Sweden Preps for the U.S.; Brazil, France and Jamaica Tangle for 2 Spots
As the spherical of 16 takes form, the groups in three final teams are nonetheless making an attempt to safe their locations within the knockout stage.
Sweden seems to be overwhelmingly safe as a replacement atop Group G, which might ship it to a rematch of its 2019 World Cup defeat in opposition to the United States. But in a event of surprises, Italy and Argentina should still have one thing to say about that.
Brazil, in the meantime, is preventing for its event life, in addition to to increase the World Cup profession of its famous person, Marta. But to do this, it’s going to want one in every of France or Jamaica to falter.
South Africa vs. Italy
This match is a battle for second place in Group G. For Italy, it’s basically win or go dwelling. For South Africa, the trail is narrower — the South Africans most probably have to win by a couple of purpose to stay in rivalry to advance. The greater the rating, the higher.
The Italians are coming off a 5-0 thumping by the hands of Sweden. South Africa misplaced an in depth match to Sweden, 2-1, dropping a sport it had led by permitting two targets, together with a game-winner by Sweden’s Amanda Ilestedt within the ninetieth minute.
The sport “is going to be like a final,” Italy defender Elena Linari mentioned Tuesday. “We must give everything that we have in order to get a good result, and actually achieve what we came here for.”
Argentina vs. Sweden
This is the match that American followers will likely be watching intently, as it’s going to have a big say of their opponent on Sunday in Melbourne. It would require a disastrous — or miraculous, relying on one’s perspective — end result for that opponent to be anybody aside from Sweden.
Sweden is presently successful Group G comfortably, and it’ll advance to the knockout stage no matter what occurs with Argentina. The Argentines, alternatively, are presently final the group, and they’d want a multi-goal win over Sweden and a South African win over Italy (probably with some useful math) to advance.
Jamaica vs. Brazil
Brazil must win this match to keep away from elimination, as a result of it could’t depend on Panama, the worst workforce within the group, to beat France. But Jamaica has its sights set on the spherical of 16, too, and it could advance with a win or a draw.
“I think the players are liking Australia,” Jamaica Coach Lorne Donaldson mentioned. “They like it here. They see some kangaroos. So we want to stay a little bit longer.”
His feedback got here after the Reggae Girlz, because the workforce is understood, earned a scoreless draw in opposition to France and their first-ever World Cup win, over Panama.
For the Brazilian star Marta, 37, who has been the face of her nationwide workforce for nearly 20 years, a deep run on this event may very well be her final likelihood to go away her mark on worldwide soccer.
Panama vs. France
This will likely be Panama’s last match on this World Cup after losses to Brazil and Jamaica. France is presently tied with Jamaica for first place in Group F, and a win will assist its possibilities of coming away because the group winner.
The French entered this World Cup as an elite workforce working via adversity after their earlier coach was ousted in March and their new coach, Hervé Renard, stepped in regardless of by no means having coached a ladies’s workforce.
After a scoreless draw in opposition to Jamaica in its opener, France reignited its hopes of contending deep into the event with a 2-1 win over Brazil wherein it grabbed the winner on a Wendie Renard header within the 83rd minute.
