Paris 2024 Olympics, Day Three Review

Japan find another gear, Spain continue to tick along, Canada continue to stun, what next for Australia? And the dreaded yellow card rule...

Have Japan found the right formula at the right time?

There's no doubt about it, we haven't seen the same smooth, plane-sailing Japan at this Olympic Games as we saw 12 months ago down under.

Yet here we are, they're into the quarter-finals, the same stage they reached last summer, but the Nadeshiko will be under no illusion as they face a resurgent USA side under Emma Hayes.

In terms of contrasting styles, it will prove to be a fascinating match-up, and head coach Futoshi Ikeda has had to really chop and change his team due to injuries, and they appear to be continuing to stack up.

But against Nigeria, Ikeda went on the front foot, with both Riko Ueki and Mina Tanaka up front and Maika Hamano just behind, and it worked to full effect against a side usually solid enough and who don't give up many goals.

Ikeda's hand is being forced by what he doesn't have rather than what he does have, and a similarly front-footed side might not be the way against a team like the USA, but there are signs of life from Japan.

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Spain tick along

The world champions have sort of just gone quietly about their business so far, which is possibly a worry for anyone else.

They've been far from poor, but they haven't set the world alight. It's simply been an efficient and professional job, and it’s job done, for now.