By Rockin’ Reese
The knockout stage of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup has begun. The preliminary round of the knockout stage concluded on Tuesday & we have our games set for the quarter-finals. Before we look at this weekend’s action, let’s look at what happened, last weekend.
The first knockout game featured (group A winner) Switzerland taking on (group C runner-up) Spain. It would take only 4 1/2 minutes for Spain to take control of the game. After Alba Redondo’s kick was saved by (Switzerland goalie) Gaëlle Thalmann, Redondo would recover the loose ball & set up Aitana Bonmatí for the first goal of the game. This was the first goal scored against Switzerland in the entire tournament. Before the 11-minute mark, Laia Codina would inadvertenly tie the game, when she tried to kick the ball away from a Switzerland player.
However, she misplayed the ball & it rolled past (Spain’s goalie) Cata Coll. This was the first goal for Switzerland, since their opening game against the Philippines. Spain would regain the lead about 6 minutes later, when Ona Battle set Redondo up for a header. Just past the 35-minute mark, Bonmatí scored her 2nd goal of the game with some fancy footwork. About 10 minutes later, Spain would add on to the lead, as Codina would redeem herself by scoring a goal, this time against Thalmann. In the second half, Switzerland had a chance to score, but Meriame Terchoun’s kick was snagged by Coll. Just past the 69:30 mark, Jennifer Hermoso would add Spain’s final goal and send them to the quarter-finals with a 5-1 victory.
Knockout game #2 featured (group C winner) Japan taking on (group A runner-up) Norway. Just before the 15-minute mark, Norway would suffer a cruel fate. Ingrid Engen tried to deflect a kick from (Japan’s leading scorer) Hinata Miyazawa, but the kick would roll past (Norway’s goalie) Aurora Mikalsen. However, Norway would quickly tie the game, as Vilde Bøe Risa would set up a header for Guro Reiten.
This was the first goal scored against Japan in the tournament. Though Bøe Risa contributed to that goal, she would also be responsible for Japan retaking the lead. After intercepting a Miyazawa pass, Bøe Risa tried to pass to Tuva Hansen, but Risa Shimizu intercepted it & scored before the 49:30 mark. Norway had 2 great opportunities to score goals, thanks to Caroline Graham.
Before the 76:30 mark, she set up Karina Sævik, but her kick went wide left of the goal. Over a minute later, Graham set up Frida Maanum, but her kick was snagged by (Japan’s goalie) Ayaka Yamashita. However, those 2 near misses would prove to be costly. Just past the 80-minute mark, Japan would use teamwork to set up Miyazawa for a breakaway goal that would be the dagger, as Japan would advance to the quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory.
Knockout game #3 featured (group E winner) the Netherlands taking on (group G runner-up) South Africa. Netherlands would score just a little over 8 minute into the match. (Captain) Sherida Spitse had a corner kick that was headed by Lieke Martens, but blocked by the foot of South Africa’s Lebohang Ramalepe. However, the ball popped up & Jill Roord had a well-placed header into a wide open net. South Africa had some chances in the first half, but (Netherlands goalie) Daphne van Domselaar shut them down, repeatedly.
Just past the 34-minute mark, Thembi Kgatlana used some great footwork to get around Spitse, but van Domselaar was able to deflect the goal attempt. Just before the first half went into “extra time”, Kgatlana had 2 chances for a goal. The first kick was deflected by van Domselaar, but Kgatlana recovered the ball & tried again. This time, van Domselaar was able to smother the ball. In “extra time”, Kgatlana had another chance for a goal, but van Domselaar made a save with her knee.
The ball was recovered & blasted by Cailtin Dijkstra, but van Domselaar snagged that one out of mid-air. In the second half, Netherlands thought they had a 2-0 lead after the 53:30 mark, when Victoria Pelova set up Martens for a goal, but after a review, the goal was taken away, because Pelova was offside. However, nearly 14 minutes later, they would get a legal goal. Martens would set up Lineth Beerensteyn, who would just get the ball out of the reach of (South Africa’s goalie) Kaylin Swart. Kgatlana had a final chance in “extra time”, but just like it happened all game, van Domselaar made another big save to preserve a 2-0 victory for Netherlands.
Knockout game #4 featured (group G winner) Sweden taking on (group E runner-up) the United States. Just before the 18-minute mark, Trinity Rodman (yes, she’s the daughter of Dennis) nearly put the 2-time defending champions on the board, but (Sweden’s goalie) Zećira Mušović was able to deflect the ball away. Near the 33:30 mark, (co-captain) Lindsey Horan nearly converted an Andi Sullivan corner kick, but Mušović was able to deflect that ball, too.
Just after the 52:30 mark, Emily Fox set Horan up again, but Mušović was able to make another save. Sweden had their chances, as well. The best one came near the 84:30 mark. Stina Blacksteinus set up Sofia Jakobsson, but (USA’s goalie) Alyssa Naeher was able to make a save. With less than a minute to go in regulation, the US has another chance to score, but Mušović was able to save a header from (co-captain) Alex Morgan. After Mušović made some saves in extra time, we were heading for a shootout, as neither time was able to score. The US would go first & Sullivan made a goal. Fridolina Rolfö scored on Sweden’s 1st attempt.
After failing to score during the game, Horan finally got a ball past Mušović. Elin Rubensson would tie things up for Sweden. Kristen Mewis would keep the scoring going for the US. Sweden would be the 1st team to miss, as Nathalie Björn sailed her kick over the net. Megan Rapinoe had a chance to send the US to the quarter-finals, but her kick went over the crossbar, as well. Rebecka Blomqvist tried to tie the shootout, but Naeher made a great save. Now, it was all up to Sophia Smith to close the door. However, she sent her kick over the net, allowing Sweden one more chance. Hanna Bennison got past Naeher to send the shootout into extra rounds.
In a rare goalie vs. goalie match, Naeher would get a goal against Mušović. Magdalena Eriksson would respond & score to keep Sweden alive. Kelley O’Hara would send a kick into the post, now giving Sweden a chance to win. It was up to Lina Hurtig to get the ball past Naeher. Hurtig’s shot was batted up in the air, but as it came down, the ball just rolled over the line before Naeher could knock it away. After a video replay confirmed it, Sweden dethroned the United States & advanced to the quarter-finals.
Knockout game #5 featured (group D winner) England taking on (group B runner-up) Nigeria. Around the 16-minute mark, Nigeria’s Ashleigh Plumptre nearly scored the first goal of the match, but (England’s goalie) Mary Earps had to make 2 saves in a matter of seconds. Over 6 minutes later, disaster nearly struck Nigeria, as Oluwatosin Demehin turned the ball over to Alessia Russo.
Thankfully, for Demehin, (Nigeria’s goalie) Chiamaka Nnadozie was able to make a save. Near the 27:30 mark, England had a great chance, as Esme Morgan nearly converted Alex Greenwood’s corner kick. Late in the game, England had a pair of chances around the 75:30 mark. Greenwood would deliver a corner kick to Daly, who tried to score on a header. After Nnadozie saved that, she had to prevent another score, as Russo tried for a pop-up header. Before the 84-minute mark, England’s Lauren James was on the attack, but when she lost the ball against Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie, James would trip over her.
While that was incidental contact, James stepped on Alozie, which gave her a yellow card. After a review, her yellow card became an automatic red card, which meant James was ejected from the game. Late into “extra time”, Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala nearly scored to prevent a shootout, but Earps was able to make a save. England also had a chance, as Greenwood’s kick was headed by Daly, but just missed (captain) Millie Bright. England had the first attempt in the shootut, but Georgia Stanway sent her kick wide left. Ugochi Oparanozie tried to give Nigeria the advantage, but her kick did the same thing Stanway’s did.
Bethany England finally got a ball past Nnadozie. Alozie tried to tie the shootout, but her kick sailed high. Daly would put England up 2-0 in the shootout. Rasheedat Ajibade would finally get a ball past Earps to keep Nigeria alive. However, Greenwood would score an uncontested kick to force Nigeria into a score or be eliminated situation. Christy Ucheibe would score easily, but they would need Chloe Kelly to miss in order to have a chance to force extra rounds. Though Nnadozie got a hand on the ball, Kelly was able to score & send England to the quarter-finals.
Knockout game #6 featured (group B winner) Australia taking on (group D runner-up) Denmark. With New Zealand eliminated, Australia would be the only home team remaining in the tournament. However, in the early stages, Denmark was getting the early chances. Katrine Veje nearly scored 30 seconds into the game, but (Australia’s goalie) Mackenzie Arnold made a save.
Around the 8-minute mark, Amalie Vangsgaard & Janni Thomsen tried to set up Rikke Madsen, but Madsen slid before she made contact with the ball. At the 16-minute mark, Emma Snerle set up (captain) Pernille Harder, but Arnold made another save. Though the crowd in Sydney were feeling restless throughout the first 28 minutes, their country’s team would finally give them a reason to be excited. Mary Fowler would set up Cailtin Foord to give Australia the first goal of the match. In the 2nd half, Denmark tried to tie things up.
Kathrine Møller Kühl had a chance around the 53:30 mark. Arnold bobbled the ball, but she recovered before Madsen could get to it. Nearly 3 minutes late, Harden took a pass from Rikke Sevecke, but Arnold again made a save. Around the 70-minute mark, Australia would seal Denmark’s fate with some excellent teamwork. After Kyra Cooney-Cross settled a ball, she would pass to Mary Fowler, who would pass to Emily van Egmond, who would set up Hayley Raso for the goal. With a 2-0 victory, Australia would advance to the quarter-finals.
Knockout game #7 featured (group H winner) Colombia taking on (group F runner-up) Jamaica. Just past the 26-minute mark, Colombia nearly scored on a ball-in play. Carolina Arias found Catalina Usme for a one-timer. It was unclear if she was setting up Leicy Santos for a header or if Usme was trying to score, but either way, (Jamaica’s goalie) Rebecca Spencer wasn’t going to find out, as she snagged the ball, as it dropped.
Usme nearly scored 3 minutes later, but Spencer punched the ball away. In the 2nd half, Usme would finally put Colombia on the board. Santos passed to Ana María Guzmán, who launched a ball right into Usme’s path. Usme got Spencer out of position & struck just before the 51-minute mark. Nearly 3 minutes later, Jamaica almost tied the game on a Deneisha Blackwood free kick.
However, (Colombia’s goalie) Catalina Pérez punched the ball away from the net. Khadija Shaw tried to score past the 68-minute mark, but Pérez easily stop a shot from Jamaica’s captain. Jamaica had another near the 81:30 mark, as Tiffany Cameron set up Drew Spence, but Spence’s header just went left of the goal. In “extra time”, Jamaica had one final chance to force the game into a shootout. A Blackwood corner kick was headed by Colombia’s Marcela Restrepo, but the ball popped up to Shaw. The captain tried to score on a header, but Pérez snagged the ball on a diving save. With that, Colombia would advance to the quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory.
The 8th & final knockout game featured (group F winner) France taking on (group H runner-up) Morocco. France came out the gate early, as Eugénie Le Sommer tried to set up Kenza Dali around the 11:30 mark, but the pass was broken up by (Morocco’s captain) Ghizlane Chebbak. Selma Bacha recovered the loose ball, but her shot was blocked by (Morocco’s goalie) Khadija Er-Rmichi. Just over 3 minutes later, Sakina Karchaoui would set up Kadidiatou Diani for the first goal of the match.
About 5 minutes later, Dali & Diani would team up for France’s 2nd goal. It started with (captain) Wendie Renard passing to Dali, who passed to Diani. Le Sommer was charging for the net, as Diani passed back to Dali, who scored the goal. Over 3 minutes later, Diani got into a battle for the ball with Nesryne El Chad. It looked like El Chad was trying to pass to Nouhaila Benzina, but Benzina wasn’t focused on the pass. Unfortunately for Morocco, Le Sommer was & France scored a 3rd goal before 23 minutes had elapsed.
Before the 48:30 mark, Morocco had a great chance to score, as Sakina Ouzraoui kept a ball in play, then passed to Ibtissam Jraïdi, whose ball was deflected by (France’s goalie) Pauline Peyraud-Magnin. Before the 70-minute mark, Vicky Bècho set up Le Sommer for her 2nd goal of the game. Mercifully, “extra time” wasn’t long, as France advanced to he quarter-finals with a 4-0 victory.
That’s how these teams got to the quarter-finals. Now, who will get one step closer to the ultimate goal? One team will be 3 victories away from raising the World Cup trophy, next Sunday. The knockout stage continues, so let’s see who will deliver the next big punch.
