New York, Sept 21: Asian powers Japan and North Korea got off to winning starts at the women's world cup football while European heavyweights Norway and Germany also won on the tournament's opening day. Japan got three goals from Mio Otani and two from star Homare Sawa to crush South American underdog Argentina 6-0 yesterday. Earlier, Asian champion North Korea got a pair of goals from Jin Pyol Hui to down Nigeria 3-0.
Norway, the 1995 world cup champion, jumped into first place in group b by topping France 2-0 while European champion Germany came back from a goal down to beat Canada 4-1 in group C.
North Korea leads group a with defending champion United States and Sweden set to play later today. Japan tops group C, ahead of Germany on goal difference, and Norway leads group B with Brazil and South Korea also playing today.
In Columbus, Ohio, Sawa got the first two for Japan, hitting the target in the 13th and 38th minutes.
Emi Yamamoto made it 3-0 in the 64th, and Otani netted three late goals to make it a rout with strikes in the 72nd, 75th and 80th minutes.
In the other group match, Germany fell behind early as Christine Sinclair netted a fourth-minute goal for the Canadians.
Bureau Report