Opposition Research – Page 5 – Women's Soccer Express

U-20 WWC 2024: Match Day 3A – Highlights and Group Standings

With eight matches left in the group stage at the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, six of the slots in the Round of Sixteen have been confirmed.

On Friday, September 6th, host Colombia, along with Brazil, Mexico, and France finished as one of the top two teams in their respective groups and thus earned automatic slots in the knockout phase.

Additionally, two third-place teams, Canada and Cameroon, also secured advancement as they are mathematically guaranteed to not be among the two lowest third-place teams.

Here are the match highlights and goals summaries for the day’s four matches, plus the final standings for Group A and Group B, along with the ranking of third-place teams

U-20 WWC 2024: Final Group Match Day Advancement Scenarios

The third match day of the group stage at the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia gets underway on Friday, September 6th.

With the expansion to 24 teams and the addition of a Round of Sixteen, four of the third-place teams from the groups will also advance to the knockout stage, instead of just the top two teams from each group.

This post summarizes what teams have already qualified for the Round of Sixteen, which teams can advance automatically advance as one of the top two teams, and where teams could finish depending on the results of the final set of group matches.

U-20 WWC 2024: Match Day 2C – Highlights and Group Standings

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.

U-20 WWC 2024: Match Day 2B – Highlights and Group Standings

On Wednesday, September 4th, Group C and Group D played their second group stage matches of the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

In Group C, both the USA and Spain won their respective matches 2-nil. The USA’s victory over Morocco gives it a crucial goal difference advantage over Paraguay, who loss to Spain. The USA are now in a good position to advance as the second-place team in the group. Meanwhile, Spain, who are on 6 points, has secured advancement to the Round of Sixteen.

Over in Group D, Germany also secured advancement, thanks in part to its 3:1 win over Nigeria. The other match, between Korea Republic and Venezuela ended in a scoreless draw.

Here are the match highlights and goals summaries for the day’s four matches, plus the standings for Group C and Group D, along with some brief discussion of advancement scenarios.

U-20 WWC 2024: Match Day 2A – Highlights and Group Standings

On Tuesday, September 3rd, eight teams played their second group stage matches of the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup. Among those teams, Brazil and the host, Colombia, secured advancement into the Round of Sixteen. Concacaf sides Canada and Mexico won their matches and now sit on 4 points each. Both are in decent positions to advance to the knockout phase.

Here are the match highlights and goals summaries for the day’s four matches, plus the standings for Group A and Group B, along with some brief discussion of advancement scenarios.

U-20 WWC 2024: Match Day 1C – Highlights and Group Standings

On Monday, September 2nd, the final eight teams of the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, including Concacaf side Costa Rica, played their first matches of the tournament.

Here are the match highlights and goals summaries for the day’s four matches, plus the standings for Group E and Group F.

U-20 WWC 2024: Match Day 1B – Highlights and Group Standings

On Sunday, September 1st, eight more teams began their campaigns at the 2024 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, including the USA and defending champions Spain, who faced off against each other.

Here are the match highlights and goals summaries for the day’s four matches, plus the standings for Group C and Group D.

U-20 WWC 2024: Match Day 1A – Highlights and Group Standings

The 2024 edition of the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup got underway in Colombia on Saturday, August 31st. Among the teams in action on Saturday were Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and the hosts.

Here are the match highlights and goals summaries for the day’s four matches, plus the standings for Group A and Group B.

Good Morning. The USWNT is Back At #1 in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings

The United States Women’s National Team once again has bragging rights to the top spot in the FIFA Women’s World Ranking, thanks in large part to its golden performance at this year’s Paris Olympics.

The USA’s climb would also not be possible without some of the other teams stumbling off of their previous perches:

France (-91.12) had the biggest points drop since the last update on June 14th, primarily due to its 2 losses on home soil at the Olympics as well as a loss during Euro 2025 qualifying against the Republic of Ireland.

Spain also had a large points drop (-78.80), as it also lost twice during the Olympics, against Brazil in the semifinals and Germany in the bronze medal match, and fell to the Czech Republic during a Euro 2025 qualifying match.

Here’s the permalink to the full rankings table.

2024 Olympics: Germany Claims Bronze, Defeating Spain 1-0

In the third-place match of the women’s soccer tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Spain, after its disastrous semifinals performance against Brazil, had a second chance to secure its first Olympic medal. However, for the third time in a row, Spain had a poor offensive showing. And, for the second time in a row, Cata Coll committed a costly goalkeeping error. And, thus, for the first time since 2008, Germany had an Olympic bronze medal, their fourth.

The two defining moments of the match both revolved around penalty kicks: In the 65th minute, Giulia Gwinn converted from the spot for Germany after Spain’s goalkeeper, Cata Coll, crashed into Gwinn at the top of the penalty area as both were going for a lofted long pass. And, in the final moments of the match, Gotham FC’s Ann-Katrin Berger, who save two kicks in Germany’s quarterfinal penalty shootout against Canada, was once again the heroine for Germany, as she saved Alexia Putellas’s penalty kick in the 9th minute of second-half stoppage time.