Category: Featured

Photo Courtesy of Tim Schofield

Wild Start to Wimbledon With Upsets and Historic Matches

Wimbledon started today with 32 matches in the women’s singles first round. Only four of the matches went to three sets and one of the matches ended early due to a player retiring from the event.

There are usually a few surprises in a tournament with players upsetting higher ranked opponents but four of the top seeds going out on day one seems unpredictable and reflects how close the competition is in women’s tennis.

The biggest surprise of the day has to be second ranked Naomi Osaka being defeated by Yulia Putintseva 7-6 (4), 6-2. This is the second time in 12 days that Putintseva has beaten Osaka and the third time overall; Osaka has never beaten Putintseva. Osaka recently lost her number one overall ranking and had felt relieved of the pressure the top ranking entails. After the loss today, Osaka was obviously upset and even ended her post-match press conference early by saying, “I feel like I’m about to cry.“

The next highest ranked player and the first top player to exit the tournament was Aryna Sabalenka, ranked tenth. Magdalena Rybarikova won 6-2, 6-4 in just 70 minutes of play. Rybarikova has typically not gotten past the second round of tournaments, but her highest finish at a Grand Slam tournament was in 2017 when she reached the Wimbledon semifinals.

The two other upsets over seeded opponents were Shuai Zhang over 23rd ranked Caroline Garcia and Ajla Tomljanovic over 29th ranked Daria Kasatkina.

But quite possibly one of the biggest story-lines of the day was between two unseeded players in Venus Williams and Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff. V. Williams is ranked 44th in the world and one of the most decorated tennis players of all time. Gauff is the youngest player in the tournament at just 15 years-old. Gauff had previously said that she idolized both Serena and Venus Williams growing up so playing V. Williams in her second major tournament match created a whirlwind of emotions. But the young player was able to keep her emotions in check and defeat V. Williams in straight sets. Gauff won 6-4, 6-4 and showed she is more experienced than her age shows. She is the youngest player to win a match at a major since 1991. Gauff looked in control the entire match and was able to take advantages of miscues from V. Williams.

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When the two met at the net after the match V. Williams congratulated Gauff on the win. After the match, Gauff revealed that she was able to tell V. Williams how much she means to her and many other young athletes who look up to V. Williams. Not everyone gets to meet their hero, let alone play against them and win. Today is a day that will be hard for Gauff to forget, but she will have to regroup quickly and focus on her next match if she wants to continue her time at Wimbledon.

Wimbledon’s first round resumes tomorrow at 6 am ET on ESPN 3.

Photo Courtesy of Kate T

BREAKING: Second Seeded Naomi Osaka Upset at Wimbledon

The number two ranked player, Naomi Osaka, was ousted from Wimbledon after just two sets in the opening round. Unseeded at Wimbledon, but ranked 39th in the world, Yulia Putintseva defeated Osaka 7-6 (4), 6-2.

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Osaka lost her number one ranking due in large part to a previous matchup with Putintseva just 12 days ago. The defeat happened at the 2019 Birmingham Classic, that Ashleigh Barty went on to win and now has the top ranking.

A few days ago Osaka said that no longer having the number one next to her name has made her more relaxed. It created “more stress and pressure than (she) could have imagined.” She went on to add, “I don’t think there was anything that could have prepared me for that, especially since I’m kind of an overthinker.”

Even without the top ranking the pressure seemed to mount to be too much for Osaka. But all the credit does go to Putintseva who has beaten Osaka in all three matches they have played in.

Osaka jumped onto the scene and limelight with her win over Serena Williams at the 2018 US Open and then followed it up with a 2019 Australian Open. Perhaps Osaka plays better as a lower seed and someone who is not expected to win. But that does create a unique paradox since the more you win the higher the seed you become.

Graphic Courtesy of Natalie Dettmer

WOW Sports Now Providing Coverage for Tennis Starting With Wimbledon

WOW Sports is happy to announce that we have expanded our coverage to now include tennis. With Wimbledon starting tomorrow we thought it was the perfect time to officially add our second sport. We will still continue our coverage of the Women’s World Cup followed up with overall soccer coverage.

We will provide current world rankings, tournament insight with schedules and analysis. Feel free to go to our “Tennis” page and check out our coverage.

Tennis has a rich history and is beloved by millions of people. Wimbledon is a staple tournament in the sport known for its fresh grass courts and all white apparel requirement.

128 women will compete in the singles portion of Wimbledon starting on July 1st and the final two players will square off on July 13th.

There are 36 different nations represented at the tournament with the most being from the United States having 18 athletes. The highest ranked American at Wimbledon is Sloane Stephens at ninth with Serena Williams not far behind ranked 11th.

The number one overall ranking belongs to Australian, Ashleigh Barty. She clinched the top seed by winning the Birmingham Classic on June 24th. The 23-year-old will look to add to her recent slew of victories most notably her win at the 2019 French Open.

When Barty was named the top seed she dethroned Japanese player, Naomi Osaka, who had the infamous win over Serena Williams at the 2018 US Open and followed it up with a win at the 2019 Australian Open.

Angelique Kerber of Germany currently ranked fifth in the world will look to retain her Wimbledon title she won in 2018. Kerber defeated S. Williams last year in the final match, but if the two win their matches respectively they would face off in the semifinals this year.

The top half of the Wimbledon bracket does seem to be more daunting and full of heavy favorites compared to the bottom half. Barty, S. Williams, Kerber, Kiki Bertens (ranked fourth), Stephens and Petra Kvitova (ranked sixth) all encompass the top half. While Osaka, Arvna Sabalenka (ranked tenth), Simona Halep (ranked seventh), Karolina Pliskova (ranked third) and Elina Svitolina (ranked eighth) make up the bottom half of the bracket.

Nine of the last ten Wimbledon champions are all in the top half of the bracket and Marion Bartoli is the only exception to the last ten years winning the 2013 Wimbledon title, but she has since retired. Venus Williams (ranked 44th) is the only player on the bottom half the bracket to win Wimbledon since the turn of the century winning in 2000, 2001, 2007 and 2008.

There have only been nine different Wimbledon winners since 2000 with the majority of those titles going to S. Williams who has seven.

Will a new champion be crowned this year or will the usual winners prove Wimbledon is made for the experienced veterans? Find out by staying up to date on WOW Sports and by watching the matches on ESPN with coverage starting tomorrow at 6:00 am ET on ESPN3 and ESPN+.

Photo Courtesy of Anders Henrikson

Sweden Upsets Germany for Last Spot in the Semifinals

Sweden vs Germany was a rematch of a quarterfinal in the World Cup in 2015. Germany was victorious then, but this time it was Sweden who would advance today.

The last eleven times Germany and Sweden had faced off at a major tournament Germany had won 10 of the games and then tied in the other game. Germany defeated Sweden to win the gold medal at the Olympics in 2016. To say Sweden had a point to prove with this match is an understatement.

The game started out back and forth with both offenses testing their luck with the opposing defenses. But the pressure proved to be too much and the game opened up quickly.

A turnover by Sweden in their defensive half occurred when Sara Däbritz intercepted a poor pass. Däbritz immediately turned and dribbled toward goal. She played a through ball in the box to Lina Magull who initially had a bad touch but recovered quickly with a half volley. A spectacular finish that may end up being the goal of the tournament.

Sweden would not hang their heads and sulk about going down 1-0. Instead Sweden would answer back with a goal of their own just six minutes later, the first goal Germany has conceded all tournament.

Swedish defender, Linda Sembrant, won a loose ball in her defensive half and sent a one touch long pass over the heads of the German defense. The ball would bounce to Sofia Jakobsson who tapped the ball into the box and shot a low ball into the left side of the net.

The 1-1 tie would stand going into halftime. The second half would start with a notable German substitute, Dzsenifer Marozsán. She is the star for Germany but had not played since injuring her toe in Germany’s first game of the tournament. Marozsán entering the game was to help Germany’s offense, but it was perhaps their defense that could use the help.

Sweden was on the attack in the 48th minute and played the ball out wide to Jackobsson. She created some space from her defender and sent a ball into the box that got headed towards the goal by Fridolina Rolfö. Her shot was saved but the rebound went out to Stina Blackstenius who hammered the ball into the top of the net from close range.

Germany who had never been scored on at this World Cup had now been scored on twice and was losing for the first time. The first real test of adversity and the question of could Germany weather the storm and advance?

Germany had numerous chances to score and find an equalizer. They had multiple shots inside the box, but they would go wide or easily saved. Sweden would prove to be too much for Germany and beat their rival 2-1. After the match, Sweden was obviously ecstatic with the win and they were met with images of a disappointed Germany.

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Three of the four semifinalists are European teams in the Netherlands, England and Sweden. Since UEFA, Europes’s soccer federation, uses the World Cup as the qualifier for the Olympics and only three teams qualify for Europe, all three semifinalists are going to the Olympics in 2020. This does mean that the second and fourth ranked teams in the world will not be at the Olympics with Germany and France, respectively. Also means Germany will not be able to defend their 2016 gold medal.

The victory was Sweden’s second win over a top five team at the World Cup since they had defeated Canada (ranked fifth) in the previous game 1-0. When Sweden’s head coach, Peter Gerhardsson, was asked if he thought it was a surprise that they won today, he somewhat dodged the question with, “We knew we had a chance and knew we had to play our best game of the tournament to beat Germany.” And then when he was asked about the upcoming game against the Netherlands he mainly talked about scouting them and then adjusting his lineup mainly based on his own team’s injuries and players suspended for yellow cards. While everyone else seems to be worried about the high caliber of their own opponents Sweden chooses to focus on themselves. No matter how they look at the match it is without a doubt they will need to have another great game to beat Holland.

The semifinals are set and will have the first game be between England and the United States on July 2nd at 3:00 pm ET on FOX and the Netherlands playing Sweden on July 3rd at 3:00 pm ET on FS1.

Photo Courtesy of Ailura

Holland Advances to Their First Semifinals in Women’s World Cup History

Entering the game the Netherlands were the heavy favorites over Italy. The Italians were deemed the Cinderella team of the tournament and were thought to be outmatched by Holland.

Neither Italy or the Netherlands have played in a quarterfinal at a Women’s World Cup so nerves were expected from both sides. But if the nerves were not enough they also had to try and play through the heat wave that is passing through France. Their game was set to kickoff at 3 pm local time when the heat is in its prime. The Netherlands said they tried to ask FIFA to move the game back to try and play at cooler temperatures. It was to no avail and the teams would have to manage the game with the fatigue the heat causes.

The Netherlands controlled the tempo for the majority of the game. They had multiple scoring chances, but were not clinical in the final third and Italy’s goalkeeper, Laura Giuliani, was not tested. Italy had their chances in the first half even though they came few and far between. But again no real test for the Netherlands goalkeeper, Sari van Veenendaal. No real chances mean no goals and a 0-0 tie at halftime.

The much needed rest and the recovery from the halftime break gave the Netherlands a surge of tempo in the second half. They had many different attacks in the early minutes of the half but once again just could not get anything in the back of the net. The Netherlands were even given free kick opportunities deep in their offensive half, but no goals to count for.

The constant pressure for the Netherlands would pay off as the game went on and so would their free kicks. The Netherlands were awarded a free kick on the left side of their attacking half. Free kick specialist, Sherida Spitse, stepped up to take the kick and played a beautifully weighted ball to Vivianne Miedema who effortlessly headed the ball into the goal.

The 1-0 lead ignited the Netherlands even more and just ten minutes after their first goal they added another in similar fashion.

Spitse once again stepped up to take a free kick in the offensive half, this time on the right side. She sent a driven ball into the box and Stefanie van der Gragt shot up out of the crowd of players and headed the ball above the outstretched goalkeeper.

Only ten minutes left to play and down 2-0 Italy could feel their historic run coming to an end. They would play the remaining minutes with the same pride and passion they have the entire tournament, but when the final whistle blew the Italians were eliminated. Hopefully this is not the last we see of the Italians and we do not have to wait another 20 years to see them at the Women’s World Cup.

The Dutch have used this World Cup to make a statement that they may be newer to the spotlight, but they are a team that will remain at the top. Earlier this week Lieke Martins, forward for the Netherlands, told FIFa that what their goal as a team was and it was that ‘We want to make history’ and they did just that. They will have to wait until the game between Sweden and Germany which starts at 12:30 pm ET on FS1. After the match Miedema said that she does not care who their next opponent is saying, “We’ll see tonight if it’s going to be Sweden or Germany, but I don’t care they’re both really good and we know that we can beat them.”

Photo Courtesy of Jamie Smed

USWNT Removes All Doubt With Their Win Over France

The United States have never lost in a World Cup quarterfinal and France has never won a World Cup quarterfinal. Despite their very different histories this game was thought of as Le Grand Match and quite frankly the best game of the tournament.

The number one team in the world would be the presumed favorites, but a questionable defense at times and barely beating Spain in their previous match had people wondering if the UWSNT could beat an impressive French side. With the home crowd behind them and a desire to win a game they never have France had all the tools to take down the 2015 Women’s World Cup Champion.

The game started quick, favoring the United States’ style of play. USA had their first shot on goal in the first minute of play and would only have to wait four more minutes for their first shot to find the back of the net. The United States was awarded a free kick just outside the box. Megan Rapinoe took the free kick and played a low ball into the box right in front of the US attackers. None of Rapinoe’s teammates would get to the ball, but it did not matter. Rapinoe’s ball in was enough and was able to bounce into the goal.

The rest of the first half would be back and forth showing an evenly matched game. Anytime either side looked like they were going to score their defense would step up many times sacrificing their bodies to keep the ball out of the net. The USA led 1-0 going into halftime.

The second half would start out quick as well but this time France was on the attack early and often. But France could not capialize on those chances. A big reason France could not score a goal was due to the play of US defender, Crystal Dunn. She had been criticized for being too much of an attacking defender and being lost out of position. Her critics were silenced after this game. Dunn was able to keep the lethal forward, Kadidiatou Diani, of France at bay and off the scoresheet.

If you have followed the USA at all then you have heard people talking about them having the best front line with Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan and Tobin Heath. The trio was able to live up to their status and were perfectly in-sync for the United States’ second goal of the game.

Morgan threaded a ball through to an on-running Heath. Using her space, Heath took the ball into their offensive box and passed the ball diagonally back across goal. Rapinoe was running into the box unmarked and slotted the ball to the far right side of the goal.

Despite being down 2-0, France did not let up and continued to pressure the United States’ defense. With just ten minutes left in the game the USA faithfuls could feel their team was going to walk away with the shutout and the win. However, France was awarded a free kick just outside their offensive box. Gaëtane Thiney played a lofted ball and found Wendie Renard, the tallest player on the field who headed the ball easily into goal. The United States looked lost on the free kick and left Renard unmarked.

Despite the defensive mishap the United States would settle in for the remainder of the game and give France no real chance to find an equalizer. The United States would go onto win 2-1. France is knocked out of the tournament despite a good showing at the World Cup, but continue to struggle in the big games.

This game fully lived up to expectations and felt like a close match for all 90 minutes. Head Coach for the UWSNT, Jill Ellis called the game “the most intense match” she has been a part of. Alex Morgan added that she thought the game was everything fans wanted, “It did live up to expectations. I’m happy to say that. We lived through a couple of storms during the match. I think we finished things off really well at the end. We did well. We knew there would be tough times and adversity, but we faced it straight on and we’re moving on. We’re so happy about it.”

It is unknown if any of the remaining games will be as exciting as this one. It probably deserved to be a final, but so often the best teams do not even get to face off and to have that at least happen deserves to be celebrated.

England who defeated Norway yesterday 3-0 now know they will play the United States for their semifinal matchup. That game will take place on July 2nd at 3:00 pm ET on FOX.

The remaining quartefinal games will be played tomorrow with the Netherlands and Italy playing at 9:00 am ET on FS1 and Germany taking on Sweden at 12:30 pm ET on FS1.

Phot Courtesy of EL Loko

England Advances to the Semifinals With a Commanding Win

Before the match even started it looked like England advancing to the semifinals would be questionable. England’s coach, Phil Neville, said that starters Steph Houghton and Millie Bright were doubtful for their game against Norway. Houghton was recovering from a tough tackle and Bright had come down with a virus. Also, starter Lucy Bronze was feeling ill and missing training sessions for the Lionesses. They were a game time decision and in the end Neville thought they were fit enough as all three started the game. But how their injuries and illnesses would affect them was still in question.

Facing a quality opponent in Norway and having their struggles coming into the match, a commanding start to the game would be key for England. And they did just that.

In only the second minute of play, Lucy Bronze, who showed no signs of an illness, took the ball to the end-line and crossed it into the box. Initially, Ellen White of England whiffed at the ball, but luckily a trailing Jill Scott took the opportunity and slid the ball into the lower left corner of the goal. The goal was scored in just two minutes and seven seconds into the game, the fastest goal in England’s World Cup history.

The rest of the first half was all England, who dominated the game and kept creating scoring chances. England could not get their second goal of the game however until the 40th minute. Bronze once again dribbled the ball up the right side of the field this time crossing an early ball into Nikita Parris. Defenders became swarming Parris who saw an open White in front of the net. Parris passed the ball to White, who did not whiff at this chance and instead tapped the ball into goal. England would take the 2-0 lead into halftime.

The second half would be much of the same. England controlling the game and Norway being dominated on both ends of the field. Norway who had looked impressive up until this game just could not get anything going. Their top forward, Caroline Graham Hansen, had poor touches and looked hesitant in front of goal. And England kept finding holes in Norway’s defense.

England would add to their 2-0 lead in the 57th minute. They were awarded a free kick just outside the box on the lower right side. Instead of crossing the ball into the box like a typical free kick from that spot, Beth Mead passed the ball to the top of the box where a wide open Lucy Bronze sat waiting. She hit an absolute one-touch rocket into the top of the net.

England was far from perfect in this game with their back-line falling apart on numerous occasions, but Norway could just not capitalize. One instance where the England goalkeeper, Karen Bardsley, misplayed a ball leaving the goal open for Lisa-Marie Utland, but a last minute slide from Houghton sustained the shutout.

Even with the uneven scoreline England did not let up in their attack. They were once again given a free kick in the offensive half. This time they chose to cross the ball into the box. Houghton jumped up for the ball, but Maria Thorisdottir shoved Houghton in the back pushing her to the ground. The push was bad enough that the referee awarded a penalty kick.

Parris stepped up to take the penalty hoping to improve her 1/2 conversion rate so far at the World Cup. She hit the ball hard but high, giving Ingrid Hjelmseth a chance to save it. Hjelmseth was able to knock the ball wide and give Norway one bright spot to take away from this match.

England would go onto win this game 3-0 earning their fourth shutout of the tournament. They are headed back to the semifinals for second straight World Cup. But this time around they are hoping to get one game further and play for the championship and not third place.

England will play the winner of France vs the United States on July 2nd. But regardless who England plays they are relishing their win now and unfazed by who will line up against them. When asked about their semifinal game Neville expressed the team’s confidence with, “We’re not bothered who we play. We want to play both of them [USA or France]. We’re going to go to Lyon, the atmosphere and the occasion will be incredible. My players have proven tonight the bigger the occasion, they better they are.”

France and the United States face-off tomorrow at 3:00 pm ET on FOX.

Photo Courtesy of U.S. Department of State

Quarterfinals Are Much More Than USA vs France

The game everyone is talking about for the World Cup is France vs the United States. People cannot believe the number one ranked team and the number four ranked team would be playing each other in a quarterfinal matchup. This game feels like it deserves to be a final, but the structure of the World Cup does their knockout rounds based on group finishes not world rankings.

The winner of the France vs. the United States may very well go onto win the World Cup, but there are way too many games left and quite frankly quality teams in the other quarterfinalists. There are plenty of story lines and angles the other six teams have created and to focus the majority of coverage on just France and the United States would do them a disservice.

We’re going to take a closer look at the other three quarterfinal games and hopefully you will be just as excited to watch them as you are France vs the United States.

England vs Norway

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The first game of the quarterfinals will take place between England and Norway. England, ranked third in the world and last World Cups’ third place finisher, was a not a surprise to advance to the final eight teams. Norway ranked just 12th in the world and having to beat the fifth ranked Australia to get the quarterfinals is a bit of a surprise.

England returned 12 players from their 2015 squad, but only seven of their starters from their third place victory returned. They also had to adjust to a new coach in Phil Neville who was named in January of last year amid controversy. But the Lionesses have proven that is all behind them and they are wanting to get one game further and play for a World Cup title.

They cruised through the group stage earning all nine points confirming they were a top team. Their impressive wins over Japan, Scotland and Argentina were almost washed away by a rocky showing against Cameroon in the Round of 16.

England was bailed out multiple times by Cameroon miscues and had goals practically handed to them. Their three goals were scored from an indirect free kick inside the box, a penalty kick and a corner kick. Not being able to score in the run of play questions England’s ability to finish when goals will come few and far between as they face tougher opponents. England also gave Cameroon opportunities to score, but offside and their inability to finish kept them off the scoresheet.

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Norway is going to be more of a test for England. They’re the 1991 World Cup Champions and 2000 Olympic gold medalists but have not had much success since then. People thought they would not be able to make a deep run at this tournament without the help of Ada Hegerberg, the best player in the world who is boycotting the Norway National team. But like England, Norway is choosing to put controversy behind them. They finished second in their group behind France. Their only loss was to France but it was just 2-1 with France getting the go ahead goal from a penalty kick.

Their second place finish meant playing Australia in the round of 16. Australia had under-performed in the group stage, but it was believed they would get going in the knockout round and live up to their sixth world ranking.

But Norway showed grit and pushed Australia as far as they could go. The game went to a penalty shootout with Norway not missing a single kick. Australia was playing a player down after a red card and looked defeated. Norway gained confidence as the match went on and proved they were the superior side.

It’s unknown if England and Norway will go to a penalty shootout of their own, but if so Norway has the upper hand and the continued chip on their shoulder to prove they belong and perhaps hoist the World Cup trophy after a 28 year drought.

Italy vs The Netherlands

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The game of firsts, the first time both teams have played in a quarterfinal in a World Cup and the first time these teams have ever played each other at a World Cup. Italy has been deemed the Cinderella story of the tournament while the Netherlands are seen as a finalist at the World Cup.

Italy is the lowest ranked team left in the tournament at 15. They had not been to a World Cup since 1999, but they were one of the first teams to qualify out of Europe. No matter how a team qualifies the World Cup is its own entity and tends to favor those with experience in the tournament. And then there’s the exception to the rule —Italy.

The Azzurre shockingly won Group C over top teams Australia and Brazil. Perhaps the most impressive thing about them is not that they have won, but how they have won. They play fluid soccer, often called pretty soccer. They play with passion and confidence, proud to represent their country at new heights.

Their first Knockout Round matchup was against China PR, a team who had committed the most fouls in the tournament. The constant stoppage of play from the fouls was thought to be an issue for Italy’s game-plan, but the team was unwavered. They settled into the game and posted their second shutout of the tournament. The Italians have only given up two goals at the World Cup, a statistic proving their defense is a staple for their team.

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On the other-side there is arguably the best offensive power in the world, with the Dutch forwards. The Netherlands have scored eight goals so far and will be looking to stretch the Italian back line. Holland was able to earn first place in Group E earning all nine points, with the most notable victory over Canada.

Even with eight goals the Dutch still seem to have more in them and looks like their offense is not always in sync. They were able to get the early lead against Japan in their first game in the Knockout Round. Japan was able to fight back and tie the game up 1-1 before halftime. The second half was mainly full of possession for Japan leaving the Dutch with limited opportunities to score and questioning whether they would advance. But it does not matter how many chances you get, all that matters is converting them. Japan could not convert them thanks large in part to goalkeeper, Sari Van Veenendaal. Late in the game the Netherlands were awarded a penalty and they seized the chance and are now in the quarterfinals. If the Netherlands are to advance past Italy then their offense will have to live up to its full potential.

Whichever team wins, the result will be emotional and have a a team reach the semifinal for the first time. When the game is done, you’ll undoubtedly want to stay tuned to see the winner’s reaction.

Germany vs Sweden

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The final game of the quarterfinal matchup has two of the more prominent European teams as of late. Both teams ranked inside the top ten will undoubtedly bring an exciting match.

Germany is the second ranked team in the world, but has not been receiving the same recognition as some. They have been quietly making their way through the tournament with a business-like demeanor. Germany won their Group without conceding a single goal. They continued their shutout streak into the Round of 16 when they faced Nigeria. They won in commanding style beating Nigeria 3-0.

All of Germany’s wins have felt commanding which shows they are a powerhouse. But it also means they have not had too much diversity and Spain was their highest ranked opponent at 13. Their biggest obstacle has been the injury to their star player, Dzsenifer Marozsan. Germany said she was out for the group stage and whether she can play in the quarterfinals is unknown. Even with the injury, they have not been tested in games which begs the question how will Germany do when they are tested by an even better opponent?

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That quality opponent might just be in their next game against Sweden. The ninth ranked team in the world and the second place finisher in Group F, Sweden has also quietly made their way through the World Cup. They won their first two games easily and then knowing they were already through to the Knockout Round, they took the chance to rest players in their matchup against the USA. Some critiqued the decision, but it seemed to payoff in their game against Canada.

Canada was assumed the favorite with their higher ranking. The game was evenly played and would be 0-0 for the majority of the game. But Sweden waited it out patiently and was able to score a goal. Canada looked to tie the game back up with a second half penalty but Hedvig Lindahl, the Sweden goalkeeper, made the save of the tournament denying Canada a goal.

Sweden and Germany have quietly made the quarterfinals, but their game might just be the best matchup showing a back and forth game. Expect this game to be anything but quiet.

The matchups are set and they start tomorrow to see who will advance to the semifinals.

  • Norway vs England: June 27th at 3:00 pm ET on FOX
  • France vs the United States: June 28th at 3:00 pm ET on FOX
  • Italy vs the Netherlands: June 29th at 9:00 am ET on FS1
  • Germany vs Sweden: June 29th at 12:30 pm ET on FS1
Photo Courtesy of ThreeCharlie

The Quarterfinals Are Set With Historic New Comers

Before this World Cup neither the Netherlands nor Italy had advanced past the first game in the knockout round. That was until today when both teams were able to win their games and advance to the quarterfinals for the first time in their history.

Italy had not been to a Women’s World Cup since 1999. That 20 year drought would make it seem that Italy was just happy to be back and a team not thought of as a top team in the world. But their first place finish in Group C over favorites Australia and Brazil proved they are a team that opponents need to be concerned about.

Even with a successful group play campaign they still had to defeat a talented China team. China who is the most penalized team with fouls was going to disrupt the play of a very fluid Italian team. Early on in the game it seemed like China was able to get the best of Italy and control the pace. But a little bit of patience and weathering the storm benefited Italy.

A tough defense was hard for the Italians to break through but a persistent Valentina Giacinti for Italy was able to get the offense going. She created a turnover in China’s defensive half and then crossed the ball in for her teammates to score. The ball kept getting knocked around and eventually rolled back to Giacinti in the middle of the box. She went fearlessly at the ball and launched it into the net.

China was able to create a few chances of their own throughout the game, but Italy’s high level defense proved to be too much. Italy has only conceded two goals all tournament and both have been off penalty kicks.

Italy was able to double their lead and give themselves some breathing room. In the 49th minute of play Italy caused China to turn the ball over again in their defensive half. This time Italy passed the ball just one time to a wide open Aurora Galli at the top of the box. She shot the ball into the lower left corner of the goal giving Italy the 2-0 lead.

The lead would be enough to propel Italy into the quarterfinals and celebrate a feat they have never conquered before. A few of the players were understandably emotional after the game. And some of that can be attributed to not only their historic run on the field, but the history they are making with equality in Italy.

When asked about the impact the team is having on soccer and in Italy Milena Bertolini, the head coach, mentioned the players playing for a purpose and wanting to change Italian culture. She said, “I really believe that this Italian women’s side has allowed the women’s game to break new ground back home. We can see that from the viewing figures, from what we’re seeing in the press, and from all the messages of those back home who are writing to us… This team with what they’re producing on the pitch they are able to break down some of those prejudices and barriers and they are enacting change and that is the mission that the girls feel they have in France.”

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The Netherlands were able to create some history of their own by beating Japan 2-1. Japan had been in the World Cup final for the past two tournaments and actually beat the Netherlands in 2015. They are the second youngest team at the World Cup this year and their inexperience was not enough to beat a tough Dutch side.

The Netherlands were able to get on the scoresheet first with their goal in the 17th minute. They had lined up for a corner kick with Sherida Spitse taking it on the left side. She played a ball right to the corner of the 6-yard box where Lieke Martens was positioned perfectly. Martens had a beautiful finish hitting the ball with her back heel and nutmegging a Japanese defender scoring an impressive goal.

Before the first half was over Japan was able to to convert a goal of their own. Known for their buildup and great tactical passes Japan was able to score from short quick passes. Mana Iwabuchi sent a through ball to Yui Hasegawa who then chipped the ball into the net tying the game up.

Japan appeared to dominate play in the second half and possessed the ball the majority of the time. But possession does not always dictate who wins and Japan not being able to finish in the final third was their downfall.

The game was nearing its end still tied at 1-1 and fans were thinking this game was going to extra time, it felt like the game deserved to go to extra time. However, while Saki Kumagai was trying to block a shot in Japan’s defensive box her arm got in the way and a penalty was issued for the Netherlands in the 89th minute. Lieke Martens stepped to take the penalty and earn herself a brace for the game. She kicked the ball into the right corner of the goal while the Japanese goalie dove the other way. The goal would put the game out of reach for Japan and allow the Netherlands to advance.

Even though the Netherlands have made the quarterfinals for the first time in their history the team is still a favorite to make the finals. When asked about the historic run Martens commented, “The history that we have made, we are really proud of that, but we’re not done yet here. We’re really looking forward to the next game and we hope we can surprise more.”

The Netherlands next game will be against Italy and whoever wins that game will make more history with their first trip to the semifinals. With both of these teams qualifying seven of the eight teams in the quarterfinals are from Europe with the lone non-European team being the United States.

Italy and the Netherlands will play Saturday at 9:00 am ET on FS1.

Photo Courtesy of Noah Salzman

Today’s WWC Games Produced Drama and Question Marks

Today proved to be a low scoring day with just four goals and only eight shots on goal between both of the matchups. But the limited goals also meant two tight games and intense moments up until the final play.

It opened up with a game between the United States and Spain. Many people believed Spain would be outmatched and outplayed by the number one team in the world. But Spain kept up with the United States and even exploited some of the holes in the United States’ defense.

There was no surprise however, in the US scoring in the first 15 minutes which they have done in all four of their World Cup games so far. In the 8th minute of play Tobin Heath was weaving with the ball in the box when she was fouled by Mapi León of Spain. The foul was harsh enough to warrant a penalty and Megan Rapinoe stepped up to take it. The Spanish goalkeeper dove to her left but Rapinoe went to the other side for the easy goal.

Spain would not hang their heads and instead capitalized on a United States miscue just two minutes after the US scored. Alyssa Naeher, the US goalkeeper, played a ball from a free kick to Becky Sauerbrunn. The ball was deep in the United States defensive half when Sauerbrunn received it and she immediately felt pressure from Spain. The pressure proved to be too much for the veteran defender and she turned the ball over to Lucía García. With Naeher well off her line García played the ball to Jenni Hermoso who hooked the ball into the top right corner of the net. Only 10 minutes into the game and it was already 1-1.

Fans were stunned with what had transpired and figured they were in for a high scoring game. However they would have to wait until the 75th minute to see another goal. Rose Lavelle for the United States was dribbling in Spain’s defensive box. Virginia Torrecilla briefly tapped Lavelle’s leg and she fell to the ground. The referee awarded a penalty, but may felt it was the wrong call and a pretty weak penalty. Some people couldn’t even tell if Torrecilla touched Lavelle before she fell. Regardless of what fans thought the United States were given the penalty and once again Rapinoe went up to take it. She shot the ball to the same exact side and got the same exact result as the first penalty giving the US a 2-1 lead.

The result would stand and the US are through to the quarterfinals. The game was not the United States best game, but the result is all that matters even if the defense looked shaky at times and the fact they had no goals at the run of play is concerning. If they are to get to the semifinals they will have to defeat a very impressive French team. France did beat the US back in January 3-1 and the loss created plenty of speculation about the quality of the US defense. Today’s game against Spain further reiterated these concerns and produces question marks about whether the United States can go far in the World Cup. The US will face off against France on Friday at 3 pm ET on FOX.

The USA France matchup has been the talk of the tournament ever since the groups were selected back in December. When Rapinoe was asked about the upcoming game she seems to be just as excited as the fans and expects the game of the tournament to take place.

The second game of the day between Sweden and Canada saw just one goal in the 55th minute. A great ball from Kosovare Asllani was played just inside the 18-yeard box to Stina Blackstenius who made a sliding kick that knocked the ball into the goal.

The game itself did not create too many chances for either team and defense was the word of the game. The lone goal from Sweden did give Canada a sense of urgency to score. Their best opportunity came in the form of a penalty kick in the 69th minute. Christine Sinclair who has the second most goals all time in international competition would have been assumed as the player to take the penalty for Canada. But Janine Beckie stepped to the spot and sent a well hit ball into the lower left corner. It seemed like it had enough pace to earn a goal, but Sweden’s goalkeeper, Hedvig Lindahl made the diving save.

1-0 would stand as the final score sending Sweden into the quarterfinals and Canada with another underwhelming World Cup showing. Despite being one of the top ranked teams Canada has never made it past the quarterfinals.

Five out of the six teams to make it to the quarterfinals are from Europe meaning at least one all Europe game will take place. With Sweden advancing that all European game was set. Sweden will continue their World Cup journey when they face Germany on Saturday at 12:30 pm ET on FS1.