Matchday 10 is one two former winners of the FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011™, namely Norway and USA, will want to forget. A pair of 2-1 defeats, to Australia and Sweden respectively, left them both suffering different fates. For Norway, it was the first time they had failed to qualify for the last eight in their past eight FIFA women's tournaments, while USA lost their proud unbeaten record in the group stage.
For Australia and Brazil, however, there were reasons to cheer. By virtue of their 3-0 win over Equatorial Guinea, the South Americans won their group for the fourth time in a row and, just like in 2007, they neither dropped a point nor conceded a goal. The Matildas, meanwhile, have reached the quarter-finals for the second successive time, gaining one more point in the group stage than four years ago. Today’s results complete the quarter final line-up, with Sweden meeting Australia in Augsburg and USA and Brazil squaring off in Dresden.
Results
Equatorial Guinea 0-3 Brazil
Australia 2-1 Norway
Sweden 2–1 USA
Korea DPR 0-0 Colombia
Goal of the day
Australia-Norway, Kyah Simon ‘57
Compared to yesterday, which boasted candidates for the Goal of the Tournament, stunning strikes on Matchday 10 were pretty much non-existent. But there may be no goal more dramatic at Germany 2011 than Simon's equaliser for Australia against Norway. Just 63 seconds after Elise Thorsnes had given her side the lead, Tom Sermanni’s team responded in the best possible fashion. Lisa De Vanna won possession near the corner flag, before pulling the ball back perfectly for Simon to side-foot home. It was the second-fastest equaliser at a FIFA Women's World Cup, level with Australian Dianne Alagich, who put through her own net to equalise for Russia at USA 2003. The quickest equaliser at a FIFA Women’s World Cup was scored by Nkiru Okosieme, who netted for Nigeria a matter of seconds after the Americans had scored against them 12 years ago.
Memorable moments
Me and my shadow
Coaches are always pleased when players follow the instructions to the letter. Therefore, Marcello Frigerio must have been delighted with Bruna for the job she performed on Marta during the first half of Equatorial Guinea's match with Brazil. The 27-year-old defender stuck to the five-time FIFA Women's World Player of the Year like glue, including chasing her in the South Americans' own area. Shortly before half-time, Marta went to Kleiton Lima to get some instructions and Bruna went too. Perhaps understandably, the two Brazilians decided not to talk!
Third time unlucky
Spare a thought for Ingrid Hjelmseth. Not only was she born in the same era as Norwegian great Bente Nordby, who relegated her to the bench for many years, but injury ruled her out of the past two FIFA Women's World Cups. Although she was fit and first choice for this campaign, she landed awkwardly on her left ankle after making a routine catch and required treatment. Although she was able to continue for the final 15 minutes of the first half, she was replaced at half-time by Erika Skarbo.
Dance and deliberance
Following stand-in captain Nilla Fischer’s 35th minute free-kick, which deflected off the unfortunate Amy LePeilbet, the Swedes performs their trademark celebration of Germany 2011: the dance routine of Moussier Tombola’s Logobitombo inside the penalty area. Just a few yards away, USA veteran Shannon Boxx was rallying the stunned Stars and Stripes. To all those in Wolfsburg it was a reminder that football is indeed a game of mixed emotions.
The stat
17 – Before this evening's game, USA had never lost any of their 17 group games at the FIFA Women's World Cup. Indeed, they had always finished at their section’s summit with a record of 15 wins and two draws. However, Sweden's two first-half goals condemned them to enter uncharted waters and a tricky looking quarter-final clash with Brazil in the process.
The quote
“I came off my line to collect the ball from Servet [Uzunlar], but because I was close to the edge of the box, I could collect it with my hands so I tried to use my head. It didn't work! Because I couldn't score a goal myself, I'm thanking God for the strikers that we have who were able to put the ball in the back of the net! Football is a funny game sometimes,” Melissa Barbieri, Australia goalkeeper and captain, explaining the circumstances which led to Norway’s goal in Leverkusen.
Next up
Saturday 9 July
England-France, Leverkusen, 18.00
Germany-Japan, Wolfsburg, 20.45
GERMANY VS JAPAN HUNTING FOR A BERTH ON SEMIFINALS
Two nations with very different FIFA Women's World Cup™ pedigree, Germany and Japan, will meet in Wolfsburg’s Arena Im Allerpark hunting a berth in the final four at Germany 2011. Germany have only missed qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-finals once; that being in the 1999 tournament.
Conversely, Japan have reached the last eight just once, which was back at Sweden 1995. Indeed prior to this tournament the Nadeshiko had won just three matches in their five previous appearances among the world elite.
The game
Germany – Japan, Saturday 9 July, Wolfsburg, 20.45 CET
The stakes
The winner of this contest will face either Sweden or Australia in Frankfurt, and will leave them only 180 minutes away from FIFA Women’s World Cup glory. Germany will of course have the benefit of home crowd support; a backing which seems to be growing in intensity with every match they play.
Unsurprisingly, history heavily favours Germany who are undefeated in their eight meetings with Japan, recording seven wins. However the last match-up, played in July 2009 in Mannheim, finished 0-0.
Japan have yet to score a goal in three defeats against Germany in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Additionally the Nadeshiko have never defeated a European nation at the tournament, losing eight and drawing just once. However Japan have crept up the international pecking order in recent years, claiming a number of significant scalps, and they were the seeded team in Group B at Germany 2011.
Japan will be hoping that Homare Sawa returns to the kind of goalscoring form which saw the inspirational midfielder score Germany 2011's only treble, in the second group match against Mexico. Now in her fifth tournament, Sawa is set to become the second most-capped Asian player on the world stage with 16 appearances, four behind China’s Sun Wen.
The match will be particularly special for Kozue Ando and Yuki Nagasato who both featured prominently in the most recent Bundesliga season, turning out for Duisburg and Turbine Potsdam respectively.
The stat
15 – Germany are unbeaten in their last 15 matches in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, claiming an incredible 14 wins and one draw during that period. Their last defeat dates back to the 1999 quarter-final, where the European powerhouse suffered a 3-2 defeat against USA who went on to win the tournament on home soil.
The words
“You could see we wanted to win at all costs (in the final group match against France) and now we've got the confidence to face a very strong Japan side in the quarter-finals.” Silvia Neid, Germany coach.
Three and easy for Brazil, now in QF against United States
Brazil had a great chance to score with two minutes on the clock. A free-kick whipped into the box by Marta almost found both Cristiane and Erika who had made great runs, but the ball flew agonisingly between them.
The South Americans were the dominant side were enjoying a huge amount of possession. However, they were constantly let down by their wayward passing and poor anticipation. The order unforced errors gave the Nzalang Nacional confidence they grew in stature during the first half.
Indeed, an inswinging free-kick almost saw Equatorial Guinea take the lead. Anonman turned sharply to deceive her marker Ester and pounce on Dorine’s set piece, but Andreia came out to smother her goalbound effort.
Marta tried to score straight from the corner in the 27th minute, but Miriam at full stretch was able to palm the ball away. The first half petered out as a contest after that, but Brazil emerged from the from the break with more dedication.
They took the lead four minutes after the restart when Maurine’s cross-cum-shot was blocked by Miriam into the path of Erika who played the ball over Ana Cristina volleyed it home with her left foot. Six minutes later they doubled their advantage when Marta show powered down the left wing and delivered a perfect cross to the near post. Cristiane outpaced marker Dulcia to nip in ahead with her right boot.
Equatorial Guinea had their chances too. Carolina’s free-kick from 30 yards went narrowly wide and Anonman’s went even closer. Just as it seemed that the Africans may grab a consolation, Brazil scored the third of the game when Bruna far smarter in the box and from the resulting penalty Cristiane made no mistake.
Kleiton Lima’s side will now meet USA Dresden on Sunday 10 July.
Player of the match: Erika (BRA)
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