Australia won 11-goal thriller, Spain in Olympic football knockouts

FRANCE:

Australia staged an incredible comeback to overturn a three-goal deficit to beat Zambia 6-5 in Olympic women’s soccer on Sunday as World Cup holders Spain secured a place in the quarter-finals and Japan stunned Brazil.

The Australians got off to a torrid start in Group B with a 3-0 loss to Germany in their opening game and appeared to be heading for a second successive defeat when they dismantled Zambia 5-2 early in the second half in Nice.

But the Matildas roared back to win an 11-goal thriller thanks to Michelle Heyman’s 90th-minute strike in a match to remember.

It was a sensational collapse from Zambia, for whom Barbra Banda opened the scoring in the first minute and followed it up with a hat-trick, with Racheal Kundananji scoring twice.

Alanna Kennedy quickly canceled out Banda’s opener, only for Kundananji to restore Zambia’s lead before Banda made it 3-1.

Hayley Raso pulled one back but Banda stepped in to complete her hat-trick just before the break to make it 4-2.

Kundananji then headed home to make it 5-2 on 56 minutes, but Zambia’s defensive gifts were a return to last year’s World Cup semi-finals.

Lushomo Mweemba clears her line off keeper Ngambo Musole and into the net for an own goal, and the keeper then pounces on a Steph Catley foul to make it 5-4.

Catley converted the penalty to make it 5-5 and Heyman ran in the winner.

Record four-time Olympic gold medalists the United States face Germany in Marseille later in the same group.

Spain’s all-star side beat Nigeria 1-0 for their second straight win in Group C, with former Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas scoring a free-kick to decide the game in Nantes.

The world champions are now certain to be at least one of the best third-placed teams and be in the quarter-finals.

Earlier in the same group, Momoko Tanikawa scored a stunning 96th-minute winner as Japan scored twice in stoppage time to come from behind to beat Brazil 2-1 in Paris.

Japan, the 2012 silver medallists, were staring at a second straight defeat in Group C that would have put them in serious danger of a first-round exit after Jennifer put Brazil ahead early in the second half.

But captain Saki Kumagai converted a 92nd-minute penalty to equalize at the Parc des Princes, before 19-year-old substitute Tanikawa’s incredible first-time shot from 30 yards went over the keeper and in for the winner.

It was a remarkable comeback from Japan, for which Mina Tanaka saved a first-half penalty in the goalless game.

The result means Japan and Brazil — the silver medalists in 2004 and 2008 — are now level on three points after two games.

Colombia beat New Zealand 2-0 in Lyon in Group A, in which hosts France will later play Olympic champions Canada.

The Canadians are in turmoil after being deducted six points on Saturday for the spying scandal that led to coach Bev Priestman being banned for a year by FIFA.