World Cup

The USWNT overcame a spirited, physical and tactically disciplined Spain to advance to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup and setup an enthralling match with France, but the manner of the victory was hardly assuring. 

The U.S. required two penalties from captain Megan Rapinoe — one in the seventh minute and the next in the 76th — to overcome a defensive error that allowed Jennifer Hermoso to score the first goal against the USWNT of this tournament. 

France’s 2-1 extra time victory over Brazil in Le Havre may well have spelled the end of Marta’s glorious World Cup career. The six-time FIFA World Player of the Year extended her all-time World Cup goalscoring record to 17 with two penalties in the group stage, but for the second consecutive tournament, Brazil crashed out at the Round of 16.

France survived an almighty scare from Brazil to win 2-1 after extra time and advance to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup, where they’ll play the winner of tomorrow’s match between the USWNT and Spain. The goalscoring hero was Amandine Henry, who got on the end of a set piece in the 106th minute to send France through.

England’s 3-0 defeat of Cameroon in the Women’s World Cup Round of 16 today will live long in the memory for all the wrong reasons. The match threatened to descend into chaos on a number of occasions, and it left the players and managers of both nations fuming, albeit for very different reasons. 

The opening goal from today’s Women’s World Cup Round of 16 match between England and Cameroon was an epic tale involving back passes, indirect free kicks and saliva. Yeah, that kind of goal. 

The story begins in the 12th minute, when Cameroon’s Augustine Ejangue cushioned a cross straight towards her own goalkeeper. Instead of clearing it, Annette Ngo Ndom picked it up, putting Cameroon in violation of the back-pass rule. 

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.

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.