Every day throughout the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, 20 minutes provides an update on the highlights of the competition. This Friday, two of the favorite nations entered the fray, with varying fortunes.
This start to the World Cup is definitely full of surprises. After Norway’s misstep, Canada in turn missed its entry into the running by being unable to cross the wall erected by Nigeria (0-0). Everything went wrong for the Olympic champions, like their emblematic captain Christine Sinclair, who missed a penalty after returning from the locker room. Not really in the habits of the attacker, who holds the record for goals scored in selection (190), women and men combined. This draw already places the ambitious Canadians against the wall for qualification.
- National reconciliation
Three goals in not even half an hour, a csc from Valeria del Campo (21st, csc) then achievements from Aitana Bonmati (23rd) and Esther Gonzalez (27th). Superior at all levels, the Spaniards did not force their talent against Costa Rica (3-0), in Wellington. Coach Jorge Vilda hopes to have turned the page once and for all on the revolt of 15 of his players, who decided last September to boycott La Roja because of the technician’s personality and methods deemed too directive.
“We must not look back, but rather forward,” said Vilda, who recalled three rebels for this competition: Ona Batle, Mariona Caldentey and Bonmati, voted player of the match. Double Golden Ball Alexia Putellas, still spared after a serious knee injury from which she returned in April, played an encouraging last quarter of an hour. All is well…
- Les Bleues out of sight
Two days before their entry into the running against Jamaica, the French have refined the tactical approach and the last details during their training of the day. The day took place away from the eyes of the press, behind closed doors, at Valentine’s Sport Park. Saturday’s training will be open for the first 15 minutes, before coach Hervé Renard’s press conference before the match. The tension is rising, little by little.
- An unbalanced menu
No less than four matches are on the program this Saturday. Double reigning world champions, the Americans will start the competition against the modest Vietnamese in Auckland, in group E (kick-off at 3 am French time). In group C, that of Spain, Japanese and Zambian will challenge in Hamilton (9 hours). On the other side of the Tasman Sea, the two Group D matches will take place in Brisbane and then Perth. At 11:30 a.m., the English European champions will not have a priori much to fear from Haitian neophytes, while at 2 p.m., the Danes have an appointment with the Chinese.