Day 1 review

Men’s

Tokyo silver medalists China got off to the perfect start as they look to go one better in Paris as a late Yang Mingyuan goal helped them to a 7-6 victory, seeing off a stirring Japan fightback.

Scorer of all of his side’s goals in the first period, Mingyuan had propelled China into a 5-3 lead with the sides exchanging strikes before a Kazuya Kaneko double restored parity.

It was a contrasting outcome from their opening games three years ago as China suffered a surprise 10-3 defeat to Belgium while the hosts thrashed Algeria 13-4.

In their first Paralympics since winning bronze in 1992, Egypt fell to a 6-3 defeat after a stunning four-goal haul from Vasyl Oliinyk.

The experienced Rodion Zhyhalin and Anton Strelchyk also netted for the 2020 quarter-finalists while Omar Mohamed scored Egypt’s long-awaited goal with Sayed Awwad getting on the scoresheet.

It was a repeat scoreline of their previous meeting in the 2022 World Championships and Oliinyk feels that their previous major tournament experience helped: ‘It is the main part of our success because we have played Egypt before and they are not a new team for us.’

Reigning champions Brazil got their quest for consecutive titles underway with an 8-5 victory over France but were given a scare by the Paralympic debutants before their experience told in the second-half.

Leomon Moreno said: ‘It was difficult with France’s defensive system and we are known as an offensive team so they were prepared for that.’

Women’s

Hosts France fell to a chastening 10-0 mercy defeat to an Emma Reinke-inspired Canada in their opening game of their maiden Paralympics despite being backed by some fervent support.

Reinke had scored a hat-trick when Canada qualified for Paris by winning the Parapan Games last year and she had repeated the feat by half-time alongside a Maryam Salehizadeh brace.

Megan Mahon scored Canada’s sixth before Reinke added another hat-trick and Amy Burk’s late goal secured the mercy victory.

Salehizadeh noted how the atmosphere would make it a different tournament for them: ‘These are the Games that we are going to remember.’

A late goal, completing her hat-trick, from their star player Sevda Altunoluk ensured two-time reigning Paralympic champions Turkey did not start their Paris 2024 campaign with defeat against Brazil.

They had fallen behind early after a well-controlled penalty from Moniza Lima before Altunoluk grabbed two of her own only from Lima to complete her own brace just before half-time.

In a hard-fought contest, the Tokyo bronze medalists seemed to have done enough but will rue seeing Lima’s penalty hit the post at 3-2 moments after Jessica Vitorino had put them ahead with a penalty of her own.

Tokyo bronze medalists Japan claimed an opening round 3-1 win over South Korea who were competing at their first Games, with Norika Hagiwara netting a hat-trick.