Action continued today at the WBSC Women's Softball World Championship ©WBSC

Holders Japan qualified as Group One winners for the double-page playoff stage of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Women's Softball World Championship after beating New Zealand 9-2 in Surrey in Canada.

Victory made it three wins out of three for Japan, who now go on to face Group Three winners Mexico in the quarter-finals tomorrow. 

The Mexicans overcame Brazil 5-3 today and were followed in their pool standings by The Netherlands, 9-1 winners at the expense of Cuba.

Awaiting the Dutch are New Zealand, who had to settle for second spot in Group One after their loss to Japan.

The United States, runners-up in 2014, completed a perfect Group Two campaign by thrashing the Philippines 11-0 and will be joined in the next phase by China, 2-0 victors against Australia. 

The United States completed a perfect Group Two campaign by thrashing the Philippines 11-0 ©WBSC
The United States completed a perfect Group Two campaign by thrashing the Philippines 11-0 ©WBSC

Group Four winners Venezuela provide the opposition for the US in the quarter-finals and the South Americans will be looking to bounce back from their 3-0 defeat against Puerto Rico.

Canada edged Puerto Rico to second spot in Group Four by defeating Italy 3-1, setting up a clash with China.

The bottom two teams in each pool have been eliminated from medal contention but will continue in a single-page playoff to determine the final standings.

A record 30 national teams have participated in this year's WBSC Women’s Softball World Championship spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania and Central, North, and South America. 

The gold medal game is scheduled for Sunday (July 24) and will be preceded by the bronze medal match earlier that same day.