FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia-New Zealand 2023

[Breogan]

Netherlands 2 - 0 S.Africa
What a fight, Dutch goalie held off an onslaught from Kgatlana,

US 0(4) - 0(5) Sweden go to free kicks.
And a defining var call on what almost looked like a final save.
That was cruel, to live and die by a mm. digital image.

Edit :

(that body step:astonished
England 0(4) - 0(2) Nigeria (goes to penalties

Roos just scored.
Australia 1 - 0 Denmark

 

[Iceman]

Netherlands 2 - 0 S.Africa
What a fight, Dutch goalie held off an onslaught from Kgatlana,

US 0(4) - 0(5) Sweden go to free kicks.
And a defining var call on what almost looked like a final save.
That was cruel, to live and die by a mm. digital image.

Next up:
England - Nigeria
Austraila - Denmark

Netherlands 2 - 0 S.Africa
What a fight, Dutch goalie held off an onslaught from Kgatlana,

US 0(4) - 0(5) Sweden go to free kicks.
And a defining var call on what almost looked like a final save.
That was cruel, to live and die by a mm. digital image.

Next up:
England - Nigeria
Austraila - Denmark

Crazy to have the US out as well. They haven’t been at their best in this tournament at all. Kind of sucks that England are without 4 of their best players as it feels like we would have a legit chance otherwise to win with the US out. Yeah tough enough to go out on a shootout, but that much worse with VAR.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

England's and Nigeria's first penalties, looking like some of the USA's yesterday.

 

[Breogan]

England's and Nigeria's first penalties, looking like some of the USA's yesterday.

That Coriolis Effect must really be stronger in the Pacific Southern hemisphere.

Co·ri·o·lis ef·fect
noun
PHYSICS

1. an effect whereby a mass moving in a rotating system experiences a force (the Coriolis force ) acting perpendicular to the direction of motion and to the axis of rotation. On the earth, the effect tends to deflect moving objects ....

"Experts" are similarly searching to explain the unusual number of own goals in the tournament.

 

[Iceman]

Well England were lucky to survive that. Nigeria were the better team for sure. Thought it was curtains when we had a player (deservedly) sent off too. Relieved to get through but we need to be better than that. Great to see Nigeria playing so smoothly and aggressively. Hopefully they can win it some day.

 

[Breogan]

Australia on fire now, add another!
Australia 2 - 0 Denmark

Edit:
Colombia 1 - 0 Jamaica
France 4 - 0 Morocco

With that, the 8 Quarter Finalists all in:

Great line-up.
I'd say the biggest surprise and underdogs to survive into this is Colombia.
Would love to see them go one further, yet they have England next, no easy task, they may yet end up England's door-mats (literally)

Would love to see Japan and Spain win their next respective games, and go through for a rematch after the shellacking Japan gave them in the group stage, start of a nice rivalry. Though Netherlands Sweden would be just as good.
And Australia as the host have become the funnest to root for (for me), would love to see them go further, though beating France who showed up against Morocco today will be a challenge.

 

[DJ Kornphlake]

 

[Iceman]

Australia on fire now, add another!
Australia 2 - 0 Denmark

Edit:
Colombia 1 - 0 Jamaica
France 4 - 0 Morocco

With that, the 8 Quarter Finalists all in:

Great line-up.
I'd say the biggest surprise and underdogs to survive into this is Colombia.
Would love to see them go one further, yet they have England next, no easy task, they may yet end up England's door-mats (literally)

Would love to see Japan and Spain win their next respective games, and go through for a rematch after the shellacking Japan gave them in the group stage, start of a nice rivalry. Though Netherlands Sweden would be just as good.
And Australia as the host have become the funnest to root for (for me), would love to see them go further, though beating France who showed up against Morocco today will be a challenge.

If England don’t win, I’d like Japan to, and otherwise Australia as hosts or maybe Columbia who’ve shown some nice touches. I like in women’s football that the teams that are good in men’s football are also good and then you have a bunch of others who aren’t that good in men’s football (like the US) who are good in women’s. There’s a lot of teams who could potentially win one day, or at least get far into the knockout rounds, and the lower ranked teams are closing the gap on the big ones.

 

[sycamore]

If England don’t win, I’d like Japan to, and otherwise Australia as hosts or maybe Columbia who’ve shown some nice touches. I like in women’s football that the teams that are good in men’s football are also good and then you have a bunch of others who aren’t that good in men’s football (like the US) who are good in women’s. There’s a lot of teams who could potentially win one day, or at least get far into the knockout rounds, and the lower ranked teams are closing the gap on the big ones.

England and Japan are good picks. England has the best roster top to bottom, but it is really going to depend on how long James is out for. If it is MORE than one game, I wouldn't bet on England.

Japan has some blistering fast players up front that have been giving the traditional powers (like Norway) a lot of problems. With the US out, they could surprise.

 

[Iceman]

England and Japan are good picks. England has the best roster top to bottom, but it is really going to depend on how long James is out for. If it is MORE than one game, I wouldn't bet on England.

Japan has some blistering fast players up front that have been giving the traditional powers (like Norway) a lot of problems. With the US out, they could surprise.

I think James could get a 3 match ban that means she’s out for the tournament. It was a blatant act that will get deservedly punished. A shame she don’t have the self control needed (yet anyway) in these high pressure international tournaments, as she could have been the one to win it for us.

I love seeing Japan do well in this and the men’s tournaments. @MarvelFan are you watching by any chance?

 

[Iceman]

England's James has ban extended to two games

Oh, looks like it’s a 2 game ban so James would miss the semi if we get there, but be available if we made it to the final.

 

[Iceman]

Spain beat the Netherlands 2-1 earlier.

Sweden are beating Japan 2-0.

 

[Iceman]

Japan got one goal back at 87 minutes but Sweden hold out with a big victory against one of the teams with a very good chance of making the final. Shame we won’t see more of Japan here but they left their attack too late.

 

[Breogan]

Spain continually managed to create opportunities, they have trouble finishing, finally came down to that awesome attack from 19 yo (youngest (edit: one of?) in the tournament I'm hearing?) from Barcelona.
Into the semi final for first time. Felizidades Spain!

Japan v Sweden, possibly the two best teams of the tournament (neither had lost a game), Was also thinking Japan could go through, though not collecting on that (suspect) PK hurt them, and they just didn't get going until it was too late here . Congrats Sweden! (they've been here four times now)

 

[Iceman]

Spain continually managed to create opportunities, they have trouble finishing, finally came down to that awesome attack from the 19 year old from Barcelona.
Into the semi final for first time. Felizidades Spain!

Japan v Sweden, possibly the two best teams of the tournament, Was also thinking Japan could go through, though missing that PK hurt them, and they just didn't get going until it was too late here, . Congrats Sweden!

Spain look like the team to beat. So Sweden Vs Spain one semi and the winner of France Vs Australia against the winner of England Vs Colombia in the other. All teams I like in the quarter finals so (outside of supporting England) I’m happy whoever goes through. May the best team win!

 

[sycamore]

Yeah given the results this AM I'm going with a Spain-Australia final. I don't see England overcoming James suspension, not for two games.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I've enjoyed the tournament so far. Spain feels like they are making the final, even as I dread them winning. Not for the women, but the federation/coach. On the other side, I feel like it could be multiple teams, but I'm going to go with France, because I like their kits best.

 

[Iceman]

Australia France going to penalties!

 

[J.Drangal]

Australia France going to penalties!

Pure agony...

 

[Iceman]

Australia win 7-6, longest shootout in Women’s World Cup history.

 

[Iceman]

Pure agony...

Oh damn, sorry mate. Hard way to go out.

 

[Iceman]

I've enjoyed the tournament so far. Spain feels like they are making the final, even as I dread them winning. Not for the women, but the federation/coach. On the other side, I feel like it could be multiple teams, but I'm going to go with France, because I like their kits best.

What did the coach/federation do? I don’t mind them going out as they are probably the biggest threat left.

 

[Breogan]

I need a better shot of what denied France that header/(possibly own?) gol?
That penalty shoot out though, more blocked and off the post than in?.
Yet congrats to Australia, ...waltz on Matildas!

Colombia out of substitutes, running on fumes, still went out fighting,
Congrats Lionesses!

 

[Iceman]

Better performance from England than against Nigeria. 2-1 winners after going behind. I think they’re still a fair way off their best and will need to find it if they want to keep surviving.

 

[sycamore]

England vs Australia might be the funnest game of the tournament. Sorry Iceman, but I have a feeling that England might actually get destroyed in this game. Do you know how much this game means to the Australians, playing their mother country in front of their home crowd? Plus England playing without their best player. If England can withstand what is sure to be a wild, emotional first half, with the Australians playing like they're amped up on drugs, they have a shot. If not, could be a long day for England.