FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup: Olympic champions Canucks and the Girls in Green crash out at the group stages

Heather Payne in action against Nigeria (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)

Ireland’s Kyra Carusa heads towards goal but it doesn’t trouble Nigeria keeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. Photograph: PA Images

Republic of Ireland’s Denise O’Sullivan surges forward. Photograph: PA Images

Ireland started started positively, with Farrelly and McCabe on the left causing early havoc and combining well to win The Girls in Green their first corner kick of the encounter in the 10′. But it is was Nigeria having the first clearer chance to score.

At this stage in Melbourne, Cooney-Cross’ lob was too high for Hunt’s initial header but a lobbed second ball into the exchanges is cleared by Canada. Australia came roaring back with Catley charging down the left off a feed by Foord. She squares the ball to the top of the box and through to Raso, who takes a touch before drilling it low into the bottom left corner of the Canadian post. There was an initial question about an offside flag on the far side, but VAR ultimately ruled it a goal.

Julia Grosso works the ball around Kyra Cooney-Cross. Photograph: James Ross/AAP

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Canada’s Adriana Leon chases Ellie Carpenter. Photograph: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/Reuters

 

Quinn and Kyra Cooney-Cross battle in midfield. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Hayley Raso is firing early for the Matildas. Photograph: Hamish Blair/AP

Australia’s 10th minute goal rockets the Matildas to the top of Group B, while Nigeria hangs on in second place over a rampant Ireland offensive football.

In the 15′, Quinn gave the ball away to Kanu, who slips Oshoala through, but the Nigeria forward drags her shot too far past Brosnan in the Irish goalpost.

Asisat Oshoala of Nigeria (right) pulls her shot wide of Ireland keeper Courtney Brosnan and the upright. Photograph: Darren England/AAP

Ireland’s Katie McCabe rues her missed chance against Nigeria. Photograph: Mick O’Shea/Sportsfile/Getty Images

Again and in Melbourne, Australia go 2-0 up, with Raso scoring her second in the 39′. Catley wins a corner on the left. Cooney-Cross plays it overhead, Sheridan failed to fist it over Kennedy, allowing the ball to ping off a Canadian defender and falling  into the path of Raso who would not allow herself to miss from so near the goal line.

Hayley Raso celebrates her goal in the Matildas’ must-win 2023 Women’s World Cup Group B game against Canada. Follow live scores from the match in Melbourne. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The half-time ended with the Matildas 2-0 ahead of the Canucks and The Girls in Green scoreless against the Super Falcons.

The Africans started the second half on the front foot scuttling into a corner kick in the very first minute of the half but Payne’s square play from the right flank failed her and her teammates.

In the 51′, Payne’s great feet on the left sets her loose, allowing her to whip in a cross into the box which Kanu heads down on the six-yard line. Her powerful header bounces in front of Brosnan, who somehow tips the ball onto the underside of the bar and out of the danger zone.

It’s all Nigeria at the moment. In the 55′, Alozie has been showing off her clever feet in this second half down the right. Her combination with Ajibade and Payne have been threatening the defensive end of The Girls in Green.

In Melbourne, in a Brilliant counterattacking play in the 58th, Catley releases Foord, her Arsenal teammate, on the left to beat the offside trap, then ghosts into the box, holds off two defenders before pulling the ball back from the byline for Fowler to stroke over the line from 4 metres out.  Australia are 3-0 up and through to the next round for sure.

The hit the post and rolled over the goalline almost in slow motion. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

However, it was Ireland who had a better chance in Brisbane, with O’Sullivan finding some room in Nigeria’s box in the 60′, but her shot is blocked, allowing Nnadozie to mop up the loose ball.

Full-time in the match in Brisbane after 90+3′ and Nigeria are through in second place and set for a likely date with England in the round of 16.

Elsewhere in Melbourne, VAR replays prove Gorry was clattered into by Fleming’s lousy challenge centimeters inside the box. A penalty is awarded to the co-hosts.

Australia’s stand-in skipper steps up to slam it into the right top corner of the post and her second penalty of the tournament, curling a left-footed effort wide of Sheridan’s dive. The Matildas are into the round of 16 as Group B leaders and Nigeria are going through as the Group’s runners up.

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023: Nadeshiko takes Group C bragging rights over Spain to round of 16

By Ed Emeanua

Japan have beaten Spain 4-0 at the Sky Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand on Monday, to usurp Group C bragging rights and progresses to the round of 16 where they would now face Group A runners up, Norway.

Spain and Japan Women were yet to clash with each other in a World Cup game, setting the stage for a refreshing initial head-to-head recounter between them. In the second final match of the Group Costa Rica’s Las Ticas lost 1-3 to Shepolopolo of Zambia at the FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Spain, as Group C runners up will face Group A winners Switzerland in the round of 16, just as Zambia and Costa Rica must now depart New Zealand having been eliminated from the tournament.

Mina Tanaka celebrates with teammates after scoring Japan’s fourth goal of the game. Photograph: John Cowpland/AP

Spain’s Claudia Zornoza and Rocio Galvez look shellshocked. Photograph: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters

Spain coach Jorge Vilda reacts as his team are behind against Japan. Photograph: Amanda Perobelli/Reuters

Both Japan and Spain had already booked their knockout stage qualification from the Group ahead of their last Group game against each other, with the remaining impetus for competitiveness left for the pair being the bragging rights for the leadership.

For this game, Japan ran five changes, as against one for Spain. Hana Takahishi, Fuko Nagano, Jun Endo, Hinata Miyazawa and Riko Ueki took the place of Shiori Miyake, Yui Hasegawa, Hina Sugita, Aoba Fujino and Mina Tanaka. For Spain, Rocio Galvez replaced the injured Ivana Andres.

Spain starting XI: Misa; Batlle, Paredes, Rocio, Olga; Abelleira, Bonmati, Putellas; Paralluelo, Hermoso, Mariona.

Japan starting XI: Yamashita, Takahashi, Kumagai, Minami; Shimizu, Nagano, Hayashi, Endo; Naomoto, Ueki, Miyazawa.

Costa Rica starting XI: Solera, Fabiola Villalobos, Benavides, Campo; Coto, Gloriana Villalobos, Alvarado, Rodriguez; Herrera, Scott, Chinchilla.

Zambia starting XI: Musonda, Belemu, Musesa, Mweemba, Tembo; Susan Banda, Chanda, Katongo; Chitundu, Barbra Banda, Kundananji.

Fabiola Villalobos and her Costa Rica teammates appeal to referee Bouchra Karboubi for a penalty. Photograph: Phil Walter/Getty Images

Japan kicked off the game but it was Spain who took the initiative right from the blast of central referee Ekaterina Katja Koroleva of USA. Spain have started brilliantly. In yet again another spell of captivating football possession, in the 5th minute, Carmona drives a cross from the left that just eludes the stretching legs of Bonmati, who arrived a little late in the box.

Spain continued to enjoy total possession of the ball with Japan looking very comfortable in their defensive shape early on. In a moment of sporadic counter attacking display, Spain’s tenacity for scintillating possession counted for less as Japan scores the game’s first goal through sheer demonstration of efficiency and clinical finishing in the 12′.

Japan’s Riko Ueki celebrates after scoring her side’s second goal against Spain. Photograph: John Cowpland/AP

Just as it was clinical, the crafting of the goal itself was majestic, as Nadeshiko dealt Spain a major blow for their high line. Endo, on the left near the halfway line, found space to curl a piercing pass around the Spanish defense. It eluded Ueki couldn’t, but not Miyazawa, who emerged out of a mist from nowhere to slide a left-foot shot past Rodriguez in the 14′.

Now what did Spain do? Back to same plot of course. For another half an hour La Roja continued to dominate while Japan kept their shape. In yet another swift counter-attacking foray after Minami had cleared a forward pass on the edge of her own area, only moments later, Japan were 2-0 up.

The Copper Queens found the net in the 2nd minutes of the match, with Lushomo Mweemba scoring the Zambia’s first-ever Women’s World Cup goal.

Barbra Banda sends the Costa Rica keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot to double Zambia’s lead. Photograph: David Rowland/Reuters

The weaponized vapor of Ueki headed Minami’s clearance in Nagano’s path, who in turn cushioned a neat pass into the run of Miyazawa. She set Ueki free on the left side of the area for a one versus one against Paredes. Cutting inside on her right foot, Ueki hit a drive that deflected off Paredes and looped over Rodriguez. Japan’s second goal in the 29th minute through Riko Ueki was the clear expression of their superior masterplan.

For Spain, as if bereft of any other approach, they were yet to learn anything from the mistake of their high line against a nifty side like Nadeshiko.

At the same time at the Waikato Stadium, Zambia were waltzing to a 2-0 lead over Costa Rica in the game in which respect was the only thing on the line.

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Both Zambia and Japan took their first half leads intact to the half-time break. In the second half, Spain continued their slow buildups while Japan maintained their resolute defensive formation. Though it must be said that La Roja had ample of opportunities to make the scoreline respectable in the second half, their lack of clinical approach in their finishing was their greatest undoing.

              Costa Rica’s Melissa Herrera waits patiently for the ball … Photograph: David Rowland/Reuters

Daphne Melissa Herrera Monge bundled the ball into the net in the 47th minute to score Costa Rica’s historic first ever goal of the Women’s World Cup.

In the 82′, Japan again presented her lethal counter-attacking style for the world to see. With just 22 per cent possession, five shots, and now four goals up, this is simply, the counter-attacking showcase for all ages. Substitute Mina Tanaka turned Galvez neatly on the right, ignored a lack lustered impediment from Batlle, applied Paredes as a shield and hammered the ball into the top side of the net with her left foot.

It was a captivating finish for the Asians against one of Europe’s finest side at the 2023 Women’s World Cup tournament. What a brilliance!

Then, at the Waikato, Herrera crosses in a lovely ball, Zambia’s goalkeeper Musonda gets a touch to it but her spill almost sees it in but Musesa is there to clear off the line. Zambia counter and of course it is Kundananji hitting in a 90+3′ goal to take Shepolopolo 3-1 ahead.

Norway enter knockout stage after big win over Philippines

Colombia’s Manuela Vanegas celebrates her team’s win over Germany at the Women’s World Cup in Sydney. Reuters

Manuela Vanegas headed a stoppage-time winner to give Colombia a 2-1 upset victory over Germany just when the two-time world champions thought they had saved a point in a thrilling Women’s World Cup clash at Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday, Reuters reports.

The defender powered the ball home from a corner eight minutes after German striker Alexandra Popp had converted a penalty to cancel out a stunning strike from Colombian teenager Linda Caicedo.

Caicedo, who gave her team a fright by collapsing in training on Thursday, had delighted the massed ranks of her compatriots in the 40,499 crowd with a goal of the highest quality in the 52nd minute.

The Colombians tore into the match from the kickoff and the Germans looked rattled not only by their aggression but also by the deafening noise of their yellow-shirted fans.

Popp, who scored two goals against the Moroccans, should have added to her tournament tally in the 42nd minute but blazed her volley high and wide from close range.

Colombia continued to launch the ball forward to their front players at every opportunity but it was not until seven minutes after the break that they were able to break the stalemate.

Caicedo, 18, gathered the ball on the left edge of the box, cut back between two defenders and curled it into the top right-hand corner.

The diminutive teenager celebrated her second goal at the tournament, having become the youngest player to score in this World Cup with a similar effort in the 2-0 opening win over South Korea.

Germany continued to spurn what chances they created but, with two minutes left on the clock, Oberdorf was brought down in the box by Perez and Popp stepped up to thump the ball confidently into the net.

Colombia then clinched the game seven minutes into added time to add more drama to the tournament.

The 27th-ranked Colombians now need only a draw against Morocco in their final Group H match to be certain of reaching the last 16, while Germany are still likely to progress if they beat South Korea in their last fixture.

Meanwhile, Norway coach Hege Riise said it was a relief to see her team move on from a divisive week as they beat the Philippines 6-0 at Eden Park and squeaked into the knockout stages of the Women’s World Cup on goal difference.

The former champions had everything on the line for Sunday’s final group-stage affair after they lost to New Zealand and were held to a scoreless draw against Switzerland.

As though that pressure was not enough, they had the added task of restoring harmony on a fractured team after winger Caroline Graham Hansen lashed out over the decision to start her on the bench against Switzerland.

“We’ve been through this week together. We talk as a team and individuals and today, the last couple of days, you can see the energy coming back within the team and they believed this game might be the last game,” Riise told reporters.

Striker Sophie Roman Haug scored a hat-trick against the Philippines and Graham Hansen’s first-half goal helped to justify her place in the starting team, while Guro Reiten also scored.