Japan cruised from the get-go. Italy needed to summon their patented gladiator spirit. They will now play Brazil and Portugal respectively in the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup™ quarter-finals. The Seleção and the Seleção das Quinas, for their part, will enter those showdowns on a high after bringing the group stage to a close in scintillating style.
Tanzania 0-9 Japan
Japan goals: Ryo Egawa (1 & 34), Naomi Matsumoto (4), Mizuki Nakamura (18), Kaho Ito (24), Yuka Iwasaki (26 & 27), Kyoka Takahashi (27), Anna Amishiro (33)
Player of the Match: Ryo Egawa
Ryo Egawa was in disagreement with several team-mates after 40 minutes at PhilSports Arena. The pivot insisted she wasn’t among the best players on the planet. They weren’t having any of it. The evidence backed them up. Egawa’s excellence put Tanzania to the sword, and now she has Brazil in her sights.
“We tried our best to reach the knockout phase, but Japan are a really, really good team. We’re new to this sport. It’s been an amazing experience. Playing at the World Cup is the stuff of dreams.”
Zuhura Waziri, Tanzania goalkeeper
“I think we played really well. We’re really happy to have won and extremely excited to play Brazil. They beat us last year so now it’s our time to take revenge and beat them.”
Naomi Matsumoto, Japan winger
The result was Japan’s second-biggest clean-sheet victory in history. The Nadeshiko Five battered Bahrain 13-0 in 2018.
New Zealand 0-10 Portugal
Portugal goals: Janice Silva (3 & 13), Debora Lavrador (8), Fifo (14 & 14), Ines Matos (18), Maria Pereira (23), Kaka (23), Martinha (33), Cat Pretty OG (39)
Player of the Match: Janice Silva
The immortal Ricardinho, who inspired Portugal to the FIFA Futsal World Cup™ title in 2021, was in the crowd to cheer them towards global glory in the Philippines. He witnessed another two legends in blazing form. Fifo and Janice Silva both decorated doubles with wonder goals as Luis Conciecao’s charges marched into the last eight on maximum points.
“Ricardinho is a legend, an extraordinary player with tremendous quality. He’s the greatest of all time. It’s good to feel the support of such an excellent player, excellent professional. Now it’s time to forget about the victory and focus on our next target.”
Janice Silva, Portugal pivot
“This experience has been amazing. We had family and friends come over and share it with us, which has been so special. We got to play against some of the best teams in the world. Hopefully we made our country proud.”
Danielle Bradley, New Zealand goalkeeper
There were just 20 seconds between Fifo’s goals, making it the fastest brace of Philippines 2025. Yuka Iwasaki scored twice for Japan against Tanzania in 41 seconds, while Amandinha did the same for Brazil against Panama in 42 seconds.
IR Iran 1-3 Italy
Iran goal: Farzaneh Tavasoli (10)
Italy goals: Adrieli Berte (30), Bruno Borges (30), Gaby Vanelli (35)
Player of the Match: Gaby Vanelli
Farzaneh Tavasoli seemed destined to headline a showdown of seismic stakes. The goalkeeper had fired the ball into the Italian net and then protected the Iranian one immovably. It was going to take something special to beat her, and Adrieli Berte’s dink was just that. Bruna Borges and Gaby Vanelli then powered Francesca Salvatore’s side to victory.
“Obviously I’m super happy to have scored, but I just wish that we could have got the three points. That would have made me feel a lot happier. But overall I think we were able to make our presence felt in a big way in the first round.”
Farzaneh Tavasoli, Iran goalkeeper
“I’ve known Adriane for a long time. When she got the ball, I knew she was going to do that. She reads goalkeepers coming out really well. It was a great goal, such an important goal. It changed the game.”
Brenda Bettioli on Adrieli Berte’s dink
Farzaneh Tavasoli went down in history as the first goalkeeper to score in the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup.
Panama 0-9 Brazil
Brazil goals: Kenia Rangel (1), Camila (4), Debora Vanin (6), Tampa (7, 35 & 37), Lucileia (15 & 18), Simone (20)
Player of the Match: Lucileia
Brazil thrill from everywhere and score from everyone. Another three players got their first World Cup goals as Wilson Saboia’s side demonstrated their immense strength in depth. Lucileia, at the age of 42, bagged twice, while Tampa also netted a tremendous treble and Simone also celebrated ripping net. It’s easy to see why the Brazilians are the team to beat.
Brazil extended their world-record run of successive victories to 40. During this period Wilson Saboia’s Seleção have scored 290 goals and conceded only 15.
