Olympics: Hasegawa plays full game as Japan seal late win over Brazil

Yui Hasegawa played the entire 90 minutes for Japan as they scored two late goals to earn a dramatic 2-1 win over Brazil at the 2024 Olympic Games.

Women’s Team
Defeat for Fowler and Kennedy in Olympics opener

Hasegawa put in a typically energetic, composed and tidy performance for her nation at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

It looked like it wouldn’t be enough for Futoshi Ikeda’s side when Jhennifer drilled a second-half strike to put the Selecao ahead.

However, Hasegawa’s team equalised in the 91st minute with a Saki Kumigai penalty after a handball in the box.

With eight minutes added on, Japan weren’t done there.

They continued to attack and it paid off when Momoko Tanikawa curled a shot over goalkeeper Lorena Leite in the dying moments.

It means the 2023 World Cup quarter-finalists have three points from their two matches in France so far after going down 2-1 against world champions Spain on Thursday.

Our new signing Risa Shimizu was not available for Sunday’s clash after coming off injured in that defeat to Spain.

The full-back is now back with City as she begins her recovery.

Japan will qualify for the quarter-finals of this summer’s tournament if they beat Nigeria in their final group game.

That would see them through in the group’s top two but defeat could still see them progress as one of the two best third placed teams across the three groups.

Laia Aleixandri‘s Spain will play Nigeria at 18:00 (UK) this evening, while Australia, with Mary Fowler and Alanna Kennedy, will play Zambia at the same time.

In the men’s competition, Julian Alvarez and Argentina are next in action on Tuesday when they play Ukraine at 16:00 (UK).

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