We’ve gotten to the enterprise finish of the Group Stage, with Group A ending up their schedule and sending a bunch dwelling earlier than the knockouts for the primary time. But that was overshadowed by presumably the most important upset of the event up to now that blows up the draw a bit. Let’s run it by means of.
Match of the day: Colombia 2 – 1 Germany
This is the most important results of the tourney, most likely extra so than Jamaica holding France to a scoreless draw — even when Colombia have extra pedigree than the Jamaicans. Germany had broadly been predicted to stroll this group, even with Colombia having one of the vital thrilling younger gamers within the event in Linda Caicedo. And this wasn’t any smash-and-grab the place Colombia simply acquired one properly positioned counter or one thing. They have been full worth–tactically astute, brash to the purpose of knocking Germany completely off their stride, and ruthless when the time got here. Germany can don’t have any complaints, although they did have a good few for the ref (not completely uncalled for both, however we’ll get to that).
For most of this match, the outcome hinged on how every workforce was coping with the opposite’s main gentle, each of whom are 21 and underneath. Lena Oberdorf returned to the German workforce after lacking their opener, and it was clear that the primary bullet-point on Colombia’s to-do listing was to know the place she was always. Colombia’s entrance three with Catalina Usme behind them, particularly heart ahead Mayra Ramirez, have been decided to chop off entry to Oberdorf at any time when the Germans have been making an attempt to construct out from the again. In reality, Colombia sought to disclaim Germany any time in midfield, with each of their double pivot in Lorena Bedoya and Daniela Montoya urgent proper up onto the German #8s. This is what it regarded like lots of the match:
Sure, the primary body is off a dropped ball to the German keeper, however there’s Oberdorf bracketed by Colombia. They simply weren’t going to let her have the ball.
On the opposite facet, Germany might have handled the upper Colombia press than they have been anticipating by pushing their fullbacks greater and altering angles. But they have been terrified to try this, fearing what Caicedo and her operating buddy on the opposite facet Lady Andrade would do if given house after a giveaway or a turnover and such. Both German fullbacks clearly had directions to maintain Caicedo in entrance of them.
What you possibly can’t actually plan for, and Germany perhaps ought to have been slightly extra ready for (contemplating that Ireland pulled out the “fuck this” card 20 minutes right into a closed door pleasant with Colombia, as a result of means that Colombia was pushing them everywhere in the area (and outright kicking them)), was how Las Cafeteras have been solely too blissful to get in Germany’s face. Sometimes lower than cleanly so. Alexandra Popp took a shot within the ribs away from the ball. Klara Bühl acquired an earful from Carolina Arias after getting the ball and most of her decrease physique tackled away from her. For a very good portion of the primary half, the story was Colombia flying into Germany, typically actually, in each which means. It was chippy nevertheless it was efficient, because the Germans have been undoubtedly listening to footsteps at any time when that they had greater than a millisecond with the ball.
Colombia compelled Germany to go lengthy, which normally isn’t an issue as Alexandra Popp will win most headers up prime. But Colombia was tightly drilled to get to the second balls and shut off any headers by means of, chopping off Germany’s wingers earlier than they may get there and outworking their midfielders to assert any headers that went backwards.
Getting again to the most important protagonists, the factor about these gamers is you possibly can plan for them, you possibly can dedicate your techniques to stopping them, however 90 minutes is a very long time and there’s most likely going to come back a second the place they get unfastened. Caicedo’s got here off a nook within the 53rd minute, and nobody’s going to provide you with a plan to cease this on any whiteboard:
No biggie, simply discover an alley that’s barely wider than the ball to select the very prime of the very prime nook. As Warren Barton stated on the printed, there are World Cup targets that depend for greater than a degree on the board and can reside endlessly. This is a kind of, as Caicedo appears to be nitro-boosting herself down the street to greatest participant on the earth sometime quickly.
However, Colombia’s livid urgent is the form of factor that’s actually exhausting to maintain up for a full match, and so they began to drop off someplace across the seventieth minute. Which meant they misplaced observe of Oberdorf popping out of midfield. First, she acquired herself within the match with one in all her trademark tackles that may solely be described as MEATY. Here’s a very good angle of it:
And then she misplaced her marker within the 88th minute and latched onto a beautiful contact from Lea Schüller, baited the Colombian keeper in, and acquired a nailed-on penalty for Germany to equalize:
So all accomplished and dusted then. Germany get out of jail, keep in charge of the group, Colombia will get a courageous level however stays in second the place they have been typically picked to be. This is what prime tier groups do, discover a means even when they won’t deserve it. It’s what Germany does particularly.
These are all stuff you’d say in the event you hadn’t been listening to the defiance Colombia performed with all match. Throw in some curious German marking:
You can see Manuel Vanegas on the penalty spot with no German anyplace close to her, as they’re all marking zonally inside the six. A workforce isn’t anticipating to get beat from a header from 12 yards, however that process turns into simpler after they have a free run at it. Clever little bit of play from Colombia who use the three gamers in entrance of Vanegas to maintain the Germans from getting out to this ball cleanly. But because of this groups that mark zonally normally use the additional gamers to man-mark farther up within the field, to stop precisely this.
And now the draw will get slightly goofy. Colombia doesn’t have an easy process of their final sport in opposition to Morocco, however all they want is a draw to win the group. Germany might want to match no matter Morocco does, however are taking a look at getting dumped right into a Round of 16 in opposition to any of France, Brazil, and even Jamaica, after which 1 / 4 in opposition to whoever wins the group between Canada, Australia, or Nigeria. Which will be the simpler route than the potential quarter in opposition to England they have been lining up, assuming England may even area a workforce by that time.
It was a real pleasure of a match, proper on par with France-Brazil the day earlier than, and a outcome that shakes the complete competitors. And it proves that the really nice gamers are going to discover a means, regardless of the planning that goes in opposition to them.
Other outcomes: Norway 6 – 0 Philippines
On the opposite facet of the tactical spectrum, we’ve the Philippines. While this was nonetheless a match within the first 20 minutes, there was clearly a plan to play in a low block, and use their two forwards of their 4-4-2 to chop off entry to the midfield and make Norway go vast. But you must concentrate to try this, and the Philippines frequently lose sight of Vilde Bøe Risa on the base of Norway’s midfield, permitting her to get the ball and switch, which meant she was kicking Norway’s assault into excessive gear persistently, with both a merely five-yard go or huge switches out to the fullbacks who have been allowed to get ahead as soon as Risa acquired the ball. She might additionally put in crosses like this:
Perhaps lots of sound and ink shall be related to Caroline Graham Hansen getting pissed off and taking it out on the opposition, after she was dropped to the bench in Norway’s second sport and wasn’t shy about discussing how she felt about it. Which led to this Hadoken:
Game. Set. Match.
Norway would possibly think about will spend the time till their Round of 16 match placing Ada Hegerberg by means of a Clockwork Orange model therapy to get her in the identical mindset.
Switzerland 0 – 0 New Zealand
This was 90 minutes of Switzerland understanding they didn’t have to placed on a present and daring New Zealand to do it, as a result of they needed to. Especially as phrase got here down that Norway was tonking the Philippines, New Zealand wanted a objective. But because of this you don’t lose to the Philippines at dwelling after which suppose you’ve gotten any proper to undergo.
New Zealand have been no much less toothless in opposition to a Switzerland facet that principally saved an outstretched hand on their brow. Géraldine Reuteler, Lia Wäitl, and Coumba Sow, the three midfielders behind #10 Romana Bachmann, principally shaped one wall in entrance of Switzerland’s protection, which was forming its personal wall. New Zealand ran out of solutions when groups found out that their solely actual ploy was to try to get Hannah Wilkinson in behind, which Norway allow them to do with ease. Once that dried up, there was nothing. Three pictures on track in a sport they needed to win just about tells the entire story, and even within the eightieth minute the Ferns weren’t throwing a large number of gamers ahead. It’s harsh, however they acquired what they deserved.
Morocco 1 – 0 Korea Republic
Some wins don’t actually have to be damaged down tactically or statistically, they imply greater than that:
Now not solely the primary Arab nation to qualify, however the first to notch a win. For nations like Morocco that have truly invested a lot into their program, you’d need them to have tangible markers to why it’s value it and to drive the work that comes forward. Well, right here you go.
Goal of the Day
Hansen’s belter would have gained this on most days. Haug’s looped volley to open the scoring for Norway would too. Ibtissam Jraidi’s would on one other day merely for it’s which means. But come on…
Know her now and for a very good lengthy whereas.
Did Alexei Lalas say something silly?
Eh, it’s the weekend and I gave myself a break from listening to halftime reveals or pregame. You can solely take a lot, y’know? Still loads of time to go.
Follow Sam on Twitter @Felsgate and on Bluesky @felsgate.bsky.social
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