World Cup Football - Womens' 2023

[fallenangle]

Probably a kiss of death starting a thread on this but England's women footballers are going into the knockout stage after two OK-ish performances and wins in the group matches and now a fine demolishment of China (currently 6 - 1) with 5mins to go.

Some really good goals today and at least one other bizarrely ruled out by VAR.

[EJG1980]

I haven't been watching, but now it's basically at the business end I thought I'd start catching some of the matches that start later than the middle of the night Saw the South Africa vs Italy match and the dramatic ending there, nice upset result.

From my casual knowledge, the Sweden vs USA match in the second round looks like a tasty one, so I'll try and catch that. Starts early enough that I can fit it in before I need to leave for the Spurs friendly on Sunday; as long as it's finished inside the 90 and doesn't go to extra time!

[fallenangle]

It is difficult to predict which games are going to be good watches - the Sweden vs. USA certainly has the credentials to be entertaining. However the USA team are not the impressive and once undoubtedly dominant force they were in the last WWC. The Swedes, very like their men's team, are usually difficult to break down defensively so it could end in a bit of a stalemate too. Time will tell.

I think may be a good one could be Japan vs. Norway on Saturday. Norway had a poor and unconvincing start but they look to be coming good with a well balanced team and at least one real quality player: Guro Reiten. I've seen her several times playing for Chelsea in the WSL alongside England footballer of the moment Lauren James and, arguably, Australia's best player Sam Kerr.



The Japanese have a disciplined defence and been playing some potent counter attacking football this tournament. They also have a history of success in the WWC. The match has potential as it could go either way.

[fallenangle]

The Japan vs. Norway (3 - 1) was not a great game, entertaining enough and Reiten scored an excellent headed goal.

However in general Norway, disappointingly, were just not good enough with their earlier mediocre form in the competition returning. They just couldn't break down the Japanese defence, lacked creativity in the midfield, sloppy and slow on the ball and were hit, as predicted by more effective counter attacking gameplay. A bit Spursy in fact.

The Japanese are definitely ones to watch now.

[EJG1980]

After saying I was going to watch the matches that started at a more civilised time, I was woken up early this morning, couldn't get back to sleep, so ended up watching the Spain vs Switzerland match at 6AM!

Apparently I'm an own goal magnet as there have been spectacular ones in both matches I've watched so far, first the Italy vs South Africa match and now this. Both times they were equalisers to make it 1-1 too.

Good match, lots of goals, fun watch. Manic first half and then a more sedate second half, as often seems to be the case when you get a high scoring first half.

I liked the Spanish number 6, for both her goals she had defenders blocking her shot, but used the same bit of skill each time to drag the ball onto her other foot, wrong foot all the defenders, and calmly slot it home.

[fallenangle]

Yep, I picked the wrong match.

Sunday Edit:-

Wow, I was spot on with my call about the Sweden vs. USA game. Sweden practically mirroring what their mens' team have done so often, solid enough defending, a bit of luck and the opposition just not having the guile to break them down more than a few times. When they do they have a world class goalkeeper to rely on and in this case make three vital saves that kept them in the match.

But that mad penalty shoot out was something else, almost mitigated the dullish 120mins that preceded it.

Well done Sweden.

[EJG1980]

Wow, I was spot on with my call about the Sweden vs. USA game. Sweden practically mirroring what their mens' team have done so often, solid enough defending, a bit of luck and the opposition just not having the guile to break them down more than a few times. When they do they have a world class goalkeeper to rely on and in this case make three vital saves that kept them in the match.

But that mad penalty shoot out was something else, almost mitigated the dullish 120mins that preceded it.

Well done Sweden.

From my casual knowledge, the Sweden vs USA match in the second round looks like a tasty one, so I'll try and catch that. Starts early enough that I can fit it in before I need to leave for the Spurs friendly on Sunday; as long as it's finished inside the 90 and doesn't go to extra time!

Of course: saw the dull part, had to leave before the exciting bit

[fallenangle]

England vs. Nigeria tomorrow, 08.30am I think.

Don't want to predict the result, so I won't.

Monday Edit

OMG another game which almost mimicked the Sweden vs. USA game - quite frankly dull for 120mins with England under-performing and that is putting it mildly. Then 'star girl' Lauren James has her Gaza/Beckham moment of madness and gets herself sent off but England hold on for another penalty shoot out.

Not as bizarre as the Sweden vs. USA one but a miss for both the opening penalty takers ramps up the excitement right from the start. Beth England ( Spurs Women), Daly and Greenwood got England back on track and the Nigerians missed another. Thankfully my favourite England player: Chloe Kelly did not fluff her lines and delivered the coup de grace to give England a 4 - 2 win on penalties.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/66429096

Can't find a link just to the full penalty shoot out at this point but it is only that which is really worth watching from the whole of this game.

Three penalty shoot outs in 24hrs (two in the WWC and the Charity Shield yesterday) - it taxes both your mental and physical health.

[EJG1980]

Yup, talk about scraping through! You have to hope that England are doing the classic "big team that doesn't play well, does just enough to get through, and ends up winning it" routine.

Didn't see Colombia vs Jamaica but I'm gonna watch France vs Morocco as it kicks off at lunch time.

Edit: good stuff from France, some lovely goals, although the fact that it was so one sided diminished the excitement a little.

[fallenangle]

If England get past Colombia then it will very likely be France in the semi-final.

They're beatable........their captain Renard is a tough old boiler, one of the best defenders in the womens' game I've seen and evilly good with her heading at set pieces as she's about a foot taller than anyone else on the pitch.

Le Sommer their star attacking midfielder is also high quality and dangerous anywhere in the 18 yard box. But apart from that I think England are as good and even on an off day can match them. It could be an interesting watch, if they get that far.

Of course, I might be wrong it could be the Aussies England meet, that would be even more fun.

Friday Edit

Both quarter finals today well worth watching the highlights, definitely some good football on show and other entertaining things too: dodgy VAR decisions and both great and lucky goalkeeping.

Japan out to Sweden; interesting.

Blame goes to the Japanese manager on their initial tactics of allowing Sweden to have the ball, presumably, hoping to hit them on the counter when they lost it.

Problem is the Swedes didn't lose it that often and they didn't just play tippy-tappy Spanish possession type football. They played with intent and used their physical size and strength time and time again to dominate the smaller Japanese players.

It was only when in the second half after they were two behind that the Japanese started speeding things up, stringing their passes together, just like they had in their previous games, that they scored. The Swedes lost their cool and their shape and were nearly forced into extra time but held on.

The camera view in the highlights below of the Japan vs. Sweden just don't do justice to either the shot or the save at about 1'50".



Talking of Spain, they're through too. I think they were a bit lucky as the Dutch were off their best.



Saturday Edit

The Aussies did beat the French in an entertaining game and another memorable penalty shoot out.

England made hard work of beating the Colombians who were the better side overall but made mistakes that England took advantage of and punished. England went behind first but scored twice and held on for the 2 - 1 win although it was a nervy last twenty minutes.

A deserved victory I think simply because they did not do it pretty but in a professional, very hard working way against a team who against a less experienced side than England could have beaten them.

The Aussies will be a different kettle of fish and being on home turf with an even more partisan crowd than at the game today it could be, as I said, 'fun'.

[EJG1980]

Having looked back at the previous tournaments on Wikipedia, we're gonna have a new name on the cup this year, none of these four teams have won it before and none bar Sweden have even got to the final before.

Looking back at the past events, and from the stuff I've managed to watch this tournament, I'll pick Sweden as my winners, as they have the best pedigree of the remaining teams with a previous runners up spot and three third places.

It'd be great if England could do it though, to win the Euros and World Cup back to back would be an amazing achievement.

[fallenangle]

It would certainly be a boost not just for the womens' game but UK football in general to have undoubtedly one of the best football teams in the world.

How I see it is that even if it ends at the semi-final the womens' game will become an even more significant money earner for UK clubs like Spurs. If they win then that just multiplies the benefit. That's a good thing.

[EJG1980]

Spain vs Sweden: what an ending to this match! After Spain scored I was going to write that I'd cursed Sweden with my prediction of them winning it, then Sweden equalise, so I delete what I was writing, but then almost straight away Spain go back in front Any more drama or will that be that?

Edit: that'll be that, Spain into the final.

[fallenangle]

I was going to post pretty much the same thing.

Very ordinary, predictably cagey, first 85 minutes then in the last 12 minutes it all kicked off.

The winning goal was very like England's Lauren James one from a free kick earlier in the group stage against China but from the left rather than the right. The Spanish player was unmarked inside the 18 yard box, clearly a practiced set piece move like the England one, she got the ball direct from the corner and almost before I said: she is going to shoot, she had. The shot was on target and curled away from the Swedish goalkeeper into the net.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/66470702

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66369572

(Lauren James goal at about 1' 25")

WEDNESDAY EDIT

Yay! Excellent England win against the Aussies.

First half a bit dull with England getting a fantastic rifled goal and then slowing the game down to snails pace to manage the lead.

Typically when you do that the break for the second half gives the opposition a chance to rethink and regroup and that is exactly what they did. They increased their intensity, speed of build up and leveled with a stunningly good long range shot from Sam Kerr.

A few more chances for the Aussies were dealt and when they bought on Courtnee Vine, who is as fast and dangerous as Sam Kerr, she gave the England defence more trouble than they had before on their left. But England weathered the storm and worked not just one but two exceptionally well taken goals to win 1 - 3.

Over all, but particularly the second half, a very good watch.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0g09968/fifa-womens-world-cup-2023-minihighlights-australia-v-england

Roll on the final.

[Brad]

England Vs Spain in the final then!