SWISS EASE
Fabienne Humm leaps into the arms of Lia Waelti after scoring in a 10-1 victory over Ecuador.
Kyah Simon scored twice to lead Australia to a 2-0 victory over Nigeria in a group stage match Friday in Winnipeg, Canada, at the Women’s World Cup.
Simon beat Nigeria goalkeeper Precious Dede on a feed from Lisa De Vanna to put the Matildas up 1-0 in the 29th minute. She then found herself unguarded in front of the goal to put away Samantha Kerr’s arcing cross in the 68th minute.
Australia, ranked No. 10 in the world, fell 3-1 to the second-ranked United States in its Group D opener.
The Matildas have been to six World Cups, with a best finish of sixth in 2007.
But they were hurt in the win when Kerr was elbowed in the jaw late in the match. The referee did not see it.
Australia Coach Alen Stajcic said the team’s 21year-old star striker would be X-rayed on Friday night to determine whether her jaw was broken.
Nigeria Coach Edwin Okon said the elbow was not intentional.
Nigeria, ranked No. 33, surprised Sweden in the opener, coming back from a 2-0 deficit for a 3-3 tie. The perennial African champion Super Falcons have been to all seven Women’s World Cups, with their best finish a quarterfinal appearance in 1999. They face the U.S. on Tuesday.
Japan 2, Cameroon 1: Aya Sameshima scored in the sixth minute as defend- ing champion Japan became the first team to secure a berth in the knockout stage with a victory over Cameroon in Vancouver.
Yuika Sugasawa added a header off a cross by Aya Miyama in the 17th minute for Japan (2-0), which held on for the win despite a strong performance by Cameroon — which scored in the 90th minute after a strong run and shot by Ajara Nchout.
Cameroon nearly tied the score in stoppage time on a header by Gaelle Enganamouit, but her shot missed just to the left.
Japan plays its final group stage match against Ecuador on Tuesday, while Cameroon (1-1) faces Switzerland.
Switzerland 10, Ecuador 1: Fabienne Humm and Ra- mona Bachmann both had second-half hat tricks as Switzerland earned its first Women’s World Cup victory with a romp over Ecuador at Vancouver.
Humm’s three goals came within six minutes early in the second half, the first coming on a powerful strike from outside the penalty box in the 47th minute to put Switzerland up 3-0.
Bachmann capped her scoring binge in the 81st minute for Switzerland’s 10th goal.
Eseosa Aigbogun and Martina Moser added goals for Switzerland, which opened with a 1-0 defeat to defending champion Japan on Monday.
Angie Ponce scored Ecuador’s first World Cup goal on a penalty kick in the 64th minute.