With qualification to the knockout stages already secured before their meeting with the European nation, Futoshi Ikeda made five changes for the clash which saw our sky blue figure among the substitutes, before playing the final 30 minutes.
Perhaps the absence of our combative engine room enforcer was being felt as Spain were enjoying the game’s early possession in central midfield.
But it was Japan who netted the clash’s first goal when Saki Kumagai played an exquisite curling ball from the left into the path of Hinata Miyazawa who maintained her composure to slide home in the 10th minute.
That represented her third goal of the tournament and the first Spain had conceded at the historic showpiece.
Having scored eight goals across their opening two matches, La Roja were experiencing a surprising lack of cutting edge in the final third, with their best opportunity falling to Salma Paralluleo whose under hit, drilled effort was calmly claimed by Ayaka Yamashita.
Once again, though, Japan’s counter attack proved clinically fruitful when, moments later, Riko Ueki latched onto a precise ball into the final third before cutting onto her right foot and firing past Misa Rodriguez via a fortuitous deflection.
With five minutes remaining in the first half, the opening 45 astonishingly improved for Japan when they extended their lead further thanks to Miyazawa’s second of the evening.
The 23-year-old thwarted Spain’s high line and broke into the box to rifle the ball into the top corner - making her the tournament’s current top scorer (four).
Looking to decrease the deficit immediately after the interval, Spain came agonisingly close to their first of the evening when Ona Batlle was slid into the left side of the box and curled an effort just wide.
With Japan looking to re-energise their midfield, Ikeda turned to Hasegawa for the final 30 minutes as she replaced Fuka Nagano at the Wellington Regional Stadium.
The 26-year-old’s outing represented her 68th cap for her nation and she was immediately in the thick of the action when nullifying a Spain attack with a challenge on Jennifer Hermoso.
Her introduction onto the field had the desired effect as the Asian nation registered their third successive clean sheet en route to their third consecutive 2023 World Cup win when Mina Tanaka struck a fourth.
Next up for Hasegawa’s Japan is a last-16 meeting with, City colleague, Julie Blakstad’s Norway on Saturday 5 August, with kick-off scheduled for 9:00 (UK).
