With two-thirds of the group stage matches at the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup now completed, three more teams secured spots in the Round of Sixteen: Korea DPR, Japan, and Austria.
Argentina spoiled the Netherlands hopes of automatic advanced by overcoming a two-goal deficit to earn a draw.
Two NWSL players netted goals in the day’s matches:
- The North Carolina Courage’s Manaka Matsukubo scored the eventual game-winner in Japan’s 4:1 victory over Ghana.
- Meanwhile, Racing Louisville’s Milly Clegg had a late consolation goal for New Zealand.
Here are the match highlights and goals summaries for the day’s four matches, plus the standings for Group E and Group F, along with some brief discussion of advancement scenarios.
Match Highlights
Korea DPR 9, Costa Rica 0
Korea DPR goals: Own goal (6′), Chae Un Yong (8′), Choe Il son (28′, 34′), Pak Mi Ryong (43′), Kim Song Gyong (49′, 55′), Jong Kum (69′), Choe Kang Ryon (85′)
Additional Links: FIFA Match Page, FIFA Highlights
Japan 4, Ghana 1
Japan goals: Chinari Sasai (45′), Manaka Matsukubo (45’+6), Miku Hayama (50′), Miyu Matsunaga (90′)
Ghana goal: Stella Nyameke (83′ PK)
Additional Links: FIFA Match Page, FIFA Highlights
Austria 3, New Zealand 1
Austria goals: Sarah Gutmann (10′, 15′), Valentina Maedl (67′)
New Zealand goal: Milly Clegg (90′)
Additional Links: FIFA Match Page, FIFA Highlights
Netherlands 3, Argentina 3
Netherlands goals: Veerle Buurman (16′), Bo Van Egmond (38′), Robine Lacroix (45’+2)
Argentina goals: Sofia Dominguez (43′), Serena Rodriguez (48′, 71′)
Additional Links: FIFA Match Page, FIFA Highlights
Group Standings
The top two teams from each group advance to the Round of Sixteen, along with the four best third-place teams.
Group E
- Japan: 6 points, +10 goal difference, 11 goals scored
- Austria: 6 points, +3 goal difference, 5 goals scored
- Ghana: 0 points, -4 goal difference, 2 goals scored
- New Zealand: 0 points, -7 goal difference, 1 goal scored
Both Japan and Austria have secured automatic advancement as the two top teams in Group E. On the final day of group play, the two teams will face off in a match that will decide the group winner.
If there is a winner in the match between Ghana and New Zealand, that team has a chance to advance as a third-place team.
Group E will play its final matches last, so Ghana and New Zealand will know if they have an opportunity for advancement before kick-off. Advancement could come down to goal difference, so Ghana would have a relatively easier path.
Group F
- Korea DPR: 6 points, +13 goal difference, 15 goals scored
- Netherlands: 4 points, +2 goal difference, 5 goals scored
- Argentina: 1 points, -4 goal difference, 5 goals scored
- Costa Rica: 0 points, -11 goal difference, no goals scored
Korea DPR has secured a spot in the Round of Sixteen as only the Netherlands could finish higher in the group. A draw with the Netherlands will be enough to finish first in the group.
The Netherlands will advance automatically if they do not lose to Korea DPR. If Argentina defeats Costa Rica, a narrow loss for the Netherlands may still be enough for a second-place group finish, as long as Argentina does not make up their goal difference disadvantage.
With a victory over Costa Rica, Argentina would be on 4 points and in a decent position to advance as at least a third-place team. A draw would secure third-place for Argentina, but with 2 points and a -4 goal difference, they would most likely not finish as one of the four best third-place teams.
Costa Rica needs a victory over Argentina, which looks unlikely, in order to have a chance at advancement as a third-place team. However, as it stands Costa Rica has the worst goal difference (-11) of potential 3-point third-place teams (exclusive of Fiji and Morocco who are highly unlikely to win their final group stage matches).
Women's Soccer Express 