand in Dresden the same day.
The Japanese lead the group after their 2-1 win over New Zealand earlier in the day. Hope Powell’s England side had got off to a fine start when Williams’ looping header opened the scoring after just 21 minutes.

An accurate cross from Birmingham City forward Karen Carney eluded the Mexican defence, but found Williams on the edge of the penalty box, who headed home.
But the Mexicans drew level thanks to woman-of-the-match Ocampo’s stunning effort after her shot appeared to be flying high over the England goal.
English goalkeeper Karen Bardsley was tracking the shot, but was caught out as it dipped down behind her and into the net to put the Mexicans level at the break.
Not surprisingly, the goal put England on the back foot while the Mexicans proceeded to fire in several attempts at Bardsley as they tested her ability — and nerves — from numerous angles.
England wasted a golden chance to regain the lead just after half-time when striker Eniola Aluko failed to convert from just six yards out.
The 24-year-old was left with her head in her hands as her miss-timed swipe at the ball trickled though her legs and Mexico cleared the danger.
The game was briefly halted with less than 20 minutes left after Mexican captain Maribel Dominguez went down with cramp and was stretchered off and both sides took the opportunity to take on water on a hot afternoon.
England conceded a free-kick to the left of goal when defender Casey Stoney was booked for a dangerous tackle with time almost up but this time Ocampo’s shot flew over and failed to break the deadlock.