1) Japan
With three wins, 11 targets and none conceded, Futoshi Ikeda’s group have arguably been one of the best to date. Their 4-0 defeat of Spain specifically was eye-catching as they picked aside their opponents’ possession play. The 23-year-old Hinata Miyazawa has shone in midfield and is the match’s prime scorer with 4 targets.
2) Sweden
Three video games, three wins, 9 targets scored and one conceded. Many had omitted Sweden from discussions about severe contenders however there may be no sleeping on the facet now, despite the fact that they performed in a gaggle they had been anticipated to flee from pretty simply. Ought to they knock out the holders, the USA, in a tantalising last-16 conflict, expectations will skyrocket.
3) England
The Lionesses are “rising into the match” – within the phrases of Sarina Wiegman – after two stop-start 1-0 victories had been adopted by their spectacular 6-1 win over China. An harm to the midfield linchpin, Keira Walsh, compelled Wiegman into adjustments they usually labored wonders, Lauren James taking the headlines with one other player-of-the-match efficiency.
4) Netherlands
A press release end to the group stage after an unconvincing begin – a 1-0 defeat of an more and more spectacular Portugal and 1-1 attract a replay of the 2019 remaining towards the USA. 5 goalscorers in a 7-0 defeat of Vietnam, by no means thoughts the 23-place hole between the groups within the Fifa rankings, will fill the squad with confidence after the Vivianne Miedema-shaped gap up entrance was trying damaging.
5) Colombia
Delivered one of many greatest shocks of the match by beating Germany, the favourites to prime the group and one of many match favourites. With a powerful travelling crowd behind them, Colombia are having a massively spectacular marketing campaign, with 18-year-old Linda Caicedo their poster-woman. Will likely be upset to have dropped factors to Morocco.
6) Nigeria
“Convey on the European champions,” mentioned a assured Randy Waldrum after the Tremendous Falcons got here by the “Group of Demise”. His facet shocked Australia with their spectacular 3-2 victory over the co-hosts. A quick, counterattacking group, they’re a stern check for any opponent and have carried out far above their world rating of 40.
7) Australia
The Matildas suffered a fright after defeat by Nigeria however a rousing efficiency in Melbourne in overwhelming the Olympic champions, Canada, eased worries that neither host nation would progress. Removed from convincing however Tony Gustavsson will really feel his facet have sufficient to see off Denmark. The well being of Sam Kerr’s calf stays a fear.
8) Spain
Jorge Vilda’s facet cemented themselves as one of many early favourites after they swept apart Zambia and Costa Rica. Alarm bells might be ringing, nevertheless, on the method during which they had been defeated by Japan. Their propensity to be overwhelmed on the transition might be one thing for his or her opponents to focus on.
9) Jamaica
Towards a backdrop of continual underfunding and a crowdfunding marketing campaign to cowl the prices of travelling to the World Cup the Reggae Women earned a shocking 0-0 draw with Brazil to knock out the 2007 runners-up. With gamers competing in prime leagues in more and more skilled environments the hole is closing regardless of the shortage of assist.
10) South Africa
Few would have rated South Africa’s possibilities of progressing from Group G forward of Italy and Argentina however the 2022 Africa Ladies Cup of Nations champions have been extremely spectacular. They scored one objective of their debut World Cup in 2019, dropping all three video games. This time they’ve scored six, earned 4 factors and arrange a last-16 tie with the 2019 runners-up, the Netherlands.
11) France
A considerably chaotic begin to their Group F marketing campaign completed with a 6-3 defeat of Panama. Conceding three targets to the debutants might be a giant fear. Hervé Renard has not been within the job lengthy and the group are recovering from a tumultuous interval below Corinne Diacre. This match may very well be falling a bit too quickly for the new-look France.
12) Morocco
The debutants regrouped after a 6-0 defeat by Germany to beat South Korea and Colombia and attain the final 16. A exceptional achievement, and the scenes because the information filtered by that South Korea had held Germany to a draw confirmed what it meant to the group with the previous Lyon supervisor Reynald Pedros in cost.
13) USA
The nation’s worst World Cup begin they usually solely narrowly bought out of the group, a 0-0 draw with Portugal sparing their blushes and securing second place behind the Netherlands. Groups develop into tournaments however there seems to be an actual lack of a tactical imaginative and prescient for a gaggle so stacked with expertise.
14) Denmark
Lars Søndergaard might be happy at his facet’s progress to the knockouts after disappointment on the Euros. A late winner towards China and 2-0 victory over Haiti noticed them by to arrange a date with the co-hosts in Stadium Australia. Pernille Tougher lastly bought a World Cup objective in her first look at a finals.
15) Switzerland
Inka Grings’s group is probably not probably the most flamboyant however they did what they needed to do. A gap 2-0 win over the Philippines and two goalless attracts enabled them to prime Group A. They aren’t a group to attain quite a bit, counting on solidity. Spain’s assault will present a sterner check of these defensive credentials.
16) Norway
Drama has adopted Norway and questions intensified after defeat by New Zealand. Caroline Graham Hansen’s incendiary interview after their second match, towards Switzerland, set rumours swirling, as did her subsequent apology. An emphatic remaining sport win over the Philippines, during which Sophie Haug starred, settled issues. The health of Ada Hegerberg stays a fear.
17) Portugal
So near inflicting the largest World Cup upset in historical past, denied a late winner towards the reigning champions the USA by an upright. Portugal are quickly creating and holding the USA to a draw, the Netherlands to a single-goal defeat and England 0-0 of their remaining pre-tournament pleasant is massively spectacular.
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18) New Zealand
A topsy turvy marketing campaign that matched current kind and led to heartbreak. The excessive of the co-hosts’ match was their opening win over Norway in Auckland in entrance of a file crowd.
19) South Korea
Misplaced to Colombia and Morocco however what a technique to exit, incomes a 1-1 draw with the two-times World Cup winners Germany. A staggering defensive efficiency.
20) Brazil
A catastrophic exit, and even worse with it being the legendary Marta’s final World Cup. Brazil had beforehand failed to flee the group stage twice, within the first two official editions of the World Cup in 1991 and 1995. There’s hope within the high quality of a few of their younger gamers however the nation must put money into girls’s soccer to assist it match expectations.
21) Republic of Eire
Confirmed they’ll now compete with one of the best. Katie McCabe’s Olimpico and some extent towards Nigeria had been highlights in a match of firsts. The problem is to make sure it wasn’t a one-off.
22) Canada
Disastrous … how else to sum up their match? There might be many questions requested about the best way they folded to Australia in Melbourne. A tragic means for the trailblazer Christine Sinclair to say goodbye.
23) Philippines
Alen Stajcic’s group had been at all times the underdogs. Sarina Bolden’s objective of their win over New Zealand introduced the Philippines at this stage and might be remembered again residence.
24) China
Regarded aggressive of their opening two video games however had been shocked by England and struggled to adapt to the Lionesses’ ways. It’s the first time they haven’t progressed in World Cup historical past.
25) Zambia
Barbra Banda made historical past along with her penalty towards Costa Rica – it was the 1,000th objective at a Ladies’s World Cup. A firstWorld Cup win enabled the Cooper Queens to depart on a excessive.
26. Panama
Three defeats from three video games tells one story. Nonetheless, three targets towards France of their remaining sport, together with a shocking free-kick to open proceedings within the second minute, introduced a becoming finish to a battling marketing campaign stuffed with promise.
27) Haiti
They return residence with no factors however can have opened many eyes to the potential of their gamers. Melchie Dumornay and Kerly Théus shone towards England.
28) Italy
One other limp exit alongside their Euros show final 12 months after the facet excited on the World Cup in 2019. Conceding 5 to Sweden and the three in a defeat by South Africa might be significantly bruising.
29) Argentina
A 2-2 draw with South Africa seems more and more spectacular however having earned two factors in 2019 there might be disappointment that Argentina collected one level this time. A limp marketing campaign.
30) Vietnam
The debutants did so nicely to maintain the margins towards the USA and Portugal slimmer than many anticipated, however the floodgates opened towards the Netherlands. They didn’t get a World Cup objective however there are positives to take.
31) Costa Rica
They are going to be upset with their exhibiting of their second World Cup. Struggled to carry out towards all three opponents and lacked high quality up entrance.
32) Germany
Completely disastrous. One of many favourites going into the match, Germany had been made to pay for underestimating the tactical nous of Colombia and South Korea after a 6-0 defeat of Morocco sparked their marketing campaign to life. The facet ranked No 2 on the planet are out.
