Japan Thrash India 11-0: Miyazawa & Ueki Shine in AFC Women’s Asian Cup
Perth, Australia – Japan delivered a resounding statement of intent at the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, dismantling India 11-0 in a dominant display of attacking football on . The victory secures Japan’s place in the quarter-finals and sends a clear message to their rivals in the tournament.
The Nadeshiko, as Japan’s women’s national team are known, scored five goals in the first half and six after the interval, completely overwhelming a hapless Indian side. The match, played at the Perth Rectangular Stadium, highlighted the significant gulf in quality between the two teams.
Manchester United forward Hinata Miyazawa and West Ham United’s Riko Ueki both scored hat-tricks, leading the charge for Japan. Kiko Seike added a brace, while Yuzuki Yamamoto, Yui Hasegawa, and Maya Hijikata each found the back of the net once.
The statistics paint a stark picture of Japan’s dominance. They registered 35 shots to India’s zero, with 16 of those shots on target. Japan enjoyed 80% of the possession, completing 613 passes compared to India’s 161. A remarkable 65% of the play unfolded in India’s defensive third, while only 3.6% occurred in Japan’s.
Yamamoto opened the scoring in the fourth minute, showcasing her skill with a run that saw her brush past Sanju Yadav and nutmeg Pyari Xaxa before curling a shot into the top corner with her weaker left foot. Hasegawa doubled the lead shortly after, capitalizing on a cut-back from Yamamoto.
Miyazawa then added two goals, both set up by Hasegawa and Mina Tanaka respectively, before Seike converted a penalty in first-half injury time to extend Japan’s lead to five.
The second half saw Japan continue their relentless attack. Two of the three changes made by coach Nils Nielsen at halftime combined immediately, with Hijikata providing the assist for Ueki to score just after the restart. Ueki quickly added a second, her shot deflecting past the Indian goalkeeper Panthoi Chanu.
Seike then scored her second of the match, tapping in a low cross from Hijikata. Hijikata herself got on the scoresheet with a header from another Yamamoto cross, before Ueki completed her hat-trick with a close-range finish. Miyazawa rounded out the scoring with a well-timed run and a finish from a Ueki cross, bringing the final tally to 11.
The result leaves Japan with a maximum of six points from two games in Group C, boasting a goal difference of +13. They are now virtually assured of qualification for the quarter-finals. Chinese Taipei currently sit second in the group on three points, ahead of Vietnam on goal difference. India, with a goal difference of -13, will need a significant improvement and a victory over Chinese Taipei – by more than one goal – to have any chance of progressing to the knockout stages.
This dominant performance represents a significant step forward for Japan after their opening match against Chinese Taipei, which they won 2-0. The victory against India demonstrates their attacking prowess and their ambition to lift the AFC Women’s Asian Cup trophy. The scale of the win serves as a warning to other contenders in the tournament.
For India, the defeat is a harsh reality check. Despite their growing presence in women’s football, they were comprehensively outmatched by a Japanese side operating at a different level. The team will need to regroup and focus on their final group stage match against Chinese Taipei, hoping to salvage some pride and potentially secure a place in the quarter-finals.