After Australia and New Zealand, the co-hosts of the Women’s World Cup, kicked off the match with victories, the main target now shifts to the subsequent video games of group play, and to a few prime contenders taking the sector: Canada, Spain and the United States.
Spain and the United States are not any strangers to the ultimate rounds of the Women’s World Cup, they usually should face up to the stress of getting a goal on their backs. Canada faces a unique form of stress: its so-far-unrealized expectations on the World Cup stage. It performed Nigeria to a draw, 0-0, on Friday.
After these video games, there can be a clearer indication of which of those contenders are poised to make a championship run, and which have issues to deal with.
Spain vs. Costa Rica
Spain, whose roster comprises a number of gamers from the powerhouse European membership Barcelona, has misplaced solely as soon as within the final 12 months. Spain is one more program in a battle with its federation: A truce was referred to as earlier than the group set off for the match, however tensions stay.
When Spain and Costa Rica performed within the opening match of the 2015 Women’s World Cup, the Costa Ricans had been capable of maintain the Spaniards to a 1-1 draw, a efficiency they’ll be seeking to repeat.
United States vs. Vietnam
Vietnam, enjoying in it’s first Women’s World Cup match, has odds of profitable the match at simply 50,000 to 1, however the group gave the extremely rated German group a scare on June 24 by holding a pleasant shut — the ultimate rating was 2-1.
The United States was criticized after its opening efficiency in 2019, when the group beat Thailand by 13-0. In the lead-up to this Women’s World Cup, none of this 12 months’s gamers would decide to refraining from an analogous aim frenzy, and as a group seeking to make historical past with a 3rd straight title, the United State would take a win in any type.
Nigeria vs. Canada
Both groups momentarily put aside battles with their federations over funding and equal pay to play of their opening sport, which led to a scoreless draw.
Canada, the reigning Olympic champions, made the quarterfinals of the World Cup in 2015 however misplaced within the spherical of 16 in 2019. Nigeria has received the Africa Cup of Nations 11 instances however is going through a stiff problem in a bunch that features the host nation Australia.
Philippines vs. Switzerland
The Philippines, in its first Women’s World Cup, encompasses a roster with 18 American-born gamers. It misplaced Friday to Switzerland, a group with just one earlier Women’s World Cup look (in 2015). Neither group is anticipated to advance far on this match.
Source: www.nytimes.com