For the majority of Germans, the early retirement of the German soccer players has no effect on their own interest in the tournament. In a representative survey by the opinion research institute YouGov on Monday, 52 percent of those questioned stated that interest remained “unchanged”. 17 percent said their interest was still “very great”.
However, the DFB selection is not the only favorite for the title who can start the journey home early. All results of the first knockout round at a glance.
Co-hosts Australia can continue to dream of winning the World Cup on home soil. The national football team won 2-0 (0-0) in front of 75,784 fans in Australia Stadium in the round of 16 against Denmark on Monday. The strong Caitlin Foord (29th minute) and Hayley Raso (70th) scored the goals for head coach Tony Gustavsson’s team. In the quarter-finals, the Matildas will meet France or Morocco in Brisbane on Saturday (9:00 a.m. CEST), who will play for progress this Tuesday in Adelaide (1:00 p.m. CEST/ZDF).
The Danes, led by new Bayern player Pernille Harder, got off to a better start in the round of 16, but Australia took the lead. After a long pass from Mary Fowler, Foord completed the goal to make it 1-0. A few minutes later, the goal scorer narrowly missed her second goal.
After the change of sides, the Matildas earned the lead in the long term, and not much came from Denmark. Raso’s low shot to make it 2-0 made things clear, and the substitution of superstar Sam Kerr in the 80th minute brought further applause in the stadium. The Chelsea captain was on the pitch for the first few minutes of the tournament following her injury.
The English women also advanced a round. Chloe Kelly converted the decisive penalty to defeat Nigeria 4-2 and took her team to the quarter-finals. No goal had been scored 120 minutes earlier. In front of 49,461 fans in the Brisbane stadium, England’s Lauren James, who saw the red card after an assault (87th minute), caused the negative highlight. In the quarter-finals, the Lionesses will meet Colombia or Jamaica in Sydney on Saturday, who will meet in Melbourne in the round of 16 this Tuesday (10:00 a.m. CEST/ZDF).
In the penalty shoot-out, Bayern Munich’s Georgia Stanway shot England’s first attempt wide of the goal to the left. But Nigerians Desire Oparanozie, who also shot wide, and Michelle Alozie then missed. Kelly finally made everything clear. The European champion can thus continue to dream of the first world title in the history of English women’s football. At the World Cup four years ago in France, England lost to the USA (1:2) in the semifinals.
England struggled all season against Nigeria, with the West Africans having more promising chances. Ashleigh Plumptre (17′) and Uchenna Kanu (47′), who each only hit the crossbar of the English goal, awarded the best. According to the TV pictures, referee Melissa Borjas from Honduras took back a penalty already given for England after a slight kick by Rasheedat Ajibade against Rachel Daly (31st).
Shortly before the end of regular time, James made an unsportsmanlike act when she kicked after a duel against Michelle Alozie, who was lying on the ground. The referee, who initially showed England’s top scorer (3 tournament goals) the yellow card, revised her decision after viewing the video images and showed a smooth red.
In the 30-minute overtime, England hardly put any offensive accents, Nigeria made a fresher impression. Coach Randy Waldrum’s team just didn’t have enough chances – that was to take revenge in the penalty shoot-out that followed.
The defending champions and record winners from the USA failed against Sweden – dramatically. In the 4:5 (0:0, 0:0) penalty shoot-out, Lina Hurtig’s decisive Swedish goal was checked using goal-line technology, the ball was only just behind the line. With tears in her eyes, Megan Rapinoe tried to comfort her distraught teammates. But the USA’s world-renowned star player was just as overcome by her emotions.
The four-time world champion had never finished worse than third place in a final round, but had to tremble in the preliminary round this summer. Coach Vlatko Andonovski gathered his dejected players on the pitch for a long time after the final whistle – his job should be in question.
“It feels like a nightmare,” said captain Alex Morgan. “The team gave everything.” Rapinoe, Sophia Smith and Kelley O’Hara missed penalties, and for the 38-year-old Rapinoe, her enormously successful World Cup history ended in a huge disappointment at her last tournament.
The Swedes, on the other hand, celebrated their coup exuberantly, in regular time they were clearly inferior. Only with great difficulty and thanks to the strong goalkeeper Zecira Musovic Sweden saved themselves on penalties. In the quarter-finals on Friday (9.30 a.m. CEST) against Japan. “I’m so happy, I don’t know how we did it, we fought as a team,” said Magdalena Eriksson on ARD. The party song “Dancing Queen” by Sweden’s iconic band Abba was played in the stadium.
The footballers of the Netherlands can also continue to hope for the first World Cup title in their history. The team of former Bundesliga coach Andries Jonker beat South Africa 2-0 (1-0). In the quarter-finals, the 2019 World Cup finalists will meet Spain on Friday (3:00 a.m. CEST).
In the Football Stadium in Sydney, former Munich and Wolfsburg native Jill Roord gave the favorites an early lead after a corner (9′). The South Africans kept up well, but had to make two substitutions in the first half due to injury. In the second half, Lineth Beerensteyn made the final score (68′) after a serious mistake by South Africa’s goalkeeper Kaylin Swart.
Japan’s women soccer players have continued their triumphal march. In the encounter between two former world champions in Wellington, coach Futoshi Ikeda’s team won 3-1 (1-1) against Norway on Saturday.
Japan had taken the lead early on through an own goal by Norway’s Ingrid Syrstad Engen (15th minute), but shortly afterwards had to accept the equalizer from Guro Reit (20th). It was the team’s first conceded goal in the finals in game four. However, Risa Shimizu (50′) and Hinata Miyazawa (81′) made it clear in the second half.
The Japanese had impressed in the preliminary round with three wins, scored eleven goals and didn’t concede a single one. The 2011 world champions played courageously in attack and were rewarded early on. A cross from Miyazawa was deflected by Engen into his own goal. Even after the quick goal, the disciplined Japanese dominated the action again without any major problems.
Norway, world champions in 1995, disappointed in the second half and hardly had a chance to score again in attack. Even the substitution of the former world footballer Ada Hegerberg fifteen minutes before the end could not change that. Due to groin problems, the 28-year-old was able to play significantly less than hoped for at the World Cup.
Spain’s footballers are the first to reach the quarterfinals. In Auckland, Jorge Vilda’s team lived up to their role as favorites and defeated Switzerland, coached by Inka Grings, 5-1 (4-1).
The outstanding Aitana Bonmatí (5th and 36th minutes), Alba Redondo (17th), Laia Codina (45th) and Jennifer Hermoso (70th) scored the goals of the Spaniards, who were superior in every respect, at Eden Park. After an own goal by Laia Codina (11th), the Swiss women had briefly regained hope in the early stages of the first knockout round of this World Cup.
The Swiss had survived the preliminary round without conceding a goal. Inka Grings had therefore not made any personnel changes. Spain’s Jorge Vilda made five changes after the 4-0 loss to Japan, putting his star player Alexia Putellas on the bench. The changes paid off, the Spaniards dominated and made it into a World Cup quarterfinals for the first time.
The Swiss goalkeeper Gaëlle Thalmann cried after the final whistle. The 37-year-old ends her national team career after 109 international matches.
Four teams still have a chance of progressing. On Tuesday, Colombia and Jamaica (10 a.m.), as well as France and Morocco (1 p.m.) will play for a ticket to the round of eight.
