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Let's Talk: FIFA's Women's World Cup™ so Far
It has been just over two weeks since New Zealand and Norway kick-started FIFA's Women's World Cup™ and it has been full of drama and excitement.
As the group stages come to a close and the knockout rounds begin, let’s have a look at some of the main talking points so far at this year’s tournament.
USA HEAD HOME EARLY
Perhaps the biggest shock of the tournament so far took place when Sweden knocked out the favourites USA in the Round of 16.
The two-time champions seemed a shadow of their former selves in the group stages after two draws against Portugal and the Netherlands led to them scraping through to face Sweden in the knockout rounds.
As the game drew a stalemate, the outcome of the tie would be decided on penalties and after Megan Rapinoe blazed her penalty over the ball with her last kick in the professional game, Lina Huryig took the chance to send her nation through to the quarter-finals albeit after a lengthy VAR decision.
Mere millimetres were the decisive factor in knocking out the Americans as the ball just about crossed the line which has blown the race for the title wide open with challenging nations now licking their lips after the fall of the favourite.
LAUREN JAMES IS INCREDIBLE
If you read our previous article ‘Five Stars to Watch out for at FIFA's Women's World Cup™ 2023’ then you will know that yes, we called it...
Lauren James has been a true stand-out performer and contender for Player of the Tournament after a scintillating group stage and she has been receiving plaudits from those involved in both the men’s and women’s game.
James picked up back-to-back Player of the Match Awards with a star-studded display against China as she scored two and assisted three goals in England’s 6-1 win over China.
However, a moment of madness that saw James get red-carded in the knockout game against Nigeria will see her suspended for the duration of the tournament – a huge blow for James and the Lionesses as they march into the Quarter-Finals.
MOROCCO MAKE HISTORY
The Atlas Lionesses certainly made their nation proud by becoming the first North African/Arab country to make it through to the knock-out stages at a World Cup.
The Moroccan side looked down and out in their opening game of the tournament after they succumbed to gargantuan 6-0 defeat to Germany however, they pulled together to win their next two matches to book themselves a place in the Round of 16.
Morocco's rise sent the highly-rated German side packing as they prepare to take on France in the next round.
JAPAN SHOW WHAT THEY’RE MADE OF
A nation that has definitely asserted themselves as one to watch in this tournament, is, Japan.
Japan, who are the only Asian team to lift the World Cup after their triumph in 2011, commanded the top spot in Group C as they won all their games without conceding a single goal!
Their performances have certainly reinstated their place as one of the very best Women’s sides as they look to march on by defeating Norway in the next round.
The Nadeshikos definitely aren’t here to mess about.
AUSTRALIA KEEPS GOING WITHOUT KERR
The hosts were understandably rocked when their star player, captain, and all-time top scorer Sam Kerr picked up an injury prior to the tournament which would rule her out for the first few weeks.
After winning their first game, a narrow loss to Nigeria meant that the Matilda’s had to win their final match to progress to the knockouts, and boy did they do that with a resounding 4-0 win against Canada.
The squad continued to pull together which saw them see off Denmark in the Round of 16 to progress to the next round where Kerr got her first minutes of the tournament in the latter stages of the game.
With Kerr back and the home crowd fully behind them, Australia’s route to the title has got that little bit more promising.
