Portugal will face the United States, the Netherlands and Vietnam, in Group E of the final phase of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, if they make it through the Intercontinental play-off, the draw held today in Auckland, New Zealand, dictated.
If on February 22 they beat the winner of the clash between Cameroon and Thailand, in Hamilton, the “quin” formation will find precisely the finalists of the last edition, played in France, in 2019.
Then, on July 7, in Lyon, the Americans won their fourth title, and the second in a row, repeating 1991, 1999 and 2015, by beating the Netherlands 2-0, with goals in the second half from Megan Rapinoe, from a penalty. spot. , and Rosemary Lavalle.
If the United States has four world titles, the Netherlands has the 2017 European Championship as its great victory, and in the 2022 edition, they ‘fell’ in the ‘quarters’, against France, in a competition in which Portugal stayed for the stage group .
For its part, and unlike these two powers, Vietnam will play in Australia and New Zealand, between July 20 and August 20, its first World Cup.
In Group E, based in New Zealand, Portugal will start against the Netherlands, in Dunedin, on July 23, then they will face Vietnam, on the 27th, in Hamilton, to close with the United States, on August 1, in Auckland.
The team led by Francisco Neto reached the Intercontinental play-off by finishing second in the European qualifying Group H, behind Germany, and then beating Belgium and Iceland in the continental play-off.
As the team with the best ranking among the 10 that will compete in the Intercontinental play-off, Portugal was placed as the top seed in Group A, to measure forces, on October 22, with Cameroon or Thailand.
As for the other groups in the final, A is headed by co-hosts New Zealand and also includes Norway, Switzerland and the Philippines, while B is ‘headed’ by co-hosts Australia and also has Ireland, Canada and Nigeria.
In Group C were Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia and Japan, D was made up of England, Denmark, China and the winner of Group B of the Intercontinental ‘play-off’ and F was France, Brazil, Jamaica and the winner of Group C. of the Intercontinental playoff.
For their part, Sweden, Italy, Argentina and South Africa share Group G, while Group H will be shared by Germany, Morocco, Colombia and South Korea.
The 32 teams present, a record, are thus divided into eight groups of four, and the first two of each advance to the round of 16, which Portugal will play, if it qualifies, in Sydney or Melbourne, Australia.
Source: TSF
