Japan has continued their impressive start to the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 with a strong win over Costa Rica in Dunedin. Hikaru Naomoto and Aoba Fujino scored goals that made the difference in a match where the Nadeshiko team showed the same speed and smooth passing that had impressed in their opening match against Zambia. Both goals were scored within a few minutes in the first half, although there were signs of their dominance from the beginning of the game. Read about the best moments of the Japan vs Costa Rica match in our LIVE blog below the match report.

First-half | Japan vs Costa Rica

Japan looked threatening from the whistle with Aoba Fujino, Hikaru Naomoto, and Mina Tanaka forming a great partnership in the Costa Rican defensive half. Daniela Solera was in action within the first ten minutes as Mina Tanaka's header was a sign of everything that was coming for them. In the 24th minute, Japan broke through for the first time with a little help from Maria Paula Coto. Hikaru Naomoto took advantage of Coto's slip on the ground and sent the ball past Solera for the first goal of the match. Mina Tinaka with the assist to Naomoto.

Read Also: Spain vs Zambia FIFA Women's World Cup 2023: LIVE Blog, scores, updates, and everything

Two minutes later, Japan again found the net. This time it was Aoba Fujino, the teenager with the goal. Aoba, aged 19 years and 180 days became the first Japanese teenager to score in the Women's World Cup. Aoba created an impossible angle from the right of the box to send the ball past the goalie right into the bottom corner of the goal. Costa Rica failed to shoot a single ball on target throughout the first half as Japan looked fairly comfortable with their attacks.

Second half | Japan vs Costa Rica

Japan substituted a few players in the second half to keep them fresh for the next game and the upcoming round of 16 games. The intent was a bit down as compared to the first half. However, it must be admitted that, just like the game against Spain. Costa Rica found some defensive rhythm in the second half. Hinata Miyazawa and Riko Ueki tried to form some attacks but failed to go past Solera every time. Costa Rica's only shot on target came through Gloriana Villalobos as she and teenager Sheika Scott played some great passes between them. Costa Rica's Women's World Cup journey is nearly over with another game against Zambia to go. Meanwhile, Japan nearly booked their place in the next stage with two back-to-back wins.

Hikaru Naomoto was adjudged the player of the match.

Japan vs Costa Rica | LIVE Blog

Match Details | Japan vs Costa Rica

Group: C
Date: 26/7/2023
Time: 10.30 am IST
Venue: Dunedin Stadium, Dunedin, New Zealand

LIVE SCORE| JAP 2-0 CRC

Stay tuned as we bring you live updates, expert analysis, and in-depth insights on the Japan vs Costa Rica Group C fixture, along with all the exciting action from the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023.

Lineups:

Japan: Ayaka Yamashita, Shiori Miyake, Suki Kumagai, Moeka Mianmi, Risa Shimizu, Yui Hasegawa, Hina Sugita, Honoka Hayashi, Aoba Fujino, Hikaru Naomoto, Mina Tanaka

Costa Rica: Daniela Solera, Gabriela GUILLEN, Mariana Benavides, Fabiola Villalobos, Maria Paula Coto, Maria Paula, Cristin Granados, Katherine Alvarado, Melissa Herrrera, Maria Paula Salas, Priscilla Chinchilla

1' | Kick off

Here WE GO!

7' | First chance for Mina Tanka

Mina Tanka misses a header from the centre of the box. Aoba Fujino with the cross following a corner.

12' | Brilliant save by Daniela Solera

Hikaru Naomoto's left-footed shot was on target this time. A good save by Daniela Solera.

15' | Another save by Solera

This time the shot was from Hikaru Naomoto from the left of the box. Japan looks threatening every time they go forward.

18' | Miss by Gabriela Guillen

A first of the shots from Costa Rica. Gabriela's right-footed shot goes left of the goal post.

24' | Goal | Japan 1-0 Costa Rica

Hikaru Naomoto scores the first goal of the day. Mina Tanaka's cross from the right to the left had found Naomoto. A slip from Costa Rican defender Maria Paula Coto helps Namoto have a clear shot at the goal from the left of the box. It is her third international goal.

27' | Goal | Japan 2-0 Costa Rica

What a goal from Aoba Fujino, the 19-year-old teenage sensation. Her second goal is for her country. She finds a difficult angle from the right of the box past Solera in the bottom right corner of the goal. She is now Japan's first-ever teenage goalscorer in World Cup at just 19 years and 180 days old.

37' | The combination of Tanaka-Naomoto-Fujino looks incredible

Nearly another goal for the Japanese. Tanaka's header could have gone right or left of Solera. Another great cross by Hikaru Naomoto.

41' | Just over the bar from Tinaka

Tinaka's right-footed bullet shot nearly went into the goal however it did not dip at the right time for the Japanese striker.

First Half: Japan 2-0 Costa Rica

A very comfortable first half for Japan, and a tough one for Costa Rica. Two goals in quick sensation from the Japanese team; one from Hikaru Naomoto and Aoba Fujino. Costa Rica will have to find some resistance in the second half and then look to disturb the Japanese defence as well. Japan, as of now, are on their way to the Round of 16.

46' | Change for Costa Rica

Gloriana Villalobos replaces Gabriela GUILLEN Guillen in the mid-field for Costa Rica.

50' | Solera with her 15th save of the tournament

Hasegawa with a left-footed shot from outside the box. A much easNealrier save for Solera who dives to her left to grab the ball.

58' | Doule change for Japan

Tanaka and Fujino are replaced by Riko Ueki and Hinata Miyazawa.

65' | Nearly an own goal for Costa Rica

Fabiola Villalobos nearly scored an own goal while trying to head away a long ball from Hina Sugita. Solera got injured after a collision with Ueki. Corner for Japan.

77' | Another save from Solera

Good team game from Japan. Riko Ueki's pass had found Hinata Miyazawa whose left-footed shot went straight into the hands of Solera.

80' | Attempt from Gloriana Villalobos

Shot on target from Gloriana Villalobos. Good passes between Sheika Scott and her. However, not good enough to score their first of this season's tournament.

89' | Lower in intent

Japan lacking intent in the last ten minutes of the game as Costa Rica claim some positions of the ball.

90+5' | Full time | Japan 2-0 Costa Rica

Two out of two for the Japanese team. They are now nearly through to the round of 16. Costa Rica are on the verge of elimination from the group stage. Japan looked lethal in the first half while Costa Rica made a comeback in the second half with their defensive game.

The UEFA European Women's Championship, also called the UEFA Women's Euro, is the primary association football competition between the senior women’s national teams from Europe, held every four years. 

England beat Spain on penalties to clinch the Women’s EURO 2025 title at St. Jakob Park in Basel, Switzerland. This is England’s second European title, following its win over Germany in the previous edition. Let's have a look at the UEFA Women's EURO past winners and most successful teams.

Also Read: Who is Tobin Heath? Two-time World Cup champion retires from football

UEFA Women's EURO | First Edition Winner

The first edition of the tournament was played in 1984 in a very different format, with no host nation and just four teams participating. England and Sweden met in the final, played over two legs on a home and away basis.

It ended 1-1 on aggregate, leading to a penalty shootout at Kenilworth Road in London. In true English fashion, the home side would miss twice, allowing Sweden to win 4-3 on penalties and win the first ever women's Euros.

2025 Women's Euros Winner

England successfully defended its Women’s European Championship title by beating world champion Spain in a shootout in the final in Basel, Switzerland.

It was back-to-back European trophies for England and yet another final that Kelly had a huge impact on, after also coming on as a substitute during the Euro 2022 trophy match and scoring the winner against Germany in extra time to clinch a 2-1 victory.

UEFA Women's EURO | Past Winners

Also Read: How can Indian Women's Football team qualify for the 2027 FIFA World Cup?

UEFA Women's EURO | Most Successful Teams

Germany are the most successful team in women's Euros history, having won eight tournaments, including six in a row between 1995-2013. Overall, five different countries have won the women's Euros, but Germany and Norway remain the only winners of more than one edition of the tournament.

• Germany: 8 (1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013)
• Norway: 2 (1987, 1993)
• Sweden: 1 (1984)
• Netherlands: 1 (2017)
• England: 1 (2022)

The race to be top scorer at the Women's EURO 2025 in Switzerland is a fascinating one. The tournament has started from 2 July and will continue till 27 July.

Four weeks of women’s continental football culminate this weekend in Switzerland, where the reigning European champions and world champions respectively face off at Basel’s St. Jakob-Park.

Also Read: UEFA Women's EURO Past Winners and most successful teams

Women's EURO 2025 Final

England and Spain will face off each other in the Women’s EURO 2025 final on 27 July with Spain coming out on top to win the tournament in 2024.

The two nations met in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final just under two years ago, both contesting their maiden final in Australia. Olga Carmona’s first half strike settled the score to crown the Spaniards world champions in Sydney, on the same grounds that hosted the Olympic Games Sydney 2000.

Spain have shown that they can beat England when it matters on the big stage, while the Lionesses will be desperate to exact revenge. Wiegman’s side have won their last two EUROs encounters against their opponents, including in the quarter-finals en route to their 2022 title.

Also Read: Greatest football XI of all-time: Lamine Yamal keeps Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar in his team

Women's EURO 2025 Top Scorer List

Spain forward Esther González tops the list of UEFA Women's EURO 2025 top goalscorer with 4 goals to her name. Esther registered twice in the world champions' opening 5-0 win against Portugal then struck again in their handsome 6-2 success over Belgium as well as in the ensuing 3-1 victory against Italy on Matchday 3.

The tournament player awards will be handed out at the end of the tournament, among them the golden boot for the top goalscorer of EURO 2025.

González has been on fire with four goals in five appearances, while Putellas trails on three goals but with four assists, more than any player at the tournament. If players are tied, the golden boot is awarded to the player with more assists.

Also Read: Messi vs Ronaldo: Who has scored the most non-penalty goals?

UEFA Women's Champions League winners Arsenal are set to break all the past transfer fee records for 20-year-old Canadian forward from Liverpool, Olivia Smith. Smith is now on the verge of becoming the world's first women's player to break the £1m transfer fee record. 

If the deal gets completed, Olivia Smith will break the record for the most expensive transfer fee in women's football history, beating the record of Naomi Girma, who was bought by Chelsea FC Women for £900,000.

Who is Olivia Smith?

Olivia Smith is a 20-year-old centre forward from Canada, born on August 5, 2004. Olivia started her football career in Ontario, Canada, playing youth soccer before joining college football in the United States at Penn State University.

Club career so far

To pursue her career in football, Smith left college early and joined Sporting CP in Portugal in 2023, where she played the first professional season of her career. After a sensational season with Sporting, where she netted 13 goals and produced nine assists in 18 league games.

Smith went on to win the Best Young Player and Revelation Player as Sporting finished second in the league, behind Benfica. 

Her extraordinary skill as a teenager caught the eyes of Liverpool, and she was signed by the Reds in July 2024. In her first season in the Women's Super League, Smith scored 7 goals in 20 appearances. In the whole season for the Reds, she scored 9 times and provided an assist in 25 games. 

Smith was even nominated for the WSL Player of the Year 2025 award. She was named the LFC Women's Player of the Season 2024/25.

Read Also | Who is Tobin Heath? Two-time World Cup champion retires from football

International career

Smith debuted for Canada at just 15 years and 94 days old, becoming her country's youngest player ever in 2019. She also played in the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. 

Till now, she has appeared 18 times for Canada, scoring 3 goals. 

Why are Arsenal willing to pay the most expensive transfer fee for Olivia Smith?

Well, the truth is that Olivia Smith might find it hard to find a place in the playing XI for Arsenal FC Women. The UEFA Women's Champions League winners have Mariona Caldentey, Beth Mead, Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly in the team, and this will make it very hard for Olivia to start in every game.

So, why are they willing to pay such a high amount for her?

Just like all the men's football teams in the world are thinking, the women's teams are also thinking the same. With Olivia Smith, Arsenal are thinking long-term goals, and that is why they are willing to pay big bucks for the Canadian. 

"I don't necessarily know how easily she walks into that Arsenal team, obviously they won the Champions League last season, which makes them extremely lucrative, but they've got a great attacking threat already," Rachel Corsie, former Scotland captain, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It will be a challenge for her, but probably an addition for Arsenal that they'll expect is maybe one of those signings who could be at the club for a number of years," she added.

Read Also | Best 10 Women's Footballers in the World Right Now

Most expensive transfers in women's football history

A two-time FIFA Women's World Cup winner and a triple Olympic medalist, Tobin Heath, announced her retirement from professional football after battling through a knee injury since 2022. A knee injury that took place in 2022 forced her to end her career.

Read Also | Best 10 Women's Footballers in the World Right Now

Heath's international career

The US Women's National Team legend played 131 games for her country and went on to win two FIFA Women's World Cup titles in 2015 and 2019. Along with that, she also won the Gold medal in 2008 and 2012. For the USA, she scored 36 goals and assisted 42 times in her career. 

Tobin Heath's stunning goal in the 2015 FIFA World Cup final against Japan secured the USA a 5-0 win and their return to the top of the world after 1999. 

With Tobin Heath announcing her retirement from soccer, we take you back to her goal in the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final vs Japan 👏🇺🇸@USWNT pic.twitter.com/5tOl72pZ2A

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 10, 2025

With the USWNT, she also finished as a FIFA World Cup runner-up in 2011, along with her final medal for USWNT, which was a Bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics in 2022. She was named the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year in 2016.

Read Also | How can Indian Women's Football team qualify for the 2027 FIFA World Cup?

Club career

The 37-year-old midfielder was known for her dribbling skills and visionary passes while playing for the country and the club. In her club career, she played for 9 clubs, including clubs like PSG, Manchester United and Arsenal. 

However, she was most successful with Portland Thorns, where in two spells she played 79 games, scored 15 goals and assisted 24 times while winning two NSWL Championships - one in 2015 and another in 2017.

Besides that, she was runner-up in Division 1 Féminine with PSG in 2013 and 2014, Women's Super League with Arsenal in 2022 and NSWL with Portland Thorns in 2018. 

Read Also | 10 Indian Women Who Made Olympic History

The knee injury, which ended her career

Tobin Heath's football career was cut short due to injuries. She suffered a knee injury while playing for OL Reign in 2022. The injury was first told to be a minor one, but later turned out to be the one which ended her career. 

The injury needed two major surgeries and two years long rehabilitation, but still, Heath could not be fit to play football again. In frustration, she had to cut her football career.

"I tried f---ing everything to get back, I spent tens of thousands of dollars and [had] two surgeries, one crazy surgery. And the whole time I believed I was going to get back," Heath stated on her podcast with partner Christen Press. 

After three years of "accepting" that she would never play football again, Heath's 17-year-long career came to an end. 

The ultimate dream for any footballing nation is to compete on the biggest stage like the World Cup, and for Indian women's football team, the dream feels closer now.

On July 5, 2025, India secured AFC Women's Asian Cup qualification with a 2-1 victory over Thailand. The sensational midfielder from Bengal, Sangita Basfore scored both the goals to seal this historic win for the nation!

This crucial win, added to their strong performances againsy Mongolia, Timor-Leste, and Iraq, marked their return to the Asian Cup after 22 years. This success has now fueled the high hopes and big dream of reaching the FIFA Women's World Cup.

Now the question is: How can Indian Women's Football team qualify for the 2027 FIFA World Cup? Let's explore the details below.

Read Also: Best 10 Women's Footballers in the World Right Now

Why does AFC Asian Cup qualification matter?

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the regional body for football in Asia, operating under FIFA. Crucially, the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 isn't just a continental championship; it's Asia's direct qualifying tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.

For 2027, Asia gets six direct World Cup spots and two additional play-off chances. This means performing well in this tournament is absolutely vital for India's World Cup dreams.

They will have to fight for the World Cup spot against 11 nations (7 other qualifying nations from 2025, the host Australia, and the top 3 teams from the previous 2022 edition).

Teams qualified alongside India in 2025 Asian Cup qualifiers:

1. Bangladesh
2. Phillipines
3. Vietnam
4. Chinese Taipei
5. North Korea
6. Uzbekistan
7. TBD

The Top 3 teams of 2022 edition:

1. China (Champions)
2. South Korea (Runners-up)
3. Japan (Third place)

Read Also: Best Indian Football Stadiums – Ranked by Capacity

India's qualification roadmap for the 2027 FIFA World Cup

To reach the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, India's performance at the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 is everything.

Here's how they can make it possible:

• Reach the semi-finals: This is the clearest path for qualification as all four semi-finalists in the Asian Cup will automatically be eligible to qualify for WC.
• In case they don't reach semi-finals: If India reaches the quarter-finals but loses, there's still a chance. The losing teams will play additional matches against each other for the remaining two direct World Cup spots and the two play-off berths.

In short, India must aim to be among the top six teams in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 to have a direct shot at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup.