Women’s World Cup 2023: Live Scores, Fixtures, Results, Tables and Top Scorers
Wellington, New Zealand CNN — In a highly anticipated rematch of the 2019 World Cup final, the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) and the Netherlands, both top teams in the world, played to a 1-1 draw on Thursday at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. The Wellington Regional Stadium was buzzing with chants of “U-S-A, U-S-A!” as the USWNT faced the Netherlands in their second match of the tournament, but the excitement quickly turned to disappointment when the Dutch took an early lead. Jill Roord, a midfielder for the Netherlands, scored in the 17th minute, putting the Netherlands ahead. This was the first time since 2011 that the USWNT had trailed in a Women’s World Cup match. Prior to Thursday’s match, the USWNT had gone 17 consecutive matches without trailing, which was the longest streak in the history of the tournament. The Netherlands was seeking revenge after their loss to the US in the 2019 World Cup, and they showed their determination with an early goal.
Despite being behind at halftime, the USWNT dominated the first half with 9 shots compared to the Netherlands’ 2 shots. Their efforts paid off in the 62nd minute when US captain Lindsey Horan scored the equalizer with a powerful header from a corner kick. The goal sparked celebrations in the stands. Shortly after, forward Alex Morgan thought she had given the USWNT the lead with a goal, but it was disallowed due to an offside. Despite 5 minutes of added stoppage time, neither team was able to secure a victory before the final whistle.
With this draw, the USWNT extended their unbeaten streak to 19 matches at the Women’s World Cup, setting a new record for both the men’s and women’s editions. Lindsey Horan expressed her disbelief at the team’s comeback and their ability to avoid a loss in the group stage. She acknowledged that the team had a slow start in the first half but was proud of their response and the pressure they put on the Netherlands. Horan also commended the Dutch team, emphasizing their competitiveness and past achievements in the World Cup. Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar praised her team’s performance and their ability to maintain possession of the ball, especially in the first half. She expressed pride in their overall performance and their ability to hold off the USWNT’s dominance in the second half.
In another match on Thursday, Portugal defeated Vietnam 2-0. Telma Encarnação opened the scoring in the first 10 minutes, and Francisca Nazareth extended the lead, giving Portugal a well-deserved two-goal advantage. Despite their continuous pressure, Portugal was unable to increase their lead, but the victory earned them three crucial points as they aim to reach the knockout stages of the Women’s World Cup for the first time in their history. Vietnam, on the other hand, has been eliminated from the tournament after suffering two consecutive defeats.
The next scheduled match for the defending champions, the USA, is against Portugal on August 1. Meanwhile, the Netherlands will face Vietnam on the same day. The group matches will conclude on August 3, and the tournament will then move into the knockout stage with the remaining 16 teams.
In conclusion, the highly anticipated match between the United States Women’s National Team and the Netherlands ended in a 1-1 draw. Despite trailing for the first time in a Women’s World Cup match since 2011, the USWNT fought back with a goal from Lindsey Horan. The draw extends their unbeaten streak at the Women’s World Cup to 19 matches, setting a new record. Portugal also enjoyed success with a 2-0 victory over Vietnam. The upcoming matches will determine which teams will advance to the knockout stages of the tournament.
