Zambia creates history with emphatic win, secures third place in Group C
Zambia secures historic victory in Women's World Cup, claiming a 3-1 win against Costa Rica Despite earlier defeats, Zambia finished third in Group C while Japan emerged as group leaders after a dominant 4-0 triumph over Spain
Zambia celebrated their inaugural win at the Women's World Cup as they defeated Costa Rica 3-1 at Waikato Stadium. Despite both teams being eliminated from the knockout stage, Zambia secured third place in Group C after suffering two consecutive 5-0 defeats. Meanwhile, Japan claimed the top spot following their impressive 4-0 victory over Spain. With three defeats in three matches, Costa Rica finished at the bottom of the group without earning a single point.
Defender Lushomo Mweemba has netted the quickest goal of the tournament thus far, delivering an impressive volley just two minutes and 11 seconds into the match. Following this remarkable feat, captain Barbra Banda extended the lead by converting a penalty just after the 30-minute mark.
Zambia earned the penalty when Banda was brought down inside the six-yard box. Maintaining her composure, the forward confidently placed the ball into the bottom left corner, resulting in the 1,000th goal in the history of the Women's World Cup.
Costa Rica, in their second World Cup appearance, remained eager to secure their first victory in the tournament. They managed to reduce the deficit early in the second half as Melissa Herrera successfully bundled the ball into the net after Catherine Musonda, the goalkeeper, failed to clear it.
In a bid to gain an advantage, Costa Rica appealed for a penalty after midfielder Priscila Chinchilla collided with Musonda inside the penalty area. However, their appeal was rejected following an extensive VAR check, where replays indicated that forward Sheika Scott had been offside in the preceding play.
What is the Women's World Cup schedule?
The group stage, which spans over a two-week period and culminates on August 3, has commenced. Teams that secure first and second place in their respective groups advance to the round of 16, scheduled to occur from August 5 to August 8.The quarter-finals are set to take place on August 11 and 12 in Wellington, Auckland, Brisbane, and Sydney. Following these matches, the first semi-final will be held on August 15 in Auckland, and the second semi-final will be played on August 16 at the Accor Stadium in Sydney. The final match will be hosted by the Accor Stadium on August 20.
A third-place play-off will be played the day before the final on August 19 in Brisbane.
