by Spain, Japan and Sweden have already secured their ticket to the round of sixteen following round two. The third round of matches have been played in Group A which has confirmed Switzerland and Norway will also join those in the round of sixteen. However, there are plenty of round three matches to be played and may send a few big names home early with plenty of groups still wide open.
Group A
In group A, round two kicked off with a few surprises as the Philippines upset the co-hosts, notching their first victory by a slim 1-0 thanks to Sarina Bolden. Meanwhile, Switzerland held Norway to a draw which sent the Swiss to the top of the group with four points.
It set up an exciting end to the group stage which was played on Sunday. Norway bounced back with a thumping 6-0 victory against the Philippines to secure their place in the round of sixteen based on goal difference. Unfortunately, co-hosts New Zealand could only manage a draw against Switzerland, and thus though having an equal amount of points to Norway, bow out of the competition due to poorer goal difference. Switzerland topped the group with five points, while the Philippines finish their journey with three points.
Group B
Tomorrow will set the stage for Group B, which is as tight as can be and will go down to the wire. Nigeria currently top the group after they upset the hosts Australia by 3-1. Meanwhile, Katie McCabe’s Olimpico goal was not enough to hand Ireland their first victory. Instead Canada gritted out a tough 2-1 victory against the resilient Irish side who will bow out with their heads held high following an exciting debut. The final matchday will see Ireland attempt to frustrate Nigeria, while Australia will likely be boosted by the presence of Sam Kerr as they attempt to triumph over Canada for a place in the round of sixteen.
Group C
Group C offers a slightly more straightforward affair. Spain and Japan have absolutely sealed their spot in the round of sixteen. Both sides dealt defeats to Zambia and Costa Rica, ending their hopes of qualification. Though safely through, the two group leaders will face each other in the final match tomorrow as they set sights on topping the group. Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see how Zambia and Costa Rico will fair against each other as they attempt to bow out of the competition with hopefully a goal and points on the board.
Group D
Talk of Keira Walsh’s injury dominated headlines as England gritted out a 1-0 victory over Denmark, thanks to a well-placed shot by Chelsea forward and World Cup debutant Lauren James. Though initial fears that Keira Walsh tore her ACL were tempered, the player will still miss the final game. With six points on the board, England are in the best possible position heading into the final match. However, China and Denmark both have racked up three points and so both are still in with a shout. All will be settled on the final matchday that will see China will face England, while Denmark will host Haiti.
Group E
Round 2 in Group E set up the most anticipated fixture of the group stages, and it did not disappoint. The match between the Netherlands and the USA was a remake of the 2019 Women’s World Cup final and was arguably one of the most enthralling fixtures thus far. Jill Roord opened the scoring for the Netherlands, before USA’s captain Lindsey Horan evened things in the second half. A hotly contested match which ended up also showing a funny side as images of Danielle van de Donk wearing a swimming cap went viral, despite the cap featuring due to a collision of heads that left the Netherlands number ten with a bleeding wound.
The two sides both currently have four points, but the USA lead the group on goal difference. Meanwhile, Portugal got their three points against Vietnam, thanks to goals by Francisca Nazareth and Telma Encarnacao. The final match day will settle the progressors, as the USA meet Portugal, while the Netherlands will fancy their chances against Vietnam.
Group F
Group F served up another exciting fixture between France and Brazil, which saw the French nick a late 2-1 victory, thanks to a header by the veteran and captain Wendie Renard. Meanwhile, Jamaica edged out a 1-0 victory over Panama that sent them into second place with four points, equalling France’s tally. The final match day will send Jamaica and Brazil in direct confrontation for a place in the knockout rounds, while France will aim to seal their own progression with a victory against Panama.
Group G
Sweden made sure of their qualification with a resounding 5-0 victory over Italy, that sent them to the top of Group G. Meanwhile, South Africa and Argentina held each other to a 2-2 draw that sees them both notch a point in the group. The Swedes will hope to make it three out of three but will face stern opposition as Argentina aim to make the knockout stages for the first time. Similarly, South Africa will not lie down against Italy as the two go head-to-head in attempt to secure their own spot.
Group H
The final group’s round two of matches was played earlier today and both lived up to the billing. The first match saw Morocco make history by defeating South Korea by 1-0 thanks to an early goal by Ibtissam Jraidi. On the other hand, Germany were upset by Colombia by 2-1, which sends the Colombians top of the group. Star player Linda Caicedo sent the Colombians into the lead with a fantastic curler seven minutes into the second half. However, Germany appeared to have salvaged the match when Alexandra Popp converted from the spot in the final minute of the match, only for Manuela Vanegas to win it for Colombia in injury time.
It will be another nerve wracking final match day for the teams. It could see Colombia make it three out of three if they secure a victory against debutants Morocco. However, the latter will be on the hunt to secure a victory to put themselves in the best possible place for progression. Despite this, Germany are expected to unleash their firepower against South Korea to make sure of their own place in the round of sixteen. On the other hand, South Korea may still do the unthinkable and win the match themselves. If it comes down to goal difference between the three, then it is likely that the 6-0 scoreline in the opening match between Germany and Morocco will be a crucial factor placing Germany in the best possible position.
Lead Images: FIFA WWC via Twitter
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