PARIS: Japan’s national soccer team for women, known as Nadeshiko Japan, lost 1-2 to Spain on Thursday in its first group stage match at the Paris Olympic Games.

The match was held before the Paris Games’ opening ceremony, scheduled for Friday. Nadeshiko Japan is aiming to win its first Olympic medal since the 2012 London Games, in which it clinched a silver medal.

In the men’s rugby sevens Thursday, Japan lost two more matches and is set to compete for 11th place against Uruguay on Saturday.

JIJI Press