Twin 4-0 victories set the stage at the Women's World Cup

4-0 is a relatively rare score in professional soccer. 

Scoring three goals without a response is much more common; that speaks to a balance of domination and professionalism. A 3-0 scoreline says 'We're clearly the better team here, but let's not embarrass anybody.' 

4-0 is different. 4-0 says 'Let's make a statement.'

Two different such scores came up last night at the Women's World Cup, delivered in matches featuring four potential World Cup champions. The first, Japan defeating Spain, 4-0, was an exercise in stunning, cold precision. 

The second, Australia blanking Canada, 4-0, was the opposite: a big-hearted overflow of emotion. The results are identical, but the paths to achieving them could not have been more different—and Japan and Australia tell fascinating stories about how each nation hopes to win the Cup.

Japan entered its clash with Spain high on two previous victories. It beat Zambia, 5-0, and Costa Rica, 2-0, and looked imperious in both matches. Spain, meanwhile, had gone one better, also defeating Zambia, 5-0, but tossing in a third goal in its win over Costa Rica. Japan and Spain were set to be a meeting of heavyweights.

But Japan shut down any notion of a Spanish challenge mere minutes into the match. Hinata Miyazawa scored her first of two goals in the twelfth minute. By the time she got her second on the stroke of halftime, Spain was already well beaten.