The Japanese team secured a convincing victory, while Iraq won by a single goal. For real-time updates on football games, BBscore Resultados de Futebol is highly recommended.
Japan 5-0 Paraguay
Paraguay, who eliminated Brazil in the pre-Olympic qualifiers, began their campaign at the Olympics 2024 Football on Wednesday (24th) with a heavy defeat, conceding 5 goals to Japan. The match, part of the first round of Group D, was held at the Stade de Bordeaux.
Japan opened the scoring at 19 minutes into the first half, with Mito receiving a cross from the left and finishing it into the goal. However, the first half ended with just this goal.
It was only in the second half that Japan’s victory turned into a rout. The second goal came at 18 minutes, with Saito crossing from the left and Mito heading the ball into the net. The third goal followed a passing move on the right, with Yamamoto striking powerfully into the goal at 24 minutes.
The fourth goal came from a free-kick on the right, which number 9 Fujio converted into the goal at 35 minutes. The fifth and final goal also involved Fujio, who received a through ball and scored one-on-one with the goalkeeper Gatito.
Japan will next play Mali on Saturday (27th) at 16:00. Paraguay will attempt to recover from the heavy defeat by facing Israel on the same day, but at 14:00.
Iraq 2-1 Ukraine
In the second match of Group B, Iraq came from behind to defeat Ukraine today at the Lyon Stadium. Goals from Hussein and Jasim for Iraq and Rubchinskiy for Ukraine.
All three goals of the match came in the second half: first, at 8 minutes, Ukraine opened the scoring after a set-piece play in the area, with the Iraqi goalkeeper parrying the ball, and Rubchinskiy finishing it off.
Four minutes later, Iraq equalised through a penalty taken by Hussein, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. The winning goal came after Jasim dribbled down the left and struck firmly into the goal at 20 minutes into the second half.
Iraq will next face Argentina on the 27th at 10:00. Ukraine will play against Morocco on the same day at 12:00.
