[ad_1]
Before the round of 16 kicks off in earnest on Saturday afternoon when Switzerland meet Spain in Auckland, Stuff’s football writers have bee poring over all 48 FIFA Women’s World Cup group stage games to select our favourites.
So without further ado, here are our top 10 games of the tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand so far.
1– Germany 1-2 Colombia (Group H, Sydney Football Stadium)
Every World Cup needs an early upset and Colombia provided it with the biggest result in Las Cafetaras history.
Teenage Barcelona forward Linda Caicedo provided a storybook finish for the first goal. The 18-year-old latched on to a deflection, displayed blurringly fast feet to befuddle two defenders and lashed a pinpoint shot into the far corner of the net.
Germany captain Alexandra Popp equalised from the penalty spot five minutes after Caciedo’s strike, only for Colombia to inflict the Germans’ first group stage defeat since 1995 when Manuela Vanegas met a right wing corner 12m out from goal and powered a header home.
Worse was to come for Germany, as they were eliminated from the tournament following a 1-1 draw with South Korea. It was the first time the 2003 and 2007 world champions had failed to qualify for the playoffs stage. Colombia finished top of the group despite losing to Morocco, who also qualified for the playoffs, in their final match.
2 – New Zealand 1-0 Norway (Group A, Eden Park)
The night history was made in front a raucous Auckland crowd of 42,137 people.
Coming into the tournament opener as $9 outsiders, New Zealand defied those odds to beat a star-studded Norway 1-0 and kick off their home World Cup in sensational style.
After having the better of a tense first half of few chances, the Football Ferns got the goal their efforts deserved early in the second when Hannah Wilkinson finished off a sweeping move from close range to send the Eden Park faithful into raptures.
That roused the 12th-ranked Norwegians into action and they struck the crossbar in the final 10 minutes as they sought an equaliser. But they couldn’t find a way through a well-organised New Zealand defence, and it was the hosts who should have made the result safe when they were awarded a penalty two minutes from time for handball in the box.
Up stepped co-captain Ria Percival, whose penalty cannoned back off the woodwork to ensure a nervy finish. However, it proved immaterial as the Ferns hung on for a deserved three points and their first ever win at a World Cup in 16 attempts.
Unfortunately Jitka Klimková’s side couldn’t capitalise on this unexpected result, losing to minnows the Philippines in Wellington before a goalless draw with Switzerland in Dunedin confirmed their early exit.
3 – Australia 2-3 Nigeria (Group B, Brisbane Stadium)
Without injured star strikers Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler, Australia’s attack was expected to suffer but it was the defence that imploded in Melbourne.
Emily van Egmond gave the Matildas a 1-0 lead after a Caitlin Foord assist, but Nigeria struck back on halftime when Unchenna Kanu netted after a deflection.
The Super Falcons swooped twice in the second spell. Osinachi Ohale toe-poked home after the goalkeeper’s parry. Asisat Oshoala scored after Matildas stopper Alanna Kennedy couldn’t find keeper Mackenzie Arnold with a defensive header.
Kennedy headed home Australia’s second goal in added time, but Nigeria clung on to top the group.
4 – France 2-1 Brazil (Group F, Brisbane Stadium)
Before kickoff in Brisbane, Brazil had never beaten France in 11 international encounters. Make that 12 for all-time great Marta and her team.
Les Bleues won a high-octane, skilful encounter with a late goal from captain Wendie Renard despite most of the 50,000-strong crowd backing Brazil.
Eugenie Le Sommer finessed a flick header for France’s first-half goal but Debinha equalised after the break, slotting home from an angle after ricochet off a defender.
Renard sealed the deal, slipping her marker near the back post to head home an 83rd minute corner for one of the most important goals of her long career.
5 – United States 1-1 Netherlands (Group E, Wellington Regional Stadium)
When the draw was made for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in October last year, this rematch of the 2019 final in Lyon was among the most eagerly anticipated fixtures.
And it didn’t disappoint, the two teams delivering an end-to-end thriller in the Wellington sunshine that finished all square.
Having failed to fire in their opening game with Vietnam, the two-time defending champion United States came out the blocks fast and immediately put the Dutch defence under sustained pressure.
But Andries Jonker’s side held firm before taking a shock lead on 17 minutes when Jill Roord fired in a superb angled drive into the bottom corner.
The women in orange largely dominated the remainder of the first half to head into the break one-up, 45 minutes away from handing the Americans their first group stage loss since 2011.
Unfortunately for them, it wasn’t to be, as US captain Lindsey Horan headed home Rose Lavelle’s corner just after the hour mark to ensure the spoils were shared.
6 – Sweden 2-1 South Africa (Group G, Wellington Regional Stadium)
Sweden’s tournament didn’t start smoothly in Wellington’s pouring rain and Amanda Iledstedt’s header in the 90th minute broke South African hearts.
Bayana Bayana took a shock lead in the 48th minute when Hilda Magaia bundled the ball into Sweden’s net and were heading towards a first World Cup win until Fridonlina Rolfo’s equaliser.
Sweden’s threat from corners had troubled the South African defence throughout a frantic, tense opener and Iledstedt’s presence was a major nuisance.
The big defender headed home their late winner to secure the first of their three victories in the group stage which secured maximum points before a meeting with the United States in the last 16.
Still, South Africa made history in the capital 11 days later when they stunned Italy 3-2 to qualify for the knockout stages for the first time.
7 – Colombia 2-0 South Korea (Group H, Sydney Football Stadium)
Colombia’s road to the last 16 began with an entertaining win over South Korea in Sydney when Caicedo impressed on her World Cup debut.
After Cataline Usme scored from the spot, Caceido made it two in the first half with a curling shot that South Korean keeper Yoon Young-geul palmed into the top corner.
It was a weak effort Young-geul should have saved – nothing like the wondrous strike against Germany – but the teenage Caceido was nonetheless terrific for the South Americans.
South Korea threatened to stage a fightback in the second half but were denied by saves from Catalina Perez.
8 – Argentina 2-2 South Africa (Group G, Dunedin Stadium)
Trailing 2-0 with just over 15 minutes to go, it looked for all the world that Argentina’s hopes of going beyond the group stage for the first time were over.
Goals from Linda Motlhalo and Thembi Kgatlana in either half had put South Africa within touching distance of a well-deserved maiden victory on their second appearance at the finals, boosting their own chances of advancing from a tight pool.
Yet you can never underestimate the Argentine fighting spirit, and Germán Portanova’s side showed it in spades as they fought their way back to parity with two goals in five minutes to set up a thrilling finale.
Sophia Braun set them on their way with a sensational strike into the top corner from 20 yards out, before Romina Nunez’s flicked header 11 minutes from time almost took the roof off Dunedin Stadium.
There were chances at both ends as the two teams pressed for a late winner, but a draw seemed like a fair result. The 8834 spectators there to witness it live certainly got their money’s worth.
9 – Japan 4-0 Spain (Group C, Wellington Regional Stadium)
With both teams having already qualified for the round of 16, this was an opportunity to lay down a marker in the capital.
An experimental Japanese side featuring five changes soon found themselves under the cosh as La Roja dominated possession and pressed for an opener.
But the momentum of the match shifted in an instant in the 12th minute when Hinata Miyazawa raced clear to coolly slot home her third goal of the tournament.
Thereafter, Japan delivered a masterclass in counter-attacking football, soaking up Spanish pressure before winning the ball back and breaking forward at lightning speed.
Riko Ueki made it two after 29 minutes when her deflected shot looped over the unfortunate Misa Rodríguez, and it was 3-0 five minutes before the break as Miyazawa fired in her second of an astonishing evening.
Despite making an array of changes during the second half, the sixth-ranked Spaniards still couldn’t find a way through the well-drilled Japanese backline and it was the 2011 champions who had the final say, Mina Tanaka scoring a superb solo goal to complete the rout eight minutes from time.
10 – South Africa 3-2 Italy (Group G, Wellington Regional Stadium)
South Africa prevailed in a thrilling capital clash against Italy that was effectively a playoff for the round of 16. Thembi Kgatlana scored South Africa’s winner in stoppage time to send Banyana Banyana to the knockout stages for the first time.
Italy led with Arianna Caruso’s penalty before gifting South Africa an equaliser with Benedetta Orsi’s nightmare own goal.
South Africa took the lead for the first time in the 67th minute when Hildah Magaia scored, but Italy were level seven minutes later with Caruso’s second and a draw would have been enough for the Italians to reach the last 16 at South Africa’s expense.
However, Kgatlana knocked Italy out with her historic goal that was even more poignant after she revealed three of her family members had died while she was playing in New Zealand.
[ad_2]