TOKYO (Reuters) – China’s Wang Shuang scored four goals including a late penalty as the Asian side grabbed a 4-4 draw with Zambia in the Olympics women’s soccer tournament at Rifu’s Miyagi Stadium on Saturday after Babra Banda netted her second hat-trick in as many games.
Zambia, thrashed 10-3 by the Netherlands in their Group F opener, found themselves down 3-0 after first-half strikes by Wang and in real danger of another big defeat, but responded through a Banda penalty and Racheal Kundananji’s goal.
China, who had conceded five goals in their opening defeat by Brazil, let in a third as the in-form Banda struck again in the 46th minute.
The 21-year-old Banda who plays for China’s Shanghai Shengli netted in the 69th minute to take her tally to six goals in two games.
But China had a sting in their tail as Wang stepped up to convert from the spot with seven minutes left to secure a point before they were reduced to 10 women after Li Qingtong was sent off.
Wang became only the third player to score four goals in a match at the Games and second in the tournament after Dutchwoman Vivianne Miedema.
Earlier, Canada forward Janine Beckie scored in either half as they beat Chile 2-1 at the Sapporo Dome.
Manchester City’s Beckie thundered in the opener six minutes before the break after latching on to a cross by Nichelle Prince before the pair combined again after the break to double their team’s advantage.
A well-timed run allowed Beckie to get on the end of a pass by Prince and the 26-year-old forward made no mistake as she finished past Chile’s Christiane Endler.
Chile pulled a goal back through Karen Araya in the 57th minute to ensure a nervy finish but Canada held on for their first win after a 1-1 stalemate in their opening Group E encounter against hosts Japan.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
