Zambia and Japan meet in this Group C encounter at the Waikato Stadium on Saturday and looking to get their respective FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 campaigns off to a positive start.
Zambia are competing in their first FIFA Women’s World Cup finals, having earned their spot via the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Their third-place finish represents their best-ever achievement in the continental championship, and they will come into this tournament in high spirits.
Japan have maintained their ever-present record at the finals by qualifying for this year’s competition. Winners in 2011, they are the only Asian nation to have featured in all nine editions and will be looking to progress deep into this year’s tournament.
Key facts
After featuring in the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time at Tokyo 2020, Zambia are competing in their first FIFA Women’s World Cup finals campaign, having earned their spot after finishing third in the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Japan have not lost their opening match at a FIFA Women’s World Cup finals since 1995, when they went down 1-0 to Germany.
Japan have only previously played one FIFA Women’s World Cup match against African opposition – a 2-1 win against Cameroon in the 2015 group stage.
Japan captain Saki Kumagai is participating in her fourth FIFA Women’s World Cup. An appearance in this match would be her 17th at the finals, which would put her joint-second with Aya Miyama for matches played for the nation in the competition, trailing only Homare Sawa, who featured 24 times for Nadeshiko at the finals.
ZAMBIA TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
Overall record: P: 0 W: 0 D: 0 L: 0 F: 0 A: 0 GD: 0
- Biggest win: n/a
- Biggest defeat: n/a
- Highest scoring match:n/a
- Most goals scored in a match: n/a
- Most goals conceded in a match: n/a
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: n/a
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: n/a
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: n/a
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: n/a
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: n/a
- Successive defeats: n/a
- Successive draws: n/a
- Successive matches without a defeat: n/a
- Successive matches without a win: n/a
- Successive matches with a goal scored: n/a
- Successive matches without scoring: n/a
- Successive clean sheets: n/a
JAPAN TEAM FACTS
FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
Overall record: P: 33 W: 14 D: 4 L: 15 F: 39 A: 59 GD: -20
- Biggest win: 6-0Japan v. Argentina (20/09/2003)
- Biggest defeat: 0-8Japan v. Sweden (19/11/1991)
- Highest scoring match: 8 goals – Japan 0-8 Sweden (19/11/1991)
- Most goals scored in a match: 6 – Japan 6-0 Argentina (20/09/2003)
- Most goals conceded in a match: 8 – Japan 0-8 Sweden (19/11/1991)
- Most goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 12 – 2011 (6 matches)
- Fewest goals scored at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 0 – 1991 (3 matches)
- Most goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 12 – 1991 (3 matches)
- Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA Women’s World Cup: 4 – 2007 (3 matches)
- FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP STREAKS
- Successive wins: 6 (2015)
- Successive defeats: 4 (1991-1995)
- Successive draws: 1 (four times)
- Successive matches without a defeat: 9 (2011-2015)
- Successive matches without a win: 5 (1995-1999)
- Successive matches with a goal scored: 10 (2011-2015)
- Successive matches without scoring: 4 (1991-1995)
- Successive clean sheets: 1 (eight times)
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