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The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup: Group Stage Summary

Writer's picture: Skyla ClarkeSkyla Clarke

A year on from the thrilling FIFA Women's World Cup down under I realised that I had this saved in my drafts, where I had poured my heart and soul into writing summaries for every group stage game from Group A to D, where I clearly lost motivation afterwards and did not complete the rest. Since I barely remember what happened in the other groups, I have just included the pieces that I actually did write up, so please indulge yourself in those for some 2023 nostalgia!


Group A

New Zealand vs Norway: 1-0

The opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup was held at Eden Park, between frequently predicted group winners Norway, and host country New Zealand. The atmosphere was ecstatic, the first game of the competition was in front of a crowd of 42,000 Football Ferns Fans—something that has never been seen before in New Zealand football, men’s or women’s. Kick off was shortly after the opening ceremony, and it was safe to say that the Ferns were looking much better than back in February, where they lost to Argentina and Portugal by ridiculous scores. Norway was a much better team on paper, Ballon D’or winner Ada Hegerberg in striker, and multiple Premier League players such as Guro Reiten of Chelsea, Julie Blakstad of Manchester City, Frida Maanum of Arsenal featuring in the starting lineup. Norway is ranked 12th in the world compared to New Zealand at 26th. However, the Ferns initially seemed to be controlling possession, successfully stringing together passes and frustrating Norwegian defences. Chances were plentiful, however the goals never seemed to come. The half-time score was a humbling nil all, despite all of the opportunities our strikers Hannah Wilkinson and Jacqui Hand were provided. However, shortly after the second half started (and while my poor friend was still waiting in line for the bathroom) a beautiful cut-back from Jacqui Hand provided Hannah Wilkinson with the perfect opportunity to smash the ball into the net—in which she did. The stadium went feral, everybody cheering and crying for our Ferns, our football girls who have previously done it tough. Now it was just a matter of holding on to the lead, for 52 whole minutes thanks to 10 minutes of extra time added by the referee. The shots kept flowing in from the Norway attack, with one seemingly inevitable goal only hitting the crossbar. Similar occurred for New Zealand, with a screamer from Indiah-Paige Riley being fearlessly saved by the Norwegian keeper. In the 88th minute VAR awarded New Zealand a penalty, due to a handball from Bayern Munich centre back Tuva Hansen. Our one-and-only Ria Percival of Tottenham Hotspur stepped up to take the penalty, and was cheered on by the 40,000. She struck the ball aiming high, and nicked the cross bar resulting in a miss. No player was able to hit the rebound in, resulting in another opportunity missed for the Ferns. For the last 12 minutes, Norway started a more furious attack, and the sound of whistles engulfed the stadium, explicitly telling the referee to end the game. New Zealand desperately tried to hold on to the lead, and finally the game was over. New Zealand had won their first ever World Cup game—men’s or women’s. The 20th of July 2023 will go down as the most successful night in New Zealand football history, all thanks to the glorious goal from Hannah Wilkinson.


Switzerland vs Philippines: 2-0

Group A’s second game was where Switzerland played world-cup debutants the Philippines in Dunedin. Switzerland, ranked 20th in the world, have had interesting form over the past six months leading up to the World Cup, drawing in nearly every single one of their friendlies against Poland, China, Zambia and Morocco. The Philippines, ranked 46th in the world have also had interesting form, only winning 2 out of 3 matches in the Southeast Asian Games after dominating in the first round of Asia Olympic Qualifiers. So, it was bound to be an interesting game. Soon after kick-off the shots from the Swiss fired at the Philippine goal, keeper Olivia McDaniel catching or deflecting them all. But the real action started just before halftime, where a scramble in a box led to a Swiss player on the ground, who ended up being accidentally kicked by a Philippine player who was aiming for the ball. The VAR decision awarded Switzerland a penalty, somewhat unfairly so. PSG forward Ramona Bachmann steps up to take the penalty, and firmly plants it in the back of the net while McDaniel barely moves. There was little action in the second half, except for a cross directly into the box which led to another chaotic scramble and some good deflections by the keeper, but eventually midfielder Seraina Piubel smashed it across the line, and gave Switzerland the 2-0 lead. This was the final score of the game, with little happening in the last 30 minutes. And so, Switzerland were at the top of the table in Group A closely followed by New Zealand, needing to win only one more game to progress through to the round of 16.


Philippines vs New Zealand: 1-0

Predicted a fairly easy win for New Zealand, this game did not believe in predictions. Held in a fairly packed Sky Stadium, the Ferns were hyped after their recent win over Norway. However, it was early in the game when a set piece from the Philippines was poorly defended by the Ferns, which led to a header ending up in the goal, where poor Vic Esson fumbled the ball and ended up dropping it. The hearts of kiwi fans were broken, but because the game was only 20 minutes in, hope was still alive. And New Zealand’s chances were plentiful. Katie Bowen struck just wide of the post in the 38th minute, In the 56th minute Hannah Wilkinson headed it just above the crossbar, and in the 64th minute Jacqui Hand hit the post. However, the most painful of all opportunities came in the 68th minute when a beautiful header from Hand landed in the goal, but VAR proved Wilkinson’s earlier run offside, by the smallest margins known to man. Fans were outraged (as was I), but this resulted in the final score remaining 1-0 to the Philippines, meaning that the Football Ferns were unable to score the 3 points that we all expected, leaving more work to do in the game against Switzerland.


Switzerland vs Norway: 0-0

Supposedly the most competitive game of Group A, Switzerland and Norway faced off in Hamilton for their second game of the tournament. Both teams are strong forces in European football, but as previously mentioned Norway fell short of expectations, after losing to hosts New Zealand. Switzerland however had been thriving, coming off a 2-0 against the Philippines. So, Switzerland’s starting lineup remained reasonably similar, while Norway benched three players that somewhat underperformed in their previous match. However, just after the national anthems, superstar Ada Hegerberg walked off down the tunnel, and was therefore removed from Norway’s starting lineup. Confusion upset the crowd, as the Norway side was scanned to look for the famous number 14. It was only after the match where clarification was provided, saying that Hegerberg felt discomfort while sprinting, and the team did not want to risk her gaining a more serious injury. So, a different striker was quickly swapped into the lineup, and the game commenced. It seemed that Switzerland were controlling the possession, having multiple attacking chances. However, it would be my recommendation that Switzerland start taking shooting lessons, because it seemed that there were absolutely no shots on target throughout the whole game. In the second half, Norway had a few more chances and shots, but nothing more came. The game ended in a goalless draw, disappointing for both Norway (who were trying to salvage their World Cup campaign after the first loss), and New Zealand (who wanted Switzerland to win in order to eliminate Norway from the running for round of 16 qualification). This left both teams with work to do in order to progress to the next stage of the tournament.


Norway vs Philippines: 6-0

This game was life or death for either team. If Norway lost, they would be eliminated. If the Philippines lost, they would be eliminated. And the amount of goals scored would determine New Zealand’s placing in the group. At only 6 minutes in, it wasn’t looking good for the Philippines, with a glorious high kick from Sophie Román Haug after a precise cross into the box from Thea Bjelde leading the ball straight past McDaniel and right into the net. There was still hope for the Kiwis, now on the same goal difference as Norway, but it didn’t stay this way for long. In the 17th minute, a similar cross was placed in exactly the same position, sending the ball to Román Haug who headered it in the same location as her first goal, right past poor McDaniel, who had had exceptional form this tournament. The shots kept coming from Norway, like bullets aiming for the heart of all New Zealand fans. In the 30th minute the Philippines conceded again, with Barcelona forward Caroline Graham Hansen smashing it into the bottom corner, out of McDaniel’s reach. The 39th minute was the first time the Philippines had any real opportunities, where a throw-in ball ends up in the box but is shot straight at Aurora Mikalsen. Soon after half time Norway continued their attack, where Frida Manuum crosses the ball into the six-yard box, and Alicia Barker awkwardly attempts to deflect the ball from reaching Guro Reiten, but it bounces off her knee and McDaniel couldn’t save it. The score was now 4-0, the Philippines were getting demolished and the Fern’s hopes of getting through to the next round were too. More drama was to come, where Jaclyn Sawicki attempted to stop Chelsea midfielder Guro Reiten from reaching the goal, but clumsily pushed her over. This led to a VAR review which resulted in an awarded penalty, which Reiten planted in the net with ease. And yet, Norway was not finished fighting. Shot after shot came, and the Philippines were getting desperate—a red card being awarded to recently-subbed on defender Sofia Nicole Dador Harrison after a harsh tackle on Bjelde. 5 minutes into extra time, and Norway proved just what the are worth, with another header from Román Haug earning her a hattrick, and causing Norway to lead by six. The game ended with making it out of the group in second place, set up to face either Japan or Spain.


New Zealand vs Switzerland: 0-0

The equation was simple. Win, and history would be made. Lose or draw, and their historic Women’s World Cup campaign would be over. The stage was set in Dunedin, a crowd of 25,000 showing up to support their Ferns. In the latest FIFA rankings, Switzerland were only ranked six places ahead of us, in 20th. We had already beaten Norway, ranked 12th. How hard could it be to beat the Swiss? Our lineup was similar to that of the Philippines game, except Indiah-Paige Riley and Betsy Hasset were swapped with the more experienced Annalie Longo and Olivia Chance. The first half was actionless. No chances, no goals, no qualification. In the second half New Zealand swapped Hasset and Riley back on for Longo and Chance, and the work continued. More subs came, in order to try and re-energise the team. Lack of chances continued, and the crowd’s anxiety grew, knowing that all they needed was one goal. Jacqui Hand has an amazing shot, which ricochets off the post, putting a hole in every fan’s heart. Toward the end of the half, New Zealand were awarded multiple set pieces, bringing all players into the goal box for a chance to direct it into glory. Nine minutes of extra time were awarded, and the Football Ferns had multiple chances on goal, but just could not convert. In the end, the Ferns had 4 times the amount of shots on goal than the Swiss, but they were unsuccessful in getting any past the Swiss keeper, and were therefore unsuccessful in qualifying for the round of 16. Tears were shed as the Ferns realised their defeat, the most experienced players such as Katie Bowen and CJ Bott showing just what it meant. However, it wasn’t all bad for the team. The Football Ferns gathered fans along their World Cup journey, having the rare opportunity to have many games at home. They were able to get their first ever win at a World Cup, and played in front of record-breaking crowds. They were inspirations to many young girls across New Zealand, where players such as Ali Riley and Vic Esson were given the chance to share their message. At the end of the day the result didn’t matter, thanks to the encouraging force the Ferns were to people all across New Zealand and the World.

W

D

L

GD

Points

Switzerland

1

2

0

2

5

Norway

1

1

1

5

4

New Zealand

1

1

1

0

4

Philippines

1

0

2

-7

3

Group B

Australia vs Republic of Ireland: 1-0

The second game of the Women’s World Cup came shortly after New Zealand’s historic victory, and also shortly after an upsetting notification from Sam Kerr, informing the Australian fans that she would be out of the first two games of the tournament thanks to a calf injury. Kerr was sadly missed, with little action in the first half. However early in the second half Hayley Raso was pushed over in the box, leading to a straight penalty. 75,000 Matildas fans watched as captain Steph Catley stood up to take the penalty, and she forcefully planted it into the back of the net, causing the crowd to radiate with joy. Little action happened after this penalty, except for a Republic of Ireland set piece in the final minutes of the game, which was hit just over the net by Brighton Midfielder Megan Connolly. So, although Australia’s superstar was out of this match, the Matildas had no problem in gaining their first win of this tournament, in front of a beaming home crowd.


Nigeria vs Canada: 0-0

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics saw Canada claim the gold medal over 3rd ranked Sweden and football superstars the United States, so hopes were high seeing the team enter a relatively difficult group. Nigeria are also a strong team in this group of death, winning the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations nearly every year since 1991, only just falling short last year to place 4th behind Zambia, Morocco and South Africa. Since then, they have won nearly all of their friendlies, including those against Costa Rica, Haiti and New Zealand. If we were to turn to the FIFA rankings it would appear to be an easy game for Canada, who are ranked 7th compared to Nigeria at 40th. But what happens on gameday is never predictable, as proven by this match set at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium. Soon after kickoff Canada had a chance to display their worth, with an opportunity from legend Christine Sinclair making it just over the top corner. 16 minutes later Nigeria had their first chance, with NY/NJ Gotham FC forward Ifeoma Onumonu striking just at the bottom corner, which was skillfully deflected by her leaguemate Kailen Sheridan of San Diego WAVE FC. The rest of the first half was relatively actionless, however quickly into the second half came the drama. Christine Sinclair was fouled in the box, where one of the Nigerian defenders took out her legs. VAR awarded a penalty, and Sinclair, the 40-year-old captain with appearances at six different world cups, stepped up to the spot to take the penalty kick. She shoots low, but Chiamaka Nnadozie’s arm is there to stop it! It rebounds, but Nnadozie quickly scoops it up before any more shots can be taken. After that, the game remained nil all, and the only other action to occur was in the 7th minute of extra time, where VAR awarded a red card to Deborah Abiodun of Nigeria for a horrendous tackle on the ankles of Ashley Lawerence. The game ended 0-0, the future open and unpredictable for both teams.


Canada vs Republic of Ireland: 2-1

It seemed too early in the tournament to worry about any teams being eliminated, but that was the burden that the Republic of Ireland had on their backs as they headed into a match against the Olympic champions. But captain and Arsenal forward Katie McCabe took great effort to try and reduce these stresses, taking a corner after Kailen Sheridan deflected a shot by Kyra Carusa. McCabe effortlessly strikes the ball with her left foot, it travelling all the way over the heads of any player but falling just at the crossbar, Sheridan only getting a light touch before it hit the post and reflected into the corner of the net. It was a magnificent goal, and the Republic of Ireland’s first ever at a Women’s World Cup, showing just how special Katie McCabe is. That only happened in the 4th minute of the match, so it was looking good for Ireland but scary for the Canadians, who really needed a win or a draw to have any shot at qualifying for the round of 16. The sides seemed relatively even in the 25 minutes that followed, where they both fought for the win a huge deal. Extreme pressure was put on McCabe by the Canadian defence, who didn’t want to let another goal get past them. In the 30th minute the Canadians had their first real opportunity, with Jessie Flemming sending a beautiful ball into the 18-yard box, plenty of Canadian attackers being readily available. The ball is flicked to Lyon centre back Vanessa Gilles, who knocks it just over the crossbar. In the last few minutes of the half’s extra time, Julia Grosso sent a low ball into the penalty box, which ended up being deflected by Megan Connolly into the far corner of the goal. This caused Canada to draw even, meaning that the second half was in anybody’s hands. After multiple substitutions and 10 minutes in the second half, a real opportunity arose for Canada to take the lead. Houston Dash midfielder Sophie Schmidt crossed it to Adriana Leon who was positioned just at the edge of the box, and she dribbled past the pressure of McCabe, then shot straight past the keeper. The rest of the match saw great efforts from both teams, with the many substitutions having noticeable impact on the play. In the end it wasn’t enough to save the Republic of Ireland, so Katie McCabe and the Girls in Green were the first team to book a ticket home from Australia. It seemed too early in the tournament to worry about any teams being eliminated, but that was the burden that the Republic of Ireland had on their backs as they headed into a match against the Olympic champions. But captain and Arsenal forward Katie McCabe took great effort to try and reduce these stresses, taking a corner after Kailen Sheridan deflected a shot by Kyra Carusa. McCabe effortlessly strikes the ball with her left foot, it travelling all the way over the heads of any player but falling just at the crossbar, Sheridan only getting a light touch before it hit the post and reflected into the corner of the net. It was a magnificent goal, and the Republic of Ireland’s first ever at a Women’s World Cup, showing just how special Katie McCabe is. That only happened in the 4th minute of the match, so it was looking good for Ireland but scary for the Canadians, who really needed a win or a draw to have any shot at qualifying for the round of 16. The sides seemed relatively even in the 25 minutes that followed, where they both fought for the win a huge deal. Extreme pressure was put on McCabe by the Canadian defence, who didn’t want to let another goal get past them. In the 30th minute the Canadians had their first real opportunity, with Jessie Flemming sending a beautiful ball into the 18-yard box, plenty of Canadian attackers being readily available. The ball is flicked to Lyon centre back Vanessa Gilles, who knocks it just over the crossbar. In the last few minutes of the half’s extra time, Julia Grosso sent a low ball into the penalty box, which ended up being deflected by Megan Connolly into the far corner of the goal. This caused Canada to draw even, meaning that the second half was in anybody’s hands. After multiple substitutions and 10 minutes in the second half, a real opportunity arose for Canada to take the lead. Houston Dash midfielder Sophie Schmidt crossed it to Adriana Leon who was positioned just at the edge of the box, and she dribbled past the pressure of McCabe, then shot straight past the keeper. The rest of the match saw great efforts from both teams, with the many substitutions having noticeable impact on the play. In the end it wasn’t enough to save the Republic of Ireland, so Katie McCabe and the Girls in Green were the first team to book a ticket home from Australia.


Nigeria vs Australia: 3-2

The atmosphere was the same as a week ago. The stadium was packed with a crowd of yellow, everyone heading to the Suncorp Stadium on that Thursday night to go and support the Matildas. The lineup was nearly the same as a week ago, with Mary Fowler being swapped with Emily Van Egmond after she suffered from a mild concussion in training. There was still no Sam Kerr. But no problem, right? The Aussies had most of the possession in the first half, having plenty of opportunities that remained unsuccessful, as well as an injury scare from Cortnee Vine (who eventually recovered and went back onto the pitch). When it looked like the half was going to end at 0-0, Caitlin Foord took the ball down the left wing, cutting it back to San Diego Wave’s Van Egmond, who rolled it past the Nigerian keeper and into the far corner of the goal. The crowd went crazy, the yellow shining brighter than ever. However, the half’s extra time was not yet over, and the Nigerians were out for the comeback. Rasheedat Ajibade took a long shot which ricocheted off of Ellie Carpenter towards Uchenna Kanu, who didn't hesitate to tap it past the keeper, making the score 1-1. The Nigerian team brought the same energy in the second half, striking their comeback in the 65th minute from a corner kick. Ajibade headers it to the keeper, who only deflects it to the ground for a bounce straight to Osinachi Ohale’s head, which soon sends the ball into the goal. And still, the comeback wasn’t finished. Only 10 minutes later another opportunity arose for the Super Falcons, with a ball for halfway rising over the Australian defence for Asisat Oshoala, who managed to run past Mackenzie Arnold and boot it just by the far post into the goal. It was an embarrassing defensive mix-up for the Matildas, who had multiple opportunities to clear the ball out of the area, but the header from Alanna Kennedy towards the goal created confusion between her and Arnold, and ultimately lead the Super Falcons to a two goal lead. The last half hour was intense, with many chances for the Australians to try to equalise, but all that came was a 99th minute consolation goal from a corner, where Kennedy headered immediately into the goal. But was it going to be enough? The Matildas still had about a minute of extra time to get another goal, with all 11 players playing in a full-out attacking style (including the goalkeeper). But the whistle blew, and it became the first time in 20 years that the host nation conceded more than three goals in a match, after the USA lost to Germany 3-0 in 2003. The Australians had a tough job to do against Canada, so were hoping for a speedy recovery of their superstar Sam Kerr.


Republic of Ireland vs Nigeria: 0-0

The Girls in Green already knew their flight number back to their home when the whistle sounded, but this was an opportunity for them to get their first ever Women’s World Cup win, so they still played their hardest. This match was also important for the Super Falcons, as a win or draw would send them through to the first round. The first chance for the Republic of Ireland came early in the game, a similar time to their last goal against Canada. Sinead Farrelly sent a ball back from inside the box to Katie McCabe, who had a clear path to shoot but the ball rolled just past the far post. The next attacking chance came after a Nigerian interception, which brought the ball right up into the Irish box, but Oshoala shot too far and it strayed wide of the goal once again. Little happened in the rest of the first half, every shot either being saved or too wide. Looking at the post match statistics, it doesn’t appear like it changed all that much in the second half, with only 1 shot on target for the Republic of Ireland, and 2 for Nigeria. Nigeria’s best chance came in the 51st minute, when Uchenna Kahu headered a ball from Toni Payne aiming for the bottom corner, but it bounced up and ended up being deflected by the crossbar and then cleared by Niamh Fahey. A minute later another great chance came for the Super Falcons, but Oshoala sent the ball just wide of the goal again. In the end the teams were too even to separate, and despite Nigeria having more chances they were unable to prove it with a goal. It didn’t matter though, because Nigeria had now qualified for the knockout stages for the second consecutive time, gaining just one point over Canada.

Australia vs Canada: 4-0

It was do or die for the Olympic Champions and the hosts. Whoever lost was out. A draw couldn’t confirm who would get through depending on the result of the Nigeria vs Republic of Ireland game. One team had to win. There was a positive forecast for the Matildas, having another packed stadium of supporters, and having a recovered Sam Kerr. The lineups were both very similar to that of each team’s first games. The only change that was made to the Australian starting team was Mary Fowler’s return following her mild concussion, and Sam Kerr only fit enough to return to the bench. Canada made a similar change, with Christine Sinclair starting up front again. Within 10 minutes Australia showed their first attacking threat, which—spoiler alert—ended up being very successful. A cross from Steph Cately down the left wing ends up in the position of Hayley Raso, who takes care to line up her shot and nutmegs Ashley Lawrence in the process of forcing the ball to the far corner. The sensational goal was initially ruled offside, but VAR helped in breaking the hearts of the Canadians by allowing the goal, and allowing Australia to lead by one. The same combination of Cately and Raso set up many chances in the first half, but there were no more goals until a great chance formed from the ball being carried up from the Matilda’s defensive line in the 32nd minute of play. Ellie Carpenter took it down the right wing, passing it through the middle in preparation for a goalmouth scramble, where Raso’s shot got poorly defended by Vanessa Gilles, Carpenter having another chance to score but hitting it right at Sheridan. Sheridan then deflected the ball straight to Fowler’s feet, who booted it right into the top of the net. She jumped around with her teammates, beaming with happiness after her first Women’s World Cup goal. However, VAR controversially ruled the decision offside as Ellie Carpenter was infront of only one Canadian player, making her offside. And despite the fact that she didn’t touch the ball, she still interfered with play by drawing defender Kadeisha Buchanan out. Although this initially helped the Canadians to reduce the goal difference and still have a chance at a comeback, Cately managed to get a corner thanks to a deflection by one of the Canadian defenders. Carpenter took the corner, placing it high at the far post. The ball dropped to the ground, and it was a scramble for each team to kick it in the direction they wanted. However, Raso managed to flick it around and into the goal, giving the Matildas a real two goal lead. Halftime approached, and at the start of the second half Canada meant business. There were four substitutions, getting fresh legs onto the pitch in the hopes that goals would come with them. However, Australia’s attack did not stop, with more threats coming from Van Egmond and Cooney-Cross in the 51st and 53rd minute respectively. In the 58th minute Caitlin Foord had a good dribble into the 18-yard box, then passed it to Fowler who struck the post. Luckily for her, the post reflected the goal just past the line while Sheridan was still on the ground facing the other direction after getting ready to defend Foord. However, instead of celebrating the goal with her teammates like she did after her first goal, Fowler looked around the pitch anxiously for the referee to see if the goal would count. In a post-match interview she describes the goal as “so awkward. I didn’t know whether to celebrate or not, ‘cause I was like well what if it gets denied again then I just look double cringe.” It wasn’t denied, and the 20-year-old had successfully scored her first World Cup goal, giving Australia a 3 nil lead. It was looking embarrassing for Canada, but they were able to build up an attacking threat around 10 minutes later, where winger Deanne Rose shot on target, but the left foot of Arnold flicked the ball across the goal and out of harm’s way, leaving Canada without a goal. Little hope was left for Canada, but just to rub it in a penalty was awarded to the Australians in extra time after Jessie Fleming fowled Katrina Gorry inside of the box. Steph Cately was there to convert the penalty, sending the ball into the top left corner, the same way in which Sheridan dove, but the ball flew just past her. It was over for Canada. Four minutes to go, and four goals to score to keep the World Cup hopes alive. It was impossible. And so at 98 minutes Australia had progressed through to the knockout stage, with their biggest win in the Women’s World Cup ever over the Olympic champs pushing them through. This was the final appearance for Christine Sinclair, a legend who has played at six different world cups since 2003. In a post-match interview she was asked what her message was to all of the teammates that she hugged after the match, and she replied “I just love them all. You’re going to make me cry.” she said, her voice breaking up. “We go through everything together. You know, winning and losing. It’s all part of the game, it's why we love the sport.” One of those teammates, Jessie Flemming, was also rather emotional after the loss, tearing up in an interview with CBC Sports. Fleming was asked what she wanted to say to all of the fans in Canada who woke up early to watch the game and replied: “yeah I mean I guess I’m sorry. I think we are probably just as disappointed as you are and yeah, I hope next summer we can do better for you guys.” It was unfortunate to see such a powerhouse in women’s football leave the competition so early, but at the end of the day they weren’t the best team in Group B, causing them to fall short.

W

D

L

GD

Points

Australia

2

0

1

4

6

Nigeria

1

2

0

1

5

Canada

1

1

1

-3

4

Republic of Ireland

0

1

2

-2

1

Group C

Spain vs Costa Rica: 3-0

Ranked 6th in the world, Spain seemed like a team that had a great chance of taking the trophy home in late August. They had done well at the 2023 Cup of Nations hosted in Australia, beating every participating team except for the hosts. And, in the last year’s European competitions they had also succeeded, topping their group in the UEFA qualifying tournament and reaching the quarter finals of the Euro’s. They have also won every single friendly that they have participated in in the past six months, beating teams such as Norway, China, Denmark and Vietnam with clean sheets. Costa Rica, ranked 36th in the world, have had the opposite results in the past six months. They were unable to make it out of the group at the Central American and Caribbean games in June, and they have not won any of their friendlies since December 2021. So as you would expect, Spain dominated this game in Wellington. To be honest, the only surprise in this match was the fact that two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas wasn’t in the starting lineup. This is likely due to ongoing issues with her ACL after she injured it last July. However, this wasn’t the end of the world for the Spanish team, as they were able to collect a point in the 21st minute after a cross from Esther González was tapped into the goal by Valeria del Campo of the Costa Rican team. Soon afterwards more goals followed, a great play by many of the attackers leading to a screamer from Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí. Just four minutes afterward yet another goal followed, with a cross being headered into the crossbar by Jennifer Hermoso, but eventually the ball was flicked in by González to make it three. And the shots kept coming, Spain showing absolute dominance in the first half. In around the 33rd minute of play, 23-year-old Olga Carmona was tripped inside of Costa Rica’s 18 yard box, and a penalty was awarded without much hesitation. Hermoso steps up to take the penalty, but she strikes it too high resulting in a deflection from keeper Daniela Solera. The rest of the game consisted of shot after shot after shot from Spain, but no more goals came as a result. Alexia Putellas came out for a kick around in the 77th minute, but made no impact on the scoreline. Once the final whistle had blown, the score had remained the same as it did after 30 minutes, with no goals for Costa Rica (who showed little if any attacking threat) and three goals for Spain. It was relatively ridiculous that Spain was only able to score three, when the post-match statistics are taken into consideration. Spain had 81% of possession, completed five times as many passes as the Costa Ricans, had 22 corners, and 46 shots, and were still only able to score three goals. This is something that we will have to watch out for later in the tournament, to see whether Spain will actually be able to dominate, or if they will just get lucky with their shots and attacks.

Japan vs Zambia: 5-0

If anybody used their Saturday evening to head to the Waikato Stadium for goals, they got what they wanted. Japan has a relatively positive history in the Women’s World Cup, having previously won the tournament in 2011. However, their recent form has been interesting, losing in friendlies against England, USA, Brazil and Denmark in the past year, while beating Canada, Portugal and New Zealand in that same time period. Zambia’s history is much less successful, this tournament being the only Women’s World Cup in which they have qualified for. Still, nobody knows what will happen in any football game, and this tournament has been known to throw out relatively random results. The game was the first to kick off at the local Waikato Stadium, most famous for hosting the Chiefs Rugby team. However, this time the field was made for a football match, marked with a halfway line, penalty boxes, penalty spots etc. The stage was set. Kick off brought an immediate attack from Japan, who had plenty of shots within the first half. In the 21st minute a free-kick was awarded to Japan, Jun Endo of Angel City taking it and placing the ball right in the six-yard box for a scramble. Eventually, Mina Tanaka smashes it in, but the goal is ruled out by VAR for offside. Chances remain plentiful for the Japanese team, with a goal finally coming in the 43rd minute. 19-year old Aoba Fujino completes a run down the right-hand side of the pitch, crossing it perfectly in front of Hinata Miyazawa, who taps into the goal past keeper Catherine Musonda. The second half brought even more drama, with a goal from Japan being overturned in the 50th minute, and a penalty for Japan being overturned only two minutes later. However, around two minutes after that, Endo made a run down the left for a perfect cross into Mina Tanaka who slid it into the corner of the net. Soon afterwards, Japan makes it three with an assist from Tanaka allowing Miyazawa to tap the ball into the goal with ease. And they still wouldn’t stop. Endo managed a fantastic goal around 10 minutes later after making herself available in space, and the chances continued to be made available. In extra time Musonda was given a second yellow card for a careless foul, so Zambia’s second goalkeeper Eunice Sakala had to face the Japanese penalty. Initially, Riko Ueki who had stood up to take the penalty hit the crossbar, and missed the rebound. However after a review by VAR the penalty was retaken, as Sakala had stepped off of her line. The second shot was much better, landing low in the net and leading Japan to a 5-0 win. This game proved just how much of a threat Japan really are, and they might just be able to give teams like USA, Sweden and England a run for their money.


Japan vs Costa Rica: 2-0

Japan had an ideal start to the World Cup in their first match, while Costa Rica had just the opposite. A dominant Japanese team was to be expected, and the goal difference between the two teams was expected to be rapidly extended. The game kicked off at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, and Japan immediately showed their attacking threat, having multiple shots and good opportunities. In the 25th minute a successful one came, a slip from one of the Costa Rican defenders creating space for Hikaru Naomoto who was able to slip the ball into the far corner past Daniela Solera. The next opportunity came only a minute later, where Aoba Fujino completed a satisfying dribble into the 18-yard box, then completed a tight shot past Solera into the far left corner. The shots continued to come for the Japanese, but they were unable to convert any for the rest of the first half, and for the rest of the match. Japan managed to have 12 out of 24 shots on target, but Solera did a good job in defending the Costa Rican goal for most of the match. Overall Costa Rica did a good job this game, but it wasn’t enough to keep them in the competition and qualify for the next round.


Spain vs Zambia: 5-0

Spain brought their A-team to the game against 77th ranked Zambia, bringing Mariona Caldentey and Alexia Putellas into the starting lineup thanks to their injury recovery. And it took La Roja only 10 minutes to put a goal past the Zambia defence, where Real Madrid midfielder Teresa Abelleria smashed the ball into the top left corner of the goal. Another goal followed only four minutes later, where Putellas managed to stretch the defence and then put in an amazingly placed cross for Jennifer Hermoso to head just into the goal. The chances kept on coming, another Hermoso getting another goal but it being ruled offside. After Musonda’s red card in the game against Japan, Zambia had to play their reserve goalkeeper Eunice Sakala, who made some amazing saves throughout the match. However, that didn’t stop the Spanish team from scoring more, where Alba Redondo was able to score easily around Sakala, and minutes later Hermoso was able to tap the ball in after a fumble in the box from both teams. There was little hope left for Zambia’s progression through to the knockout stages, with a loss in this match resulting in their elimination. To make matters worse, La Roja could not stop shooting, and managed to get another successful goal in the 84th minute by Rendondo. The forwards for the Spanish team played with excellence, all of them having the control and composure they needed to win five to zero. However, similar to their last match against Costa Rica, they should’ve scored more goals. They had 13 out of 22 shots on target, and still only managed to register 5. It didn’t really matter though, as they were still through to the knockout stage, set to face Japan in the next match to determine which team would top the group.


Japan vs Spain: 4-0

Although both of the teams were already through, this match determined which team topped Group C. Whoever won was set to go up against a mediocre Norwegian side, who have only really thrived against the Philippines. Whoever lost was set to play the top team in Group A, Switzerland, who seemed to be in reasonably good form at the moment. La Roja’s lineup remained nearly identical to that which gained them the 5-0 win over Zambia, with Alexia Putellas spot in the starting lineup giving hope of her full recovery to the Spanish Fans. Japan made five changes to their starting eleven, with many of their quality players coming into the lineup after previously being benched against Costa Rica. After kick off Spain created the first opportunity, the ball running wide of the goal after Caldentey’s cross. Japan created the next good chance around 10 minutes later, Endo passing the ball ahead of Hinata Miyazawa, who was able to run onto it and tap it graciously past Real Madrid goalkeeper Misa Rodríguez. The next good attacking opportunity came also for Japan, who created a devastating counter-attack, where Miyazawa was able to find Riko Ueki before she reached the 18-yard box, and Ueki’s shot was deflected by Irene Paredes past Rodríguez and into the goal. This gave Japan the 2-0 lead, and showed the crowd just how unstoppable they really are. They were even able to make it three within the first half, Miyazawa making a light-speed run into the box, her shot making it over Rodríguez yet again. Spain still had some attacking chances in the last minutes of the first half and early into the second, but it wasn’t enough for a comeback. Substitutions brought fresh legs, players like Putellas and Caldentey leaving the field so as to not put themselves at risk of injury again. In the 82nd minute Japan were looking lethal to La Roja, forming another attack from a throw in where Mina Tanaka was able to lose her defenders and avoid her shot being deflected, hitting it gloriously into the top corner and making it 4-0. It was an embarrassing defeat for world number 6 Spain, who haven’t lost by more than 3 goals since mid-2019. If La Roja wants to make it any further than the round of 16, their defensive strategy needs to be reviewed, as letting four goals past your defensive line is somewhat ridiculous when you have such strong individual defenders. Japan, however, has no concerns going into the round of 16. They are the only team to have not conceded a single goal in this World Cup so far, and they have beaten each team that they have played by more than one goal. Miyazawa, Tanaka, Endo and many more of their players are speedy superstars, and the team are strong contenders to make it to that World Cup final in Sydney.


Zambia vs Costa Rica: 3-1

It didn’t seem like there was any point to this match, with both of the teams unable to possibly qualify for the round of 16. But it was still an important match for both of the teams, who were yet to gain a win in a World Cup match. Musonda was back after her red card suspended her from the last match against Spain, and Costa Rica made four changes to their usual starting lineup after their two successive losses. 3 minutes into the match, the real action began. A corner kick for Zambia led to a successful flick by Lushomo Mweemba, giving Zambia the 1-0 lead. However, the competition still remained relatively even between the two teams, both Costa Rica and Zambia having opportunities at each other’s goal. However in the 28th minute Katherine Alvarado committed a foul on Barbra Banda of Zambia, leading to a penalty kick for the Copper Queens. Banda took the kick, and placed it successfully out of Daniela Solera’s reach. During the match it was revealed that that was the 1000th FIFA Women’s World Cup goal ever, making Hamilton and the Waikato Stadium now a historic ground of Women’s football. The next half brought more opportunities for Costa Rica, a goal coming in just the 46th minute when a corner kick was headered out of the reach of Musonda, and was booted into the net by Daphne Melissa Herrera Monge, for Costa Rica’s first goal of the tournament. They worked hard to try and equalise, having plenty of opportunities and missing out on a penalty after a VAR check. But they were unable to make the comeback, with Racheal Kundananji sealing the victory for Zambia with a goal in the 93rd minute. Costa Rica had now lost all three of their matches in this year’s Women’s World Cup, but they didn’t go down without a fight. They had more shots and possession than Zambia, but just weren’t able to convert the number of goals that they needed in order to take the win.

W

D

L

GD

Points

Japan

3

0

0

11

9

Spain

2

0

1

4

6

Zambia

1

0

2

-8

3

Costa Rica

0

0

3

-7

0

Group D

England vs Haiti: 1-0

European champions England were looking to make their mark in this World Cup, after never making it past the semi finals in any previous editions. Their UEFA Euros campaign was fantastic, but unfortunately three players from the star squad didn’t make it into the World Cup squad due to injury. These players included Beth Mead of Arsenal, Fran Kirby of Chelsea and skipper Leah Williamson. However, the starting lineup for this game against 53rd ranked Haiti still looked good, with sensations such as Mary Earps, Kiera Walsh, Lucy Bronze and Chloe Kelly taking up their usual positions. The forecast wasn’t looking very sunny for Haiti, who were unable to make it out of the group stage of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship and the CAC Games, have lost three out of four of their recent friendlies, and only just qualified for the Women’s World Cup by the playoff tournament in February. Within the first few minutes of the game there were chances for both sides, with a shot from Alessia Russo being saved by the keeper, and a shot from Melchie Dumornay straying wide of the post. There was also plenty of VAR drama within the first 20 minutes of the match, with penalties being ruled out for each side. However in the 24th minute saw an English corner hit the hand of Batcheba Louis in front of Lucy Bronze, causing a penalty to be awarded to England. Georgia Stanway of Bayern Frauen stood up to take the penalty, and she sent it too high on the left side, so that keeper Kerly Théus was able to deflect the ball. However, she had moved off of her line too early, so the penalty was retaken, and Stanway sent the ball the same way, this time directing Théus in the other direction. The Lionesses were up 1-0, although they were slightly lucky to be. Haiti had put up a great fight, having a few shots and opportunities within the half. The second half brought chance after chance for the Lionesses, but they were unable to convert any real goals. Despite the win, it was a disappointing game for the English, with 21 shots but only the one penalty goal. Haiti worked hard, still managing to get some good shots against the Euro champions. However, it’s still hard to see them going far in this World Cup, maintaining only 25% of possession, and only having two shots on target.


Denmark vs China: 1-0

Denmark and China can both be considered strong sides heading into this FIFA Women’s World Cup, ranked 13th and 14th in the world respectively. Denmark dominated at the FIFA Women’s World Cup UEFA qualifiers, topping their group with a goal difference of 38. They didn’t have as much success in the UEFA Euros however, unable to make it to the knockout stages after defeats to Germany and Spain. China was able to win the AFC Women’s Asian Cup over South Korea, and came second in the EAFF E-1 Football Championship to Japan. However, they have only won two out of seven of their recent friendlies. So, it was safe to say that this game was going to be an interesting one. The game started with attacks from the Chinese side, where failures in Denmark’s passing led to dangerous interceptions, however each shot was either saved by Lene Christensen or sent wide. The only action that occurred for the rest of the first half was a pitch invader being captured by security guards, but other than that the teams remained at a stalemate. Denmark’s main opportunities came in the second half, where Josefine Hasbo had the perfect opportunity to head it into an open net, but she sent it too high. However in the 89th minute a corner for Denmark completely changed the game, where the ball was set far into the 18-yard box, and substitute Amalie Vangsgaard was able to complete a powerful header which ultimately sent the ball past Xu Huan and into the goal. It was a sensational goal, but celebrations stood still as a VAR check occurred in order to make sure all of the attacking players that interfered with the play were onside. The goal remained, clutching the three points for Denmark in their first game of this Women’s World Cup tournament.


England vs Denmark: 1-0

After their last performance against Haiti, my hopes for England were not high. If they did win this game they would be through to the round of 16 without trouble. But if they lost, they would have to work hard against a reasonable Chinese side to gain their qualification. There were two changes to the English lineup which started against Haiti, Lauren Hemp and Jess Carter making way for Lauren James and Rachel Daly. It was a great change, as proven in the 6th minute of play, when Chelsea left-wing Lauren James scored an absolute screamer from outside of the 18-yard box. It was a beautiful goal, landing straight into the right corner of the net with absolute precision. There was no looking back now, it seemed nearly inevitable that England were going to score more throughout the match as the attack continued. However, the 23rd minute saw Denmark fight for the equaliser, a clever turn from Rikke Madsen of North Carolina Courage leading to a shot just across the goal, no players in red there ready to tap it in. In the 35th minute there was more panic for the Lionesses, superstar Keira Walsh going down in the middle of the pitch, clutching her knee. The England bench and fans sat with anxiety as Walsh was stretchered off of the field, crying in pain. Everyone thought the worst. There was a chance that she would be added to the ACL injury tally, joining her friends Beth Mead and Leah Williamson. No further news was received until head coach Sarina Weigman claimed in an interview a while after the match that “She’s doing well. She started her rehab straight after we knew what was going on. She’s been training.” She added, “It wasn’t a ligament injury and we can start recovery.” Still, the problems were still prevalent for England, who were rushing for another goal to cement the lead. They were able to create chances, plenty of them even. But no more conversions occurred, despite their dominance in the game. The post-match statistics confirmed this, the total possession for England at 71%, with 13 shots and 615 passes, compared to Denmark’s 6 shots and 251 passes.


China vs Haiti: 1-0

These teams have played at similar levels this World Cup, both losing 1-0 in their opening matches. This was one of the last opportunities to salvage their hopes of knockout stage qualification, with the loser of this match booking their tickets back home. Each side had two changes, China swapping their goalkeeper Xu Huan for Yu Zhu, as well as a swap on their right wing. Haiti made the swaps in the backline and midfield in order to try and strengthen their defence and hopefully maintain a clean sheet throughout the game. The first action in the game was a collision between Zhang Rui and Sherly Jeudy, which was sent to VAR for a possible red card for 34-year-old Rui. VAR shows that she approaches Jeudy with her studs up, hitting her in the knee and pushing her onto the ground. Originally the referee only gave a yellow card for the event, but after the VAR review she provided a red, meaning that China would have to play the last hour of the game with only 10 players on the field. Haiti were quick to respond, exploiting the advantage of less players in the Chinese midfield, and claiming a goal. However, it was ruled offside, and the score remained 0-0 at half time. There were plenty more opportunities for Haiti in the second half, however goalkeeper Yu Zhu was just too good. In the 72nd minute Zhang Linyan was taken down in the box, however it looked as if she was offside. VAR was contacted, and they awarded China the penalty. Midfielder Whang Shaung took the penalty with ease, sending the ball in the opposite direction from Kerly Théus. China were down by one player, but up by one goal and that was all that they needed to get the three points. They managed to hold onto the lead for a whole 14 minutes of added time, with Haiti bringing the pressure in desperation to try and equalise. But it wasn’t enough, and Haiti’s chance at progressing through to the next round of their very first Women’s World Cup was destroyed, while China’s was hanging just above death.


England vs China: 6-1

The formation had changed, but the mindset had stayed the same. The Lionesses wanted that same victorious feeling that they got at the Euros last year, this time in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. They had won against Haiti and Denmark, but not by much. So, their Dutch manager Sarina Weigman changed the English formation from a classic 4-3-3 to a 3-4-1-2, making a bold statement by reducing the number of defenders for a stronger midfield, and dropping Lauren James into a centre-attacking-midfield position, with the two strikers Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo in front of her. However, it was going to be tough to crack through the midfield of the Chinese team, who had also changed their formation to include more defensive midfielders, after Zhang Rui’s red card in the game against Haiti. The game kicked off at a full Hindmarsh Stadium, not taking England long to establish their attacking threat. In the fourth minute a mistake from a Chinese defender led to the Lionesses gaining possession in the 18-yard box, where Lauren James’ composed header to Alessia Russo led to a simple finish into the bottom left corner of the net. The attack continued, another goal coming in the 26th minute from Lauren Hemp, James with another assist. It seemed like child’s play, the Lionesses only having to string together a few passes in order to have a shot on goal. 14 minutes later and the next goal came from an English set piece, Lauren James able to hit in one of her own. She was able to do so again later in the half, where the Chinese defenders were unable to clear the ball successfully, allowing the Chelsea winger to get a fantastic shot at the top corner. However, VAR ruled it out for offside, not that it made much of a difference to the scoreline. The second half saw more of a threat from China, a corner kick reaching into the six-yard box and being deflected by Mary Earps in the 55th minute. However, Mary Earps was not actually at the heart of this deflection, it was instead, as VAR showed, Lucy Bronze’s arm. Her deflection was accidental, and actually created another opportunity for China to score at that time, but because it was somewhat in the way of the goal, she was shown a yellow card, and China were given a penalty. Wang Shuang took the penalty with ease, sending Earps in the opposite direction of the shot. However, it was somewhat a consolation goal, with England still being two goals ahead. Of course, James just had to increase that scoreline again, belting a cross from Carter across the six-yard box and into the far corner. It counted this time, and England took the 4-1 lead. And if you thought the Lionesses were finished scoring, then you were wrong. A simple long ball over the top of the defenders from James saw Manchester City winger Chloe Kelly run past the keeper, and tap the ball just slightly into an open goal. Yu Zhu made the absolute worst decision that she could have in that moment, allowing the ball to roll in front of her and giving Kelly the opportunity to tap it in effortlessly. Minutes later, substitute Ella Toone crosses the ball into the box which is densely populated with white shirts, but it is initially blocked. That is until Lauren Coombs keeps it alive, flicking it left towards Rachel Daly, who uses a high kick to flick in straight into the goal with power. The score was now 6-1 with no looking back, and the Lionesses had done it, winning all three of their group stage matches. It was unfortunate for China, who desperately needed the win in order to progress through to the next stage. However, China played quite poorly throughout this match, allowing the Lionesses to dominate and ultimately score six goals. Lauren James was the woman at the centre of it all, even while playing somewhat out of position. She was asked about how she felt about playing in this new position and said: “yeah, I felt free, I mean whether I’m in the wing or in the middle I’m found just happy to be on the pitch playing and enjoying my football.” It’s fair to say that all England fans are also happy to see James playing on the pitch, after she contributed to five of the six goals in this match, the only other goal occurring after she was substituted off. It will be interesting to see what else she and the England team can produce throughout the rest of the tournament, and there is great probability that they will go far.


Denmark vs Haiti: 2-0

Denmark were looking for their qualification through to the knockout stages, after their reasonably close loss to England in Sydney a week earlier. There was no chance for Haiti, their plane tickets were already booked, but they still wanted to try and get their first ever Women’s World Cup win. The game started with an immediate attack from Denmark, leading to an early goal that was then ruled offside. Spirits were still high for the Danish though, and an attack in the box led to a handball from Dayana Pierre-Louis, giving Denmark a penalty kick. Bayern Frauen midfielder Pernille Harder took the penalty slowly, building up her steps and the suspense to then finally place it in the opposite direction from which Théus slid. It was really the only action that happened in the first half, chances from each teams leading to nothing until late into the second half, where the 85th minute saw a second goal for Harder, but it was disallowed because of a fowl between Danish and Real Madrid forward Singe Bruun and Kerly Théus. It didn’t matter for long though, because soon afterwards Denmark were able to double their lead, with a simple through ball from Mille Gejl ending up at Sanne Troelsgaard Nielsen’s feet, where she was able to kick the ball past Théus without much effort. Théus did a poor job at defending that shot, not even attempting to dive for it, which I found quite disappointing considering that she had played quite well for the whole game. Once the whistle blew Denmark were through to the round of 16, and the Haitian team were on their way back to the warm Caribbean.

W

D

L

GD

Points

England

3

0

0

7

9

Denmark

2

0

1

2

6

China

1

0

2

-5

3

Haiti

0

0

3

-4

0


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