Women’s World Cup quarter-finals contenders
Australia falls to Norway in a dramatic shoot-out while Germany dispatches Nigeria
Norway emerges over Australia
On Saturday, Australian captain Sam Kerr menaced the Norwegian back line, but her side was unable to provide Kerr meaningful opportunities. The lethal striker started dropping back, chasing the game, far, far from the box — where she’s so dangerous.
Noway stayed organized. They stayed consistent. They pressured the back and controlled the midfield, cutting off delivery to Kerr. In the thirty-first minute, Isabell Herlovsen slipped behind the backline to fire in Norway’s only goal.
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Australia rallied, but didn’t score until the eighty-fourth minute when Elise Kellond-Knight’s corner rolled untouched into the goal. After Kellond-Knight’s goal, the game was all Australia, but they waited too long to go after the game. They were unable to score again.
The two teams headed into 30 minutes of extended time. Despite going down to ten players after earning a red card in the fourteenth minute of extra time, Australia held Norway goalless.
The two sides then faced off in a shoot out, where Sam Kerr skied Australia’s first kick. Norway’s veteran keeper,
saved Australia’s second shot. Norway made four in a row, advancing to the quarterfinals.
Norway faces England on Thursday, June 27.
Germany defeats Nigeria
True to their exquisite form, Germany made short work of Nigeria in their Round of 16 match up. Nigeria demonstrated great power and pace but was no match for Germany’s organization and precision. In the twentieth minute, German captain Alexandra Popp knocked in a header off a corner for Germany’s first goal.
Too often, Nigeria was clumsy on the ball — disaster when facing a clinical German side. The second German goal came off a penalty for a foul inside the box. Later, German forward Lea Schuller capitalized when a Nigerian defender panicked and passed her the ball just inside the 18-yard box. Schuller scored her first World Cup goal, Germany’s third and the final for the match.
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Germany has kept clean sheets in all four of its World Cup games so far. They will play their quarterfinal opponent on Saturday, June 29.