SOCCER WOMENS WORLD CUP ARTICLES

The United States are in the World Cup Final for the third time this decade. The USWNT are 3-1 all-time in this game, and the Stars and Stripes will look to add a fourth star to their crest on Sunday. Their opponents will be the Netherlands. The Oranje are the 2017 European Champions, and they are in the final in just their second appearance at the Women’s World Cup. Most analysts aren’t giving the Dutch much of a chance, but they have proven the oddsmakers wrong multiple times over the... 

Neither Sweden or England wanted to be playing in Nice on Saturday. Both teams have winning histories in the Third Place game of the Women’s World Cup though. Sweden has finished in third twice before. The Swedes beat Germany 4-0 for third place in the inaugural World Cup in 1991, and they earned their second third place finish with a 2-1 win over France in 2011. Meanwhile, England finished third in the last World Cup, knocking off Germany 1-0 in extra time.... 

The team that wins this semifinal will be favored in the World Cup Final on Sunday, July 7. This is exactly where both England and the United States had hoped to be in this competition. The United States are the defending champions and odds-on favorites to win the World Cup after their win over France on Friday. Meanwhile, England have now made it back to the World Cup semifinals after first making it here in 2015, and they are out to make their first final.... 

The Netherlands are the only team of the four countries remaining at the World Cup that has never made it to the semifinals of this tournament prior to this year. The United States’ pedigree is well-established, and England made the semifinals in 2015. Sweden boast a pair of third place finishes to their credit on this stage, making the Dutch the debutantes. However, while they are new to the World Cup Semifinals, they are not new to winning major international titles and are favored to advance to the World Cup Final over Sweden on Wednesday. ... 

Germany have a chance to tie the United States as the most successful team in World Cup history by winning this year’s competition, and they have been given an excellent draw. They have been placed in the much easier side of the bracket for the knockout rounds, avoiding the US, France, and England before a potential match in the final. Now, it’s up to the Germans to take advantage of the favorable road ahead starting with Sweden in the last quarterfinal on Saturday. ... 

Italy have been the most surprising team at the Women’s World Cup. The Italians had not qualified for the World Cup since 1999 prior to this year, and they have made the most of this appearance. Italy have made it to the quarterfinals for the second time in their history, and they are looking to make it to the semifinals for the first time ever when they face the Netherlands on Saturday. The Dutch have never made it past the Round of 16, so the team that wins will be a first time semifinalist.... 

For the fourth straight tournament, England have made it to the Women’s World Cup Quarterfinals. The Three Lionesses have not really been challenged thus far at the World Cup, and they have looked like one of the favorites to win it all. However, they are on the more difficult side of the bracket, and they will have a tough test in their bid to return to the semifinals on Tuesday. Norway have appeared much stronger than most believed before the start of the World Cup.... 

This is the match that everyone has both waited for and feared when the bracket was announced for this year’s Women’s World Cup. Defending champions United States and hosts France were the two favorites coming into this year’s tournament, but rather than face each other in the final, they will square off in the Quarterfinals instead. That will leave one of these two sides incredibly dejected, while the winner will immediately become the favorite to win it all. Both teams have yet to lose a match... 

France have yet to win a major international competition, but the hosts of the 2019 World Cup were one of the favorites ahead of this tournament. They took care of business in the Group Stage by winning all three of their matches and looked strong in doing so, yet now they must overcome an absolutely brutal draw if they are to raise their first trophy. They will face Brazil in the Round of 16 this weekend, and the winner of that match will face either the United States or Spain in Paris on June ... 

Group runners-up Norway and Australia will meet in the second Round of 16 match on Saturday with the winner taking on the winner of England and Cameroon in Le Havre on June 27. Australia are a slight favorite in this match somewhat due to expectations before the tournament started, but Norway boast one of the richest traditions of any team at this competition.... 

The Netherlands and Canada will meet to determine the winner of Group E in historic Reims on Thursday afternoon. Both teams have played solid defense and they are level on goal differential, but Netherlands hold the tiebreaker for the group in the event this match ends in a draw by virtue of scoring one more goal than Canada.... 

Either the United States or Sweden will claim first place in Group F on Thursday, thus assuring themselves of a more difficult draw than they deserve. Both teams are sitting on six points following wins over Thailand and Chile, and the USWNT will win the group with any result thanks to their incredible +16 goal differential. However, while the runner-up in the group will likely face a somewhat vulnerable Germany in the quarterfinals, the group winner will face hosts France. That’s far from optim... 

France have lived up to the billing as pre-tournament favorites. They are sitting atop Group A after two wins in two matches, and a result against Nigeria on Monday would give them the group. However, there’s reason to believe that’s something France doesn’t want. While the Group A winner likely will have a relatively easy Round of 16 game, they will probably face the United States in the quarterfinals. By comparison, the runner-up will play the runner-up in Group C and probably the Group D winn... 

It hasn’t been the most impressive World Cup performance from Germany, but they are where they wanted to be heading into their final Group Stage game. Germany are sitting atop Group B after wins over Spain and China, and they will have the chance to lock up the top spot in the group with a result against South Africa on Monday.... 

The good news for Chile is they aren’t going to be the team that the United States beats by the most this World Cup. Chile have a much better defense than Thailand, and they won’t allow the Stars and Stripes to run roughshod over them to the tune of 13 goals. However, it’s pretty likely they get dominated from start to finish. Chile are just holding out hope for a respectable finish.... 

Before the World Cup got underway, Group D was seen as one of the tougher groups. England were listed as the team with the fourth-best odds of winning the World Cup, and those odds have gotten better after former champion Japan were forced to settle for a draw against Argentina in their opener. Now, the Three Lionesses can put a hammerlock on the group with a win over Argentina this Friday. They are hefty favorites per the oddsmakers, but the Argentines are feeling confident after earning their ... 

The Reggae Girlz knew that their World Cup debut would be rough, but they are still holding out hope they can earn a result or at least notch a goal. They will have arguably their best chance to do so on Friday when they face Italy. Although the Italians won their first match, they are still largely seen as the third-most talented team in the group. However, a win for Italy would put them in the driver’s seat to win Group C.... 

The last match on Thursday will be a pseudo-elimination game between South Africa and China. Both countries lost their opener, and a loss for either team will virtually eliminate them from contention to advance to the knockout rounds. That would be a crushing blow for China, as the Steel Roses have made it to at least the Quarterfinals in every World Cup they have entered. South Africa does not have the same pedigree as this is the country’s first World Cup appearance, but they would be thrilled... 

Group C favorites Australia are in trouble. The Matildas knew that they would face a challenge from both Brazil and Italy, but they were still expected to win the group and were odds-on favorites to do so at the outset of the tournament. However, those hopes have taken a serious blow after Australia’s 2-1 loss to Italy in their opener on Sunday. Australia needs a win to avoid a potential group stage exit, but Brazil are looking to seize control of this group.... 

France are off to a fantastic start at the Women’s World Cup. The French are looking to become just the second team ever to win the competition as hosts of the tournament, and their home crowd gave them a big boost in their win over South Korea on Friday. Now, they will be out to lock up the group against Norway on Wednesday. They are hefty favorites to get the victory according to the oddsmakers, but the Norwegians were able to secure a 1-1 draw the last time these teams met.... 

First place in Group B can essentially be decided on Wednesday when Germany and Spain meet in Valenciennes. These were considered the top two teams in the group before the Women’s World Cup started, and they both took care of business and picked up wins in their first games. These teams met in November of last year, and they played to a scoreless draw. Spain would love a similar result as they seek their first appearance in the knockout rounds of this competition.... 

The United States will kick off their bid for a fourth star above their logo on Tuesday. The USWNT are massive favorites against Thailand, and anything other than a multiple goal victory for the Stars and Stripes would be a shock. This is Thailand’s second appearance at the World Cup, so they don’t have the pedigree of the Americans, and their performance over the last year hasn’t inspired a lot of confidence. ... 

Two historic rivals will meet at the Women’s World Cup on Sunday, and one will be out for revenge. This is the second straight international competition where England and Scotland were drawn into the same group, and the Scottish women will be out to prove themselves after what happened in the Netherlands. The Three Lionesses hammered Scotland by a final of 6-0 in Utrecht at the European Championships two years ago, but the Scots are confident such a result won’t be repeated.... 

Two of the seven countries that have qualified for every Women’s World Cup to date will meet in the last game on Saturday. Nigeria and Norway have had varied results on this stage though. Norway won the World Cup in 1995, and The Grasshoppers have made it to the knockout rounds in six of their seven appearances. They made it to the semifinals in four of the first five World Cups, but their performance hasn’t been as sharp in recent years.... 

Spain are looking to get out of the group stage and into the knockout rounds for the first time at the Women’s World Cup. La Roja qualified for their first World Cup in 2015 and were summarily dismissed with a record of 0-1-2. They are expected to get their very first win at this competition in their opener on Saturday. Spain will be taking on South Africa, a team that has yet to win a match this calendar year. Unsurprisingly, Banyana Banyana are heavy underdogs....