After Australia and New Zealand, the co-organizers of the Women’s World Cup, started the tournament with victories, the focus now shifts to the next group matches and three top contenders entering the field: Canada, Spain and the United States.
Spain and the United States are no strangers to the final rounds of the Women’s World Cup, and they will have to withstand the pressure of a target on their backs. Canada faces a different kind of pressure: the hitherto unrealized expectations on the World Cup stage. Nigeria drew 0-0 on Friday.
After these matches, there will be a clearer indication of which of these contenders are ready to go on a championship run, and which have issues to address.
Spain vs Costa Rica
Spain, whose squad includes several players from major European club Barcelona, has lost just once in the past year. Spain is yet another program in a battle with its federation: a truce was declared before the team left for the tournament, but tensions remain.
When Spain and Costa Rica played in the opening game of the 2015 Women’s World Cup, the Costa Ricans managed to hold the Spaniards to a 1-1 draw, a feat they would like to repeat.
United States vs Vietnam
Vietnam, playing its first Women’s World Cup match, has a chance to win the tournament by just 50,000 to one, but the team shocked the highly regarded German team on June 24 by holding a friendly – the final score was 2-1.
The United States drew criticism after their opening appearance in 2019, when the team defeated Thailand 13-0. Leading up to this Women’s World Cup, none of this year’s players would commit to refraining from a similar goal fury, and as a team looking to make history with a third straight title, the United States would win in any form.
Nigeria vs Canada
Both teams temporarily put aside battles with their federations over investments and equal pay to play in their opening game, which ended in a scoreless tie.
Canada, the reigning Olympic champion, reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 2015, but lost in the round of 16 in 2019. Nigeria has won the Africa Cup of Nations 11 times, but faces a tough challenge in a group that also includes hosts Australia.
Philippines vs Switzerland
The Philippines, in their first Women’s World Cup, has a roster with 18 American-born players. It lost on Friday to Switzerland, a team that had played at the Women’s World Cup only once before (in 2015). Neither team is expected to go very far in this tournament.