The United States team, two-time women’s world champion, participated in winning the 2023 World Cup on Saturday against debutant Vietnam (3-0), with England, Denmark and Japan also starting victoriously.
In Group E, which also includes Portugal, the defending champions were as dominant as ever, with Sophia Smith scoring twice, in the 14th and 45+7 minutes, assisting the third from Horan (77), who started in Auckland’s best.
The dominance of the four-time champions (1991, 1999, 2015 and 2019) was such that the Vietnamese, 32nd in the world ranking, did not even finish and remained at the bottom of the ‘group’, while Portugal will make its absolute World Cup debut in Dunedin on Sunday against the Netherlands, the current ‘runner-up’ in the world.
In Brisbane, the Australian city that hopes to host the 2032 Olympics, European champions England struggled to beat a ‘tough’ formation from Haiti, causing a lot of trouble for Sarina Wiegman’s men and forcing Earps into several defenses.
Still, a penalty converted by Stanway in the 29th minute, after he allowed the defense first, with the referee asking for the bid to be repeated, ended the encounter with the World Cup newcomers.
The English are at the top of Group D alongside Denmark, who also started in the best way, albeit with a triumph, ‘picked’ in extra time against the Asian champions, China.
At 90+1, Vansgaard broke the Chinese resistance in a very close, evenly matched match with few chances, with a total of three shots between the two teams, giving the Danes a victory against one of the ‘eternal candidates’ in their return to the World Cup 16 years later.
Following Spain’s win over Costa Rica (3-0), the opening round of Group C concluded with a comfortable defeat to Japan (5-0), against Zambia, with a ‘double’ from Miyazawa, on 43 and 62, and goals from Tanaka (55), Endo (71) and Ueki, the latter from a penalty spot in the 11th minute of added time in a one-way game.
The Japanese showed credentials as candidates for a title they won in 2011.
Portugal, one of the eight debuting teams, will face the Netherlands, the number two in the world, in Dunedin on Sunday in the opening round of group E, which also includes the United States, winner of the last two World Cups, and Vietnam.
Source: DN
