The United States and the Netherlands played a rematch of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup final on Wednesday at Wellington Regional Stadium. There was no winner, but the 1-1 draw set up a dramatic last day of play in Group E. Then, Nigeria made its drama when it played Australia, which was also a co-host.
Here’s a look back at what happened on Day 8 of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup and a preview of what will happen on Day 9:
WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN MISSED
In the 17th minute of Wednesday’s game, Jill Roord gave the Netherlands the lead with a goal. In 14 wins, two draws, and 0 losses, the Netherlands has never lost a game in which Roord has scored.
In the 62nd minute, Lindsey Horan scored a goal for the United States. Horan has started six games at the Women’s World Cup. In those six games, she scored or helped score five goals.
Danielle van de Donk, a midfielder for the Netherlands and a teammate of Horan’s at Lyon, gave her a hard hit right before Horan scored her goal. If Horan’s reaction to the tackle had worsened, she could have been sent off, but U.S. defender Julie Ertz talked her down. “Please don’t get another yellow card,” she said. Just score this goal to stop people from talking, “Horan said. “That’s how things turned out.”
The USWNT would have been happy with a statement win on Wednesday, but the team also sees the value in coming from behind to get a point. “It’s really about your momentum and how well your team works together when things go wrong,” Ertz said. “When you face something like that early on, I think it gives you more confidence as the tournament continues.”
The USWNT has a good chance of making it to the round of 16 since they have four points from their first two games. However, they haven’t made it yet. Here is a full list of what they must do in their next game to make it to the next round.
Telma Encarnaco scored Portugal’s first-ever goal at the Women’s World Cup. This led to Portugal’s first-ever win at the tournament. Portugal beat Vietnam 2-0, making it the first team in this year’s Women’s World Cup to score two goals in its first game.
The latest results in Group E mean that Vietnam can no longer make it to the next round.
In a thrilling game, Nigeria returned from being down 1-0 to beat Australia 3-2. Before Thursday, Nigeria had never won a World Cup match in which they gave up the first goal, going 0W-3D-18L.
FIFA says that Uchenna Kanu scored Nigeria’s first goal at the Women’s World Cup on the team’s second shot on goal.
Asisat Oshoala scored at three Women’s World Cups, making her the first African player to do so (2015, 2019, 2023).
RECAPPING THE DAY
Assist of the Day: Getting ready for a clinical
Andreia Jacinto’s perfectly timed through ball gave Lucia Alves a lot of space on the wing, but Alves’ cross into the box was also on time and target. Telma Encarnaco had to do nothing but finish, which she did with authority.
Save the Day: Who is the best player for Vietnam?
Even though it was an elimination loss, Tran Thi Kim Thanh had another great day in goal for Vietnam. She stopped seven shots inside the box, including the one she had to run out for. She was probably the best player for Vietnam in both games.
The day’s goal: The Great Horan
Who could it be besides? The powerful header by Lindsey Horan not only gave the U.S. a key point against the strong Netherlands team but also put the team in a position to control its fate going into the last day of group play.
Fair play is a must-see moment.
Even though Lindsey Horan and Danielle van de Donk were fighting during the match, they had a nice moment together after it was over. After all, they will have to train together when the European starts again in the fall.
Copyright photo: Masanori Udagawa / www.photosport.nz
LOOKING AHEAD
FOX Sports looks into the numbers to find out
86 — Minutes Argentina kept Italy from scoring until Cristiana Girelli’s header gave Italy a 1-0 win in the first game. If Argentina loses and Sweden wins or draws on Saturday, Argentina will be out of the tournament.
Argentina plays South Africa in Group G. (coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET, with kickoff at 8 p.m. on FS1)
From Perth to Sydney, it is about 2,500 miles. Denmark’s first game was in Perth, and now the team is going to the west side of Australia to play its second game. The trip to England is much shorter: about 500 miles south of Brisbane.
Group D: England vs. Denmark (coverage begins at 4 a.m. ET, with kick-off at 4:30 a.m. on FS1)
Melchie Durmonay, a 19-year-old star, had 58 touches in Haiti’s first game against England. “Corventina” touched the ball 11 times more than her other teammates. After a great season with Stade Reims (11 goals and six assists in 18 games), Durmonay will join the French powerhouse Lyon after the Women’s World Cup. If she scores, she might do a backflip to celebrate.
China takes on Haiti in Group D. (coverage beings at 6:30 a.m. ET, with kickoff at 7 a.m. on FS1)