Riko Ueki and Katrina Gorry were two of five Hammers who featured for their respective nations on Thursday night and in the early hours of Friday morning, as Japan beat Australia 4-0 in their opening SheBelieves Cup clash.
Ueki came on as a second-half substitute for Manchester City’s Aoba Fujino, while Gorry started the match and was withdrawn after 74 minutes at the Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, USA, as a first-half brace from Mina Tanaka put Asia’s top team in the driving seat.
The third goal was a result of some intricate attacking football from Japan, with Tanaka eventually turning provider after a series of pinpoint passes around the penalty area, sliding a ball across the face of goal that Maika Hamano slotted in from close range.
Moeka Minami then added a fourth for the indomitable Japan after 75 minutes, as the 2011 world champions inflicted their heaviest ever defeat on long-time Asian Football Confederation rivals Australia.
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Manuela Paví, meanwhile, was selected for Colombia as they were defeated 2-0 in Thursday’s SheBelieves Cup fixture against the United States, completing 67 minutes of the contest.
Catarina Macario scored the USA’s opener in the 33rd minute following a well-worked team move from the reigning Olympic champions, thumping home a first-time effort beyond Katherine Tapia after connecting with a Yazmeen Ryan cross.
Ally Sentnor then wrapped up victory for the USWNT, launching a right-footed shot from 30 yards into the right-hand corner of the net, bringing up their 14th win under coach Emma Hayes, who is yet to lose a game after 16 matches in charge.
In England, Anouk Denton and Shekeira Martinez did battle as England’s U23s and Germany’s U23s played out a five-goal thriller in Walsall.
Denton played the full 90 minutes for the Young Lionesses, while Martinez played 72 minutes before being substituted for Larissa Mühlhaus as Kathrin Peter’s side gained an international friendly victory at Bescot Stadium in the sides’ first meeting at WU23 level in over 15 years.
England were rewarded for their bright start when Michelle Agyemang collected the ball on the edge of the area and rifled into the top corner.
Martinez was instrumental in creating the equaliser for Germany as our No19's cross found Alara Şehitler, who prodded the ball home from close range after 18 minutes.
And the visitors turned the scoreline on its head just ten minutes later to peg the Young Lionesses back as Şehitler's strike from an indirect free-kick found the top corner, past Khiara Keating.
England restored parity before half-time, as Agyemang got on target again, tapping home after Ella Morris swung in a cross from the right.
But, the decisive moment came six minutes after the restart when Sophie Weidauer latched on to Vanessa Diehm’s long pass, and her effort deflected over Keating as Germany earned a narrow 3-2 win.
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