FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 live schedule: Latest news and scores
The Mayor of a New Zealand city has invited Spanish players on a night out after reports they had relocated due to being bored.
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Spain’s Women’s World Cup team has been invited for a free night-out in the sleepy New Zealand city of Palmerston North after claims they quit their base there early out of boredom.
The team denied that was the case and said they were moving to Wellington to prepare for their final group game against Japan on Monday and a potential last-16 match both in the New Zealand capital.
An earlier media report said the world’s sixth-ranked team had deserted the city because “the lack of things to do in the area has taken its toll” after two weeks in Palmerston North.
Spanish journalists following the team have made similar complaints about the city, which has a population of about 90,000 and an unfashionable reputation.
What if we sent a bunch of Palmerston North residents to Spain and see how much THEY like it
— Hylobatidae (@ThomedySci) July 29, 2023
Palmerston North’s mayor Grant Smith was compelled to respond, telling news outlet Stuff: “I’d be quite happy to show the Spanish team a night-out in Palmy.” Smith told The New Zealand Herald he appreciated that his city was no Barcelona or Madrid, before adding:
“But we are comfortable in our own skin as a city.”
A spokeswoman for the team said they had enjoyed their stay in Palmerston North.
“We can’t speak highly enough of our stay there,” she told AFP. “Moving to Wellington has nothing to do with being bored. We were treated very well and the players have had no complaints.”
It is the second time the Spanish have ruffled feathers in New Zealand. They issued an apology before the tournament began after a video emerged of players making fun of the haka, a ceremonial dance considered sacred to indigenous Maori people.
9.59PM FULL-TIME FRANCE 2 BRAZIL 1
France breathed fresh life into their Women’s World Cup campaign with a late winner in a 2-1 victory over Brazil on Saturday as Sweden barrelled into the last 16.
Captain Wendie Renard headed in the winner seven minutes from time in front of nearly 50,000 in Brisbane to earn the French a vital three points.
It blew Group F wide open, with France top on four points from two games and Brazil on three.
Jamaica, which surprisingly held France 0-0 last time out, faced Panama later Saturday and could be top of the group by the end of the night.
Herve Renard’s France defied most of the Brisbane crowd and a Brazilian team that thumped Panama 4-0 in their previous match to reinvigorate French hopes of a first World Cup title.
The French controlled much of the first half and took an early lead through veteran striker Eugenie Le Sommer with her 90th goal in 181 appearances.
Brazil came back into the game in the second half and were rewarded when Debinha latched onto a deflected shot and fired past goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin to draw level.
With time running out, France struck again.
Selma Bacha swung in a corner in the 83rd minute and defender Renard – who had been a pre-match injury doubt – appeared unmarked at the far post to head home.
9.10PM: HALFTIME FRANCE 1 BRAZIL 0
Eugénie Le Sommer’s 90th goal for her country gives France the lead in Brisbane.
Eugénie Le Sommer silences the Brazilian contingent in Brisbane with her sixth World Cup goal 🇫🇷
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) July 29, 2023
A perfectly placed header.
Watch 📲 https://t.co/CyImcGDnlA#FIFAWWC#OptusSportpic.twitter.com/6Dy2AVWBxj
7.58PM: SWEDEN CRUSH ITALY TO REACH LAST 16
Towering defender Amanda Ilestedt scored twice with her head to help Sweden to a 5-0 thrashing of Italy on Saturday and a berth in the Women’s World Cup last 16.
A tight contest was blown open in a seven-minute spell late in the first half when the third-ranked Swedes found the net three times, through Ilestedt, Fridolina Rolfo and Stina Blackstenius.
Arsenal centre-back Ilestedt bagged her second soon after the interval to give her three goals for the tournament – all headers from corners – including a late matchwinner in their opening 2-1 defeat of South Africa.
Substitute Rebecka Blomqvist rounded out the rout in stoppage time in front of nearly 30,000 in Wellington.
The Swedes are assured of finishing in the top two of Group G, becoming the third team to book a place in the knockout stage, after Spain and Japan.
It was a flexing of the muscles from one of the tournament favourites, who have a history of near-misses at the World Cup.
Their set-piece prowess was on full show, with three of the goals coming from left-footed inswinging corners delivered by Jonna Andersson.
Sixteenth-ranked Italy had no answer to the aerial threat of Ilestedt in particular and went to halftime shellshocked after enjoying the better of the early stages.
Having opened the tournament with a 1-0 win over Argentina, Italy’s tournament will be over if they lose their final group match against South Africa on Wednesday.
7.30PM: STAJCIC WARY OF WOUNDED NORWAY
Alen Stajcic warned his Philippines team to be wary of “wounded” Norway when they clash at the Women’s World Cup on Sunday with qualification for the knockout stage on the line.
The Philippines celebrated their first appearance at a World Cup finals with a stunning 1-0 victory over co-hosts New Zealand on Tuesday.
That result, after a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland on their tournament debut, means they will advance to the last 16 by beating 1995 World Cup winners Norway at Eden Park in Auckland.
The Norwegians are traditional heavyweights in the women’s game but have performed poorly so far, losing 1-0 to the co-hosts and then drawing 0-0 with Switzerland.
They appear to be in disarray with an injury to star striker Ada Hegerberg and player discontent.
“Obviously each team has different issues whether it be physical, mental, social, cultural,” said the Philippines’ Australian coach Stajcic on Saturday.
“I have followed football for 30 years and I know how strong the culture of Norwegian women’s football is.
“I don’t care what’s going on in the camp, I am sure they are going to come out tomorrow and fight for their country.
“The fact they are wounded sometimes means they come out and fight harder to prove everyone wrong.” Stajcic is hoping to mastermind another famous victory for the 46th-ranked Philippines and take them into the knockout rounds, just like he did with his native Australia in 2015.
“I am really proud of the whole group,” he said.
“Nobody thought we would be alive, we were the underdog and now we go into the last match against a superpower of women’s football historically and knowing we have a chance of progressing to the next round.” He added: “We treat every game the same, I don’t care if we are playing Norway, America, Myanmar or Hong Kong. Every single game is the same.
“We know we need to win.”
6.45PM: BRISBANE IS ABOUT TO GO OFF
Look at that turn out for Brazil v France!
It’s going to be some atmosphere.
France had been sweating on the fitness of skipper Wendie Renard for their must-win Women’s World Cup clash with Brazil.
The defender missed training on several days this week after picking up a calf injury in France’s disappointing goalless draw with Jamaica in their opener.
However, she took part in Friday’s session in Brisbane, on the eve of the Group F encounter.
“Of course we hope that tomorrow everything will go well because we need her,” coach Herve Renard -- no relation to the player -- told reporters on Friday.
“We are not certain tonight 100 percent, we will have the answer tomorrow because training sessions do not compare to a competitive game.”
But the good news is Renard has been named.
IT IS BRAZILIAN CARNIVAL IN AUSTRALIA ðŸ¥ðŸ¥³#FDMNaCopa#FIFAWWC#BeyondGreatness#emBRAzapic.twitter.com/UJfmnZIThK
— Fut das Minas (@futdasminass) July 29, 2023
La composition des Bleues face au Brésil ! 🇫🇷
— Le Stade (@le_stade) July 29, 2023
GOOOO ! 👊
📸 @equipedefranceF#FIFAWWCpic.twitter.com/d5CinyxwWA
It's bonkers outside Suncorp in Brisbane. Brazil fans MUCH in evidence, France jerseys scattered throughout. I think this game is gonna pop off #fifawwcpic.twitter.com/4vWdqjwBfn
— Steph Yang | Horrible Soccer Goose (@thrace) July 29, 2023
5.15PM: ENGLAND ‘TIGHT-LIPPED’ AMID STAR’S ACL FEARS
England is being “very tight-lipped” about the extent of star Keira Walsh’s knee injury, reports Sky Sports.
Walsh went down with a knee issue in the Lionesses’ win over Denmark and there are fears she has suffered an ACL tear.
Sky Sports said sources inside the camp were giving away “absolutely nothing”, including whether Walsh had been sent for scans.
Writing for the Daily Mail, Manchester City player Steph Houghton said: “Keira Walsh is England’s most important player and to lose her for the rest of the tournament if she has injured her ACL would be a huge blow.
She also added: “If this is a serious injury — and we hope it’s not — it is important she lets her emotions out. You have to be sad and frustrated and then you get your head around it and kick on with rehab.”
4.45PM: TRAINING SCARE FOR GERMAN STAR
Germany must reshuffle their defence at the Women’s World Cup after another injury set-back when left-back Felicitas Rauch hurt her knee ahead of their game with tough-tackling Colombia on Sunday.
Rauch strained knee ligaments blocking a shot in training on Friday and it is unclear when she will return, said Germany head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg.
It is the latest injury blow for Germany in defence. Centre-back Marina Hegering missed the opening 6-0 thrashing of Morocco with an ankle knock.
“That wasn’t a good moment in training,” said Voss-Tecklenburg. “Felicitas cannot play, but we got a diagnosis quite quickly, which was relatively positive.
“I don’t know how long she will be out for.” The Germany boss had already lost back-up left-back Carolin Simon with torn knee ligaments in a World Cup warm-up game.
“It’s the third defender we have lost, so we know what type of back-up options we have,” Voss-Tecklenburg added. “We will be able to compensate for this injury.” Germany, the 2003 and 2007 champions, posted the biggest win of the World Cup contenders so far in the romp over Morocco.
Colombia also won their opening game, beating South Korea 2-0. The Germans expect a tense battle in Sydney against the South
4PM: COACH’S UPDATE AFTER STAR’S TRAINING COLLAPSE
Women’s World Cup star Linda Caicedo was “tired” when she went down clutching her chest in training, Colombia coach Nelson Abadia said, and may not play against Germany on Sunday.
The 18-year-old Real Madrid forward was at the centre of a health scare on Thursday when she stopped running and lay on the ground holding her chest.
Abadia on Saturday called it “an episode of tiredness, a bit of stress over her debut in a senior World Cup”.
“It was just an episode and she is ok now,” he added.
“Linda has overcome the event.
“Whether she will play, we have 24 hours or a bit more to decide.
“She is a very important player for football and for us in our game plan.”
Caicedo, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer three years ago but made a full recovery, is a rising star of women’s football.
She scored in Colombia’s opening 2-0 win over South Korea in her World Cup debut this week.
Colombia face two-time former World Cup champions Germany in Sydney with a place in the last 16 in Australia and New Zealand in sight.
12PM: FIFA BOSS SNUBS WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has come under fire after he reportedly left the Women’s World Cup less than a week into the tournament.
According to Sky News, who tracked the movements of a private jet Infantino has been known to use, he spent eight days in co-host nation New Zealand before jetting off to Tahiti on July 25, meaning he has been absent from four matchdays.
FIFA would not say when Mr Infantino is due back at the tournament which ends on 20 August.
The distances involved in Australia and New Zealand made it impossible for him to attend every match at FIFA’s biggest-ever women’s showpiece.
But Mr Infantino has not been to any matches in Australia – or even visited the country since it was awarded the hosting rights with New Zealand in 2020.
Gianni Infantino leaving the Women's World Cup after less than a week is 'extremely disappointing'
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 28, 2023
The Athletics @KatieWhyatt shares her thoughts on the FIFA president's exit.
Listen below 👇https://t.co/afOvUOwrjQ
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/TzC2rFQnT6
Just last week in Auckland, Mr Infantino urged more fans to buy tickets, saying: “It’s never too late to do the right thing, come to watch the matches.”
During the 2022 men’s World Cup, Mr Infantino called it a “privilege and pleasure to attend all the 32 matches that have been played so far”.
He has repeatedly said this would be the “best-attended” Women’s World Cup but his own attendance record has fallen short despite making a virtue out of football’s need to treat the men’s and women’s World Cup equally.
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