Australia and England reached the quarterfinals, with the latter needing a penalty shootout to do so
On the third day of knockout stage games at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, two more teams punched their tickets to the next round, while two others got sent packing. The two games that took place were England against Nigeria and Australia versus Denmark, the first of which ended up going to a penalty shootout.
Evaluating the hopes of the 16 teams left at this World Cup
A World Cup group stage full of surprises has resulted in a truly intriguing set of 16 teams going through to the knockout rounds.
Some favorites have looked the part, but the list of big teams that have underachieved is significantly longer (it’s not just the U.S. women’s national team, folks). A couple of second-tier teams have stepped their game up, while some unheralded sides have shown that while no one was watching, they were making major strides.
The result is a round of 16 where it feels like nearly anything could happen. Could the USWNT join the likes of Germany, Brazil, and Canada in being out? What about the possibility of teams like Jamaica, Morocco, and South Africa getting to the quarterfinals?
It’s been completely unpredictable, so all of these things are distinctly possible. Still, Pro Soccer Wire tried to sort out the likelihood of any one team making a run to the final. Somewhere between their results in this tournament, past track record, and overall talent level, we’ve settled on a power rankings list that everyone everywhere will surely have no problems with.
The USWNT barely made it through after a lackluster draw against Portugal
On Day 13 of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, there were four games, all of which were crucial in determining which teams would be making it through to the knockout stage. The Netherlands took on Vietnam, Portugal faced off against the USA, Haiti played Denmark, and China battled it out against England.
The Lionesses defeated Denmark, but star midfielder Keira Walsh was stretchered off
Day 9 of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup was a fairly straightforward affair, as three games led to results that many could have predicted beforehand. Argentina faced off against South Africa, England took on Denmark, and China battled it out against Haiti.
Planning a golf trip to Europe in 2024? You might need to fill out some new digital paperwork first, even if you’re a U.S. citizen used to traveling about the European Union visa-free.
The official travel site of the EU announced this week that starting in 2024, visitors from more than 60 countries that are visa-exempt will need to apply for entry to 30 countries through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). The applicable visas will not be physical paperwork, instead being digitally linked to a visitor’s passport.
Notably, the announced program for 2024 does not apply to the Republic of Ireland, probably the most-visited of EU countries for U.S. players on golf trips. (For anyone who was busy beating balls on the range for several years and missed it, popular golf destinations England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are no longer part of the EU and are not part of this new application process.)
U.S. nationals currently don’t need to fill out such an application, but that changes for any trips starting Jan. 1. The EU said ETIAS approval normally will take just a few minutes but can stretch out several days or longer, so it’s best to apply as early as possible to avoid any headaches or missed tee times.
Applications will be provided through an official website and app, and travelers will need to provide their passport information or another document to which visas can be affixed. The application process has not yet opened.
The processing fee is 7 euros, currently less than $8. Children under 18 years old and seniors over 70 can apply for free. Approval allows 90 days in the selected country over a 180-day period, and approval is good for three years or the expiration of the passport to which it is registered, whichever comes first. Parents and legal guardians can apply on behalf of children.
The program is similar to one the U.S. requires of many international visitors through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization.
ETIAS approval also will be required for citizens of Canada, Great Britain, Australia and dozens of other countries. For a complete list of countries whose citizens will need approval, click here for the official announcement, which includes several exemptions.
The counties that will require an ETIAS are listed below, as provided by the official travel site of the European Union:
Japan made a statement, while the USWNT started with a solid win
The biggest day of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup thus far, Day 3 saw four games played, and there were some big names out and about, too. The United States took on Vietnam, Japan played Zambia, England faced off against Haiti, and Denmark battled it out with China PR.
After two games, the 23-year-old is already in imperious form at the World Cup
Two games into the World Cup, Kylian Mbappé has already stated his intention to make this tournament his own.
After scoring in a 4-1 win over Australia in the first game, Mbappé produced a brace against Denmark on Saturday to lead France to a 2-1 victory and become the first team to clinch qualification for the knockout phase.
The stats for Mbappé are already absurd: At 23, he’s got seven career World Cup goals already and 31 goals for his country. Days after Olivier Giroud tied Thierry Henry’s all-time France scoring record with his 51st goal, it appears to be a matter of when, not if, Mbappé has that record for himself.
Oh yeah, Mbappé also has a World Cup title to his name, won in 2018 at the age of 19. In a few weeks, he could have another.
The PSG star made the difference in the second half against Denmark, first scoring after a tremendous one-two with Theo Hernández before netting a late winner from close range off Antoine Griezmann’s pinpoint cross.
Going into this tournament, the story of France was one of unfortunate injuries to key players. Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba, N’Golo Kanté, Christopher Nkunku and Presnel Kimpembe are all out for this tournament, seriously jeopardizing France’s chance to be the first men’s team to repeat as World Cup champions since Brazil in 1962.
But the cupboard is hardly bare for Les Bleus. In Mbappé, France has perhaps the world’s best player, and the man who could lead them to glory again.
Hummel said the new Danish all-black kit is “the color of mourning”
Denmark’s kits at the 2022 World Cup will feature understated logos of the federation and kit manufacturer Hummel, which said the jerseys will serve as a protest against the human rights record of Qatar.
“With the Danish national team’s new jerseys, we wanted to send a dual message. They are not only inspired by Euro 92, paying tribute to Denmark’s greatest football success, but also a protest against Qatar and its human rights record,” Hummel said on Instagram.
“That’s why we’ve toned down all the details for Denmark’s new World Cup jerseys, including our logo and iconic chevrons. We don’t wish to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives. We support the Danish national team all the way, but that isn’t the same as supporting Qatar as a host nation.
“We believe that sport should bring people together. And when it doesn’t, we want to make a statement.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CjDEvi3KxVm/
FIFA rules prohibit political statements on World Cup jerseys, but the Danish kits should comply with those regulations as they won’t contain any words or symbols that are an explicit protest.
A report in The Guardian last year that said 6,500 migrant workers had died in the lead-up to the World Cup. There are also ongoing questions over Qatar’s treatment of women and the LGBT community.
Last June, Eriksen suffered a life-threatening emergency when he collapsed on the pitch during a Euro 2020 match against Finland at Parken Stadium. Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest, and the quick response from medical personnel was vital in saving his life.
At the time, it seemed unlikely that Eriksen would ever play elite-level soccer again. But less than a year after the terrifying collapse, Eriksen was back at Parken Stadium as Denmark’s captain in a friendly against Serbia. Obviously, the Denmark supporters were thrilled to see the Brentford midfielder back with the squad, but Eriksen didn’t stop there.
In the 57th minute, he broke the match open with a fantastic strike from outside the box.
Christian Eriksen scoring at the Parken stadium, 290 days after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the very same pitch.
Koerstz Madsen began the final round with an eagle and ended her day the same way.
Nanna Koerstz Madsen began the final round in Thailand with an eagle and ended her day the same way, draining a 10-foot putt on the second playoff hole against Xiyu “Janet” Lin, to secure her first LPGA title. Koerstz Madsen became the first player from Denmark to win on tour.
“It’s amazing. It’s a dream come true,” said Koerstz Madsen, who along with Lin set a new scoring record of 26-under 262 at the Honda LPGA Thailand.
China’s Lin, who was also looking for her first LPGA title, birdied her last two holes in regulation as well as the two playoff holes. Lin closed with a 6-under 66 on the steamy Old Course at Siam Country Club.
“I’m very proud,” said Lin. “Sometimes it’s just weird. You shot 26 under and then cannot win a tournament. But that’s my lowest ever shot in a tournament week, and like four days of very solid golf. Like I’m going to take a lot from this.”
Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark gives the golf club to her caddie after her second shot on play-off at 18th hole during the final round of Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club Pattaya Old Course on March 13, 2022 in Pattaya, Thailand. (Photo by Thananuwat Srirasant/Getty Images)
Koerstz Madsen, whose fiancé Nicki Hansen caddies for her on tour, caught a flier on the par-5 18th hole in regulation that led to a closing bogey. She rebounded by playing the two playoff holes in three under. Koerstz Madsen is known for sometimes carrying lemons in her golf bag that she sucks on to help keep her calm and focused.
Last year at the AIG Women’s British Open, Koerstz Madsen came into the 72nd hole tied with Anna Nordqvist but suffered a heart-breaking double-bogey on the taxing 18th that included a shocking shank from a green-side bunker.
That now seems a distant memory.
Koerstz Madsen, 27, joins Leona Maguire as the only first-time winners thus far in 2022. Both competed on the victorious European Solheim Cup team at Inverness in 2021. Koerstz Madsen won three times on the Epson Tour in 2017 to earn a “Battlefield Promotion” to the LPGA.
“I mean, Janet, she really fought,” said Koerstz Madsen. “She finished up birdie-birdie, so she played amazing, too. Yes, I’m not going to lie, I was a little nervous there.”
Celine Boutier finished one shot out of the playoff in third at 25 under. Amy Yang, a three-time winner of this event, tied for fourth with Brooke Henderson at 23 under.
Yuka Saso, the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open champion, made a final-round push with a career-low 10-under 62 that included eight birdies and a pitch-in for eagle from 30 yards on the par-4 15th. Saso’s round tied the tournament low set by Jessica Korda in 2018.
