Women’s World Cup Day 15: Germany has nobody to blame but itself for early exit
The group stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup completed up on Day 15, and what a day it was Down Under.
All 4 groups in Group H started the day nonetheless alive within the race to assert the 2 berths at stake for the knockout spherical. Who’d have thought that when the smoke cleared one of many event favourites can be going residence?
THE RESULTS
Group H: South Korea 1, Germany 1 (in Brisbane) — Game stats || Report
Group H: Morocco 1, Colombia 0 (in Perth) — Game stats || Report
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MAIN TALKING POINT
A event of upsets, surprises continues
A seismic shift befell on the World Cup on Thursday. Ranked No. 2 within the present FIFA world rankings, Germany was rightly touted amongst the event favourites and seemed set to go a prolonged run on the competitors and presumably even win it for the third time.
No different nation in Group H was ranked within the high 10, with South Korea coming in at No. 17, adopted by Colombia at No. 25 and newcomers Morocco, who at No. 72 have been the second-lowest ranked staff at this World Cup. Most pundits predicted the Germans would cruise into the knockout spherical.
Instead, the Germans face months of introspection following their stunning first-round exit. A 1-1 draw in opposition to the Koreans, coupled with Morocco’s 1-0 win over Colombia, meant Germany didn’t get out of the group stage for the primary time in 9 World Cups. The Germans had managed to a minimum of attain the quarterfinals in every of their earlier World Cup appearances.
Bluntly, Germany has no person guilty however itself. A 6-0 win over the Moroccans of their opening recreation proved to be a false daybreak for the European giants, because the staff struggled to interrupt down Colombia in a 2-1 loss and squandered loads of scoring possibilities within the stalemate vs. South Korea.
Alexandra Popp levelled the rating in opposition to the Koreans simply earlier than halftime after Germany went down 1-0 inside six minutes. But the German captain was the one participant who seemed vigorous in assault for her nation. That burden proved to be an excessive amount of for Popp, who managed to get into respectable scoring positions within the second half however didn’t bury any of her possibilities.
A 2-1 win would have been sufficient for Germany to edge out Morocco for second place within the group. But the Germans’ profligacy in entrance of aim price them dearly.
At the identical time, full credit score have to be given to the Moroccans, who admirably rebounded from their shellacking in opposition to the Germans to document back-to-back wins and safe a spot within the knockout spherical of their World Cup debut.
Morocco is simply the newest underrated and neglected nation that has overachieved at this World Cup. Nigeria (No. 40), Jamaica (No. 43) and South Africa (No. 54) all survived robust teams that included high 10 nations to advance to the knockout spherical.
While they may proceed on, conventional heavyweights akin to Germany, Canada and Brazil are going residence, left questioning the place all of it went incorrect.
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GOAL OF THE DAY
In the sixth minute, defender Lee Young-ju took on two gamers earlier than delivering a via ball that reduce open Germany’s defence. Thirty-five-year-old ahead Cho So-hyun capitalized by cooly slotting her shot into the underside left nook previous goalkeeper Merle Frohms from 10 yards out.
FANS OF THE DAY
South Korean supporters provided some daring predictions previous to their staff’s recreation in opposition to Germany in Brisbane.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“We didn’t show the football that we wanted to show and, obviously, it’s one of the saddest moments of my life, but I think we will grow with that and we will analyze it and then we have to ask ourselves what the matter was and we have to talk about it.” — Germany midfielder Lena Oberdorf
THREE STARS OF THE DAY
1. Alexandra Popp, Germany: The 32-year-old ahead scored her tournament-leading fourth aim, was a continuing attacking risk for the Germans and ran herself ragged.
2. Cho So-hyun, South Korea: Her aim within the sixth minute marked the primary time that South Korea scored for the primary time in 13 video games throughout three World Cup appearances.
3. Anissa Lahmari, Morocco: Her aim late within the first half ended up sending the Atlas Lionesses to the group stage of their World Cup debut.
LOOKING AHEAD
The round-of-16 kicks off on Saturday with a trio of matches. Switzerland takes on Spain in Auckland (1 a.m. ET) in a battle of European rivals. Former World Cup champions Japan and Norway meet in Wellington (4 a.m. ET) and the Netherlands face South Africa in Sydney (10 p.m. ET).
John Molinaro is likely one of the main soccer journalists in Canada, having coated the sport for over 20 years for a number of media retailers, together with Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is at the moment the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, a web site devoted to in-depth protection of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer. TFC Republic will be discovered right here.
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