Spain beat Japan 3-1 to win the SheBelieves Cup opener

Xinhua | Updated: 2020-03-06 13:55

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Team Spain forward Lucia Garcia (17) celebrates with teammates after scoring her second goal in the second half against Team Japan during the She Believes Cup soccer series at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, US, on March 5, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]

NEW YORK - Lucia Garcia scored twice to help Spain beat Japan 3-1 in the opening match of the SheBelieves Cup in Orlando, Florida on Thursday.

The two teams were 1-1 in the first half at Exploria Stadium and then Garcia scored in the 48th minute to give Spain the 2-1 lead.

The Spaniard scored again in the 78th minute for her third international goal. The 21-year-old forward, who made her national team debut in 2018, also scored in the World Cup last summer in France.

Alexia Putellas gave Spain the early lead with a goal in the eighth minute. Mana Iwabuchi slotted one goal through a sliding volley in the 44th minute to tie it up for Japan.

Spain, ranked No. 13 in the world, will play the top-ranked United States on Sunday when the tournament shifts to Red Bull Arena in New Jersey. Japan, ranked No. 10, will meet world No. 6 England in the other match.

The four-team round-robin tournament is in its fifth year.

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