Russo’s England battle to reach Women’s World Cup QF’s, as Matilda’s romp into final 8 by Michelle
Another day, another chance to watch the best of the best women’s national football teams battle it out for World Cup Glory, in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, taking place in Australia and New Zealand.
On Monday 7th August’s round of 16 fixtures:
England played Nigeria
Australia played Denmark
Arsenal’s Lotte Wubben-Moy, Alessia Russo, and their fellow Lionesses did all they could to keep their World Cup dream alive.
A win over Nigeria’s Super Falcons was no easy task for the Lionesses. The teams, for the most part, battled it out with both creating chances at either end of the pitch. In the 87th minute a 10-woman strong England side had to keep going after Chelsea’s Lauren James was given a red card in the 87th minute, for a belligerent stamp on Nigerian Michelle Alozie (reminiscent of David Beckham when he was only 21 at the World Cup).
There was another 30 minutes of extra-time played before England eventually beat Nigeria on penalties, after seeing out the rest of the game and extra time a player down before the game moved to penalties.
Georgia Stanway missed England’s first spot kick, but Spurs’ Beth England, Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly, Man City’s Alex Greenwood, and Chloe Kelly scored the winning penalty. Nigeria missed their first two penalties that saw them lose as they only scored 2 while England scored 4. England will play either Colombia or Jamaica in the quarters.
The Matildas extinguished Katherine Kuhl and her Danish teammates’ World Cup dreams, beating them 2-0 in the other round-of-16 clash.
Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord gave the hosts the lead in the 29th minute to see the Aussies leading by the half-time break. In the second-half, as Denmark was looking to pull off a comeback over the hosts, the Matilda’s had other plans, doubling their lead through ex-Man City star Hayley Raso. The game ended 2-0. Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord, and their Australian teammates earned a spot in the quarter-finals, to face France or Morocco.
Alessia Russo, Lotte Wubben-Moy, Caitlin Foord, and Steph Catley join other Gunners Amanda Ilestedt, Stina Blackstenius, and Lina Hurtig of Sweden, and Netherlands’ Victoria Pelova in the World Cup quarter-finals. This tournament is SO EXCITING!
Do you think we’ll have some official World Champion gunners in our midst soon? Who do you think is most likely to lift the World Cup?
COYGW!
Michelle Maxwell
Follow Michelle on Just Gooner Women on Twitter for regular updates on the Arsenal Womens Team!
Do you want to read more about the Arsenal Women’s Team? Click here….
