The U.S. women’s national team cruised through the group stage of the Women’s World Cup, overpowering its three opponents by the tune of 18 goals for and zero against. It was the most dominating group-stage performance in the history of the tournament.
Now it gets trickier, starting with a round-of-16 matchup against Group B runner-up Spain on Monday.
Penalty kick rules are changing and goalkeepers at the 2019 Women’s World Cup are getting a reprieve. Kind of.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB), the body that determines the rules for FIFA competitions, announced a change to the way certain penalty kicks are viewed by the VARs.
Samantha Bee is the latest late-night TV host to join the debate on equal pay for men’s and women’s soccer players.
On Wednesday night’s episode of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, the eponymous host used her final segment (above) to make a quick argument that the USWNT should be paid equal to or better than the USMNT, which currently is not the case.
The dejection in the faces of the Chilean players was palpable. They finished a goal shy of qualifying for the Round of 16 despite scoring their country’s first-ever Women’s World Cup goal in a 2-0 win over Thailand on Thursday.
Three years ago, the USWNT suffered its worst defeat ever. OK, it wasn’t USMNT vs. Trinidad and Tobago bad, but it was, by the high standards of the American women, a major disappointment when Sweden knocked the U.S. out of the 2016 Olympic quarterfinals.
The USWNT defeated Sweden 2-0 in Le Havre on Thursday to clinch top spot in Group F and confirm next Monday’s Round of 16 meeting with Spain, exorcising some three-year-old demons in the process.
Key to casting out the lasting visages of that Olympic smash and grab was Tobin Heath, who ensured an American victory in the 50th minute after squaring up her defender, tip tapping her way forward like Yoda approaching Count Dooku before whirring into action and working a yard of space to hit one.
Assuming the USWNT finishes top of Group F later Thursday, as is expected, the Americans are going to face a tough path to the final, one that might include Spain, France and England. But what about the other side of the bracket?
While Germany is a big favorite, Die Nationalelf lost their best midfielder in Dzsenifer Marozsán to an injury. So who else might reach the final from that half of the bracket?
With a victory over New Zealand on Thursday afternoon, Cameroon would secure passage to the Round of 16 at the Women’s World Cup. They got there with the last kick of the match — Ajara Nchout’s improbable winner lifted her nation to a 2-1 victory after a calamitous 80th-minute own goal had threatened to ruin it all.