Spain's coach, Jorge Vilda, issued a cautionary message, stating that his team has much more to offer following their dominant triumph over Zambia, securing a spot in the last 16 of the Fifa Women's World Cup with a match in hand.

Jenni Hermoso and Alba Redondo both scored twice, propelling Spain to their second consecutive victory in the tournament hosted in Australia and New Zealand.

With an impressive tally of eight goals scored and none conceded, Spain has demonstrated their potential as strong contenders for the World Cup title. Despite their success, Vilda remains resolute that there is still room for improvement and believes his team can deliver an even better performance in the forthcoming matches.

On Monday, 31 July, Spain will take on Japan at 08:00 BST in a match that will determine the winner of Group C. When asked about the upcoming game, Vilda mentioned: "We have not witnessed the finest version of Spain yet, that is undoubtedly evident. We have four days to improve, recover physically and mentally, and put in a better performance against Japan."

After securing a convincing 3-0 victory against Costa Rica last week and taking an impressive 46 shots on goal, Spain continued their momentum against Zambia. In the ninth minute, Teresa Abelleira stunned with a spectacular long-range strike, putting Spain in the lead without delay.

Only four minutes later, on her 100th appearance for the national team, Hermoso skillfully extended the lead with a perfectly executed header, reinforcing Spain's complete dominance on the field.

During the second half, Redondo impressively maneuvered past the goalkeeper, increasing Spain's lead. Subsequently, Hermoso scored her 50th international goal, although the goal's validity required verification through a lengthy video assistant referee check.

Hermoso narrowly missed a hat-trick as her shot hit the crossbar. However, Spain found their fifth goal when Redondo expertly drove the ball home in the closing minutes of the game.

The victory ensures Japan's advancement in the tournament, as they secured a 2-0 win against Costa Rica earlier on Thursday. Presently, Spain holds an advantage over Japan in goal difference, and a draw in their upcoming Monday match will secure the top spot for Vilda's team.