How to watch first knockout round on TV and live stream

United States head coach Vlatko Andonovski declared: “The rankings mean nothing in the World Cup.” And that was whereas Brazil and Germany had been nonetheless within the competitors.

The group stage of the 2023 Women’s World Cup has produced a number of the largest shocks within the match’s historical past. Olympic champions Canada have additionally gone dwelling early, finishing a trio of departing groups ranked among the many greatest ten nations on the planet by FIFA’s quickly undermined system.

Here’s every part you want to know in regards to the first knockout round of the match and all of the upsets that lie in wait.

This World Cup has been inconceivable to predict however one factor is for sure: historical past shall be made on Saturday morning. Neither Switzerland nor Spain have ever gained a knockout match in a significant ladies’s worldwide match.

Theoretically, Spain are the favourites. However, apart from the curse of the rating system – which has La Roja in sixth and the Swiss twentieth – Spain might be derailed by the rising sense of unrest within the squad which has existed since 15 gamers boycotted the nationwide staff final September.

Norway could have the option to boast an even bigger margin of victory at this World Cup – thrashing the Philippines 6-0 – however Japan have unquestionably been the extra spectacular facet so far.

Slicing by opponents with surgical precision, Japan demonstrated the flexibleness of their method – which is often primarily based on possession – to annihilate Spain with out the ball. Norway boast the star high quality to trigger an upset however Japan’s unerring unity makes them clear favourites.

Desiree Ellis, South Africa’s enigmatic head coach, has an autobiography referred to as Magic. The title completely captures her wizardry from the technical space however it might want a number of extra chapters after the previous participant led her nation into the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time.

The Netherlands produced some magic of their very own – Esmee Brugts particularly – throughout a 7-0 rout over Vietnam of their last group recreation however are in for a far harder take a look at towards Ellis and her field of tips.

When the USWNT returned to their resort in China after successful the inaugural World Cup, the Swedish staff had positioned their yellow socks to learn ‘USA gold’ exterior the carry door. The camaraderie that existed between the 2 nations, who additionally shared Western snacks on that tour in 1991, is not going to be current on Sunday.

Sweden come into the knockout phases after a extra convincing group stage, with discuss of assembly a US facet in disaster rife. Yet, for all the supposed chaos engulfing the US after one win and two attracts, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher has solely confronted one shot on goal at this match (which, admittedly, she conceded).

READ MORE ON THE WOMEN’S WORLD CUP IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND

A cathartic victory over an underwhelming China ignited England’s World Cup – though, Sarina Wiegman is hardly the character to get carried away by one victory.

Nigeria entered the competitors amid a fog of institutional unease however rallied to maintain Olympic gold medallists Canada to a goalless draw and dismantle host nation Australia within the group stage. England could also be champions of Europe and ranked 36 locations above Nigeria, however they can’t afford a whisper of complacency.

After a lot hand-wringing about how the Matildas would cope with out their injured attacking lynchpin Sam Kerr, her potential return to health has led to questions of the place she will be able to match into this facet.

Australia could have impressively fended off the catastrophe of a group-stage elimination as hosts with a 4-0 win towards Canada however any staff can be higher with Kerr by the center.

Denmark’s captain Pernille Harder, Kerr’s former Chelsea teammate of three years, will know that every one too properly.

The odds for both nation to attain the final 16 had been slim however for each Colombia and Jamaica to qualify – and achieve this in type – represents a exceptional achievement.

Colombia’s attacking verve, epitomised by teenage sensation Linda Caicedo, shall be up towards Jamaica’s fearsome defensive resolve. The Reggae Girlz are one in all solely three nations to move by the group stage with out conceding a single purpose (though they solely scored one themselves). Another shutout would at the very least assure a penalty shootout on Tuesday.

Herve Renard turned the first particular person to ever win a match on the males’s and ladies’s World Cup as France topped a gaggle which included Brazil and a spirited Jamaica this 12 months. Incidentally, the previous cleaner’s first foray on the worldwide stage was in 2018 with the boys’s nationwide staff of Morocco – the nation that may go up towards Renard’s France within the last last-16 tie of this Women’s World Cup.

Despite dropping 6-0 to Germany of their opener, Morocco snuck into the knockout stage instead of the Germans. Morocco could be the lowest-ranked nation left within the competitors however, as Andonovski so rightly identified: “Rankings mean nothing.”