Japan v Costa Rica: Women’s World Cup 2023 Group C – live

And here’s the updated list for today’s game. Looks like Costa Rica have made a couple of changes from their starting XI against Spain:

23 Daniela Solera
20 Fabiola Villalobos
4 Mariana Benavides
2 Gabriela Guillen
3 Maria Coto
16 Katherine Alvarado
15 Cristin Granados
12 Maria Elizondo
7 Melissa Herrera
9 Maria Salas
14 Priscila Chinchilla

A few changes for Japan too:

1 Ayaka Yamashita
5 Shiori Miyake
4 Saki Kumagai
3 Moeka Minami
2 Risa Shimizu
16 Honoka Hayashi
8 Hikaru Naomoto
14 Yui Hasegawa
6 Hina Sugita
15 Aoba Fujino
11 Mina Tanaka

Costa Rica team guide

At their second Women’s World Cup, Las Ticas are generating a lot of excitement back home. Check out the expert team guide to see how Amelia Valverde’s team are placed for the 2023 tournament.

Japan team guide

Can the current generation from Japan recreate some of the magic from the previous decade. The 2011 winners have said they want to use their showing at this tournament to reinvigorate women’s football in Japan. Mari Hibino has all the background on the Nadeshiko in the team guide.

Kurt has emailed me from Cincinnati, Ohio – very ready for the next USA game.

“We are 21 hours away from the USWNT facing the Netherlands in group E in a rematch of the 2019 final.”

The two teams are out and about warming up.

Group C standings

Japan sit in number one spot in the Group C table after the first game with three points. Spain are in second also on three points but behind on goals. Costa Rica are third and Zambia are at the bottom.

It looks like there are more Japanese fans at the moment, but there’s a couple of Costa Rican supporters around too!

Costa Rica 0-3 Spain match report

As Sid Lowe writes in his report from the opening Group C game last Friday – the match could be neatly summarised by the fact the Costa Rican goalkeeper got cramp.

Spain were so prolific with their shots that Daniela Solera’s touches were on par with those of her outfield teammates.

The world No 6 team completely dismantled their 36th-ranked opponents, despite Solera’s incredible effort in goal.

Costa Rica had just 19% of possession and one shot fo the entire game.

The minute-by-minute detail is here if you feel the need.

The Japan team have sussed out the pitch in Dunedin, as fans start to head into the stadium.

Japan 5-0 Zambia match report

The former champions Japan got off to a flying start against debutants Zambia on Saturday in New Zealand.

Hinata Miyazawa scored twice and forward Mina Tanaka found the net in the second half, after having two earlier efforts called back for offside.

The game was not without drama: multiple VAR decisions interrupted play, and the Zambian goalkeeper Catherine Munsonda was sent off in 90 + 7th minute for taking out a breaking Japanese forward.

Zambia’s substitute goalkeeper Eunice Sakala then miraculously saved the penalty only for it to be ruled she moved over her line too soon. The retaken penalty was converted.

If you want to check back on any of the detail from that game take a look at Sarah Rendell’s minute-by-minute blog.

Hello there! It is day seven of the 2023 Women’s World Cup and my goodness is the time flying. We’ve only been waiting for four years, and then it just flashes by so fast.

There are three games on the schedule today, the first being the subject of this live blog: Japan v Costa Rica in Dunedin, New Zealand. Stay with me, Jo Khan, for team info and minute-by-minute action, kick-off is 5pm local time/3pm AEST/2pm JST/11pm CST/6am BST. Sorry if I didn’t include your time zone, please don’t take it personally.

Spain and Zambia play later in Auckland, and then Group B’s Canada and Ireland face off in Perth.

You can get in touch with me via email or tweet @_jokhan. Let me know where you are watching/following from today.