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We’ve gotten to the enterprise finish of the Group Stage, with Group A ending up their schedule and sending a number house earlier than the knockouts for the primary time. However that was overshadowed by presumably the most important upset of the match to this point that blows up the draw a bit. Let’s run it by way of.
Match of the day: Colombia 2 – 1 Germany
That 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 match in Linda Caicedo. And this wasn’t any smash-and-grab the place Colombia simply received 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 haven’t any complaints, although they did have a good few for the ref (not completely uncalled for both, however we’ll get to that).
For many of this match, the end result hinged on how every group was coping with the opposite’s main mild, each of whom are 21 and below. Lena Oberdorf returned to the German group 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 middle 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 actual fact, 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. That is what it seemed like plenty of the match:
Certain, 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. However they have been terrified to try this, fearing what Caicedo and her working buddy on the opposite facet Woman Andrade would do if given house after a giveaway or a turnover and such. Each German fullbacks clearly had directions to maintain Caicedo in entrance of them.
What you possibly can’t actually plan for, and Germany possibly ought to have been a bit of extra ready for (contemplating that Eire pulled out the “fuck this” card 20 minutes right into a closed door pleasant with Colombia, as a result of approach that Colombia was pushing them everywhere in the discipline (and outright kicking them)), was how Las Cafeteras have been solely too completely satisfied to get in Germany’s face. Generally lower than cleanly so. Alexandra Popp took a shot within the ribs away from the ball. Klara Bühl received 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 approach. It was chippy nevertheless it was efficient, because the Germans have been positively listening to footsteps at any time when they’d greater than a millisecond with the ball.
Colombia pressured Germany to go lengthy, which normally isn’t an issue as Alexandra Popp will win most headers up high. However Colombia was tightly drilled to get to the second balls and shut off any headers by way of, chopping off Germany’s wingers earlier than they may get there and outworking their midfielders to say 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 ways to stopping them, however 90 minutes is a very long time and there’s most likely going to return a second the place they get free. 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 pick the very high of the very high nook. As Warren Barton mentioned on the printed, there are World Cup targets that rely for greater than some extent on the board and can stay ceaselessly. That is a kind of, as Caicedo appears to be nitro-boosting herself down the street to greatest participant on the planet sometime quickly.
Nonetheless, Colombia’s livid urgent is the type of factor that’s actually onerous 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 received herself within the match with one in all her trademark tackles that may solely be described as MEATY. Right here’s a very good angle of it:
After which she misplaced her marker within the 88th minute and latched onto a stunning contact from Lea Schüller, baited the Colombian keeper in, and received a nailed-on penalty for Germany to equalize:
So all completed and dusted then. Germany get out of jail, keep in command of the group, Colombia will get a courageous level however stays in second the place they have been usually picked to be. That is what high tier groups do, discover a approach even when they may not deserve it. It’s what Germany does particularly.
These are all stuff you’d say when you hadn’t been listening to the defiance Colombia performed with all match. Throw in some curious German marking:
You possibly can see Manuel Vanegas on the penalty spot with no German wherever close to her, as they’re all marking zonally throughout the six. A group isn’t anticipating to get beat from a header from 12 yards, however that job turns into simpler after they have a free run at it. Intelligent 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. However for this reason groups that mark zonally normally use the additional gamers to man-mark farther up within the field, to forestall precisely this.
And now the draw will get a bit of goofy. Colombia doesn’t have an easy job 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 getting dumped right into a Spherical 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 could be the simpler route than the doable quarter in opposition to England they have been lining up, assuming England may even discipline a group by that time.
It was a real pleasure of a match, proper on par with France-Brazil the day earlier than, and a end result that shakes all the competitors. And it proves that the really nice gamers are going to discover a approach, regardless of the planning that goes in opposition to them.
Different outcomes: Norway 6 – 0 Philippines
On the opposite facet of the tactical spectrum, we now have the Philippines. Whereas 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 extensive. However it’s a must to listen 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 cross or huge switches out to the fullbacks who have been allowed to get ahead as soon as Risa received the ball. She might additionally put in crosses like this:
Maybe plenty of sound and ink will probably be linked 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:
Sport. Set. Match.
Norway would possibly contemplate will spend the time till their Spherical of 16 match placing Ada Hegerberg by way of a Clockwork Orange model remedy to get her in the identical mindset.
Switzerland 0 – 0 New Zealand
This was 90 minutes of Switzerland figuring out they didn’t must placed on a present and daring New Zealand to do it, as a result of they needed to. Particularly as phrase got here down that Norway was tonking the Philippines, New Zealand wanted a objective. However for this reason you don’t lose to the Philippines at house after which suppose you could have any proper to undergo.
New Zealand have been no much less toothless in opposition to a Switzerland facet that mainly stored an outstretched hand on their brow. Géraldine Reuteler, Lia Wäitl, and Coumba Sow, the three midfielders behind #10 Romana Bachmann, mainly fashioned 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. As soon as that dried up, there was nothing. Three pictures on course 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 received 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:
Not solely the primary Arab nation to qualify, however the first to notch a win. For nations like Morocco that have really invested a lot into their program, you’d need them to have tangible markers to why it’s price it and to drive the work that comes forward. Nicely, right here you go.
Purpose 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. However 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 exhibits or pregame. You possibly can solely take a lot, y’know? Nonetheless loads of time to go.
Observe Sam on Twitter @Felsgate and on Bluesky @felsgate.bsky.social
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