Spain has made a statement on the second day of the FIFA Women's World Cup with a resounding win over Costa Rica.
The Spanish heavyweights were a class above in Wellington, with a seven-minute burst in the first half which produced three goals.
The opening goal came in the 21st minute when Costa Rica defender Valeria del Campo had a deflected cross hit her legs and trickle into her own net.
Spain wasted no time in increasing their advantage, with Aitana Bonmatí scoring in the 23rd minute and Esther González in the 27th.
Spain had more than 80 per cent of the possession in the first half and 26 shots.
The only blemish on Spain's first half was a missed penalty before half-time, with Jenni Hermoso being denied by Costa Rica keeper Daniela Solera.
Spain continued the dominance in the second half, with Solera required to make multiple diving saves.
Switzerland dominated Philippines to record a 2-0 win and jump to the top of Group A.
A butter-soft penalty scored by Ramona Bachmann and a second-half finish from Seriana Piubel gave the Europeans the win their attacking play merited.
Former Matildas' coach Alen Stajcic's Philippines side couldn't keep pace with the Swiss, who ran rings around them in Dunedin.
Switzerland's breakthrough goal — the first to be scored in the opening half this tournament — arrived fortuitously via the video assistant referee.
The Philippines offered little resistance, going from the 27th minute to the 85th without attempting a shot.
The result means the Swiss leapfrog hosts New Zealand, who won 1-0 over Norway in the tournament's opening game, to sit on top of Group A on goal difference.
Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum has hailed Chiamaka Nnadozie as one of the world's best young goalkeepers after her key role in holding Olympic champions Canada to a 0-0 draw in their opener.
Nnadozie denied Canada's talismanic leader Christine Sinclair from the penalty spot early in the second half and made a close-range save from substitute Evelyne Viens to keep the scores level.
The stops sent Nigerian fans wild in the 21,410-strong crowd at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Friday and earned the Super Falcons a well-deserved point ahead of their meeting with co-hosts Australia next week.
It was also a big result for the Matildas, who are now favourites to top Group B after their tournament-opening win over the Republic of Ireland.
Sinclair, 40, would have become the oldest scorer in Women's World Cup history if she had broken the stalemate.
But her 50th-minute spot kick was denied by 22-year-old Paris FC stopper Nnadozie, who dove left to make a strong save and reacted quickly to punch clear the loose ball.
"Chiamaka has done this before and I will say this and I will embarrass her in front of you all, but I think she's one of the best young goalkeepers in the world right now," Waldrum said.
AAP/ABC
Look back at how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Three more games are done and dusted.
We saw goals, penalties and some brilliant defence today.
We now head into the first weekend of the tournament and there are some big countries coming up.
The United States and England will be in action, and you can follow it all here on the ABC live blog.
Jessica and I are off for the evening.
Goodnight.
I have no idea how Costa Rica did not concede in the second half.
Bravo Daniela Solera. The scoreboard will say you conceded three times, but you were player of the match in this blogger's opinion.
It is perfect duck weather in New Zealand's capital.
The rain is coming down hard.
Daniela Solera looks to have had a cramp.
She is back on her feet, but needed a moment.
She has been outstanding tonight.
Spain are still attacking, but some sting seems to have been taken out of tail.
There is a gulf in class between these two sides, but Costa Rica have never quit.
They push forward, and have a shot blocked, which goes for a corner.
Spain handle the corner well and defuse the moment.
Daniela Solera has been Costa Rica's best.
She makes two diving saves for corners in the space of 40 seconds.
The scoreboard says she has conceded three goals, but she has been peppered from the opening whistle.
If it was not for her great game, it could be 8-0 right now.
Costa Rica are holding in desparation.
Esther González has had two shots blocked in this half.
Now Salma Paralluelo drives into the box and fires. Deflected by goalkeeper Daniela Solera.
Spain starts on top again.
A long shot by Olga Carmona hits the bar.
The Netherlands have accused the Women's World Cup of amateurish organisation as they complained about their training conditions in New Zealand, but they are still using the Bay Oval in Tauranga to prepare for their opening game on Sunday.
Coach Andries Jonker told reporters he feared his players could be injured on the field, which has a hard cricket pitch in the middle, and which the Dutch had asked be taken out months ago.
"When we arrived here on Wednesday, I thought, 'now what is this now?' I will not train on this," he said of the test cricket venue in the Bay of Plenty area.
"We have raised concerns about the cricket pitch previously, we were promised things and now we are very disappointed and angry. We are not satisfied," Jonker said.
"We want to play a good first match against Portugal here, we want to have a top preparation, a top tournament and we also consider ourselves a top team. This does not fit. This fits with amateurism of the highest order."
The Dutch football association (KNVB) said they had expressed concerns to FIFA when they made two inspection visits in both October and February and were promised that the hard pitch would be removed after the cricket season and by the time the Dutch women arrived in New Zealand.
Reporting by Reuters
The free kick is 30 metres from goal.
A low pass is played into the box, and a Spainish player hits the deck.
The ref is not interested in giving another penalty.
Corner awarded to Spain.
It is fired at the near post to González but she heads wide.
Costa Rica keep the deficit at three.
Spurred on by vibrant support from its fans, Nigeria frustrates Canada in a 0-0 draw at the World Cup, proving the Super Falcons will be a dangerous opponent when they face the Matildas next week, ABC Sport journalist Kate O'Halloran writes.
You can continue reading the full analysis at the link below.
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