Group C of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup was one of eight groups that formed the opening round of the tournament with the matches played from 21 to 31 July 2023.[1] The group consisted of Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia and Japan. The top two teams, Japan and Spain, advanced to the round of 16.[2]
Japan secured their place in the knockout stage with wins in all three group games without conceding, a first for the country. With six points, Spain earned more points this year than in their previous Women's World Cups combined; a total of five across two editions. Despite being eliminated, debutants Zambia secured their first and only win in their last match against faltering Costa Rica, finishing third in the group.
Teams
| Draw position | Team | Pot | Confederation | Method of qualification |
Date of qualification |
Finals appearance |
Last appearance |
Previous best performance |
FIFA Rankings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2022[nb 1] | June 2023 | |||||||||
| C1 |  Spain | 1 | UEFA | UEFA Group B winners | 12 April 2022 | 3rd | 2019 | Round of 16 (2019) | 6 | 6 |
| C2 |  Costa Rica | 3 | CONCACAF | 2022 CONCACAF W Championship fourth place | 8 July 2022 | 2nd | 2015 | Group stage (2015) | 37 | 36 |
| C3 |  Zambia | 4 | CAF | 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations third place | 13 July 2022 | 1st | — | Debut | 81 | 77 |
| C4 |  Japan | 2 | AFC | 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup semi-finalists | 30 January 2022 | 9th | 2019 | Winners (2011) | 11 | 11 |
Notes
- ↑ The rankings of October 2022 were used for seeding for the final draw.
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japan |
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | +11 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Spain |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 6 | |
| 3 | Zambia |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 11 | −8 | 3 | |
| 4 | Costa Rica |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | −7 | 0 |
In the round of 16:
- The winners of Group C, Japan, advanced to play the runners-up of Group A, Norway.
- The runners-up of Group C, Spain, advanced to play the winners of Group A, Switzerland.
Matches
All times listed are local, NZST (UTC+12).
Spain vs Costa Rica
| Spain | 3–0 | Costa Rica |
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| Report |
          Spain
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    Costa Rica
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Player of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Zambia vs Japan
    Zambia
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     Japan
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Player of the Match:
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Japan vs Costa Rica
| Japan | 2–0 | Costa Rica |
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| Report |
Japan
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    Costa Rica
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Player of the Match:
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Spain vs Zambia
Spain
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    Zambia
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Player of the Match:
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Japan vs Spain
This match broke long-held FIFA records. Japan women's 23% of possession is the lowest for a winning side at the FIFA Women's World Cup since 2011. This is often compared to Japan 2-1 Spain in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Group E, which Japan's 18% of possession is the lowest for a winning side at the FIFA World Cup since 1966.[3][4] Match statistics reflected Japan women was more incisive and efficient, with only 23% possession, their expected goal (xG) was 0.9 vs 0.7, shots attempted were 7 vs 10, shots on target were 5 vs 2, and goals scored were 4 vs 0.[5]
The Spainish player Aitana Bonmatí reflected "[Japan had] a low block waiting for our mistakes and attacking on the counter, where they killed us".[6] Spain's coach Jorge Vilda said he was surprised by the intensity of Japan’s pressing in the midfield.[4]
| Japan | 4–0 | Spain |
|---|---|---|
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Report |
Japan
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  Spain
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Player of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Costa Rica vs Zambia
| Costa Rica | 1–3 | Zambia |
|---|---|---|
Herrera  47' |
Report |
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 Costa Rica
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Zambia
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Player of the Match:
Assistant referees:
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Discipline
Fair play points would have been used as tiebreakers in the group should the overall and head-to-head records of teams were tied. These were calculated based on yellow and red cards received in all group matches as follows:[2]
- first yellow card: minus 1 point;
- indirect red card (second yellow card): minus 3 points;
- direct red card: minus 4 points;
- yellow card and direct red card: minus 5 points;
Only one of the above deductions was applied to a player in a single match.
| Team | Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3 | Points | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Japan |
0 | ||||||||||||
| Spain |
2 | –2 | |||||||||||
| Costa Rica |
1 | 3 | –4 | ||||||||||
| Zambia |
1 | 2 | 2 | –7 | |||||||||
See also
References
- ↑ "Match schedule: FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023" (PDF). FIFA. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- 1 2 "Regulations: FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023" (PDF). FIFA. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ↑ "The lowest share of possession for a winning side at the FIFA Women". Opta Joe. 31 July 2023.
- 1 2 Cox, Michael (31 July 2023). "Japan are the best side at the World Cup so far – Spain didn't know how to cope with them". The Athletic.
- ↑ "Japan teach Spain a lesson in counter-attacking football". Opta Analyst. 31 July 2023. Archived from the original on 21 August 2023.
- ↑ "Women's World Cup Daily: Matildas send Canada out; Japan cruise". ESPN. 31 July 2023.