A ticket to the knockout stages awaits two teams separated by twenty points on the FIFA ranking when top dogs and defending champions United States meet debutants Portugal in their last match in Group E. Both teams know that a win or draw (although Vietnam needs to beat the Netherlands if Portugal plays a draw) for both teams will likely push them both to the knockout round. However, Vietnam, who are rock-bottom in Group E with no points so far, is very unlikely to beat The Oranje, so it will surely be a game of “who wants it more” between both teams. Portugal lost their first-ever World Cup match to the Netherlands in a comfortable 1-0 victory for the Ornaje. The Portuguese however recovered to play a wonderful game against the Vietnamese, scoring two goals without reply. Telma Encarnacao opened the scoring for the Europeans against the Asians, becoming the lucky lady to score Portugal’s first World Cup goal. A second followed in the twenty-first minute after a fine run from

  In football tournaments, a team winning and smiling means another has lost and is not happy about it. Such will be the case in the Women’s World Cup Group B match when Ireland face Nigeria in the last round of group matches. Ireland have, unfortunately, been eliminated from their first-ever World Cup after losing narrowly 1-0 to co-hosts Australia and, again, losing narrowly 2-1 to Canada. The only good news was that they scored their first-ever World Cup goal. This condemned them to no points and egress from the tournament but will be looking to win or draw a World Cup match and achieve some form of respectability before they exit the competition. Nigeria are, however, no slouches, and will look to cement the top spot in Group B by playing a professional game against Ireland. A draw or a win will surely give them that top spot. The Girls in Green have been largely unlucky in this competition, although much of their problem is down to a lack of experience and quality players. However

Former world champions Germany is set to win a consecutive Group B 2023 Women’s World Cup match when they face Colombia on Sunday at Sydney Football Stadium in Australia. Both teams recorded comfortable wins in their first matches, with Germany overpowering debutants Morocco in a one-sided affair, while Colombia outwitted South Korea through sheer wit and solid finishing to take home all three points last time out. First-match wins have put both teams in a good place moving forward in the tournament, and they will be looking to build on their fine performances as the tournament progresses. Germany made light work of first-timers Morocco, with experienced striker Alex Popp scoring a brace in the first half. The second half would resume with more goals, with Klara Buhl scoring the third after just 21 seconds and the Moroccans conceding two own goals courtesy of Hanane Ait El Haj and Zineb Redouan. The final goal came in the final minute of normal time, scored by Lea Schuller, rounding of

  In a match that promises to be as exciting as it will be watched all over the world, the fifth-best women’s team will battle the eighth-best women’s team for bragging and qualification rights in Group F. The French will, of course, be feeling the pressure much more than the Brazilians as they failed to make light work of the Jamaicans, who are thirty-five positions below the French in the official team ranking. Due to their failure in their first match, they will be looking to cover up by beating Brazil, who are flying high after their four-nil win over Panama in their first game. This is sure to be a fascinating match, as both teams possess many of the world’s best players. France beat Brazil in the quarterfinal of the last Women’s World Cup edition to send them packing and will be looking to repeat that. The Brazilians, however, are certainly, no pushovers and will surely prove to be made of sterner stuff than expected. Both teams are tournament favorites and will look to match tha

  The stage is set for qualification in the Women’s World Cup Group G match between Sweden and Italy. Both teams took maximum points off their opponents in their first group matches, with Italy trouncing Argentina by a lone goal and Sweden beating South Africa after conceding an early second-half equalizer. Both teams will be well aware of what is at stake as a win here for any of these teams will guarantee qualification from the group. Italy started well against Argentina but failed to put in their chances. However, credit must be given to the Argentinian squad who put in a solid shift as a unit, attacking sporadically and defending well. The Italians must have been thinking that would be the final result until a cross from deep from Lisa Boattin found Cristiana Girelli, who hit a looping header that went over Vanina Noemi Correa, who had been excellent all evening, and into the back of the net. The goal sparked wild celebrations among the Italian camp and the stands, and Girelli was

  There will be much at stake in the Women’s World Cup Group G match between Argentina and South Africa after their losses to Italy and Sweden respectively. While Argentina battled with the sixteenth-best women’s team in the world for eighty-six minutes and conceded a looping header just after, Bayana Bayana could not but watch helplessly as Sweden took the game to them even when they scored first at Wellington Regional Stadium. Argentina will no doubt feel hard done by after towering striker Cristiana Girelli’s header caught out Vanina Noemi Correa who had been superb all evening, having saved all Italy’s shots on target. Argentina was equal to the task against the Italians, almost squaring up to them in possession and gaining some ground through luck. They also hit three shots on target, showing their own quality and giving them a form of confidence going into their next game. South Africa, on the other hand, started strongly against the third-best women’s team in the world. Their ag

  Co-hosts Australia will be playing their second Group B Women’s World Cup game against the highest-ranked African country Nigeria in a match that promises a lot of entertainment and action. While both teams possess different points on the table, they would be looking to play their best football and win to gain a better foothold in the competition. Australia, without star striker Sam Kerr due to a calf injury, played well much to some surprise, beating Ireland on opening day. However, they needed a bit of luck to win, as the players simply refused to put even one shot on target until some minutes before the end of the first half. They continued to press hard and were rewarded in the fiftieth minute of the second half where Ireland’s Marissa Sheva committed a foul in the box. Steph Catley sent the keeper the wrong way to break the deadlock and give the Australians a boost. The game, however, turned on its head, as the Irish took matters into their own hands and pushed for an equalizer,

  I launched the Slay-Ballers Campaign mainly because there was much awareness to be created around the increase in women playing soccer in women’s leagues all over the world, even as the gap between men’s and women’s football continues to expand. It has thus become an unofficial custom to offer insight into select games in select women’s soccer competitions around the world, and the 2023 Women’s World Cup is a good example to help this cause. Today, I present to you Spain playing Zambia as the third (out of six) Group C match, which will be played at Eden Park in Australia, the same stadium that hosted the opening match between New Zealand and Norway. Spain created their own luck in their opening match, scoring three goals without reply against World Cup debutants Costa Rica. There was much experience on display, with Spain taking most of the possession and getting their shots on target. It was no surprise when they forced an own goal from the opposition in the twenty-first minute, an

The 2023 Women’s World Cup is well and truly underway, as all teams have played at least one match, many people are going back to check their pre-tournament predictions and expectations and if they are still valid. One such match that is sure to cause many to change expectations is the Switzerland vs Norway match. This is because co-hosts New Zealand stunned the Gresshoppens on matchday one, picking up an unlikely win and a precious three points to hold on to the second place. Backed by the raucous crowd, New Zealand went out guns blazing right from the first minute and were duly rewarded with an early goal and Norway could not find a way despite the quality of firepower they had in front. Switzerland, on the other hand, comfortably dispatched the Philippines by two goals to nil, with both goals coming in each half. Ramona Bachmann dispatched a penalty right on the stroke of halftime and winger Seraina Piubel added another in the sixty-fourth minute to end all hopes of a comeback from

 There is a popular saying that goes, “What a man can do, a woman can do better.” While many women would approve of this, an opportunity to confirm this comes tomorrow when Germany faces Morocco in the ongoing 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. With the Moroccan men’s team going on a dream semifinal run in the World Cup, it is not farfetched to see the women’s team embark on a similar run. They are, after all, record breakers in their own right, becoming the first Arab nation to play at the Women’s World Cup. They also had a surprise run of their own, getting to the final of the WAFCON last year as hosts, where they lost to South Africa 2-1 in Rabat. Morocco is one of the lowest-ranked teams playing in the World Cup, but there is a look about them that shows they are ready to do battle and get what they want. It is going to be a stern test for them for them despite all of the fight and spirit, however, as Germany is no slouches when it comes to this competition. Having lifted the trophy twic

  “Underdogs versus giants” is a common fixture in every football tournament that always proves to be interesting, at least until the goals begin to pour in. It is always an interesting sight to see weaker teams resort to restricting the stronger team’s players through structured tactics and sheer willpower, simply because they know they cannot match the strength of the stronger team. Stronger teams more often than not win out in the end, and the France vs. Jamaica match in the ongoing 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is poised to be one of these matches. Jamaica will face off against France in the Sydney Football Stadium in Australia. While France is no stranger to the World Cup, going to every World Cup since the 2003 edition, Jamaica are competing in only their second World Cup. They will be looking to do better than their last time when they lost all their group stage games, losing to Australia, Brazil, and Italy and scoring just once. They have good recent results to offer some encoura

 The Slay-Ballers Campaign was developed to bring awareness of the superb and special achievements and activities being done by women all around the world. There are many aspects women are blazing personal torches, but few of them shine as brightly as the ones in the sports arena, especially in football. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is one of many events that embody this campaign, and the 2023 edition promises more than just awareness for every lover of football out there. Sweden plays South Africa in one of many big dog/small dog encounters where the small team will be looking to upset the apple cart and turn the tide around. South Africa is by no means a small team, having won the WAFCON to qualify for the World Cup. They are by no means strangers to disappointment, however, as it took them six tries to claim the coveted African trophy and finished with zero wins and points from their last World Cup campaign. However, this is their second consecutive World Cup, and with a similar squad

  After cohosts Australia and New Zealand try to start well against Ireland and Norway respectively, Nigeria, the most experienced African team, will be taking on the 2020 Olympic gold medalists, Canada in a fixture that promises to be as exciting as can be. Led by experienced and serial title winner Christine Sinclair, Canada will be looking to lay the foundation for a strong campaign by beating Nigeria. This will be no easy feat however, as Nigeria also has its own stars and experienced players. All of these make this fixture a mouthwatering one for the first day, and we all cannot wait for the tournament to get underway. Key players for Nigeria are Asisat Oshoala, longtime defender Onome Ebi, and Rasheedat Ajibade. Asisat, a proven goalscorer and title winner who currently turns out for league and European champions Barcelona, will be key in their fight in going further than their quarterfinal fight in 1999. No African team has gone beyond the quarterfinal since then, and twenty-eig

  Another Women’s World Cup is here again, starting on the 20th of July, 2023. Now that FIFA has decided to increase its allure and make more people fall in love with this category, we should see the effect of expanding the number of teams from 24 to 32 like the men’s category, and increasing the prize money from $30 million to $60 million. Co-host New Zealand will be slugging it out as the first match on the opening day with Norway at Eden Park in Australia, just after the opening ceremony at the same venue. The opening ceremony will feature two artists from both cohost nations performing the tournament’s theme song “Do It Again.” The second match on opening day will see Australia lock horns with Ireland at Stadium Australia in Australia. Captained by Ali Riley, New Zealand is entering the competition for the sixth time in its history, although they have been ever-present in the competition since 2007. Ali Riley was, interestingly, born in the United States but chose to represent the

  Another FIFA Women’s World Cup is here again. After the wonderful display of footballing brilliance and astute management displayed at the last edition in France in 2019, there is so much anticipation for the upcoming edition slated between July 20 and August 20 and what it will bring to the women’s footballing table. Before we go on, however, here is a reminder that this is part of the Slay-Ballers campaign 2.0 created to bring more awareness to the world of women playing soccer. There is an ever-increasing gap regarding how the women’s game compares to the men’s game, and this campaign is aimed at reducing this gap. Instead of the glittery historic city of Paris, the ninth FIFA Women’s World Cup will be cohosted by Australia and New Zealand. This competition will be held in stadiums across nine cities in both countries – five in Australia and four in New Zealand – and the final will be played in Stadium Australia located in the picturesque Australian capital, Sydney. There will be