Spain’s Alexia Putellas runs with the ball throughout the Women’s World Cup Group C soccer match between Spain and Zambia at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand on July 26, 2023.| Photo Credit: AP

Rampant title contenders Spain and former champions Japan grew to become the primary groups to achieve the Women's World Cup final 16 on Wednesday as each gained with ease.

Two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas began for Spain following her severe knee harm and performed her half in a 5-0 demolition of Zambia.

Japan had been on the point of reaching the knockout rounds following their 2-0 win over Costa Rica earlier within the day and the Spain outcome despatched each of them crusing via.

In the ultimate match of the day, Olympic champions Canada took a step in direction of the following spherical by preventing again from a aim down in soaking-wet Perth to win 2-1 in opposition to Ireland, whose hopes of progressing are over.

Japan and Spain meet on Monday to determine who wins Group C, and with it a theoretically simpler draw. Both have an ideal six factors from two video games and are but to concede a aim.

Costa Rica and Zambia play the identical day within the battle to keep away from ending backside of the pile.

Barcelona's Putellas got here off at half-time at Eden Park in Auckland however Zambia had been already useless and buried by then with Spain two objectives in entrance in opposition to the lowest-ranked staff within the match.

Jennifer Hermoso and Alba Redondo each scored twice within the victory in entrance of simply over 20,000 spectators, however Spain coach Jorge Vilda warned their finest was nonetheless to return.

"We haven't seen the best version of Spain, that is absolutely clear," mentioned Vilda.

"After the second goal we took our foot off the pedal and that is something we need to correct. We can't settle for this," he added.

The 2011 champions Japan beat an error-prone Costa Rica comfortably in entrance of 6,992 spectators in Dunedin, the smallest crowd on the finals but.

Japan, who started their marketing campaign by thrashing Zambia 5-0, had been by no means in bother in opposition to an outclassed Costa Rica on the practically 30,000-capacity Dunedin Stadium.

The recreation was successfully killed off within the area of three first-half minutes with objectives from Hikaru Naomoto and 19-year-old Aoba Fujino.

In Group B, World Cup debutants Ireland took the lead in opposition to Canada after simply 4 minutes when captain Katie McCabe scored direct from a nook.

But an personal aim within the tough situations introduced Canada degree simply earlier than half-time after which Adriana Leon scored what turned out to be the winner within the 53rd minute to finish Ireland's World Cup hopes.

Canada high the group with 4 factors from two video games, however Australia will look to leapfrog them by beating Nigeria on Thursday.

The co-hosts Australia should do with just one recognised striker after Manchester City's Mary Fowler was dominated out of the match with concussion.

The Matildas had been already lacking captain and talismanic striker Sam Kerr, who was dominated out of at the very least the primary two matches of the match with a calf harm.

Arsenal's Caitlin Foord is now Australia's solely recognised match striker.

Thursday's motion is headlined by a heavyweight conflict between the United States and the Netherlands in Wellington.

Both groups will count on to get out of Group E, so bragging rights and group supremacy are at stake in a re-run of the 2019 last.

On that event the Americans gained 2-0 and are pursuing an unprecedented third successive World Cup title.

The Netherlands are usually not fairly the pressure they had been however coach Andries Jonker believes the remainder of the world, the Dutch included, are closing in on the United States.

"Are we getting closer? The feeling is yes," he mentioned

"Tomorrow is the first time we can check if we are closer or not."