AUSTRALIA --Eugenie Le Sommer and Wendie Renard scored to give France a 2-1 win over Brazil and control of Group F on Saturday in FIFA Women's World Cup play in Brisbane, Australia. France (1-0-1) moved to 12-0 all-time against Brazil (1-1-0). Le Sommer scored 17 minutes into the match to give France a 1-0 lead with her French record 90th goal in international play. Debinha tied the match in the 58th minute for Brazil, but Renard's header slipped past Leticia in the 83rd minute and proved to be the difference for Brazil. "We had the courage to react after conceding," France coach Herve Renard said. "We found that second goal and showed a lot of courage and self-sacrifice. Sometimes in a competition there are benchmark matches. This must be one of them because we beat a very good Brazil team." France concludes group play on Wednesday against winless Panama and will need one point to guarantee an advance to the knockout round. Brazil will take on Jamaica. Jamaica 1, Panama 0 Jamaica scored its first-ever win in Women's World Cup play and eliminated Panama at Perth, Australia. Panama (0-2-0) was making its maiden appearance in the tournament. Allyson Swaby led Jamaica to the win with her header in the 55th minute off a Trudi Carter corner. The Jamaica (1-0-1) win put the team in second place in Group F, with their match against Brazil on Wednesday a winner-take-all proposition. The winning team will advance to the knockout round. Jamaica, ranked 43rd in the world, also can advance over eighth-ranked Brazil with a draw. Sweden 5, Italy 0 Sweden scored three goals in the first half to topple Italy to clinch its appearance in the Round of 16 in a Group G match in Wellington, New Zealand. Sweden (2-0-0) got goals from Amanda Ilestedt in the 39th minute. Fridolina Rolfo made the score 2-0 in the 44th minute, and in the first minute of first-half stoppage, Stina Blackstenius added a goal. Ilestedt scored again in the second half for her third goal of the tournament. Rebecka Blomqvist added the final score for the Swedes. Italy (1-1-0) stands in second place in Group G and meets South Africa (0-1-1) on Wednesday to conclude group play. Anything but a loss sends the Italians to the knockout round. Sweden will face Argentina (0-1-1).
BRISBANE-- Nigeria produced the first major shock of the Women's World Cup as they stunned Australia 3-2 on Thursday to leave the co-hosts' tournament hopes on thin ice and home fans reeling. Asisat Oshoala volleyed into an open goal in the 72nd minute to seal a deserved win for the Africans after Uchenna Kanu cancelled out Emily van Egmond's opener on the cusp of halftime and Osinachi Ohale nudged Nigeria ahead after the break.
Spain's Alba Redondo scores their fifth goal against Zambia during their FIFA Women's World Cup Group C match at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand.
Five-star Spain cruise into World Cup knockouts with 5-0 win over Zambia AUCKLAND-- Spain underlined their credentials as pre-tournament favourites when they became one of the first teams to seal qualification for the Women's World Cup knockouts with a 5-0 win over debutants Zambia in their Group C encounter on Wednesday.
WELLINGTON-- A second-half goal from co-captain Lindsey Horan allowed the United States to fight back for a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands in a thrilling Women's World Cup Group E match on Thursday. The fiercely-fought re-run of the 2019 final lived up to its billing and both sides had good chances to win the fixture in an action-packed final 20 minutes. The Dutch struck first through a brilliant strike from Jill Roord from the edge of the box in the 17th minute and the U.S. went in at halftime trailing in a World Cup match for the first time since 2011. Horan answered for the four-times champions from a Rose Lavelle corner in 62nd minute, making a great run to the near post to power an unstoppable header past Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar. The Americans had not been held to a draw in a World Cup match since 2015 and will rue their effort early in the game as well as an inability to take their chances at the end. They remain top of Group E on goal difference from the Dutch heading into their final match against Portugal next Tuesday, but the Netherlands will be confident of erasing that advantage when they take on Vietnam at the same time. The Netherlands broke the impasse when Lieke Martens pierced the U.S. defence to get the Dutch into the attacking third, and Victoria Pelova cut the ball back for Roord to drill it past American goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. The Americans reacted immediately attempts by Trinity Rodman and Horan that the Netherlands keeper was able to save, but were given another fright in the 29th minute when Dominique Janssen fired a sizzling shot just over the bar. The U.S. team, who are on the hunt for an unprecedented third consecutive title, came out in the second half with renewed resolve and got their reward when Horan equalised just after the hour mark. Morgan thought she had put them in front a couple of minutes later when she put the ball in the net from Rodman's pass but the striker was ruled offside. Ertz prevented disaster for the Americans in the 80th minute when she got her foot in front of the ball to block Esmee Brugts's shot after a well-worked move by the Dutch. As the US piled forward in search of a winner, Rodman screwed a shot wide of the far post and Sophia Smith had an effort headed off the line by Lieke Martens, but the Dutch held firm to secure a point.
WELLINGTON-- Forward Sarina Bolden headed the winner as the Philippines spoiled co-hosts New Zealand's party with a stunning 1-0 victory in their Women's World Cup Group A clash on Tuesday.
