Manager Herv Renard (last seen leading Saudi Arabia over Lionel Messi' Argentina at the men's World Cup) has only been with the team since March but, his side is unbeaten in five games this year, with the return of multiple veteran players back in the mix for another shot at a World Cup. Japan, ranked 11th in the FIFA World Ranking, will be outsiders against Spain, but could take advantage of problems within the Spanish camp to win this game. section: | slug: 2023-womens-world-cup-standings-uswnts-group-table-and-opponents-live-stream-how-to-watch-online-time | sport: soccer | route: article_single.us | 9 min read 18 - The US Women's National team is about to embark. During their first World Cup in 2015, Costa Rica claimed surprise draws against South Korea and Spain in the group stage and were only denied a place in the second round by a narrow defeat against Brazil. Here are three things I noticed about where each team placed in the top 25 after a monumental week in DI womens soccer: FULL RANKINGS: United Soccer Coaches top 25 in DI women's soccer. However, it estimates their strongest challengers come in the same half of their draw. Italys Martina Piemonte in control against Colombia. They suffered two heavy defeats to South Korea in this window and are, as yet, untested against top opposition. It feels wrong to knock the back-to-back world champions off the top spot. One of the emerging nations in Asian football. The margins on the pitch that separate the top ten teams are so narrow that every team has faced a challenge in recent fixtures against one another in 2023. Their focus, however, has been elsewhere this window with Olympic 2024 qualifying. Defeat against Brazil will have surprised many, but Germany undoubtedly remain on track. Beating both the No. An undisputed GOAT in world football, the all-time leading international goal scorer, Sinclair's legacy is already secured. This page is not available in other languages. In other stand-out pairings, France will meet Brazil in Group F, with Sweden and Italy pitched together in Group G. How will it all play out? Several Brazilian players are in top form and Marta is back from an ACL injury. Their reliance on Sam Kerr staying fit could be a concern. They have never triumphed in 15 previous women's World Cup matches, a record winless run. Recent Results SheBelieves Cup 2022 Full time, Feb 18 | Carson, CA USWNT 0 CZE 0 Match Hub SheBelieves Cup 2022 Full time, Feb 20 | Carson, CA USWNT 5 NZL 0 Match Hub SheBelieves Cup 2022 Full. Increase in ranking Decrease in ranking New to rankings from previous week Italics . The final postseason rankings for NCAA Division I women's soccer have been revealed by United Soccer Coaches. X factor: Can Argentina find their first win at the World Cup? Im glad theyre getting the recognition. One of the most exciting players at only 20-years-old, Oberdorf is ahead of her time and has been nominated for countless awards this year after marshalling Germany's midfield at the Euros. Yet another debutant, Haiti qualified through the intercontinental playoff this year. The tournament has been. - Tennessee Southern will begin the 2022 season as the No. , ranked third in the world by Fifa, are rated as having an 11% chance of lifting the World Cup for the first time. Using Gracenote's forecasting methodology, the Americans have emerged as the favourites to triumph in Australia and New Zealand this summer. But Brazil are not to be taken lightly by anyone, the ever-presents with a glut of young talent coming through. Whether this leads to lopsided games in Australia and New Zealand remains to be seen. Sweden, ranked third in the world by Fifa, are rated as having an 11% chance of lifting the World Cup for the first time. The 2022 Men's Hermann Trophy Watch List will be announced on Thursday, Aug. 25. Wendie Renard is back in as team captain, and Eugenie Le Sommer also returned, but the absence of Marie Antoinette Katoto due to injury in the attack will be missed at a second consecutive World Cup. Zambia enjoyed a standout 2022, defying the odds to finish third at the Africa Cup of Nations and win the Cosafa Championship. A tie and loss at home in consecutive games may seem like enough reason to drop them out of the top 10. But with more context, the fall is questionable. Men's committee says expansion is "not imminent". and we arrived at the definitive ranking of the . According to Gracenote, the United States have an 18% chance of winning what would be their fifth Women's World Cup. Canada8. Before that they were unbeaten in eight months, with wins over Iceland, Haiti, Costa Rica, New Zealand and Cameroon. Read The injury Alexandra Popp picked up in Nuremberg is a worry. Alen Stajcic has big-tournament experience, after his stint with Australia, but can he impart that wisdom into his side and get a historic first win as well? England will need to be wary when they meet in Group D. Have lost their way a little since an impressive showing at their first World Cup in 10 years in 2019. The squad looks in much different form compared to their 2019 World Cup runner-up finish, and far from their 2017 Euro championship form, but have enough to make the knockout rounds. Legend. Highlighting this years watch list are four Hermann semifinalists from last year returning to play this fall: Senior goalkeeper Ashley Orkus (University of Mississippi), senior midfielder Croix Bethune (University of Southern California), fifth-year senior forward Messiah Bright (TCU), and sophomore forward Michelle Cooper (Duke). mostrarti annunci e contenuti personalizzati in base ai profili di interesse; misurare l'efficacia di annunci e contenuti personalizzati; sviluppare e migliorare i nostri prodotti e servizi. Colin Bells side put 10 past Zambia in two matches in this window. April 4, 2022 The final touches are still being put on 2022 recruiting classes. Kevin Askeland May 2, 2023 Girls soccer: Single-season goals leaders With a year left to play, Georgia star Ivy Tolbert has piled up 187 goals over the past two seasons. Players have already stated they are motivated by Argentina's run for Messi, and hope to obtain the ever elusive World Cup for Marta in what could be her final tournament as a player. The world champions suffer a blow while France ride high with Herv Renard as all 32 teams are put under the microscope. The jump comes thanks to a 2-0 win over then No. Stadiums: All the venues They are entering their first World Cup after qualifying through the intercontinental playoffs. But they have depth and are undefeated in seven matches this year all against World Cup-bound teams. Get our roundup of womens football twice-weekly during the World Cup, featuring the insights of experts including Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall. Wins against Norway and China came in this window. Two wins against the Philippines last year showed they can compete with those around them. A comfortable win over Poland will have built confidence, but defeat to Germany showed they might struggle against the best. Top 10 Women's World Cup players: Ranking best players in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 | Sporting News CIN CLB 8/20, 4:30p CHA MIA 8/20, 4:30p DC NY 8/20, 4:30p MIN NYC 8/20, 4:30p MTL. Tournaments . Hernandez: How USWNT millennial, Gen Z stars find common ground Read Lowery: Why uncapped DeMelo made USWNT World Cup roster Read (From left) Asisat Oshoala of Nigeria, Ella Toone of England, Sam Kerr of Australia and South Korea's Yeo Min-ji. New Zealand will face 1995 world champions Norway in the opening game of the tournament at Eden Park, Auckland, on July 20, with Australia kicking off their campaign against Republic of Ireland at the Sydney Football Stadium later the same day. BRUINS BEAT NO. Play: ESPN Women's Soccer Challenge For Vietnam, who will play their first-ever World Cup match against the U.S. in Auckland on July 23, there were certainly kinder draws out there for a team ranked 34th in the world. Fans can watch the upcoming World Cup with Fubo TV (try for free). They could be formidable if the impasse with the players is resolved in time. The four-time World Cup champions were drawn into Group E alongside the Netherlands, Portugal, and Vietnam. 8:01 am ET, The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup is set to kick off in Australia and New Zealand on July 20, The U.S. women's national team are reigning World Cup champions, World Cup schedule, standings, live stream, USWNT: Scouting Group E ahead of the World Cup, WWC preparation harmed by lack of matches, FIFPRO says, Meet the USA's 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup team. The Cardinal more than doubled the Nittany Lions in shots and shots on goal, passing their first test of the season confidently. A talented squad that finished as runners-up against England in the Euros, they're a European powerhouse on the path to return to prominance at international competitons. Patrick Brischetto 6 min read Getty Images Though there will always be debate as to which team is the 'best' team in the world, the FIFA World Rankings help provide a solid overview as to which. A total of 10 of the players on the list earned previous All-America recognition from United Soccer Coaches, including two-time All-Americans Senior goalkeeper Ashley Orkus (University of Mississippi), junior defender Megan Bornkamp (Clemson), and junior midfielder Lia Godfrey (University of Virginia). 2021 NCAA Division I women's soccer rankings, Last edited on 23 September 2022, at 22:07, 2021 NCAA Division I women's soccer season, "United Soccer Coaches Top 25 NCAA DI Women National", "United Soccer Coaches Releases Pre-Season Rankings for NCAA and Junior College, Sponsored by Verizon", "TDS Women's Division I Top 25: Preseason", "TDS Women's Division I Top 25: Sept. 13", "TDS Women's Division I Top 25: Sept. 20", "TDS Women's Division I Top 25: Sept. 27", "TDS Women's Division I Top 25: October 4", "TDS Women's Division I Top 25: October 11", "TDS Women's Division I Top 25: October 18", "TDS Women's Division I Top 25: October 25", "Final Women's Division I Top 25 rankings", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2021_NCAA_Division_I_women%27s_soccer_rankings&oldid=1111956122, Tied with team above or below also with this symbol, This page was last edited on 23 September 2022, at 22:07. Moroccos Rosella Ayane tests herself against South Africa. The latest United Soccer Coaches women's rankings have been released, with a new team at the top of the sport for the third time this season in UCLA. Victory over the Netherlands showed their ability. Their route to the top spot here seems locked in; barring any major breakdowns, they should wrap this one up easily. 2 teams in the country, on the road and in back-to-back games is an incredible confidence boost for the rest of the season. It's the obvious one, with the top two seeds clashing midway through the group stage in Wellington on July 27. Brazils Geyse lets fly against Germany during the recent friendly in Nuremberg. The European champions momentum suffered a blow when defeat to Australia ended their 30-game unbeaten run. United Soccer Coaches announced the 60 NCAA Womens Division I college soccer players named to the 2022 Hermann Trophy Watch List on Thursday. Fixtures, results: Daily match schedule . Australia finished their overseas tour with optimism. United States and Germany have reached the knock-out rounds every time, while Nigeria have, by contrast, got past the group stage just twice in eight attempts. Only six places separate the two sides in the world rankings and this closeness is replicated on the pitch. Includes league, conference and division standings for regular season and playoffs. Take a quick look at FIFA's official top ten rankings ahead of the World Cup: 1. It says the United States are favoured to repeat their successes in 2015 and 2019 - however, they are far from overwhelming favourites in what looks to be a wide open tournament. You have come to the all new Global edition, for other ESPN editions, click here. Measuring Costa Rica's progress on the big stage will be fascinating, while Zambia are making their debut in the tournament after finishing third in the Africa Cup of Nations this year. Men's Ranking. It's a rematch from the Euro 2022 group stage, which saw Italy win in a five-goal thriller 3-2. But China, nicknamed the Steel Roses, are a well-established power in the women's game and could pull off a shock win if England aren't fully focused. They've had a short build-up with manager Andries Jonker to this World Cup, and they will be without Vivianne Miedema but are still capable of upsetting opposing teams. Lowery: Does USWNT have a backup for Morgan at the World Cup? So let's take a look at the current top ten and see where they fall on our own Power Rankings: The tournament's reigning champions and on the quest for a fifth star and third consecutive title. The Hermann Trophy, presented annually by the Missouri Athletic Club, is the nations highest individual honor recognizing the National Player of the Year as determined by the voting of Division I coaches who are members of United Soccer Coaches. Se vuoi personalizzare le tue scelte, clicca su "Gestisci le impostazioni per la privacy". About UEFA. Predicted finish: England, China, Denmark, playoff winners. Sweden have one of the best defenses in the world, led by Chelsea star Magda Eriksson, while Italy's attacking power is equally exciting with players such as Cristiana Girelli. Co-hosts. The pair could meet in the last 16 should one win their group and the other finish second, while a semi-final match is also possible. - 2023 Women's World Cup full bracket and . Predicted finish: Brazil, France, Jamaica, playoff winners. 2023 NCAA | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Women's College Cup Final: Florida State and BYU full highlights, United Soccer Coaches top 25 in DI women's soccer, Sophia Smith hat trick, highlights for Stanford in 2019 Women's College Cup, Creighton's Duncan McGuire and Duke's Michelle Cooper named 2022 Mac Hermann winners, 2022 womens soccer MAC Hermann Trophy finalists announced, UCLA wins the 2022 national championship in an all-time classic, 3-2 in 2OT, UCLAs 3 unanswered goals in remarkable championship comeback, UCLA's Maricarmen Reyes describes 2OT goal to win national championship, UCLA's Margueritte Aozasa on winning championship in first year as head coach, UCLA vs. UNC: 2022 Women's College Cup championship highlights, North Carolina vs. UCLA: The Women's College Cup final previewed, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses will be favourites to top the group and beat China, especially after ending England's long wait for major tournament success at Euro 2022. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.). Both teams are now ranked in the top 20, so is that really such a bad look on BYU that they deserved to fall from No. With the Women's World Cup about to begin, BBC Sport asks musicians for their predictions about who will shine in Australia and New Zealand. The Olympic silver medallists will be hard to match in this group with their experience in major competitions. in the group stage at the 2020 Olympic women's football tournament. The 2022 Mac Hermann Trophy winners are Creighton's Duncan McGuire and Duke's Michelle Cooper. But it is worth noting that should a team such as Panama qualify for the World Cup through the playoffs, the clash with Jamaica could be one to watch for sheer fun on the pitch. 1 since June 2017. The performances more than the results, however, showed that Vera Pauws side are not to be dismissed. The Women's World Cup is almost here! . They have slumped to three draws and a defeat this year, with a 0-0 draw with China and 2-1 loss to Iceland coming in this international break. Spain are also given an 8% chance of a first Women's World Cup triumph, to match the men's success in 2010. The 2022 Mens Hermann Trophy Watch List will be announced on Thursday, Aug. 25. The depth and talent of this squad carried them all the way to the final of Euro 2022, falling just short to England. There's no softer group at the World Cup than this quartet, which features co-host New Zealand a women's soccer minnow that enters the tournament in a poor run of form as its seeded team. France, who have a history of peaking too early at major tournaments, will like their chances of having a strong group stage, wrapping up with a match against one of Chinese Taipei, Panama, Papa New Guinea or Paraguay -- all four nations potential debutantes. It's all about Japan vs. Spain in the final group game on July 31. Banyana Banyana have struggled since winning a first Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022. Another team has been in a public dispute with their federation for months over backpay and lack of resources. are given an 8% chance of winning major tournaments in back-to-back years. Last updated on 14 hours ago14 hours ago.From the section Women's Football. Para la cobertura de la Copa Mundial Femenino en espaol, visite ESPN Deportes Irelands Katie McCabe with Ashley Sanchez (left) and Sophia Huerta of the USA. 8 Penn State on Sept. 1. It's simple. Whether this leads to lopsided games in Australia and New Zealand remains to be seen. Defeat to Denmark will have not been on the cards for the 2011 World Cup champions. While it's next to impossible to see a way out of the group, this history-making moment will be another mark of growth for the women's game and the success of African women's football. Look for Kerolin, Debinha, and Geyse to have an impact on the squad. Carlisle: When Rapinoe retires, USWNT will lose 'heart of the team' Read X factor: How will Sinclair's (assumed) swan song play out? However, in rating their chances of progressing from the group stage at 88%, Gracenote feel the Lionesses should have little trouble navigating their way through to the knock-outs. This young star will be one to watch throughout the tournament next year. Struggling for consistency against the top sides. Peter Gerhardssons side are clearly not the team they once were. Gracenote predicts that after winning Group D, England will narrowly beat Canada in the last 16. South Africa are playing in only their second World Cup, while Argentina have played in three -- and neither have registered a win. After losing his captaincy and his place in the team, what next for Manchester United's Harry Maguire? The co-hosts are on a dire run of form. Predicted finish: Norway, Switzerland, New Zealand, Philippines. ESPN's Marissa Lordanic (Groups A, B), Mark Ogden (Groups C, D), Sophie Lawson (Groups E, F) and Becky Thompson (Groups G, H) have assessed each group to predict the big games and the teams who will advance. ESPN is there for it all! 2021 NCAA Division I women's soccer rankings. Predicted finish: U.S., Netherlands, playoff winners, Vietnam. According to Gracenote, the five most likely scenarios for the 2023 World Cup final all feature the United States. But having suffered a 10-3 defeat against Netherlands in 2021, the World Cup could be a steep learning curve for Zambia. X factor: Can England live up to the hype? Italy had a dominant qualifying campaign, only conceding one goal, to Switzerland. So all eyes will be on how the Lionesses cope with the pressure of being one of the favourites to win the tournament. Les Bleues started so well at the Euros and there was a rising belief that it was finally their time to shine, but the team looked less assured with each passing match. Brazil: Globo, CazeTV 6 as the only other Pac-12 team with a perfect record. Quando utilizzi i nostri siti e le nostre app, noi utilizziamo i. autenticare gli utenti, applicare misure di sicurezza e prevenire spam e abusi; misurare l'utilizzo dei nostri siti e delle nostre app. USA TODAY 0:04 0:44 The U.S. women go into next month's World Cup as the No. Stina Blackstenius, Sofia Jakobsson, and Fridolina Rolfo are attackers that can impact a game in the tensest moments. Updated ranking table for Men's and Women's teams. If this group goes to form, the two teams are likely to meet at the Wellington Regional Stadium with top spot up for grabs and the need to avoid a possible meeting against the USA. This is the ninth edition of the Women's World Cup, and the first held in the Southern Hemisphere. Arnold: The USWNT one-cap club: Stories of those who got one chance Read X factor: Will the real France please stand up? FIFA Futsal World Cup. There are a few differences between OT rules in college soccer and extra time rules in the pro game here's how it works. Oberdorf's expansive and creative play kick-starts Germany's attack and is a pleasure for any football fan to watch. Get updated NCAA Women's Soccer DII rankings from every source, including coaches and national polls. They have also held the top two spots in all but six releases, when Germany was ranked third (only Norway, Brazil, England and Sweden have been ranked second during this time). While this group looks to be a routine section for European champions England, the Lionesses will be wary of the strength of China, despite their relatively low world ranking of 15 going into the tournament. You can watch every single match of the competition on fuboTV (Try for free). With a second-round clash against the winners of Group E -- likely to be the U.S. -- waiting for the runners-up, the key for Spain and Japan will be to avoid that by topping the group for a more favourable route through the latter stages. We have long talked about France as a dark horse or even one of the favourites to win major silverware. The tournament will operate like the men's tournament in Qatar last year, with eight groups . The Chinese are seasoned performers at the World Cup, finishing as runners-up in 1999, and will be aiming to qualify for the knockout stages for the eighth successive tournament. The Firehawks earned all 18, first-place votes. 2023 NCAA | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Women's College Cup Final: Florida State and BYU full highlights, Sophia Smith hat trick, highlights for Stanford in 2019 Women's College Cup, Creighton's Duncan McGuire and Duke's Michelle Cooper named 2022 Mac Hermann winners, 2022 womens soccer MAC Hermann Trophy finalists announced, UCLA wins the 2022 national championship in an all-time classic, 3-2 in 2OT, UCLAs 3 unanswered goals in remarkable championship comeback, UCLA's Maricarmen Reyes describes 2OT goal to win national championship, UCLA's Margueritte Aozasa on winning championship in first year as head coach, UCLA vs. UNC: 2022 Women's College Cup championship highlights, North Carolina vs. UCLA: The Women's College Cup final previewed, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The latest United Soccer Coaches womens rankings have been released, with a new team at the top of the sport for the third time this season in UCLA. Who's atop of the National Women's Soccer League Table? In 2019. to set the record winning margin for any Fifa World Cup finals match, male or female. A resilient recovery against Colombia in Renards first game was followed by a 2-1 defeat of the Olympic champions, Canada. Canada's gold medal at the Olympics signified progress from Bev Priestman's side, though the team will undoubtedly be disappointed that they could not best the United States in the CONCACAF W Championship final this year. This Bruins team has quickly taken after its coach and made a statement to the rest of womens soccer: anyone who wants to win a national championship will have to go through UCLA first. Brazil took England to penalty kicks, but fell short, in the first-ever Women's Finalissima. They represented the ranking system for the 2021 NCAA Division I women's soccer season. section: | slug: 2023-womens-world-cup-power-rankings-uswnt-start-out-on-top-england-close-behind-germany-in-the-mix | sport: soccer | route: article_single.us | But with their captain, the Matildas possess plenty of potential. They've dominated Europe, are reigning Euro champions, and will be gunning for the World title. Maybe so. The United States remain the team to beat - they have won their past 12 Women's World Cup matches, and have never finished outside the top three at the tournament. France: France Televisions Latest Stories. This clash, the final one of Group B, could well determine who finishes top and who finishes second. Men's committee says expansion is "not imminent". Have the Bruins just completed the best week in program history? Under-19 Futsal EURO. They face what seems to be a nearly insurmountable task against Sweden and Italy to get out of the group. Meanwhile, Sweden, who finished third in 2019, boast experience and will be looking for revenge after their Euros defeat this year. . In what will be her first Women's World Cup since 2015, Hegerberg will once again be the focus of a Norwegian team which has plenty of big-name players but has yet to put in a big-team performance on the world stage. 1 1) England The European champions' momentum suffered a blow when defeat to Australia ended their 30-game unbeaten run. It promises to be a spectacular sporting occasion down in Australia and New Zealand, with a number of seriously talented sides vying to be crowned world . They have the depth at center back to compensate, and Rachel Daly's promotion from defender to foward may be a game changer for England. The USWNT defeated Brazil, Canada, and No. Like other teams, injuries have kept some players out. Nigeria rounded off a successful international window with a comfortable victory over New Zealand. There are a few differences between OT rules in college soccer and extra time rules in the pro game here's how it works. Rice joins soccer's all-time most expensive XI with Arsenal transfer . After a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations, their progress is clear. Read about our approach to external linking. The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup begins on July 20 and It's the first time the competition will be co-hosted in the southern hemisphere in Australia and New Zealand. Puoi modificare le tue scelte in qualsiasi momento cliccando sui link Impostazioni privacy e cookie o Dashboard privacy sui nostri siti e sulle nostre app. Group H is well-poised for them to make another run into the elimination rounds, with a key game against South Korea in their way. Group D also features Denmark and China - making it the only group containing three sides in the top 15 of the world rankings - alongside debutants Haiti. That loss followed a 2-1 victory over Portugal. Then on Dec. 7, the top three players from a final round of voting are the 2021 finalists. Get Your College Soccer Recruiting Profile Viewed Over 1 MILLION TIMES Per Year. The Lionesses are still favourites with time to fix any problems. England, who beat Germany in the final of Euro 2022 at Wembley, could face co-hosts Australia in the round of 16 if they top Group D as expected, after being paired with China, Denmark and the winners of the Chile/Senegal/Haiti playoff path. While it is hard to imagine Argentina making it out of the group, a win would mark continued growth and success for this team. Last September 15 players expressed concerns about the culture in the national team program. South Africa celebrate winning the 2022 Womens Africa Cup of Nations. When they take the field in Melbourne, they will make history as the first Arab nation to compete in the tournament. The Cougars did not have a great week, theres no hiding from that. Men's committee says expansion is "not imminent", Enter your information to receive emails about offers, promotions from NCAA.com and our partners. United Kingdom: BBC, ITV Led by prolific goal scorer Sam Kerr, the co-hosts have the pressures of a nation upon them. Co-hosts Australia are also rated at 8%, with Brazil at 7% while Canada are said to have a 6% chance of doing the double of Olympic and world champions. South Korea follow the same history as Colombia in the last two editions, making it to the round of 16 in Canada but failing to get out of the group in France. In the regular season, almost certainly. That they lost narrowly to France shows the character of the Olympic champions can not be discounted. The U.S. women's national team are reigning World Cup champions and they'll strive to win their fifth cup, and third consecutive, after winning it all in 2015 and 2019. The closeness of Group D is demonstrated by Denmark and China being separated by only 4% in Gracenote's predictions. Alberto Camargo is the lead reporter for NCAA men's and women's soccer. The Matildas are ranked 10th, and will have to beat . After a heavy loss to Spain at the end of 2022, Argentina have beaten World Cup co-host New Zealand twice and earned a draw and win over Venezuela in this window. The tournament will operate like the men's tournament in Qatar last year, with eight groups of four. The perks of hosting are such that the Football Ferns may never have a better chance at creating a little bit of Kiwi history. However, it estimates their strongest challengers come in the same half of their draw. It's very easy to call Group F on paper, but when you actually get to a tournament, things don't always go to plan -- as Jamaica could tell you, with the Reggae Girlz being without key player Bunny Shaw for their debut four years ago. A team growing in confidence with each positive result. The two nations have met just four times previously, with China winning 2-1 in their most recent encounter in 2015. Australia's hopes of a best-ever result at a Women's World Cup will be dependent on how Tony Gustavsson's team navigates Canada, Republic of Ireland and Nigeria.