FIFA Women’s World Cup Group D Preview: Can England overcome key absences to its squad?
After upsetting Germany to win the European Championships final summer time, England emerged as event favourites for this yr’s World Cup. That was, nevertheless, till the Lionesses have been ravaged by accidents and departures. Captain Leah Williamson and Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner Beth Mead are out with accidents, whereas mainstay veterans Jill Scott and Ellen White selected to hold up their boots.
But England aren’t the one storyline to look at on this group. Haiti can be making their Women’s World Cup debut, and their journey to this stage has been nothing wanting inspiring. Despite nationwide unrest and restricted funding, they beat Senegal and Chile to safe a historic qualification. This delivered hope and vitality to Haiti’s group and nation — an vitality that may certainly be evident on the pitch. Denmark hasn’t competed within the Women’s World Cup in 16 years, and China are ranked only one spot behind the Danes. While England are considered the group favourites, this group is ready up for some intriguing storylines to unfold.
GROUP D SCHEDULE
July 22: England vs. Haiti (5:30 a.m. ET)
July 22: Denmark vs. China (8:00 a.m. ET)
July 28: England vs. Denmark (4:30 a.m. ET)
July 28: China vs. Haiti (7:00 a.m. ET)
August 1: China vs. England (7:00 a.m. ET)
August 1: Haiti vs. Denmark (7:00 a.m. ET)
THE TEAMS
ENGLAND
FIFA World Ranking: 4
Odds to win the World Cup: +380 (by way of Sports Interaction)
Odds to win the group: -3,333 (by way of Sports Interaction)
Previous World Cup appearances: 5
Best exhibiting: Third place (2015)
2019 World Cup: Fourth place
Manager: Sarina Wiegman
Probable formation: 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1
Probable beginning XI: Mary Earps (Manchester United) — Millie Bright (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Jess Carter (Chelsea) — Keira Walsh (Barcelona), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Manchester United) — Chloe Kelly (Manchester City), Alessia Russo (Manchester United), Lauren Hemp (Manchester United).
THE BIG QUESTION: How will England bounce again this World Cup after accidents and retirements have ravaged their squad?
THE PULSE: Many thought that England would enter the Women’s World Cup with momentum after successful final summer time’s Euros. But since securing their first main trophy, the Lionesses have suffered a sequence of blows. Captain Williamson and Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner Mead are out with ACL tears, and gaps left by recently-retired Ellen White and Jill Scott can be robust to fill. As such, this World Cup may very well be a time of transition for Wiegman’s squad.
During the Euros, England discovered success with a 4-2-3-1. But most just lately (and sure because of damage), Wiegman tried a 4-3-3 in a pleasant in opposition to Australia in April. While this formation is pretty new to the Brits, it performs to England’s strengths — aggressive and tight on defence with tempo and depth on assault. It’s additionally a chance for gamers like Lauren James and Chloe Kelly to show to Wiegman why they deserve minutes within the England equipment. Amidst the setbacks, there are positives for England, who stay one of many group and event favourites.
THE X-FACTOR: A playmaker of the best calibre, Keira Walsh is without doubt one of the world’s greatest central midfielders. Her management and extraordinary passing vary helped her lead Barcelona to a Champions League win final month, and he or she’ll look to assist England elevate one other trophy this summer time.
Admired for her ardour and technical skill, the 26 yr previous offers the Lionesses with fast transitions and unmatched tempo, which can be very important within the absence of Williamson and Mead. Walsh typically information the best variety of accomplished passes and probabilities created per match, rating among the many prime feminine gamers on the planet for these metrics. So, the query is: will Walsh be capable to replicate her historical past of success in Australia and New Zealand?
DENMARK
FIFA World Ranking: 13
Odds to win the World Cup: +5,940 (by way of Sports Interaction)
Odds to win the group: +1,087 (by way of Sports Interaction)
Previous World Cup appearances: 4
Best exhibiting: Quarterfinals (1991 and 1995)
2019 World Cup: N/A
Manager: Lars Søndergaard
Probable formation: 4-3-3
Probable beginning XI: Lene Christensen (Rosenborg) — Sofie Svava (Real Madrid), Rikke Sevecke (Everton), Sofie Junge Pedersen (Inter Milan), Nicoline Sørensen (Everton) — Josefine Hasbo (Harvard Crimson), Sara Holmgaard (Everton), Janni Thomsen (Vålerenga) — Signe Bruun (Lyon), Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich), Amalie Vangsgaard (Paris Saint-Germain).
THE BIG QUESTION: Will Denmark have a back-up plan if they will’t join with captain Pernille Harder, their closely relied-upon star attacker?
THE PULSE: Denmark’s objective is to make it out of the group stage. While England are the favourites, Denmark has sufficient high quality to beat Haiti and China. The Danes are an thrilling group to look at as a result of they’ve a little bit of all the things — gamers with expertise at huge home golf equipment, and a mixture of fiery youth and skilled veterans. They are defensively sturdy and are masters at holding possession, however nonetheless succesful on the counterattack. Having management over each ends of the pitch will make Denmark troublesome to beat. Accurate crosses from Sørensen and Svava, in addition to Harder’s aggression and physicality on assault make Denmark a deadly opponent.
However, whereas Søndergaard’s squad members are used to taking part in for membership and nation, they don’t seem to be regulars at main worldwide competitions. The lack of expertise on the world’s stage may very well be an obstacle if the Danes let the second get to their heads. Additionally, in final summer time’s Euros, Denmark relied too closely on Harder to attain targets and create probabilities. Having Harder on the coronary heart of their technique is dangerous, as a result of if she doesn’t ship, the group will battle.
THE X-FACTOR: Pernille Harder is without doubt one of the event’s greatest stars. The 30-year-old, who just lately made a transfer from Chelsea to Bayern Munich, is Denmark’s longest-serving captain and all-time main objective scorer. She beforehand held the highest spot on the Guardian’s record of 100 Best Female Footballers (in 2020) and received the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year award twice (in 2018 and 2020). Now, after an extended wait, she’s lastly a World Cup participant and can certainly goal to make her first World Cup successful.
While she was sidelined after a hamstring damage final fall, Harder is again and higher than ever. She’s versatile with unbelievable imaginative and prescient and motion between the strains and doesn’t let the stress of essential matches get to her — an essential ability to have on the World Cup. Before she left the Blues, Harder’s ex-Chelsea supervisor Emma Hayes dubbed her “fantastic mentality” as the important thing to her recreation — a mentality she’ll draw from when representing her nation for the primary time on the most important stage.
CHINA
FIFA World Ranking: 14
Odds to win the World Cup: +17,700 (by way of Sports Interaction)
Odds to win the group: +3,600 (by way of Sports Interaction)
Previous World Cup appearances: 7
Best exhibiting: Second place (1999)
2019 World Cup: Lost to Italy within the Round of 16
Manager: Shui Qingxia
Probable formation: 4-4-2
Probable beginning XI: Zhu Yu (Shanghai Shengli) — Yao Wei (Wuhan Jiangda), Li Mengwen (Paris Saint-Germain), Wu Haiyan (Shandong Xiangshang) — Shen Menglu (Celtic), Wu Chengshu (Canberra United), Zhang Rui (Shandong Sports Lottery), Yang Lina (Levante Las Planas) — Wang Shanshan (Tianjin Tengde), Wang Shuang (Racing Louisville).
THE BIG QUESTION: Will China be capable to dig themselves out of an offensive rut and turn out to be the shock of Group D?
THE PULSE: The present Women’s Asian Cup champions are a troublesome group to evaluate. On one hand, China has a recent and revolutionary supervisor who has a historical past of success. On the opposite, the Steel Roses have been poor in 2023. While their extra harmful offensive weapons Wang Shanshan and Wang Shuang are used to scoring targets, the pair of strikers have gone chilly as of late. Moreover, China will enter the Women’s World Cup with solely two wins of their final eight matches, so the state of China’s confidence is unclear.
That stated, China will not be a group that must be underestimated. They worth group unity and maintaining calm underneath stress — which is essential in opposition to heavy hitters similar to England. If they need to make it out of the group stage, they’ll must play possession ball and ahead the assault to catch their opponent’s defence off-guard.
THE X-FACTOR: Wang Shuang, China’s standout performer, is a seasoned participant with over 130 caps for her nation. While the 28 yr previous can play each as a striker and midfielder, she’ll doubtless take to the pitch as Wang Shanshan’s offensive accomplice.
Known for her creativity and talent to dribble previous opponents, Wang — who received the 2018 Asian Women’s Footballer of the Year — can be relied upon to attain targets. But as a substitute of feeling the stress of that accountability, she is going to see it as a chance to make her nation proud. Although Wang hardly appeared within the Asian Cup because of damage, the Racing Louisville star has been profitable for her membership and can look to proceed that kind to encourage her nationwide teammates.
HAITI
FIFA World Ranking: 53
Odds to win the World Cup: +50,000 (by way of Sports Interaction)
Odds to win the group: +9,220 (by way of Sports Interaction)
Previous World Cup appearances: 0
Manager: Nicolas Delepine
Probable formation: 4-4-2
Probable beginning XI: Kerly Théus (FC Miami City) — Kethna Louis (Montpellier), Tabita Joseph (Stade Brestois 29), Jennyfer Limage (Grenoble Foot 38), Betina Petit-Frère (Stade Brestois 29) — Nérila Mondésir (Montpellier), Dayana Pierre-Louis (GPSO Issy 92), Sherly Jeudy (Grenoble Foot 38), Batcheba Louis (Fleury 91) — Melchie Dumornay (Lyon), Roselord Borgella (Dijon FCO).
THE BIG QUESTION: Can Haiti overcome inexperience and unstable defence to place in a memorable efficiency of their FIFA Women’s World Cup debut?
THE PULSE: Haiti shocked the soccer world after they certified for his or her first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup. To safe their first look on the event, Les Grenadières needed to endure nationwide instability and restricted funding. While many individuals have loved their exceptional quest, they’re projected to complete final within the group. Despite their compact backline, they’re suspect on defence and have significantly much less expertise than their groupmates. Haiti can also be the lowest-ranked CONCACAF nation within the competitors and have had a lacklustre 2023 with just one win of their final 5 matches.
However, the Caribbean nation have already completed the unthinkable by making it to the Women’s World Cup within the first place, in order that they’ll be seeking to construct on that momentum. Where Haiti really shines is on assault, led by fierce duo Melchie Dumornay and Roselord Borgella. The pair are artful and in a position finishers, which delightfully enhances Haiti’s pacey midfield. While Delepine’s squad aren’t essentially the most technical, they’ll have a plan … and one thing to show.
THE X-FACTOR: There’s little question that 19-year-old Melchie Dumornay is Haiti’s key participant. She is considered one of the promising younger abilities within the girls’s recreation, having developed her expertise and consciousness with soccer giants Lyon. The rising sensation is placing up spectacular numbers in membership play, typically rating extremely for probabilities created, ball carries and assists.
Dumornay, named GOAL’s 2022 NXGN participant, was key to Haiti’s World Cup qualification. She scored two highly effective targets in opposition to Chile, and her backflip celebration can be cemented in Haitian soccer historical past. It’s clear that Dumornay’s soccer profession is simply getting began, and he or she’ll hope to make her first World Cup a memorable one.
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