You couldn’t say that for the other games.
Yes, Linda Caicedo has had a couple of quiet games and her 2022 under-17 World Cup teammate Guzman showed Colombia’s attacking efficiency with a crossfield assist but the European champions, unbeaten in 36 of their last 37 games, will be favourites in the last of the quarter-finals. Under Sarina Wiegman, the only woman coach remaining from the 12 that started this 32-team competition, England blew away China with a back three and adjusted to a back-four to ensure Nigeria could not exploit space behind wing-backs after James’ sending-off. That said, England have shown they can adapt and be proactive. Especially in a tournament where rankings haven’t always reflected performance. It could mean the draw has been kinder to them but given how Nigeria, ranked 40th, had the better chances, England may be inclined to view things differently. Playing their first quarter-finals in a competition no South American team has won, Colombia, at 25th are the only country outside the top 20 in FIFA rankings. Also Read: Colombia’s Linda Caicedo continues her India form at World Cup Five of the eight are from Europe showing a shift in the power axis from North America with Olympic champions Canada eliminated in the group league. Six of the teams are among the world’s top 10 and Japan, the only former world champions remaining, are 11th.
If the second round was about teams showing that the expanded World Cup was an idea whose time had come – at 72, Morocco were the lowest-ranked team ever in the last 16 – the quarter-finals, beginning on Friday where each player is assured of $90,000 in prize money, have the look and feel of the high table of the women’s game. Linda Caicedo and Daniela Caracas celebrate at the end of the Women's World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Jamaica and Colombia in Melbourne,(AP) In between, the round of 16 produced Japan’s panache, Lauren James’ petulance, Nigeria’s perseverance, Ana Guzman’s brilliance and a heroic shift by Zecira Musovic that took USA to the tie-breaker before goalline technology killed the defending champions’ aspirations of a three-peat. What began with Aitana Bonmati bending a game to her will ended with France setting up a tasty quarter-final with hosts Australia who eased Sam Kerr onto the pitch 19 days into the ninth Women’s World Cup.
0 kommentar(er)
