2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Thread

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Oct 22, 2022

Draw for next summer's tournament was held earlier today. Here was how the draw ended up:

Tournament is being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, which will likely mean a lot of odd start times in this part of the world. All of the U.S. group stage matches will be played in New Zealand. The Group A play-off winner that will be put into the U.S.'s group will be either Cameroon, Thailand, or Portugal. The Group B play-off winner that will go into England's group will be either Senegal, Haiti, or Chile. The Group C play-off winner that will go into France's group will be either Chinese Taipei, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea, or Panama.

The U.S. opens play on July 22 in Auckland vs. Vietnam.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Feb 22, 2023

The first two of the inter-confederation playoff finals were held early today.

Portugal defeated Cameroon 2:1. Portugal now enters Group E with the U.S., Vietnam, and Netherlands.

Haiti defeated Chile 1:2. Haiti now enters Group D with England, Denmark, and China.

This is the first FIFA Women's World Cup appearance for Portugal and Haiti.

Paraguay and Panama will face in the final inter-confederation playoff tomorrow.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Feb 23, 2023

Panama defeated Paraguay 0:1 and joins Group F with France, Jamaica, and Brazil.

This is the first FIFA Women's World Cup appearance for Panama.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jun 17, 2023

U.S. captain Becky Sauerbrunn to miss the WWC with a foot injury. At 38, this is likely the last WWC she could make though she may play in next year's Olympics.

USWNT will be coming into the tournament down quite a few players as Mallory Swanson (formerly Mallory Pugh) will be out after tearing her left patellar tendon in a friendly with Ireland back in April. Midfield players Sam Mewis and Catarina Macario will also be out.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jun 20, 2023

Washington D.C. bars and restaurants could be open 24 hours throughout the Women's World Cup, pending a signing of a measure, unanimously approved by the D.C. city council. D.C. Mayor, Muriel Bowser has until June 29 to sign it. If it goes through, bars and restaurants would pay a $100 fee but then be granted permission to serve alcohol for 22 hours (only exception being 4AM-6AM) to allow patrons to indulge in live coverage of the matches from Australia and New Zealand.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 19, 2023

Women's World Cup starts tomorrow.

Time for those predictions. Who comes out of the group stage and who ends up winning it all?

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 19, 2023

Here is the TV schedule for the entire tournament (with many of the matches starting early here in the U.S. due to the time difference): https://www.foxsports.com/stories/s...chedule-how-to-watch-tv-channel-dates-results

This is the TV schedule for the U.S. group stage matches:

-July 21st, 8:00 PM CT, FOX: vs. Vietnam
-July 26th, 8:00 PM CT, FOX: vs. Netherlands
-August 1st, 2:00 AM CT, FOX: vs. Portugal

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 20, 2023

First upset of the tournament with co-hosts New Zealand defeating Norway 1:0.

ktal · Jul 20, 2023

I'm very excited about this tournament. Former Illini coach Ellis did a great job winning back to back Cups, but she relied entirely on the proven players to carry us through, so developing younger talent wasn't a priority. Now those players are injured or so limited in minutes that we have to rely on youth, and despite being phenomenal talents, they're unproven at this level. I think the plan this cup is to reverse Ellis' approach almost completely, and focus on youth and development. Knowing that opposing teams will never leave Alex Morgan uncovered, she can be used as a distraction, drawing coverage that creates space for Sophia Smith and others to attack.

I'm not a huge soccer fan, but I thought this team aquitted itself so brilliantly last time, and provided welcome good news, that I'll be watching closely this time. The only prediction I'll make is that we beat Vietnam with modest minutes from the old-timers.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 21, 2023

Did see the U.S. coach say that Rapinoe and Lavelle are going to play limited minutes to start the tournament in order to ensure everyone stays fit and available for selection.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 21, 2023

Sophia Smith scores in the 14th minute. 1:0 USA

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 21, 2023

Sophia Smith with a 2nd goal in stoppage time. 2:0 USA

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 21, 2023

USA up 2:0 at half.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 21, 2023

Horan scores in the 77th minute. 3:0 USA

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 21, 2023

USA wins 3:0.

ktal · Jul 22, 2023

IlliniFaninHoosierLand said:
USA wins 3:0.

Thanks for the updates. I'm on the road and not able to watch, yet. Anything remarkable about the game strategy or how players were used during the first game? The written coverage I've seen is...unclear...although it reads about like how I expected Andronovski to approach it.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 22, 2023

ktal said:
Thanks for the updates. I'm on the road and not able to watch, yet. Anything remarkable about the game strategy or how players were used during the first game? The written coverage I've seen is...unclear...although it reads about like how I expected Andronovski to approach it.

I'm by no means an expert but I didn't see really an issues with how everyone was used. As I mentioned above, Rapinoe and Lavelle are going to be playing limited minutes to start out. I'm not sure how much to take out of a match like last night's when the opposing side really isn't making much of an effort to score (U.S. had 28 shots, 7 on goal; Vietnam had 0 on both). It will be interesting to see how things play out against a Dutch side on Wednesday night who appears to be more willing to play on the offensive half of the field.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 26, 2023

U.S. is through to the Round of 16 with a win tonight and a win or draw by Vietnam.

Spain and Japan are already through from Group C based on results earlier today. Spain and Japan will face each other Monday to see who wins the group. Winner of Group C will face the runner-up in Group A (currently New Zealand). Runner up in Group C will face the winner of Group A (currently Switzerland).

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 26, 2023

Looks like wind may play a factor tonight. Wind is sustained at about 15-20 MPH and the U.S. will be going into the wind in the 1st half.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 26, 2023

Dutch score in the 17th minute. 0:1 Netherlands

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 26, 2023

Netherlands leads 0:1 at half.

First time U.S. have trailed in World Cup since 2011 group stage vs. Sweden. U.S. ended up losing that match 2-1.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 26, 2023

Lindsey Horan scores in the 62nd minute!!! 1:1

Goal came on a corner kick after a hard foul from Horan's teammate at Lyon, Danielle Van de Donk.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 26, 2023

Match finishes in a 1:1 draw.

U.S. and the Dutch haven't clinched a spot in the Round of 16 but things do trend in the right direction for both.

IlliniUnited · Jul 26, 2023

Dropped points by the USA. Advantage Dutch going to the last game as they can run the score up against a much weaker opponent in match 3.

IlliniFaninHoosierLand · Jul 27, 2023

Portugal did end up defeating Vietnam 2:0. That means for the U.S. to go through to the knockouts, they have to defeat Portugal early Tuesday morning. To win the group, U.S. has to win and keep their current +2 GD over the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, we may be seeing another upset in the making as Nigeria is currently leading the co-host Australia 1:3 late in the 2nd half.

If that result holds, then things could get mighty interesting for the Matildas in their final group stage match against Canada on Monday.