New Zealand reached the World Cup for only the third time with a 3-0 win over New Caledonia but lost in-form Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood to injury.
The All Whites join already qualified Japan and co-hosts the United States, Canada and Mexico at next year’s finals thanks to three second-half goals.
But the victory in Auckland in the final of Oceania qualifying came at a cost, with skipper Wood suffering what appeared to be a hip injury.
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New Zealand’s Chris Wood goes down injured during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Oceania qualifiers group final football match between New Zealand and New Caledonia at Eden Park Stadium in Auckland on March 24, 2025. (Photo by DAVID ROWLAND / AFP)Source: AFP
Soon after half time at Eden Park, Wood hurt himself swivelling for a shot and required treatment before hobbling off in the 54th minute.
“It’s not great for us losing our captain and our goalscorer. It was a difficult thing for the team but they came through so well,” said New Zealand’s English coach Darren Bazeley.
The hosts looked out of ideas after dominating the first half, but then up popped veteran defender Michael Boxall on 61 minutes to head home from a corner with his first goal for his country.
Five minutes later Wood’s replacement Kosta Barbarouses chipped the ball over advancing New Caledonia goalkeeper Rocky Nyikeine.
Substitute Eli Just put gloss on the scoreline from close range with 10 minutes left.
New Caledonia’s unlikely World Cup hopes are not over and they will go into an intercontinental playoff.
Next year’s World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, meaning direct entry for the first time for the team that won the qualifying competition in Oceania.
The region’s top side previously had to go through an intercontinental playoff, with New Zealand falling at the final hurdle to Mexico, Costa Rica and Peru in recent editions.
New Zealand have been to the World Cup twice before, in 1982 and 2010, but are yet to win at the competition in six matches.
“Once the World Cup expanded we expected this of ourselves,” said Boxall. “It’s not about getting there, it’s about what we do when we get there.”
Chris Wood acknowledges the crowd after their victory during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Oceania qualifiers group final football match between New Zealand and New Caledonia at Eden Park Stadium in Auckland on March 24, 2025. (Photo by DAVID ROWLAND / AFP)Source: AFP
Facing a side ranked 152 in the world, 63 places below them, hosts New Zealand immediately went on the front foot.
New Caledonia, a French Pacific territory of about 300,000 people which has never been to the World Cup, twice cleared off the line in quick succession after 20 minutes.
Wood, who is in the form of his life at Forest with 18 goals in the Premier League this season, had a chance in the 32nd minute but Nyikeine saved comfortably.
The 33-year-old Wood then headed over the bar from a corner and at the half-time whistle, with the game unexpectedly level, the New Caledonia players mobbed Nyikeine.
Bazeley had seen enough and made two changes at the break, bringing on winger Just and defender Francis de Vries.
Despite losing talisman Wood, New Zealand’s pressure eventually paid off against a rapidly tiring New Caledonia to put the All Whites into the World Cup.
The five-match T20I series between Pakistan and New Zealand is poised to kick off on Friday (January 12), commencing with the inaugural game at Eden Park in Auckland.
New Zealand’s recent form and challenges
New Zealand exhibited a commendable performance by clinching the T20I series against Bangladesh at home, albeit facing a rare defeat against them. The return of their regular skipper, Kane Williamson, to the T20I squad after an extended absence is a notable highlight. Williamson, eager to find his form ahead of the fast-approaching T20 World Cup 2024, will aim to swiftly acclimate to the T20 format.
Captaincy dynamics and squad updates
Star all-rounder Rachin Ravindra has been rested, but the recuperation of Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson from injuries ensures their inclusion in the squad. In the absence of Williamson for the third T20I, Mitchell Santner will take charge, leading the New Zealand side, as they seek to maintain their winning momentum in the series.
New Zealand’s top-choice playing XI for the T20I series against Pakistan:
Openers:
Kane Williamson, a cricketing maestro and the captain, is the linchpin of New Zealand’s batting lineup. Renowned for his composed approach and ability to anchor innings, Williamson brings leadership and consistency to the opening role. Alongside him, Finn Allen, a dynamic and aggressive opener, complements Williamson’s style. Allen’s explosive batting and fearless stroke play make him a potent force at the top, capable of providing quick starts.
Middle-order batters:
Daryl Mitchell, a versatile middle-order batter, is known for his adaptability and calm demeanour under pressure. His capability to play various roles adds depth to the batting unit. Glenn Phillips, a power-hitting sensation, injects aggression into the middle overs. Mark Chapman, a reliable and composed batter, ensures stability. Together, this middle-order trio forms a well-rounded combination, adept at building innings and capitalizing on opportunities.
Wicketkeeper and All-rounder:
Mitchell Santner, a seasoned all-rounder, contributes significantly with both bat and ball. His left-arm spin adds a valuable spin option to the attack, and his ability to finish innings with the bat makes him a crucial asset. Tim Seifert known for his explosive batting provides an extra dimension to the team’s balance, potentially strengthening the middle order. Seifert’s adaptability and aggressive style make him a valuable addition to the Blackcaps side. He is also the key contributor behind the stumps with the gloves.
Bowlers:
Matt Henry, a genuine pace bowler, uses swing and seam movement to trouble batter. Adam Milne, another express pace bowler, provides an additional firepower option. Ish Sodhi, a skilful leg-spinner, adds variety to the bowling attack. Tim Southee, the experienced campaigner, leads the pace battery with his ability to swing the ball both ways. Together, this quartet forms a potent and well-rounded bowling unit capable of dismantling oppositions.
The Swedes, who lost 2-1 to Spain on Tuesday night at Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau’s Eden Park, are a frequent bridesmaid at World Cup level, coming third in the 1991, 2011 and 2019 events.
They won every game in the group stage, most notably a 5-0 rout of Italy, before knocking out tournament favourites the United States 5-4 on penalties (0-0 after extra time).
They then felled Japan 2-1 in the quarter-finals before their thrilling semi-final loss to the Spanish.
England will face Spain in the World Cup Final from 8pm AEST on Sunday night.
England golazo leaves stadium silenced | 00:32
REMAINING WOMEN’S WORLD CUP FIXTURES (all times AEST)
Third-place match
19 August
Sweden v Australia 18:00, Brisbane Stadium (Brisbane/Meeanjin)
Final
20 August
Spain vs England 20:00, Stadium Australia (Sydney/Gadigal)
The Matildas have already made history by reaching the FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-finals and they try to go even further when they face world No.4 England in Sydney on Wednesday night.
The match at Stadium Australia will kick off at 8pm AEST.
Tony Gustavsson’s team is the first Australian male or female team to reach the last four at a FIFA World Cup but they insist the “job is not done yet”.
The final will be held at 8pm AEST on Sunday night while the third-place match, pitting the two losing semi-finalists together, will kick off in Brisbane at 6pm AEST on Sunday.
REMAINING WWC FIXTURES (all times AEST)
16 August
Semi-final
Australia v England 20:00, Stadium Australia (Sydney/Gadigal)
Third-place match
19 August
Runner-up of Game i v Runner-up of Game ii 18:00, Brisbane Stadium (Brisbane/Meeanjin)
Final
20 August
Winner of Game i vs Winner of Game ii 20:00, Stadium Australia (Sydney/Gadigal)
The biggest match in Australian football history: the Matildas against England for the right to face Spain in the World Cup final.
Australia have reached the semi-finals for the first time in history, while England lost in the semi-final stage at the last two Women’s World Cups.
But the Matildas have recent history against England, ending a 30-game unbeaten run for the Lionesses with an impressive 2-0 win in a friendly in April.
The match begins at 8pm AEST at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
Follow all the build-up to the action right here, before our a live blog kicks off at 8pm!
The Matildas claimed a stunning win over France in the quarter-final. Now they’re looking to go one better.Source: Getty Images
‘THEY’RE THE FAVOURITES’ … BUT AUSSIES HAVE ‘MASSIVE’ ADVANTAGE
England are the European champions, the world’s fourth-ranked team – six higher than the Matildas – and even with a number of their finest players missing the tournament through injury they come into the match as strong favourites.
And there’s one staggering statistic that shows the gap between the teams.
Tony Gustavsson said yesterday: “I think someone told me that the women’s program in the English Football Association has the same budget as all national teams in our Football Association (combined).”
But Gustavsson isn’t afraid of being the underdogs.
“If you look at rankings, they’re the favourites,” he said.
“If you look at where their players play, they have starters playing in top clubs in top leagues all over the world. Not just the starting 11 – they have 15 or 16.
“And you compare that to us where we have bench players in those teams, we have players in the A-League and we have players playing in mid-table teams in Sweden, so if you look at all that and you look at resources financially, then they are a massive favourite going into this game.”
But there’s two key reasons the coach believes his Matildas side is perfectly positioned to deliver another upset.
He added: “But if you then add the belief we have and the one thing they don’t have, which is the support and the belief from the fans.
Matildas Head Coach Tony Gustavsson and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold speaking during a press conference on Tuesday. Picture: Jonathan Ng.Source: News Corp Australia
As for England, they’re not buying into the favouritism tag despite being the highest-ranked team left in the tournament (fourth, with Spain sixth and Australia tenth).
“I don’t think Australia are the underdog, they are playing at home and the stadium will be very full,” coach Sarina Wiegman said.
“There’s two teams that are very strong and have grown into the tournament, it’s going to be very tight and competitive.
“We approach the game as any other game, we prepare how we want to play and analyse our opponent really well so we can hopefully expose some weaknesses.”
HOW AUSSIES WILL USE THE FRIENDLY WIN TO ‘TARGET’ POMS
In yesterday’s pre-match press conference, Tony Gustavsson said the match would be a fascinating tactical battle.
He openly mused whether the Lionesses would stick to their possession style or change their approach to try and nullify Australia’s extreme danger on the counter-attack.
“When we played them last time we got a good transition game going, but I know that England learned a lot from that game,” Gustavsson said.
“If you saw England playing Nigeria – that is also a very good transition team – England played much more direct than what they normally do so I think they’ve evolved and adjusted their game plan a bit so they’re not just possession based, especially if they choose to play with a back three and two nines that [are] willing to run in behind.
“It will be an interesting tactical game in that sense, is England going to stay true to their possession game? Or are they going to take away our transition game by playing a different style of football than they normally do?”
And he also declared the Matildas had success in the friendly victory this year by “target[ting] specifically” two of England’s players – and would do so again.
He continued: “We’re prepped for both systems, that they can play 4-2-3-1 and 3-5-2. We’ve also played three different systems in this World Cup so we might be flexible and do something different as well.
“There are some players that, no matter what system they play, they have the very same tendencies.
“And when we played them last time we managed to target specifically two of those players, and we benefited from that tactically.
“So we looked into those nuances and those individual behaviours a little bit more now, instead of the system, and hope that we can target that tomorrow as well.”
The Matildas were missing Caitlin Foord, Steph Catley and Alanna Kennedy for that 2-0 win, but Hayley Raso gave England fullback Jess Carter a torrid time on the flank – a player that Gustavsson could have been referring to.
Carter, a Chelsea player, has played every minute in four of England’s five games, but was left out of their 1-0 group-stage win over Denmark.
Charlotte Grant scored her first Matildas goal in the win over England in April.Source: Supplied
KERR’S RIDICULOUS FORM AGAINST ENGLAND RIVAL
If there’s one match-up that Australian fans will be looking forward to, it’s Sam Kerr against England’s superstar goalkeeper Mary Earps.
That’s not just because Kerr is Australia’s all-time top scorer at the international level and watching her battle elite keepers is a joy to behold.
It goes beyond that.
Kerr has a particularly brilliant record against Earps, the world’s best keeper (according to FIFA anyway, as she picked up the Best Women’s Goalkeeper 2022 award in February)
Earps currently plays for Manchester United in the Women’s Super League, where Kerr laces up her boots for Chelsea.
The pair have done battle eight times – Australia’s 2-0 win over the Lionesses in a friendly this year, as well as seven club matches.
Sam Kerr celebrates scoring against Earps (right, background) in April.Source: Getty Images
Kerr has scored nine goals in those eight games – including the winner in the most recent FA Cup final, where Chelsea made it three in a row.
The Aussie has claimed seven straight wins after a draw in their first meeting.
Earps has picked up three clean sheets in five games this tournament – Haiti and Denmark in the group stage, and Nigeria in their first knockout game.
But she’ll be having nightmares about the Aussie skipper who just can’t stop scoring against her.
Sweden will feed off the hurt of numerous near-misses in the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup tonight (6pm AEST) in Auckland — while Spain are just enjoying the moment after a dramatic journey that included a player mutiny last year.
Sweden beat Japan 2-1 on Friday to reach their third semi-final in the last four World Cups, and their fifth overall, but they have never gone on to win the tournament.
Peter Gerhardsson’s side were also semi-finalists at last year’s European Championship and have been beaten finalists at the last two Olympics.
“We have had a lot of good results in recent tournaments so it is not a coincidence that we are in this situation and I think that it is time,” Sweden’s Chelsea midfielder Johanna Kaneryd told reporters on Sunday.
A year ago Sweden were blown away by England at the same stage of the Euro, losing 4-0 to the hosts, who went on to lift the trophy.
If Sweden beat Spain at Eden Park they will face the Matildas or Australia in the final in Sydney next Sunday.
Sweden are ranked third in the world and have shown why, topping their group with three wins out of three before they defeated holders the United States on penalties in the last 16.
They then blew away Japan in the first hour of the quarter-final before surviving a late storm.
In Amanda Ilestedt they have an unlikely contender to win the golden boot. The Arsenal defender has scored four goals, more than any other player still at the tournament and one behind Japan’s Hinata Miyazawa.
The only recent meeting between Spain and Sweden dates back to last October, when they drew 1-1 in a friendly in Cordoba.
That game was played just after 15 Spain players told their federation they no longer wished to be considered for selection, principally out of unhappiness with coach Jorge Vilda.
He survived that rebellion to retain his job, and three of the rebels returned for the World Cup in full-back Ona Batlle, forward Mariona Caldentey and Aitana Bonmati, the brilliant midfielder who has been one of the tournament’s best players.
“That is in the past now. It was a difficult situation for all of us but now we are all united and focused on our goal of reaching the final,” midfielder Irene Guerrero said on Sunday.
Vilda added: “We have a (federation) president who reacted bravely, who backed me and my staff.
“Now there is unity in the squad, everyone is getting on, they are ambitious and trying to enjoy every day.”
Spain’s midfielder Irene Guerrero speaks to media after a training session at the North Harbour Stadium in Auckland on August 13, 2023, ahead of Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women’s World Cup semi-final football match against Sweden. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP)Source: AFP
In contrast to Sweden’s vast experience of this stage, it will be Spain’s first World Cup semi-final.
Indeed, it is Spain’s first semi-final appearance of any sort since the 1997 European Championship.
Their World Cup began in promising fashion as they eased to wins over Costa Rica and Zambia, but a 4-0 hammering by Japan suggested they had work to do.
They bounced back to thrash Switzerland 5-1 before edging out 2019 runners-up the Netherlands in the quarter-finals thanks to Salma Paralluelo’s extra-time winner.
Spain’s lack of experience at this stage of a major tournament is tempered by the fact so many members of their squad play for Barcelona, who have reached four UEFA Champions League finals in the last five years.
“They do have an advantage because it is the fifth time they have been in the semi-finals, but we have players who are experienced too, who have played in finals and other important matches,” said Guerrero.
Spain will be without Oihane Hernandez as the full-back serves a suspension.
An Australian men’s World Cup bid will be heavily reliant on either upgrading existing rectangular stadiums or “footballising” oval grounds, according to Football Australia CEO James Johnson.
The raging success of the women’s World Cup has Aussie authorities optimistic about launching another bid to host the men’s tournament in 2034, after the failed 2022 bid left the nation with a sour taste.
But much of that bid’s problem, difficult timezones for the rest of the world, has been shown up as much less of an issue than expected by the huge TV ratings for the women’s event.
The next issue then is where games for the tournament would be hosted, given the men’s World Cup has now expanded to 48 teams with three countries – the USA, Canada and Mexico – working together to host the 2026 event.
It’s likely Australia would combine with New Zealand for any men’s World Cup bid, and potentially with south-east Asian nations too, given there are only so many venues large enough that would be available.
Famously heading into the 2022 bid process the AFL made noises about blocking FIFA from accessing its preferred venues, like the MCG, for lengthy periods during the footy season.
“If you want to be a part of a bid and get the best content, do you build a new rectangular stadium or do you ‘rectangularise’ a cricket or AFL stadium?” FA boss Johnson told AAP.
“Bids occur eight years or so before a tournament, so I think that thinking will happen before we even put a bid forward.
“We’ve got some opportunities with the Brisbane Olympics in 2032. Football is the biggest sport at the Olympics and it’ll be played in and outside of Brisbane.
“Should the infrastructure discussions going on right now around the Olympics include a consideration to gear up for a World Cup bid, that would be sensible to me because it reduces potential wastage.”
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium has hosted the city’s women’s World Cup matches but is not large enough for the men’s event. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
EX-DEPUTY PM’S EMBARRASSING MATILDAS REVEAL
Former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce was left rather red-faced after he revealed he somehow watched the wrong Matildas game against France.
Millions tuned in to watch Tony Gustavsson’s side take on France in the Women’s World Cup quarter final which the Matildas won in a nail-biting penalty shootout.
It seemed the vast majority of those watching managed to view the right game, but somehow Joyce did not fall into that camp.
Instead, his local pub showed the Matildas’ friendly against France which was played prior to the World Cup, which Australia won 1-0.
“Well I went to the pub and watched them on the weekend, but I think we we’re watching the wrong game,” Joyce said on Sunrise.
“I think they put on a repeat because it was on Channel 10, I don’t think it was the right one.
“But when we finished the game, Australia had won 1-0 in full time.”
“I know it was an incredible penalty shootout which we never [saw] – we went had dinner because we thought they’d won 1-0.
“Australia just won 1-0, I think it was a previous game.
“Whatever was happening, I think it was pretty dodgy. I don’t think they’d paid for their vision or something. Such is life.”
One can only hope Joyce finds a pub showing the live game and not a replay for the Matildas’ semi-final showdown against England on Wednesday night.
Barnaby Joyce somehow watched the wrong Matildas game on Saturday night. Picture: Jonathan NgSource: News Corp Australia
PREMIER JOINS PUB HOLIDAY PUSH AS PARTER POOPER SAYS ‘ONLY MATILDAS’ SHOULD GET DAY OFF
A national public holiday to celebrate the Matildas if they win the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be on the agenda when leaders meet later this week.
The Matildas have done what no Australian soccer team – men or women — have done before: secure a spot in the FIFA World Cup semi-final.
The golden girls are now just one game away from the all-important final and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has argued Australians should be rewarded with a day off if they are victorious.
“Regardless of what happens, what we need to do is to have a proper celebration of the Matilda‘s and their achievements,” Mr Albanese told ABC Sydney on Monday morning.
Ahead of the meeting, NSW Premier Chris Minns confirmed the call had his support.
“If the Matildas win the semi-final and then win the World Cup final, then yes, we’ll pursue a public holiday in NSW but not just to celebrate the victory, but also to have a massive civic celebration and allow the Matildas to celebrate with the people of Sydney,” he told 2GB radio.
Mr Minns would not lock in a date but stressed due to the “pretty strict” rules in place it wouldn’t take place the day after the final. “We want to make sure we’re in a situation where there’s enough time, particularly for young people, particularly for young girls to come and celebrate a massive victory,” he said.
“It would be within a week … not the day after because we’re in this situation where the World Cup is on a Sunday. You have to Gazette it, it takes seven days, there’s pretty strict rules in place for public holidays.”
But not everyone is a fan of the plan.
Nationals frontbencher Barnaby Joyce poured cold water over the idea when asked on Monday morning, questioning why we should have a day off to celebrate the success of one team and not another.
‘Rarefied air!’ – Vine becomes a HERO | 00:31
“I think it’s a very good reason or the Matildas to have a day off. But look, why didn’t we have a day off after the Diamonds won (the Netball World Cup)?” he told Seven’s Sunrise.
“I mean that they would have just put just as much effort in as anybody else. When we go well in the Olympics, we’re gonna have a day off after that?”
Mr Joyce’s comments echoed those from his leader, David Littleproud, on Sunday, who said employers could not afford the move.
“We’ve just got to be really careful, this taking days off, because ultimately somebody does pay. I mean, it‘s not a case of it’s for free.
“Somebody has to pay and it’s overwhelmingly the small businesses. And if I asked you, ‘do you want to pay for your colleagues to have a day off?’, you would probably say no.”
Public holidays can only be called by state governments.
The last public holiday agreed to by national cabinet was the national day of mourning to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II last September.
Mr Albanese stressed the world does not stop on a public holiday.
“I remember when we did the national day of mourning for the Queen … There was some of the fears about what would happen and small businesses had the biggest boost, if you’re in the hospitality industry, that it had for a very long period of time on that day,” he said.
The Matilda’s will play England on Wednesday night in Sydney, with the winner taking on either Spain or Sweden in the grand final next Sunday.
— Courtney Gould, NCA Newswire
SPAIN FACE BIG SELECTION CALL OVER TEEN FREAK
Women’s World Cup semi-finalists Spain might be defined by technique and a mesmerising passing game, but the player who gives them that precious something different is Salma Paralluelo.
The 19-year-old took Spain to this stage of the World Cup for the first time with her brilliant winner against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.
The Barcelona ace, who was once a promising athlete before concentrating on football, struck on the counter-attack in extra time after coming off the bench.
A starter in every round before that, she also played a big part in the 5-1 demolition of Switzerland in the last 16 with her deliveries from the left wing, two of which led to goals for Aitana Bonmati.
With Alexia Putellas still recovering full fitness following a serious knee injury, midfielder Bonmati has been the leader in Jorge Vilda’s team that will face Sweden in the last four in Auckland on Tuesday.
TOPSHOT – Spain’s forward #18 Salma Paralluelo celebrates after scoring a goal during the Australia and New Zealand 2023 Women’s World Cup quarter-final football match between Spain and the Netherlands at Wellington Stadium in Wellington on August 11, 2023. (Photo by Marty MELVILLE / AFP)Source: AFP
But Paralluelo could have a big role to play against a physically imposing Swedish side thanks to her pace, direct running and power on the flank.
“She is a player with enormous potential and she is a long way from touching the ceiling in terms of what she can do,” Vilda said.
“She is very young and has only been focusing fully on training for football for a year. We will see the best of Salma in the future.
“She is already shining now, but I am sure that in the future she will do so even more.”
Vilda must consider whether to recall Paralluelo from the start or whether to focus first on passing Sweden into submission in a clash of styles at Eden Park.
Spain have completed 3,171 passes in their five games so far at the tournament, compared to under 2,000 for Sweden.
Spain sealed a spot in the final eight via a 5-1 thrashing of Switzerland, while the Netherlands beat South Africa 2-0.
Later on Friday at 5:30pm, Japan take on Sweden in Wellington.
Japan conceded their first goal of the tournament against Norway in their Round of 16 clash but went on to secure a 3-1 victory and have scored 14 goals throughout the tournament so far.
As for Sweden, they qualified for the quarterfinals after a thrilling penalty shootout victory over the United States, knocking out the defending champions.
The winners of the respective games will then meet in the semi-finals on Tuesday August 15 at Eden Park.
WWC SCHEDULE – FRIDAY 11TH AUGUST (ALL TIMES AEST)
Spain v Netherlands, 11am at Eden Park (NZ) — MATCH CENTRE
Japan v Sweden, 5:30pm at Wellington Regional Stadium (NZ) — MATCH CENTRE
Alexia Putellas will look to guide Spain to the semi finals. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ENGLAND SUPERSTAR GIVEN MAJOR BOOST AFTER BRAIN EXPLOSION
England forward Lauren James received a two-match ban from FIFA on Thursday for the stamp on Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie that earned her a red card in the Women’s World Cup last 16.
The 21-year-old Chelsea attacker was sent off in the 87th minute of Monday’s match in Brisbane, which European champions England went on to win on penalties.
She will miss England’s quarter-final against Colombia in Sydney on Saturday as well as a potential semi-final, but would be available to return should the Lionesses reach the final on August 20.
James apologised on Tuesday to Alozie over the incident, tweeting: “All my love and respect to you.” “I am sorry for what happened,” added James.
Separately, the England team released a statement of their own saying: “Lauren is really sorry for her actions which led to the red card and is full of remorse.
The Women’s World Cup has already seen several giants fall but without a doubt, the biggest scalp has been the World No. 1 US.
While World No. 2 Germany, No. 8 Brazil and the Olympic champion No. 7 Canadians were all knocked out in the group stages, it was the fall of the US that had tongues wagging.
The Americans were far from impressive in the tournament but had still made it to the knockout stages.
The US had won the World Cup four times previously, and never finished lower than third place in the previous eight editions of the tournament.
But while the Americans eat their own, the rest of the world, particularly the eight teams left in the Women’s World Cup, are happy to see the back the Yanks.
Lineth Beerensteyn didn’t hold back. Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFPSource: AFP
Netherlands forward Lineth Beerensteyn told reporters on Thursday that she had little sympathy for the US’ shock exit, calling out the side for getting ahead of themselves.
“From the first moment I heard they were out I was just like ‘Yes! Bye!” the Juventus attacker told reporters on Thursday.
“From the start of the tournament, they had really big mouths and were already talking about the final.
“I was thinking you first have to show it on the pitch before you talk (big). I’m not being rude in that way, I still have a lot of respect for them, but now they’re out of the tournament, and for me, it’s a relief, and for them, it’s something they will have to take with them in the future.
“Don’t start to talk about something that is far away. I hope they will learn from that.”
Beerensteyn celebrating the US’ comeuppance is hardly surprising considering she was part of the Netherlands side that lost 2-0 to the Americans in the 2019 World Cup final.
In fact, the US came into the tournament as back-to-back world champions as were heavy favourites to win a third straight title.
The side also appeared in an ad for US World Cup hosts Fox Sports, which started with the line: “The whole world is wondering, what’s it going to take to stop this US team?”
US soccer analyst and ex-national team player Alexi Lalas also did not hold back in his assessment of the current women’s team.
“Don’t kill the messenger. This #USWNT is polarizing,” Lalas wrote. “Politics, causes, stances, & behaviour have made this team unlikeable to a portion of America.
“This team has built its brand and has derived its power from being the best/winning. If that goes away they risk becoming irrelevant.”
Megan Rapinoe missed a key penalty. Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFPSource: AFP
While the US will go through a period of transition with the likes of Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz already announcing their retirements, Sweden’s Magdalena Eriksson said the US still have plenty to offer.
“They’re definitely the toughest team we’ve faced so far in the tournament,” she said after the win.
“They have amazing players. The youngsters really impressed me today.
“The future is still bright for the US.
“They’re still a massive powerhouse in women’s football and they will be for a long time.”
The Netherlands drew 1-all with the US in the group stages and will face Spain in Wellington at 11am AEST on Friday in the first quarterfinal.
It will be followed at 5.30pm AEST by Japan Vs Sweden from Eden Park in Auckland.
The Matildas play France at 5pm AEST from Brisbane on Saturday, followed by England Vs Colombia at 8.30pm AEST in Sydney.
The US Women’s National Team have been slammed ahead of their critical Round of 16 clash with Olympic silver medallists Sweden in Melbourne, with one pundit declaring their performances as “the worst I’ve seen them play”.
The top-ranked team in the world, led by midfielder Lindsey Horan, scraped through to the knockout stages after failing to win against the Netherlands and Portugal, and having the scoreline flatter them against a valiant Vietnam outfit, and now face a dominant Sweden side who have won every game so far, including a 5-0 demolition of Italy.
It’s been a poor performance from the heavyweights so far.Source: Getty Images
With the width of the post being the only thing between the USA and a catastrophic early exit from the World Cup for the reigning champions, former Matilda Catherine Cannuli told Optus Sport that she wasn’t impressed with the Americans.
“The movement off the ball for the USA the other day was non-existent. It‘s the worst I’ve seen them play in a long, long time,” Cannuli said on Optus Sport.
“Before, they were able to dominate teams with their physicality. Now, teams are starting to tactically outplay them, and that‘s going to be a big problem for them going forward.”
Former Denmark keeper Thomas Sorenson said that the current American transition would take time.
“It‘s a culture shift, and it takes time,” Sorenson said.
“They‘ve come from a period of great success, and now they’re struggling, it takes adjustment. All they need is one big win to kick on from, and there’s a chance they go far in this tournament.”
Cannuli, however, blamed coach Vlatko Andonovski, saying that the institutional domination of the Americans meant the nation had no excuses.
“Vlatko has had so much time with this team. He should be in a better position with the quality of the girls he has,” she said.
“Yes there‘s a generational shift, and a lot of players coming through, but all of his players play in the US and he gets them whenever he wants them. The NWSL stops so they can go on camps and play games. He should be doing better, and they should be asking what he’s been doing in this last four years.”
Coach Vlatko Andonovski has been heavily criticised.Source: Getty Images
American star striker Alex Morgan has herself remarked on her side’s problems in front of goal, telling press it had been a particular focus.
“I think we’ve broken down what went wrong, how we can fix that,” Morgan said.
“In possession, out of possession — how we can capitalise on the chances we have in front of goal, how we can create more chances in front of goal, how I can put away the chances that I’m given.”
The US Women’s National Team are the most dominant team in the history of the sport, and are gunning for a historic third consecutive World Cup title.
They have not been ranked lower than first in the world for over six years, but have struggled so far this World Cup amid historically poor form.
They play against Sweden in Melbourne at 7pm AEST, who defeated them 3-0 in their last head-to-head clash at the Tokyo Olympics.
