Sarina Wiegman’s tactical switch risks playing to their last-16 rivals’ strengths but her tight-knit defence should be up to the jobAs one of seven teams to have qualified for all nine Women’s World Cups, Nigeria will not regard themselves as underdogs against England on Monday. Admittedly, the Super Falcons have never progressed beyond the quarter-finals but, after beating Australia 3-2 and drawing 0-0 with the Olympic champions, Canada, their confidence is high.It probably suits Randy Waldrum’s side that a lot of England fans are likely to underestimate them, but Sarina Wiegman will know an awful lot hinges on the quality and discipline of her team’s press in their new 3-5-2 formation. Continue reading...
After opening the World Cup with two edgy displays the Lionesses cut loose with a new formation against ChinaWith one display, the pressure that had been mounting on Sarina Wiegman and her England team has eased. A 6-1 victory over China, ranked 14th in the world, saw the Lionesses hit cruise control on a night that brought surprise and an end to their struggles in front of goal.It was the sort of display that can set alight a team’s campaign and it led Wiegman to claim England were “growing into the tournament”. Edgy 1-0 victories had done little to answer questions about England’s capabilities at both ends of the pitch, with several players lacking in form and confidence. Continue reading...
Tony Gustavsson was keen to focus on the numbers but it is hard to explain how Australia were so improved against CanadaThe Matildas coach, Tony Gustavsson, is a maths teacher by training. It shows. Even on the biggest night yet in the history of Australian women’s football, when his team had just demolished the Olympic champions, Canada to progress to the round of 16 at a home World Cup, Gustavsson finds comfort in numbers. Which is how he found himself in the bowels of the stadium after the match, reciting statistics.“Since we played Canada last time, we have won 11 out of 13 games, including five against top-ranked opposition,” Gustavsson said. “We scored 33 goals and conceded eight.” He proceeded...
The Matildas captain is back for the must-win game against Canada, and with the weight of a nation on her shoulders, has issued her own call-to-armsWhat a difference six words make.For the past nine days, the hopes of a nation have hung off Sam Kerr’s left calf. Ever since the 11th-hour announcement that the captain would miss Australia’s Women’s World Cup opener against Ireland, due to a calf injury suffered in training, Australian fans have waited anxiously for news on Kerr’s gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. Continue reading...
The prolific striker has had bad luck with injuries but fully fit at this World Cup, she has the experience to take her country farEight years ago I was playing in the World Cup third-place playoff when we won a penalty in extra time and a Germany player was trying to unsettle the taker, Fara Williams. I felt it necessary to get in the way to protect my teammate by pushing my opponent – only to realise it was Alexandra Popp and that I might have made an error of judgment. The next minute, Eni Aluko had to join me to give us a chance of keeping Popp at arm’s length because it was the type of situation that needed...