The Guardian's Women's Football Weekly - Matildas bring magic and Colombia stun Germany – Women’s Football Weekly

Episode Date: July 31, 2023

Faye Carruthers has Rachel Brown-Finnis, Júlia Belas Trindade and Chris Slegg alongside her as the group stages begin to reach their climax

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starting at $19 per month at zensurance.com. Be protected, be Zen. This is The Guardian. Hello, I'm Faye Carruthers and welcome to The Guardian Women's Football Weekly. Well, what a couple of days of football. Co-hosts Australia are through. They didn't even need Sam Kerr to knock out the Olympic champions Canada, with Nigeria joining them in the last 16.

And at the moment, looking likely to be England's next opponents. Colombia caused the shock of the tournament so far, beating two-time world champions Germany 2-1, giving themselves a huge chance of qualifying for the knockout stages. Japan blow Spain away in their Group C decider and will face Norway in the last 16 after reaching the knockout stages at the expense of New Zealand. We'll talk all of that, plus we'll take your questions. And that's today's Guardian Women's Football Weekly. Women's Football Weekly is supported by Google Pixel, the only phone engineered by Google and proud partner of the England teams. Search Google Store to find out more.

Oh, what a panel we have today. She made her debut the other day and she's back again. Julia Beas, nice to see you. Nice to see you. Nice to talk to you again. Happy to be here. Excellent stuff. Your nails look incredible, by the way, yellow and green. I don't even need to ask you whether that is for Brazil.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you for the next round. Chris Sleg, hey. Hey, great to be back. Just feels like the World Cup is reaching boiling point right now. What a couple of days we've had. I know. It's been amazing, hasn't it? And we have a debut on the pod, another debutante, Rachel Brown-Finnis.

It's lovely to see you fresh from just being on the telebox, and you look radiant. Thank you, Faye. Hopefully I'll be as excited as all the debutants that we've had in this World Cup so far. Oh, absolutely. Right, let's start with Group B, shall we? It finished Canada nil, Australia four.

I mean, how's that for handling the weight of expectation of a nation on their shoulders? Their biggest ever World Cup win in a game that they knew they had to be victorious in to keep their hopes alive. Kieran Pinder was inside the affectionately known Melbourne Rectangular Stadium and sent us this full-time report. So I've just got back to my hotel room after the Matildas match

with Canada and I'm absolutely shell-shocked. Not a result I think anyone saw coming, even the most committed Matildas fans, given the week the Matildas have had, particularly the loss to Nigeria four days ago, would have predicted a 4-0 demolition of the Olympic champions. This was arguably the most important game in the Matildas' 45-year history. Lose and they go out of the group

at a home World Cup win and they secure a spot in the next round. And they didn't just win. They played in scintillating fashion, truly a historic victory for the Matildas in front of an incredible crowd. I'm just sort of really shocked and still trying to take it all in. It was just such a moment for Australian football. I thought the Matildas showed a lot of maturity and composure to score that goal right from the offset,

to withstand some interesting VAR decisions, not let that get to them, to push onwards, to look so defensively composed against a team that of course hasn't had the best preparations, haven't looked that great in Australia, but ultimately are the Olympic champions and are a team of very strong players. The Matildas just looked a class above from minute one to minute 97. I think probably the most inspired tactical decision by the Australian coach, Tony Gustafsson, was to move Caitlin Ford, the Arsenal striker,

out wide to the left with Mary Fowler returning from concussion. Gustafsson opted to keep Emily Van Egman in the team and forward to play it wide where she linked up to devastating effect with her Arsenal teammate, Steph Catley, the Matildas captain. They were unstoppable on the left and they caused so many dangerous moments to me. That was the partnership that won the Matildas this match and it shows that Australia can do it without Sam Kerr. It's funny, before this match,

for the last four days, all everyone has been talking about is Sam Kerr, whether she'd be there. After the match, Tony Gustafson did say that she could have come on. The medical call was that she could play limited minutes if she was needed. She wasn't needed. But after the match, no one's talking about Sam Kerr. Everyone's talking about the other players in this remarkable team and the performance they've put in. And that means that when Sam Kerr comes back, probably in a week's time when the Matildas play either Denmark or China,

possibly England if some crazy things happen, but more likely Denmark or China in Sydney in a week's time, she comes back to a team that has just put in that incredible performance. Bev Priestman, the Canada coach after the match, said these are the sort of matches that define a team. And I think, of course, 24 hours ago we were talking about whether the Matildas were going to go out of the tournament, whether this was a failure, whether Tony Gustafsson's job

was on the line. You know, one team does not win the whole tournament for Australia, but certainly it's the sort of performance that suggests that this team can go deep. So just a truly remarkable moment and a real privilege to be at the match so it was a case of no sam kirk no problem for the matildas they rose to the occasion when it really mattered and you've just finished analyzing this game on the bbc sofa rachel what did you make of it no sam kirk no problem as you said it was impressive how they set out tactically, arguably four up top, 4-4-2 out of possession, 4-4-2 in possession and kept switching.

Just didn't let up from the first second to the very last second. Put Canada on the back foot, impressed their game plan on it. If you're Australia, you wouldn't have wanted the final game to be up against Canada to need three points to go through. Put themselves in that position and they played big in front of a massive home crowd yeah they absolutely did Hayley Rasso with a brace she left Manchester City in the summer to join Real Madrid and gave her side the perfect start really settling the nerves just nine minutes it took her exactly what VAR was brought in for Chris as well because without a shadow of a doubt to the naked eye it looked like Steph Catley was miles off in the build-up but she wasn't. Yeah from the TV angles it looked well off the assistant referee did put her flag up so she thought it was off and you know

I really detest the AR but that is the proof of why I guess you need it in in a tournament that the entire world is watching because it's corrected what would have otherwise been a very poor decision and it set the hosts on their way to a glorious victory and I think you've got to respect the way that every single one of those players responded to that defeat to Nigeria I mean the the microscope they would have been under over the last few days missing their captain missing one of the greatest players in the world in Sam Kerr as well, and coming into their final match with everything on the line against a team that won the Olympics just two years ago. And making a start like that, completely not withdrawing into themselves because of the weight of expectation and the fear of what might go wrong, but saying, hey, you know

what? We've got faith in ourselves. We're good enough to do this. Took the game to Canada. And in the end, obviously, I think we're all a bit disappointed with with what we've seen from Canada to see that little of an offering from a team that also has so much talent about it but it's great really for for us as neutrals to see Australia still in this competition going into the knockout stages even though we know that as many of us here as the England fans we may have to play them in front of

their home fans obviously not if we were to win our group but a good result for the tournament as a whole and a great performance from all of those Australia players. Yeah it really was wasn't it she got her second as well scoring from a corner it was a mess defensively from Canada and actually they were really poor Julia overall Canada. Yes and it comes to show that when you don't invest, when you don't support your players, you cannot expect results, really. Canada, they have been in a fight with the federation for a really long time now, and they have been really struggling, you know, mentally, I think, because it's a really strong team. It doesn't have a lot of challenges from the team that won the Olympics not too long ago and it's still it's

quite interesting to see how they have been you know fighting with the federation trying to improve conditions i don't think they were 100 focused on the world cup and make sense and you know if canada as a country and as a federation wants to see good results like the Olympics, they need to start supporting their players. Yeah, a quadruple change at halftime from Bev Priestman. Rach to try and get her side back into it. But, I mean, they were undone, weren't they? Ultimately in the 57th minute, more poor defending.

Mary Fowler completely unmarked to tap in. Her first World Cup goal at just 20 years old, a really incredible moment from her and super build-up play from Caitlin Ford too. Understated celebrations. I don't think she could quite believe how easy that was. Well, I think with all the VAR checks, she was a little kind of reserved or hesitant in celebrating the goal

in case it got ruled out. But it was a tap- tapping for Mary Fowler because of the brilliant play from Caitlin Ford the timing of that last touch that took it to the dead ball line which committed the defender and opened up just a little window of space between the defender and the goalkeeper to slip it through to Mary Fowler was a little bit of a real world classic quality from Caitlin Ford that Australia used to great effect. That combination of Catley and Ford down the left-hand side for

the first goal and then that final goal and then obviously Catley for the penalty for the final goal. Without Sam Kerr you needed other players to step up and those two and Ford have done exactly that. Big shoes to fill but Australia have done it

and it was great to see Sam Kerr sort of joining in celebrations knowing that the girls had kind of done it not just for her but had done it without her and that she I'm sure will be primed ready to go in these knockout stages yeah it's going to give them so much confidence isn't it all the talk is that you, Australia are just Sam Kerr and they've gone and proved that they're not and they needed to, I feel. Just a quick word on Canada, Chris, because so many experienced players in this Canada side and ultimately it seems like a really sad way

for the likes of Christine Sinclair and Sophie Schmidt to bow out at this level. Yeah, it does to kind of limp out with that result today. She leads 4-0, a really sad way. And Christine Sinclair obviously missing that chance in the first game, the penalty that was saved when she would have become the oldest scorer in a Women's World Cup and the first to score at six World Cups, men or women.

And that could still be done by Marta of Brazil. She could become the first to do it now. But, I mean those those stats would have been second to Christine Sinclair of course such a fine player that second group match was the first Women's World Cup match in her career that Canada had started without her in the starting lineup so they they hadn't started a Women's World Cup match I think this is 1999 without Christine Sinclair in that starting 11 so for it to end in this way is a real, real shame. But at least she and her teammates had that gold medal from two summers ago.

For that generation to be able to look back and say, we won a global women's tournament. But yeah, two years on, here we are in Australia and pretty much not really a great performance to look back on, really. 0-0 with Nigeria. Okay, a come-from-behind win against Ireland when they made hard work of that as well. And then to be blitzed in this final game today,

to bow out with a 4-0 defeat, really a sound for the likes of Christine Sinclair and Sophie Schmidt. And we'll have to see how they rebuild under Bev Pruisman. Yeah, disappointing. The other game in Group B saw the Republic of Ireland and Nigeria play out a goalless draw. Given events in Melbourne, a point was enough for Nigeria to wrap up second place

and qualify for the knockout stages. Were you double screening in the studio, Rachel? Surprised maybe that Nigeria didn't go for it a bit more given they surely would have caught wind of what was happening in the other game. Yeah, we had multi-screen set up in there, going through the million permutations of situations. But I don't know, Nigeria just play as Nigeria do. They're not bothered about dominating possession.

They're quite happy to try and catch on the counter, condense the pitch in central areas to make it hard for teams to really penetrate them. And I wasn't surprised that they kind of played in any other particular way. So they got the job done. They threw and, you know, whoever comes top then of England's group is going to play Nigeria. And pre-tournament, if England, if I was to handpick who it was going to be, I wouldn't have wanted Australia. I wouldn't have wanted Canada. I probably, you know, would have taken Ireland who it was going to be. I wouldn't have wanted Australia. I wouldn't have wanted Canada. I probably would have taken Ireland

if it had come to it. So Nigeria tough. They've showed how they set up, but I can see some ways that whoever gets drawn against them in these knockout rounds, how they could be undone. But we'll keep that under our hat for now.

Yeah, absolutely. Stunning save from Ireland goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan denied Uchenna Karnu from close range in the second half. Pretty extraordinary described by friend

of the pod Robin Cowan as Banks-esque. How do you think Ireland are going to reflect on their first World Cup though, Chris? I mean, it was the finest

of margins for them in all three games, really. It was a tough group to have been drawn in in the first place. What a save that was, firstly. And I completely agree with Robin. The first thing that went through my mind was Gordon Banks because of the way that that header was down into the

earth and she somehow got down there and palmed it up onto the bar. But I think, all in all, they've had a decent tournament, I think, to get a draw there in their last match, a first ever World Cup point, to have only lost by a single goal to both the co-host Australia in the opening game of, well, the second game of the tournament, and then to only lose by a goal to the Olympic champions, Canada, and to have led that game through that sensational Olympico goal from Katie McCabe. I think they have to reflect on this as a really good tournament,

but it's going to be interesting because obviously Vera Paul, she hasn't been offered a new deal yet. She spoke out about that in the week, didn't she, that that's led to be interesting because obviously Vera Paul she hasn't been offered a new deal yet she spoke out about that in the week didn't she that that's led to some unrest there's these allegations hanging over her from her time in the NWSL she's not allowed to work in the NWSL because she was found in a report carried out there to have exerted excessive control I think over players weights she denies that strenuously denies that. And then on the eve of the tournament, more allegations surfaced in a report on the Athletic.

Again, she denied them. Now, but you do wonder, will more pressure come to bear on the Irish Football Association to at least examine the report that was carried out in the NWSL? So I don't know what will happen. I think if they could keep her on the basis of the results alone, I think you'd have to say that's good. She's qualified them for the World Cup and they have far from disgraced themselves. They've done really well. They've got a first ever point against a really, really strong teams in that

group. But you just wonder with the weight of what is going on kind of behind the scenes, what will be the next step heading into the qualifiers for the next Euros and the first ever Nations League, of course. Yeah, we shall see. So Olympic champions Canada are out,

Australia top the group and will play the runners up in Group D, while Nigeria will face the winners, which as it stands would be England if they manage to beat China tomorrow. Let's check in on Group C because this was a cracker as well in Wellington. Japan claimed a first ever victory over Spain in emphatic style, winning 4-0 to seal top spot in Group C. Spain conceded four goals for the first time in 11 years.

And you have to go all the way back to 2012 when they were beaten 5-0 by Germany. A stunning finish from Tanaka late on rubbed salt in the wound and it was a real statement from Japan, Rach. Awesome, weren't they? Touted by my fellow Lioness, Farrah Williams, as the favourites for the World Cup. But their style of play has not wavered for as many years as I've seen Japan play impressive football and that culminated in winning the World Cup in 2011. I've heard about, in Japan, there being a real fervour

and spike around women's football. I think they're seeing the rest of the world, sort of, women's football light up, certainly in Europe. Things have dramatically changed in this last four or five years and see the likes of you know Colombia coming absolutely and smashing records and beating Germany things are evening up but Japan's style of play hasn't changed but they produce a production line of unbelievable players technically their movement is as relatively kind of simple as it is to predict how they're

going to play so difficult to play against them and I can't argue I mean I've argued for years with Farah on many subjects but I can't argue that they are so far the most impressive team in this tournament. Yeah the 2011 champions made it look easy Julia didn't they three goals before half time Hinata Miyazawa with a brace taking her top of the early golden boot race four to her name so far and she had the assist as well for Riko Weki's goal too do you agree with Farrah Williams was this a sign that this Japan side are serious contenders I think that Japan we we kind of overlooked them over the years they have been underperforming, but Japan have really strong, Japan and Spain are quite similar in the sense of they have reduced football programs.

And, you know, Japan and Spain have been really strong in under-17s, under-20 world championships. So to see them reach this level also in the World Cup, in the Senior World Cup, is a surprise because they have not been doing that, but it's not that much of a surprise. And I don't know how well they will be, but of course, with such a strong start, they are absolutely one of the strongest teams we've seen so far. And of course, we can definitely see them going further in this World Cup. Yeah, what went so wrong for Spain though, Chris? It felt like a complete collapse from Jorge Vilder's side and unsurprisingly on social media, suggestions that the likes of Mapi Leon and Patry

would maybe have made a difference in this game. Yeah, and they're missing a number nine as well, aren't they? They were making it very easy in that first half for Japan's centre-backs. They seem to all be running into the same areas, and I think that, I mean, it calls into question, again, obviously the dispute there's been between leading players and the head coach, Jorge Vilda, that's rumbled on all season,

15 of their players effectively, well, kind of being sidelined after calling for changes to the coaching setup last September, only three of them having since been recalled. So when you've got that level of unrest and so many quality players missing, that's not going to help the situation. But this game was so intriguing because both teams have started so well, but easily beating lesser nations, as we would call them, Zambia and Costa Rica, comfortable wins. Then they come up against each other, and you're thinking it's going to be a really well-balanced game.

But Japan come out of the blocks and have that game wrapped up by half-time. Also, they made five changes, Japan, didn't they? I think Spain only made one change. So if anything could kick off, I'm thinking Spain are probably going to win this. But I'm guilty of having underestimated Japan. They've got an amazing record at youth level. They've reached the last two under-20 World Cup finals,

both against Spain, actually, losing to them in 2022 and beating them in 2018. And they've won at least bronze in four of the last five under-20 World Cups. And the manager, Okada, has had a real hands-on role in that youth set-up. He was the manager when they won it in 2018. So you've got all these gifted players coming through.

And I'd forgotten they've got a professional league, haven't they, Japan? It turned pro two or three years ago. Still really rare. So many of these players at the World Cup are playing in spite of the fact that they come from nations where there isn't a professional league. And some of the players who really stood out, not just today, but throughout this tournament, Miyazawa, who's now got four goals.

She's leading the Golden Boot race. She plays in Japan, as does the other players who really impressed today. Mina Tanaka, she's now got two goals and three assists in the tournament, I think. And Riku Eki as well. She's got a couple of goals now and an assist as well. All of them play in their home nation. I have to admit, I'm someone who's kind of ignorant of the talent there because we don't see a lot of the Japanese league here in this country,

but it's a professional league. And those players have gone on the world stage, just what are capable of there he is stat man chris i've got my own stats for you japan had just 23 of the possession five shots in total a four nil victory if that's not clinical i don't know what is all four goals coming on the counter-attack as well and every single time they went forward r Rachel, they looked threatening. It was a complete team performance, but goalkeepers union, I've already seen you nod when we mentioned Gordon Banks.

I should have said Brown-Finnis-esque, shouldn't I really, instead of Banks-esque. But let's give you a chance to give some love to Ayaka Yamashita, yet to concede in this tournament between the sticks. It's a team sort of performance, not in possession and out of possession. And I think Japan, as well as creating and being hugely efficient at the top end of the pitch,

then she's not saying she's not had much to do because that is untrue, but she just epitomises that consistency and efficiency of Japanese players and has to be a goalkeeper comfortable in possession because they like to play out of the back. They are impressive from 1 to 11 in old school, Gordon Bank style numbering system.

And they are going to be so, so difficult for whichever team comes up against them in the next round. Yeah, absolutely. Costa Rica 1, Zambia 3, the other game in this group. Zambia finishing their tournament on a high with that 3-1 victory. Their first ever victory, in fact, at a World Cup and a special landmark as well for Zambian captain Barbara Banda, who notched the 1,000th goal in the Women's World Cup from the penalty spot. And after back-to-back 5-0 defeats, they're going to be going home with some positives to take, Chris, for sure.

The less said about the award of that spot kick, the better, though, perhaps. Strange decision. That was utterly bizarre. And I've only briefly seen the replay. I mean, I need to see if there's other angles. But how can VAR give that? I don't understand it um so somewhat blemishes the fact that that did lead to the 1000 gold in women's world cup history but that's that's a

great thing for Barbara Vander to have there was so much expectancy on her coming into this tournament on the back of what she did at the Olympics to Patrick's in that tournament I was a bit bit disappointed of all the debutants I was looking forward to see, it was Zambia, given that backstory, given the excitement and the flair with which they played at the Olympics, given the fact that they did beat Germany in a friendly leave of the tournament. So somewhat disappointing to see them lose 5-0 to Japan and then 5-0 to Spain as well. It's great that they will take a win home, a World Cup win home. And it's great that Rachel Kudanji,

another player that I think many of us were looking forward to see perform, the player from Madrid Football Club who got 25 La Liga goals this season. I mean, that's what a record in a really strong league and her team only finished fifth in that league. So to get 25 goals

when you're not playing for one of the elite clubs in Spain is quite something. So, yeah, it's heartening that they were able to end what's been a disappointing campaign with a win. Julia, you're our designated Latin American correspondent. How will what Costa Rica managed to do at this tournament be viewed back home in San Jose? Three defeats from three. It felt like there were quite high hopes as well for this team but they were in a tricky group weren't they yeah it's a really strong group I mean you know playing Japan and Spain is hard enough and when you have Zambia that have been doing really well in the friendly leading up to the

World Cup it wasn't looking good to Costa Rica but then the fact that they were able to score a goal in the World Cup, that they were able to decide all the defeats, they were still able to put up a challenge at some moments in every game. It's quite interesting to see. So it's one of those things. We get excited to see what they'll come up with next because the next World Cup, they'll come up with next because the next world cups uh they'll have more experience they'll know more about what they can bring to the table as well as

just trying to you know remain in the group or just trying to enjoy themselves so this was just the start of their journey in the world cup and i And I'm pretty sure that it led to some really nice moments in Costa Rica and that they'll be able to hopefully improve from there and try to, you know, get a better group the next World Cup. Yeah, fingers crossed for them. So our first confirmed batch of round of 16 ties sees Japan take on Norway. That's Saturday, nine o'clock in the morning UK time. And Spain, Switzerland will be earlier at 6 a.m. UK time.

We'll discuss how Norway and Switzerland book their place in the next round in a moment. But that's it for part one. In part two, we'll round up all of Sunday's action, starting with that stunning Lance Goss victory for Columbia. Welcome back to part two of the Guardian Women's Football Weekly. And my goodness, weren't we spoiled on Sunday as Colombia pulled off one of the great shocks of any World Cup, beating Giants Germany with a 97th minute winner, courtesy of Manuela Van Jager. So I don't even know where to start here, Chris, to be honest.

It was an incredible occasion and what a way to go and win it. Yeah, and it feels like such a long time ago now, given everything that's happened since. But what a result. I mean, I think arguably the greatest shock we've ever seen in the Women's World Cup for the twice champions who have not lost a group game since 1995. I think the only time they ever lost a group game

was to Sweden way back in 1995. And I mean mean Colombia looks so good against Korea but this is a this is another level coming up against Germany to take the lead with an absolute wonder goal from Cachedo the second youngest scorer in the World Cup after Marta and and you're thinking are they going to hold on but they weren't they weren't even really holding on and then Germany get a penalty at the end. You think inevitable, you know, there's no way Colombia were actually going to do it. We're actually going to win that game.

Alexander Popp, not going to miss a penalty, rolls it home. You think, well, Germany have got away with it. But then to get that seventh minute of injury time winner, the header from Vanegas, I mean, the celebrations in the stadium, it was one of those results which on its own kind of lifts the profile of the tournament because, you know, we're used to seeing Germany do well. We're used to seeing USA do well.

There's always this argument there's not enough depth in quality throughout the game. And you've just seen there a completely unexpected result and you can't do anything but give massive, massive credit to Colombia. And to me, it made what's already been a great World Cup just a brilliant World Cup now. Absolutely. Julia, you're nodding along as well.

I mean, I covered this game and it was an absolute joy. But what impressed you most about the Colombians' performance? It's really easy just to kind of highlight Linda Caicedo, which I'm going to get you to tell us more about uh very shortly um but overall how impressed were you? I was so impressed because to see Colombia they are a really strong team and not a lot of people pay attention to them because when you look at South American football you always see Brazil you always talk about Brazil we have Marta etc and the way that women's football is building up in Colombia, they have many issues with the federation,

many accusations of discrimination against the players, harassment against the players. So it's quite something to see them reach the World Cup, reach this world stage and do so well. Specifically Linda Caicedo, because she's so young. She has done already so much with her life, with her career, and I'm just really excited for them. Yeah, you had the chance to sit down and do an interview with her,

a really extraordinary woman, as you mentioned, not just on the pitch but off it as well linda caicedo she is such an amazing remarkable young woman she you know at just 15 she battled cancer uh an ovarian cancer and it was during the pandemic so they kept it kind of like under wraps but she was already the star player in her team in Deportivo Cali and basically everyone was just waiting for her to turn 18 to see where she was going and of course there were many comments by Barcelona's president Juan Laporta about how remarkable she was and how they wanted to take her so it was a huge surprise when she went to real madrid instead

but interviewing her it was really interesting to see she was with her mom and they were visiting london so it was quite interesting to see her at the same time as this star player you know sponsored by adidas traveling around and just trying to figure out what she was going to do and her mom like hey put another coat on you're you look cold oh you have to eat more of your plate so it was so cool to see that and it was really funny because uh i actually went with her to the big band and to you know do some touristy stuff in london and we took a picture and i told her look when you win the ballon d'Or then I'll post the picture like I'll keep it to myself now and it's getting closer yeah I mean she puts in

performances like that and it won't be long that's for sure I mean the strange thing is she actually had fainted in training a couple of days before and there were question marks over whether she'd even play and they said it was tiredness but you know she certainly didn't look tired she brought all the energy didn't she by the way that is a fantastic interview I really recommend you check out the full piece from back in January as part of moving the goalposts which is the guardians free women's football newsletter if you've not signed up yet then please do because it's well worth it on the flip side what exactly went wrong for Germany, Chris? I mean, they came into this game unbeaten in their last 20 group games, which stretches back 28 years. I don't think they were quite ready for the way that Colombia played. And I think that's what was so intriguing about it as well. I mean, Germany still had more shots in the game. They had more

possession, but Colombia roughed them up. And I don't just mean that in a physical sense at all. I think they just approached it. a physical sense at all I think they just approached it Germany weren't used to facing that style and again that is what is fascinating about the World Cup everything that Colombia did I mean Kushida had the the finesse and the skill and the talent and to me I knew nothing about her before this tournament before that career going but someone else who really impressed me, I think made life so difficult for Germany, was Mayra Ramirez up front, 24 years old. She's had a good season in Spain with Levante, 14 goals in La Liga. And she was just full of running, full of energy. They just weren't intimidated at all. It's like Colombia weren't thinking,

you know, we're taking on the record eight-time European champions, a team that have won this tournament twice. They went out there and said, we're Colombia, we're going to play our way. And, you know, we are a bit guilty in Europe. We're forgetting Colombia were runners up in South America last year, just as Germany were runners up at the Euros. So they, you know, they clearly have a real pedigree, but we're not so used to seeing it obviously here in Europe. But yeah, I just don't think Germany were, I mean, complacency is the wrong word because I don't They clearly have a real pedigree, but we're not so used to seeing it, obviously, here in Europe. But yeah, I just don't think Germany were, I mean, complacency is the wrong word, because I don't think Germany are ever complacent, but I think they were shocked.

I don't think they were quite ready for the way that Colombia were going to approach that game with so much confidence. Yeah, I agree with you. We talked previously on the pod about the fear factor surrounding the Germans but I feel as if we've seen that shattered a little bit Rachel teams who could potentially meet them in the run to the final know that they're fallible oh what a game that was blimey I was watching it uh just at home and uh it was it was sensational the way that uh Colombia the fans, the colour, everything about that moment in the stadium was so, so special, let alone the disparity of rankings

between the two teams, the different styles of play, how Columbia went out with no fear whatsoever in playing one of the best teams in the world. It was sensational. And I love the World Cup for exactly that reason. You just don't know what's going to happen. And I feel like the rankings have been made a mockery of somewhat in the World Cup for exactly that reason. You just don't know what's going to happen. And I feel like the rankings have been made a mockery of somewhat in this World Cup

with teams just not playing as many games as other teams. And because of that number of games, their ranking maybe not representing actually where they should be from a standard point of view. But to take that game in isolation columbia was sensational a brilliant corner uh set piece germans opened up by set piece how exciting to see and to do that in dramatic fashion for a late winner for columbia it does indeed show their fallibility and that's something until that point germany looked like they meant full business they had the full complement of stars out alexandra pop you know played the the full well it's never 90 minutes is They had the full complement of Stardart, Alexandra Pop, you know, played the full, well, it's never 90 minutes,

is it? So the full, whatever, 100 plus minutes it was. And there was no answer really to Colombia's stalwart defending, excellent goalkeeping, but ultimately their super efficient finishing and the movement and the technical aspects of the winning header was just sensational. So, yeah, I think no team other than Japan so far have looked completely unbeatable. And that's been the most exciting thing for me, leading in kind of coming up to the final round of games, heading into the knockout stages. Right, on to history made in Adelaide now, where Morocco picked up their first ever win at a Women's World Cup, courtesy of a shock 1-0 victory against the hugely underwhelming, you have to say, South Korea.

Ibtisam Djeradi scoring the first ever World Cup goal for the Lionesses of Atlas with a six-minute header. The North Africans were ranked 72nd in the world, just stunned their 17th ranked opponents. And I know that you've been following the fortunes of all the debutants closely. Chris, how did you assess what we saw from the Moroccans? Yeah, at the time, it felt like a big story. You know, you think about what's happened since, it's almost been forgotten about. But Morocco coming in as debutants, World Cup debutants against Korea, who we know they haven't been playing well.

They didn't look great in the Arnold Clark Cup. Did they here in England back in February under their English manager, Colin Bell? But I didn't really see Morocco getting anything out of that game. Maybe a draw at the best, but what a way to start Jeredia's goal six minutes in. And Korea never really recovered from it. If anything, you thought Morocco were going to go on and build on that. But yeah, a great story. As I mentioned last week, what I really feared in this tournament

was some of the debutants perhaps getting really heavy defeats. And Morocco did suffer that to an extent in the first game, 6-0 to Germany. But to respond to that with a victory and the feel-good factor around the whole country, given what the men did just before Christmas in Qatar, making it to the semifinals, to come into this game against a much more experienced team on a global stage and to get the win and to take their own hopes into the final game as well.

I mean, this group is just beautifully poised heading into the final match. And yeah, it was a brilliant result to wake up to early on the Sunday morning to see what that stage felt like. Quite a shock. And then obviously, Colombia took it to a whole new level. I know it was an incredible day of football. And actually, I did say when, you know, it was a 6-0 scoreline, but I covered that game, Germany-Morocco,

and Germany didn't have everything their own way. Morocco were a real threat, on the counter-attack and they've gone ahead and proved it another special moment and more history made as well Julia with Morocco's Nuhayla Benzina becoming the first player to wear a hijab at a senior level women's world cup a really powerful image that will break down further barriers hopefully hopefully and when we think about you know the tension against hijabi players in women's football and the way that they are treated in france for example where they are not allowed to play and it's an exclusionary movement a really discriminatory attitude it's really interesting to see her standing there and playing football and winning games wearing a hijab because it shows, it proves the point that

it's not about what she's wearing or what she's not wearing. It's about how she plays and how they play and how comfortable they feel and respecting them in their own identity and when you look at other countries where they either try women to force women to wear something or to not wear something that's a huge issue and the women's world cup is it's an amazing stage to try to force this change. Yeah, it certainly is. We've talked about that previously, haven't we? Just a quick one on South Korea, Chris,

because they've been really underwhelming. I think we were all expecting a bit more from them. Yeah, as I say, the fact that they have World Cup experience, we all know about Ji and how brilliant she was in the WSL for so many years. They did make it to the final of the Asian Cup last year, albeit they threw away a two-goal lead with just over 20 minutes left to lose to that tournament to China. But when I looked at this group at the start of the tournament, I could see them getting through in second place. And here they are, you know, on the back of two defeats and out after two games. And you wonder, you know, whether Colin

Bell will survive this, whether he'll get a chance to stay on or not. There were, you know, plus points in the tournament. Casey Fair becoming the youngest ever player at 16 years, 26 days when she came on in that first match against Colombia. and she came on again against Morocco. So really bright future ahead for her, you would hope. But they've got a poor record in World Cup games now. I think that's six defeats in a row they've had stretching back to 2015, the game that knocked them out there. So obviously when they do come up against the global sides, they're not finding it as easy as they do on their own continent. But this was still a shock result. And for Morocco to follow Philippines and Portugal as the third debutants to get a victory at this World Cup,

I think, again, that's something that really bodes well for the growth of the game globally. Yeah, the final group matches take place on Thursday, 11 o'clock kickoffs in the UK, South Korea, Germany, and Morocco against Colombia. Group A was a tight one as well, but oh my goodness me, this was not how I expected it to finish, bearing in mind how Norway have been performing up till now in this Women's World Cup.

They scraped into the knockout rounds, courtesy of a 6-0 win over debutantes the Philippines. I mean, where has this Norway been, Chris? I mean, I know it was against weaker opposition, but if they play like that, they'll give Japan something to think about in the next round. Equally, bearing in mind the performance that that Japan put in against Spain I feel as if the more open Norway are the more Japan are going to exploit them yeah I mean what is going on with Norway it's one of those things where right now you it's so evenly poised you don't know whether the the unrest that there clearly is in that squad is going to fire them on and on the back of a result

like that you think well it could do it could do. It really could do. I mean, they just came alive yesterday. Or is it going to be something that, you know, it just goes up in flames that they can't... Someone made a really good point earlier today that all of these squads, they're balancing some of the most highly driven people in their entire countries.

And the person at the head of that, the manager, has got an almost impossible job, obviously, to keep everyone happy. And when you've got so many individually gifted players, as Norway have, how on earth do you keep everyone happy? And Hega Risa herself was of that level in her playing day. She won the World Cup. She won the European Championship.

She won the Olympics. She knows what it's like to be one of the very most gifted players in your entire country. She knows that some of those players are going to have to make sacrifices and carolina graham hansen doesn't seem to have taken very well to having to make that sacrifice in the second round of games and it's kind of blowing up it's become a very big story in norway i've heard some of their their journalists speaking a lot of people a lot of the public they aren't really happy with with the way the players have approached this because if any team has ever looked less than the sum of its parts it's norway

isn't it that just so much talent there but to lose eight nil to england last year at the euros to start this tournament so poorly but then you okay it's against the philippines one of the weakest teams in the tournament but so much quality in different areas of the pitch throughout that match, coming away with a 6-0 win, and you suddenly think, do they have a chance? Do they have a chance? Are they going to peak at the right time? And, yeah, that is a brilliantly set-up round of 16 game,

Japan against Norway, winner takes all. And, I mean, you'd back Japan on the basis of what we've seen, but with those star players in that Norway side, you couldn't be completely certain. I mean, it is fair to say, Chris has touched on that, Rach, that things have been a bit

tumultuous off the pitch. Carolina Graham-Hanson, the case in point, she certainly had a point to prove. She got her goal and an apology from coach Hege Riese. But how important as players is it just to block out the noise?

You know, Chris mentioned how negative the feedback is back home in Norway and just go and get the job done. It's imperative because you got one shot at it. You know, you get it wrong. You're either your mental approach to it

or your attitude towards it. And, you know, you're out of the tournament to it or your your attitude towards it and you know you're out of the tournament end of so i'm glad that all right it wasn't sorted out before the tournament but it's been sorted out before it's been disastrous and they're still you know in with the chance of progressing and they still have an opportunity to salvage it whether they play in their best football, whether they're tactically set up correctly, do you know what? That's stuff to unpick at another time.

It's not for right here, right now, to have emotional outbursts or have emotional reaction to it. It's something after the World Cup bubble to decipher amongst the team, amongst the staff, and to figure things out moving forward. Yeah, the Philippines came into this game, though, on a high, Julia, didn't they, after that win over New Zealand?

But they just couldn't match that against the Norwegians. Their quality shone through. But we know the recruitment drive they've been on, and it feels like they're only going to continue to grow. Yes, and it's quite interesting to see this Philippines team because at the same time, were you know debutants and they were not that experienced in playing against norway they have been a really good but unstable team in the past few years um it's quite interesting to see how they held up for a while in the game

and then they couldn't anymore it's quite telling that they don't have the experience they couldn't anymore. It's quite telling that they don't have the experience. They couldn't bounce back from conceding a goal. And, you know, that's something that can change over time with this recruitment, with the relationship that the players have been having amongst themselves. They looked really happy just to be there. So it was quite nice to watch. And, you know, it was only the first. Their goal is always to continue going

to the world cup um in the next edition so hopefully we'll get to see more of them and they'll have more time to work and more time to get used to the feeling of playing in a world cup yeah well i mean they've got the first win didn't they and new zealand will have been kicking themselves for that as well because it finished switzerlandil, New Zealand nil in the other Group A game. And they've got an unwanted record, the Kiwis, the first ever Women's World Cup hosts not to make it beyond the group stages. They finished level on points for Norway, but with an inferior goal difference. And we knew it was always going to be a difficult task for them, Chris,

but it feels like that defeat to the Philippines is going to haunt them how are they going to look back on this tournament their sixth appearance at a World Cup still to make it to the knockouts yeah it's so strange isn't it because that Philippines game is the one that you would have fought before the tournament kicks off that New Zealand have got the best chance of winning and you know coming into the tournament having never won a World Cup match in their five previous tournaments, and to start the tournament with that 1-0 win over Norway, it was, as a neutral, the perfect way for the World Cup to begin because, as a neutral, you want to see the hosts do well.

It just keeps the interest going in the tournament. And it was the perfect start. And you think they'll probably get a draw against the Philippines at least and find themselves in a really good situation. Then they put the pressure right on themselves with a shock 1-0 defeat to the Philippines. A huge credit to the Philippines to go home with a win and a goal to show for their efforts.

And then you're coming up against Switzerland, who just looked to me like no one would want to play Switzerland. They're just obdurate. They just don't give anything away. I think that's eight clean sheets out of her last night appearance for Gail Talman, the goalkeeper who's announced she's retiring after this tournament. New Zealand didn't do enough on the day, obviously. Obviously gutting for all of them, for us as neutrals, to see them go out,

it's a real shame. But yeah, they'll look back on that Philippines game, I think, because all in all, you've beaten Norway, you've drawn with Switzerland, two decent European teams, and you've lost to a World Cup debutant. Yeah, just a word on Switzerland, Rachel. Chris says no one wants to play them,

but Spain are going to have to in the next round. I don't know how much we can take from the game against New Zealand. It was so cagey, but Navdeep wants to know, will Switzerland go into the second round more confident after Spain's heavy defeat to Japan? Slightly, but I still don't think it'd be enough to beat Spain. I think Spain will regroup, will reassess how it happened

that Japan broke them down so easily. I mean, we all know how Japan play. It's such a definite, it's such a robust way of playing, a way of playing that never changes, but it just proves however predictable a team is, how you know they're going to set up, how they want to try and play their game, how hard it is to stop Japan.

But we're talking about Spain. Spain have got quality, they've got flow. I think there'll be too much for Switzerland. Yes, they are difficult to break down. They have a couple of exciting players in attack, but they don't have the free-flowing

football as Spain do. And I expect Spain to comprehensively beat Switzerland. Yeah, so just a reminder, group winners, Switzerland play Spain, runners-up Norway taking on arguably the team of the tournament so far, Japan. Right, it's been an absolute pleasure yeah so just a reminder group winners switzerland play spain runners up norway taking on arguably

the team of the tournament so far japan uh right it's been an absolute pleasure julia thank you so much thank you for having me again chris always a pleasure stat man chris we're renaming you yes i love the nickname i'm happy to throw in a few more stats brilliant stuff rach i'd say take the makeup off, but don't you look so pretty? I've already taken it off, but thank you. This is what I know.

Gorgeous, gorgeous and very jealous. Right, we'll be back tomorrow. That's Tuesday as Groups D and E play their final games, including England taking on China and USA going for top spot

against Portugal. Women's Football Weekly is produced by Lucy Oliver. Music composition was by Laura Iredale. And our executive producer is Sal Ahmed. Women's Football Weekly is supported by Google Pixel. With its incredible camera and AI-powered technology, Google Pixel is bringing fans closer to the game this summer. Search Google Store to find out more.

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