We’ve gotten to the enterprise finish of the Group Stage, with Group A ending up their schedule and sending a bunch house earlier than the knockouts for the primary time. However that was overshadowed by probably the largest upset of the match to this point that blows up the draw a bit. Let’s run it by means of.

Match of the day: Colombia 2 – 1 Germany

That is the largest results of the tourney, most likely extra so than Jamaica holding France to a scoreless draw — even when Colombia have extra pedigree than the Jamaicans. Germany had extensively been predicted to stroll this group, even with Colombia having one of the crucial thrilling younger gamers within the match in Linda Caicedo. And this wasn’t any smash-and-grab the place Colombia simply bought one effectively positioned counter or one thing. They have been full worth–tactically astute, brash to the purpose of knocking Germany completely off their stride, and ruthless when the time got here. Germany can don’t have any complaints, although they did have a good few for the ref (not completely uncalled for both, however we’ll get to that).

For many of this match, the end result hinged on how every staff was coping with the opposite’s main gentle, each of whom are 21 and underneath. Lena Oberdorf returned to the German staff after lacking their opener, and it was clear that the primary bullet-point on Colombia’s to-do checklist was to know the place she was always. Colombia’s entrance three with Catalina Usme behind them, particularly heart ahead Mayra Ramirez, have been decided to chop off entry to Oberdorf every time the Germans have been attempting to construct out from the again. The truth is, Colombia sought to disclaim Germany any time in midfield, with each of their double pivot in Lorena Bedoya and Daniela Montoya urgent proper up onto the German #8s. That is what it regarded like plenty of the match:

Certain, the primary body is off a dropped ball to the German keeper, however there’s Oberdorf bracketed by Colombia. They only weren’t going to let her have the ball.

On the opposite aspect, Germany may have handled the upper Colombia press than they have been anticipating by pushing their fullbacks increased and altering angles. However they have been terrified to try this, fearing what Caicedo and her working buddy on the opposite aspect Girl Andrade would do if given area after a giveaway or a turnover and such. Each German fullbacks clearly had directions to maintain Caicedo in entrance of them.

What you may’t actually plan for, and Germany perhaps ought to have been a bit of extra ready for (contemplating that Eire pulled out the “fuck this” card 20 minutes right into a closed door pleasant with Colombia, because of the approach that Colombia was pushing them everywhere in the discipline (and outright kicking them)), was how Las Cafeteras have been solely too completely happy to get in Germany’s face. Typically lower than cleanly so. Alexandra Popp took a shot within the ribs away from the ball. Klara Bühl bought an earful from Carolina Arias after getting the ball and most of her decrease physique tackled away from her. For a superb portion of the primary half, the story was Colombia flying into Germany, typically actually, in each which approach. It was chippy however it was efficient, because the Germans have been undoubtedly listening to footsteps every time they’d greater than a millisecond with the ball.

Colombia pressured Germany to go lengthy, which often isn’t an issue as Alexandra Popp will win most headers up high. However Colombia was tightly drilled to get to the second balls and shut off any headers by means of, reducing off Germany’s wingers earlier than they might get there and outworking their midfielders to assert any headers that went backwards.

Getting again to the most important protagonists, the factor about these gamers is you may plan for them, you may dedicate your techniques to stopping them, however 90 minutes is a very long time and there’s most likely going to return a second the place they get free. Caicedo’s got here off a nook within the 53rd minute, and nobody’s going to provide you with a plan to cease this on any whiteboard:

No biggie, simply discover an alley that’s barely wider than the ball to select the very high of the very high nook. As Warren Barton mentioned on the printed, there are World Cup targets that rely for greater than some extent on the board and can stay perpetually. That is a type of, as Caicedo appears to be nitro-boosting herself down the highway to greatest participant on this planet sometime quickly.

Nonetheless, Colombia’s livid urgent is the form of factor that’s actually onerous to maintain up for a full match, and so they began to drop off someplace across the seventieth minute. Which meant they misplaced observe of Oberdorf popping out of midfield. First, she bought herself within the match with considered one of her trademark tackles that may solely be described as MEATY. Right here’s a superb angle of it:

After which she misplaced her marker within the 88th minute and latched onto a beautiful contact from Lea Schüller, baited the Colombian keeper in, and bought a nailed-on penalty for Germany to equalize:

So all achieved and dusted then. Germany get out of jail, keep answerable for the group, Colombia will get a courageous level however stays in second the place they have been usually picked to be. That is what high tier groups do, discover a approach even when they may not deserve it. It’s what Germany does particularly.

These are all belongings you’d say if you happen to hadn’t been taking note of the defiance Colombia performed with all match. Throw in some curious German marking:

You possibly can see Manuel Vanegas on the penalty spot with no German anyplace close to her, as they’re all marking zonally inside the six. A staff isn’t anticipating to get beat from a header from 12 yards, however that process turns into simpler once they have a free run at it. Intelligent little bit of play from Colombia who use the three gamers in entrance of Vanegas to maintain the Germans from getting out to this ball cleanly. However for this reason groups that mark zonally often use the additional gamers to man-mark farther up within the field, to forestall precisely this.

And now the draw will get a bit of goofy. Colombia doesn’t have a simple process of their final recreation towards Morocco, however all they want is a draw to win the group. Germany might want to match no matter Morocco does, however are getting dumped right into a Spherical of 16 towards any of France, Brazil, and even Jamaica, after which 1 / 4 towards whoever wins the group between Canada, Australia, or Nigeria. Which could be the simpler route than the attainable quarter towards England they have been lining up, assuming England may even discipline a staff by that time.

It was a real pleasure of a match, proper on par with France-Brazil the day earlier than, and a end result that shakes the complete competitors. And it proves that the really nice gamers are going to discover a approach, irrespective of the planning that goes towards them.

Different outcomes: Norway 6 – 0 Philippines

On the opposite aspect of the tactical spectrum, we’ve got the Philippines. Whereas this was nonetheless a match within the first 20 minutes, there was clearly a plan to play in a low block, and use their two forwards of their 4-4-2 to chop off entry to the midfield and make Norway go vast. However you must listen to try this, and the Philippines frequently lose sight of Vilde Bøe Risa on the base of Norway’s midfield, permitting her to get the ball and switch, which meant she was kicking Norway’s assault into excessive gear constantly, with both a merely five-yard move or huge switches out to the fullbacks who have been allowed to get ahead as soon as Risa bought the ball. She may additionally put in crosses like this:

Maybe plenty of sound and ink can be linked to Caroline Graham Hansen getting pissed off and taking it out on the opposition, after she was dropped to the bench in Norway’s second recreation and wasn’t shy about discussing how she felt about it. Which led to this Hadoken:

Sport. Set. Match.

Norway may contemplate will spend the time till their Spherical of 16 match placing Ada Hegerberg by means of a Clockwork Orange fashion therapy to get her in the identical mindset.

Switzerland 0 – 0 New Zealand

This was 90 minutes of Switzerland realizing they didn’t have to placed on a present and daring New Zealand to do it, as a result of they needed to. Particularly as phrase got here down that Norway was tonking the Philippines, New Zealand wanted a purpose. However for this reason you don’t lose to the Philippines at house after which suppose you’ve gotten any proper to undergo.

New Zealand have been no much less toothless towards a Switzerland aspect that mainly stored an outstretched hand on their brow. Géraldine Reuteler, Lia Wäitl, and Coumba Sow, the three midfielders behind #10 Romana Bachmann, mainly fashioned one wall in entrance of Switzerland’s protection, which was forming its personal wall. New Zealand ran out of solutions when groups discovered that their solely actual ploy was to attempt to get Hannah Wilkinson in behind, which Norway allow them to do with ease. As soon as that dried up, there was nothing. Three pictures on track in a recreation they needed to win just about tells the entire story, and even within the eightieth minute the Ferns weren’t throwing a large number of gamers ahead. It’s harsh, however they bought what they deserved.

Morocco 1 – 0 Korea Republic

Some wins don’t actually should be damaged down tactically or statistically, they imply greater than that:

No longer solely the primary Arab nation to qualify, however the first to notch a win. For nations like Morocco that have really invested a lot into their program, you’d need them to have tangible markers to why it’s price it and to drive the work that comes forward. Nicely, right here you go.

Aim of the Day 

Hansen’s belter would have gained this on most days. Haug’s looped volley to open the scoring for Norway would too. Ibtissam Jraidi’s would on one other day merely for it’s which means. However come on…

Know her now and for a superb lengthy whereas.

Did Alexei Lalas say something silly?

Eh, it’s the weekend and I gave myself a break from listening to halftime reveals or pregame. You possibly can solely take a lot, y’know? Nonetheless loads of time to go. 

Observe Sam on Twitter @Felsgate and on Bluesky @felsgate.bsky.social