USA, World Cup holders Spain win women’s Olympic football openers

PARIS: Reigning Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmati scored one goal and helped create another as World Cup holders Spain beat Japan 2-1 in their first game of the women’s Olympic football tournament on Thursday, while record four-time gold medallists the United States beat Zambia 3-0.

Spain are making their Olympic women’s football debut at the Paris Games but are leading contenders to win gold after their World Cup triumph in Australia and New Zealand last year.

They fell behind against Japan in Group C in the western French city of Nantes to Aoba Fujino’s superb early free-kick, but Bonmati soon equalised as she rounded the goalkeeper to score midway through the first half.

Spain then grabbed the winner in the 74th minute when Mariona Caldentey exchanged passes with Bonmati before firing in.

With 12 teams split into three groups of four, there is margin for error as the two best third-placed sides will advance to the quarter-finals.

That will provide some comfort for Japan, silver medallists at London 2012.

A strong Spain starting XI featured seven players who were in the line-up for last year’s World Cup final win over England in Sydney, plus Alexia Putellas, the two-time former Ballon d’Or winner.