Tournament Notebook: NWSL in the 2023 Women's World Cup

21 August 2023By: NWSL Communications

Below is a day-by-day recap of achievements by NWSL players in the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. This will be updated following each day’s slate of games.

Below is a day-by-day recap of achievements by NWSL players in the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. This will be updated following each day’s slate of games. NWSL Goal Tracker:

3 Goals:

Ary Borges | Brazil | Racing Louisville FC

2 Goals:

1 Goal:

Total: 13 goals

Third-Place Game: August 19th Sweden defeated Australia 2-0 to finish the World Cup in third place for the second consecutive tournament and the third time since 2011. Sweden finishes the tournament with a 5-1-1 record, while Australia finishes 3-3-1. The Matildas’ fourth place finish is its best in World Cup history. San Diego Wave FC midfielder Emily van Egmond and Racing Louisville FC midfielder Alex Chidiac both suited up for Australia in the loss, making their seventh and third appearances, respectively. Van Egmond finishes the World Cup with a goal and an assist, while Wave teammate Sofia Jakobsson, who did not play in this match, finishes with two assists for the Blue and Yellow.

Semi-Finals: August 16th** England defeated Australia 3-1 to advance to its first World Cup Final. England will match up with Spain in the Final on Sunday, August 20 at 6 a.m. ET as both countries look to secure their first Women’s World Cup title. Australia, who have advanced farther in this year’s tournament than ever before, will face Sweden for third place on Saturday, August 19 at 4 a.m. ET. The Match for Third Place will feature three NWSL players, as San Diego Wave FC midfielder Emily van Egmond and Racing Louisville FC midfielder Alex Chidiac, who both suited up for the Matildas in the loss, will take the field against Wave forward Sofia Jakobsson. Chidiac has played in two of Australia’s matches so far, while van Egmond has appeared in all six.

Semi-Finals: August 15th** Spain defeated Sweden 2-1 to advance to its first World Cup Final, continuing its international ascension. Since making the Cup for the first time in 2015, La Roja has improved in each of its three appearances, being eliminated in the Group Stage in 2015, losing in the Round of 16 in 2019 and now making the Finals. Spain and Sweden traded goals in the 81st and 88th minutes, but a second goal by Spain in the 89th minute secured the win. Australia and England face off at 6 a.m. ET on Wednesday, August 16 and the winner will play Spain in the Final on Sunday, August 20 at 6 a.m. ET. The loser of that matchup will face Sweden in the Match for Third Place at 4 a.m. ET on Saturday, August 19. For the Blue and Yellow, San Diego Wave FC forward Sofia Jakobsson will try to guide her team to its second consecutive third place finish.

Quarter-Finals: August 12th Australia defeated France in a penalty shootout to advance to its first Semi-finals match. Following 120 minutes of scoreless play, the Matildas came away with a 7-6 victory in a 20-player penalty shootout, the longest in World Cup history, men or women. San Diego Wave FC midfielder Emily van Egmond, who has appeared in all five of Australia’s games this tournament, made her fourth consecutive start for her country, playing 54 minutes in the win. Next up for the Matildas is a Semi-finals match against England on Wednesday, August 16, the first World Cup matchup between the two.

Quarter-Finals: August 11th Sweden defeated Japan 2-1 to advance to its second consecutive Semi-finals appearance. San Diego Wave FC forward Sofia Jakobsson played in her fourth game of this year’s tournament, coming off the bench for the Blue and Yellow in the win. Portland Thorns FC midfielder made her second start and third appearance for Japan, making an impact defensively with two tackles and two interceptions. Angel City FC midfielder Jun Endo came off the bench for her fourth appearance of the 2023 World Cup, tallying 26 along with three tackles, a block and an interception. Japan finishes the Cup at 4-1-0, while Sweden improves to 5-0-0. The Blue and Yellow will take on Spain in the Semi-finals on Tuesday, August 15, marking the first World Cup matchup between the two countries.

Round of 16: August 8th** Jamaica has been eliminated following a 1-0 loss to Colombia in the Round of 16. In their second World Cup appearance, the Reggae Girlz finished 1-1-2, picking up their first tournament win and advancing to the Round of 16 for the first time. Chicago Red Stars forward Cheyna Matthews took the field in all four matches, including two starts, and played a total of 148 minutes. Matthews, who started two games in the 2019 World Cup, has played in six of Jamaica’s seven World Cup matches. Colombia’s goal in the 51st minute is the only one surrendered by the Reggae Girlz in this year’s tournament. Colombia will make their first Quarter-finals appearance when they match up against England on Saturday, August 12.

Round of 16: August 7th Nigeria has been eliminated following a 4-2 penalty shootout loss to England after a scoreless regulation and extra time. Gotham FC forward Ifeoma Onumonu, Racing Louisville FC forward Uchenna Kanu and Houston Dash forward Michelle Alozie all started for Nigeria, with Alozie playing all 120 minutes. Alozie played every minute for the Super Falcons in this year’s tournament, leading her club to its second consecutive Round of 16 appearance with a 1-1-2 record. Colombia and Jamaica match up on Tuesday, August 8, and the winner will face England in the Quarter-finals on Saturday, August 12. Hosting Australia defeated Denmark 2-0 to advance to its fourth Quarter-finals series since 2007. San Diego Wave FC midfielder Emily van Egmond started for the Matildas, tallying the first World Cup assist of her career on a goal by Hayley Raso in the 70th minute. Van Egmond has played in all four Cup games, guiding Australia to a 3-1-0 record. North Carolina Courage forward Rikke Madsen and Kansas City Current defender Stine Ballisager Pederson both made their third starts for Denmark, and Courage midfielder Mille Gejl came off the bench for her second appearance. Madsen had an impressive outing defensively, recording four blocks, three tackles and two interceptions, while Ballisager Pederson was active as a playmaker with 65 passes. Australia’s Quarter-finals match will be on Saturday, August 12 against the winner of Tuesday’s matchup between France and Morocco.

Round of 16: August 6th Sweden handed the United States its earliest Women’s World Cup elimination, winning 5-4 on penalty kicks following a scoreless regulation and extra time. San Diego Wave FC forward Sofia Jakobsson made her third appearance in this year’s tournament for the Blue and Yellow, subbing in during the 82nd minute and playing the remainder of the second half and extra time. Washington Spirit midfielder Andi Sullivan anchored a strong defensive game from the USWNT, recording eight tackles and two interceptions. Portland Thorns FC midfielder and defender Crystal Dunn also made a big impact with three tackles and three blocks. The USWNT’s penalty shootout goals were scored by Andi Sullivan, USWNT captain Lindsey Horan, Gotham FC midfielder Kristie Mewis and Chicago Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. The USWNT finishes the 2023 World Cup with a record of 1-1-2, while Sweden prepares for its Quarter-finals match against Japan on Friday, August 11.

Round of 16: August 5th Japan advanced to the Quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory against Norway, becoming the only remaining team with a perfect 4-0-0 record. For the second time this tournament, Japan completed over 500 passes in a game. Angel City FC midfielder Jun Endo, who already has two assists in this year’s Cup, was a major catalyst of the team’s ball movement, recording 67 of her squad’s 547 passes. Across three starts, Endo has recorded 143 successful passes for Japan. Japan will face off against Sweden in the Quarter-finals on Friday, August 11 in their first World Cup matchup against the Blue and Yellow since defeating them 3-1 in the 2011 Semi-finals. South Africa has been eliminated after a 2-0 loss to the Netherlands. Racing Louisville FC forward Thembi Kgatlana made her fourth start of the tournament for South Africa but could not guide her team victory this time around. Kgatlana left it all on the field for Banyana Banyana, taking seven shots including five shots on target but unfortunately would not see one get past Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar. South Africa finished the tournament with a 1-2-1 record behind Kgatlana’s two goals and two assists. The Netherlands will face Spain in the Quarter-finals on Thursday, August 10.

World Cup Day 14: August 2nd Sweden defeated Argentina 2-0 on Wednesday morning to advance to the Round of 16. Finishing 3-0-0, Sweden is the winner of Group G, while Argentina finishes in last place in the group at 0-2-1. For the second consecutive game, San Diego Wave FC forward Sofia Jakobsson notched an assist for the Blue and Yellow. Jakobsson was also a force on defense, recording four blocks, three interceptions and a tackle. Orlando Pride forward Marianna Larroquette, who started all three of Argentina’s Group Stage matches, completed 17 passes to go along with two tackles and an interception in the loss. Sweden will play on Sunday, August 6 against the United States. This will be the seventh World Cup matchup between the two countries and the first time they have squared off in the Knockout Stage. With a 3-2 win over Italy, South Africa has secured a spot in the Round of 16. Banyana Banyana finished 1-1-1 in Group G, good for second place, and they will take on the Netherlands in the Knockout Stage on Saturday, August 5. Racing Louisville FC forward Thembi Kgatlana continued her commanding World Cup run, posting her second straight game with both a goal and an assist. Kgatlana’s assist to Hildah Magaia in the 67th minute gave South Africa a 2-1 lead that Italy would quickly tie up. Magaia returned the favor, dishing out an assist to Kgatlana who would score two minutes into second half stoppage time. Kgatlana now has two goals in this year’s tournament and three in her World Cup career. Panama has been eliminated following a 6-3 loss to France, finishing in last place in Group F at 0-3-0. Washington Spirit forward Riley Tanner made her third World Cup appearance and second start for Panama in the loss, playing 80 minutes. With the win, France has won Group F with a 2-0-1 record, advancing to the next round where they will face the runner-up of Group H. Jamaica has advanced to the Knockout Stage for the first time in history following its scoreless draw against Brazil. Chicago Red Stars forward Cheyna Matthews made her fourth career World Cup start for the Reggae Girlz, while Brazil’s starting XI featured six NWSL players, including Racing Louisville FC forward Ary Borges, Kansas City Current forward Debinha, North Carolina Courage forward Kerolin, and Orlando Pride’s trio of Rafaelle, Adriana and the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer, Marta. Brazil put on a passing clinic, completing 500 passes as a team, led by Rafaelle who tallied 80 of her own with a completion percentage of 86%. Jamaica finishes the Group Stage as the runner up of Group F with a 1-0-2 record, advancing to play the winner of Group H in the round of 16, while Brazil finishes 1-1-1 and fails to advance to the Knockout Stage for the first time since 1995.

World Cup Day 13: August 1st Following a scoreless draw against Portugal on Tuesday morning, the USWNT has advanced to the Knockout Stage as the runner-up in Group E, finishing 1-0-2 in the Group Stage. They will face the winner of Group G in the next round. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski played 15 NWSL players throughout the match, including Gotham FC forward Lynn Williams who started and made her World Cup debut. Williams was a key part of a strong defensive effort that prevented Portugal from registering a shot on target, recording five tackles. The USWNT recorded 27 tackles and nine blocks as a team, making life easy on Chicago Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher who recorded her sixth career World Cup clean sheet in the draw. Portugal finishes its first ever World Cup run in third place in Group E with a 1-1-1 record, including their first win in the tournament. England defeated China 6-1 to finish with a 3-0-0 record in Group D play, advancing to play Nigeria in the Round of 16 on Monday, August 7. China, who has appeared in eight of the World Cup’s nine iterations, finishes in third with a record of 1-2-0 and has been eliminated in the Group Stage for the first time in its history. China’s lone goal was scored by Racing Louisville forward Wang Shuang in the 57th minute. This was Shuang’s second goal of the 2023 Cup, both coming on penalty shots. Her goal marks the 12th scored by an NWSL player in the Cup and the seventh scored by a Racing Louisville player. Denmark defeated Haiti 2-0 to advance to the Round of 16 as Group D’s runner up with a 2-1-0 record. They will match up against Australia in the next round on Monday, August 7. North Carolina Courage forward Rikke Madsen started for Denmark, playing 62 minutes before being subbed out for Courage teammate Mille Gejl, who recorded her first World Cup assist 10 minutes into second half stoppage time.

World Cup Day 12: July 31st With a 4-0 win over Spain on Monday morning, Japan improved to 3-0-0, winning Group C and advancing to the Round of 16 where they will take on Norway on Saturday, August 5. This marks the fourth consecutive World Cup where Japan has advanced past the Group Stage. Angel City forward Jun Endo continued her strong tournament play, recording her second assist of the 2023 World Cup on Japan’s first goal of the game, along with three tackles, an interception and a block. In the 85th minute, Endo was subbed out for Portland Thorns midfielder Hina Sugita, who would play the rest of the match. Costa Rica has been eliminated after losing to Zambia 3-1. Costa Rica finishes Group C play at 0-3-0, while Zambia finishes 1-2-0 and is also eliminated. Portland Thorns midfielder Rocky Rodriguez started and played all 90 minutes for Costa Rica in the loss, recording 35 passes, three tackles, two blocks and an interception. Ireland finishes Group B play with a record of 0-2-1 following a scoreless draw against Nigeria. With the draw, Ireland is eliminated, while Nigeria finishes Group B play with a record of 1-0-2, advancing as the runner-up to play the winner of Group D in the Round of 16. Gotham FC midfielder Sinead Farrelly and North Carolina Courage midfielder Denise O’Sullivan started and played all 90 minutes for Ireland, and Washington Spirit forward Marissa Sheva played as a substitute. Farrelly recorded 42 passes and six tackles, while O’Sullivan recorded 41 passes and three tackles. Racing Lousiville FC forward Uchenna Kanu and Houston Dash forward Michelle Alozie started for Nigeria, with Gotham FC forward Ifeoma Onumonu subbing in during the second half. Kanu recorded five tackles and three blocks, while Alozie completed 42 passes. Australia has won Group B and advanced to play the runner-up of Group D in the Round of 16 after defeating Canada 4-0. Australia finishes the Group Stage with a record of 2-1-0, while Canada is eliminated with a 1-1-1 record, good for third place in Group D. San Diego Wave FC midfielder Emily van Egmond started for Australia, playing 83 minutes and completing 15 of 17 passes. Canada started four NWSL players, including Wave FC goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, Portland Thorns forward Christine Sinclair, and OL Reign’s Quinn and Jordyn Huitema. Houston Dash teammates Allysha Chapman and Sophie Schmidt both played off the bench for Canada in the loss.

World Cup Day 11: July 30th New Zealand has been eliminated from the World Cup following a scoreless draw against Switzerland Sunday morning. The Football Ferns finish in third place in Group A with a record of 1-1-1, while Switzerland wins the group with a record of 1-0-2. Angel City defender and New Zealand captain Ali Riley started and played all 90 minutes, recording 51 completed passes, two interceptions and a block.

World Cup Day 10: July 29th Sweden defeated Italy 5-0 Saturday morning to improve to 2-0-0 in Group G play. Sweden now stands in first place in the group with Italy in second at 1-1-0. The Blue and Yellow scored three goals in six minutes, with the first coming in the 39th minute and the third coming one minute into first half stoppage time. They wasted no time in the second half, scoring their fourth goal in the 50th minute. Sweden played hard until the final whistle, scoring their fifth goal five minutes into second half stoppage time. San Diego Wave FC forward Sofia Jakobsson recorded her first World Cup assist on the final goal, bringing her career totals to three goals and one assist across four World Cup tournaments. Sweden’s final Group G match is Wednesday, August 2 against 0-1-1 Argentina. Having already clinched a spot in the Round of 16, they can win Group G with a win or draw in this match. Six NWSL players started for Brazil in its 2-1 loss to France, including North Carolina Courage forward Kerolin, Kansas City Current forward Debinha and her newest NWSL teammate, Lauren, Racing Lousiville FC forward Ary Borges, and the Orlando Pride duo of Adriana and Rafaelle. Houston Dash forward Andressa and Orlando Pride forward Marta both played as subs for Brazil. Debinha scored her first career World Cup goal in the 58th minute on a deflected pass from former Courage teammate Kerolin, who was not credited with an assist on the play. Debinha now has a goal and an assist in this year’s tournament. Brazil is now 1-1-0 in Group F play and can advance to the Round of 16 with a win over Jamaica on Wednesday, or with a draw and a Panama defeat of France. Jamaica captured its first Women’s World Cup victory with a 1-0 win over Panama. Washington Spirit forward Riley Tanner made her first World Cup start for Panama, playing all 90 minutes in the hard-fought loss. Chicago Red Stars forward Cheyna Matthews played 26 minutes off the bench for Jamaica. Former Angel City FC defender Allyson Swaby scored the lone goal in the 56th minute, the first for the Reggae Girlz in this year’s World Cup. The loss eliminates Panama while Jamaica at 1-0-1 could reach the Round of 16 for its first time with a win or draw against Brazil on Wednesday.

World Cup Day 9: July 28th England defeated Denmark 1-0 Friday morning to improve to 2-0-0 in Group D play, while Denmark drops to 1-1-0. North Carolina Courage forward Rikke Madsen and Kansas City Current defender Stine Ballisager Pederson both started for Denmark in the loss, combining for 26 completed passes and five blocks. China picked up their first win of the 2023 World Cup in a 1-0 game against Haiti. China is now 1-1-0 in Group D play while Haiti is 0-2-0. China was shorthanded for much of the match after Zhang Rui’s red card in the first half. Racing Louisville FC forward Wang Shuang subbed in at the 45th minute and proved vital to China’s success. Shuang scored her first career World Cup goal and China’s first of this year’s tournament with a penalty kick at the 74th minute. This goal marked the sixth scored by a Racing Louisville player in this year’s World Cup so far. China’s next matchup on Tuesday against England will be important to determine who reaches the knockout stage from Group D. China or Denmark could secure a spot in the next round with a win if the other also loses their match. If both teams win, they will be tied with England and the two advancing teams will be decided based on goal differential in the group stage. If China and Denmark both draw, England and Denmark will advance.

World Cup Day 8: July 27th Nigeria came away with a 3-2 victory over Australia in a match that featured five NWSL players and 20 minutes of stoppage time. Houston Dash forward Michelle Alozie, Racing Louisville FC forward Uchenna Kanu and Gotham FC forward Ifeoma Onumonu all started for Nigeria. San Diego Wave FC midfielder Emily van Egmond started for Australia and Racing midfielder Alex Chidiac came off the bench in the 85th minute. Two NWSL players scored during stoppage time in the first half, as Emily van Egmond scored her second career World Cup goal one minute into stoppage time to put Australia up 1-0. Just five minutes later, Uchenna Kanu tied the game heading into half time with her first career World Cup goal. Nigeria improves to 1-0-1 in Group B play hoping to secure a spot in the knockout stage on Monday, as they take on Ireland, who has already been eliminated. Australia moves to 1-1-0 as they prepare for a matchup with Canada.

After trailing 2-0 in the second half, Argentina rattled off two goals in five minutes against South Africa to force a 2-2 draw. Orlando Pride forward Marianna Larroquette started for Argentina, taking the field against Racing Louisville forward Thembi Kgatlana. Kgatlana was the hero for South Africa, recording her first career World Cup assist in the 30th minute with a nice pass across the box to midfielder Linda Motlhalo, who played for the Houston Dash in 2018. In the 66th minute, Kgatlana would score a goal of her own, her first of this year’s World Cup and second of her career. The draw brings both countries to a record of 0-1-1 in Group G play and puts Italy or Sweden in position to advance to the knockout stage with a win in their matchup on Saturday. On Wednesday, Argentina will take on Sweden and South Africa matches up with Italy.

World Cup Day 7: July 26th With a 2-0 win over Costa Rica Wednesday morning, Japan advanced to the knockout round with a 2-0-0 record in Group C play. With the loss, Costa Rica drops to 0-2-0, becoming the first team eliminated in this year’s tournament, followed by Zambia after its loss to Spain. Portland Thorns FC midfielder Hina Sugita made her first start of the 2023 World Cup after starting in four games for Japan in 2019. Sugita played all 90 minutes, completing 59 passes resulting in three shot creating actions, also recording three interceptions. Sugita’s Thorns teammate Rocky Rodriguez made her first appearance in the 2023 Cup for Costa Rica in the loss after playing three matches and scoring Las Ticas’ first-ever World Cup goal in the 2015 tournament. Both teams return to action on Monday, July 31 as Japan takes on Spain and Costa Rica battles Zambia in the final matches of Group C play. Canada defeated Ireland 2-1 on Wednesday morning in a match that saw five NWSL players in the starting lineup. OL Reign’s tandem of forward Jordyn Huitema and midfielder Quinn started for Canada with San Diego Wave FC goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan, as all three played the entire match. Portland Thorns midfielder Christine Sinclair came off the bench to play the second half of the match, completing 20 passes in 45 minutes. North Carolina Courage midfielder Denise O’Sullivan and Gotham FC forward Sinead Farrelly started for Ireland, and Washington Spirit forward Marissa Sheva played 20 minutes off the bench. Sheridan played a strong game, allowing just one goal and making five saves. Houston Dash midfielder and World Cup veteran Sophie Schmidt made a huge impact for Canada off the bench, recording her first career Cup assist with a nifty pass to scoring forward Adriana Leon, who recently played for the Portland Thorns on loan from Manchester United. Canada improves to 1-0-1 in Group B play as they prepare to face Australia on Monday. With the loss, Ireland moves to 0-2-0 and has been eliminated heading into Monday’s match against Nigeria. The United States saw a hard-fought rematch of the 2019 World Cup final against the Netherlands, ending in a 1-1 draw to bring both teams to 1-0-1 in Group E play. This marks the first draw for the USWNT in World Cup play since 2015 and the first time they’ve trailed in a World Cup match since 2011. After giving up a goal in the 17th minute, the USWNT battled hard defensively to prevent the Netherlands from registering a shot on target for the rest of the match. Portland Thorns FC midfielder and defender Crystal Dunn anchored the defense, recording five of the team’s 16 interceptions to go along with two tackles. USWNT captain Lindsey Horan would score a header goal on a perfectly placed corner kick from OL Reign’s Rose Lavelle at the 62nd minute shortly after being taken down from behind. The assist was the first of the midfielder’s World Cup career. Both teams will be back in action on Tuesday for their last Group Stage matches as the Netherlands take on Vietnam and the United States battle Portugal. A win or tie for the USWNT will put them through to the knockout stage.

World Cup Day 6: July 25th The Philippines defeated New Zealand 1-0 on Tuesday morning, bringing both teams’ records to 1-1-0. Angel City defender Ali Riley started and played all 90 minutes for New Zealand in the loss, leading the Football Ferns with 120 touches, 74 passes and 73 carries. Riley anchored a strong defensive effort to hold the Philippines to just one shot on target, but that was all it took for Sarina Bolden to slip one past goaltender Victoria Esson. Both teams have their next match on Sunday, July 30 as New Zealand matches up with Switzerland while the Philippines match up against Norway.

World Cup Day 5: July 24th Six NWSL players, including defender Lauren, who was signed to Kansas City’s roster this morning, started for Brazil in their 4-0 win against Panama. The group also included Racing Lousiville FC midfielder Ary Borges, Orlando Pride midfielder Adriana and defender Rafaelle, Kansas City Current forward Debinha and North Carolina Courage midfielder Kerolin. In addition, Gotham FC defender Bruninha and Pride midfielder Marta saw action for Brazil off the bench, and Washington Spirit midfielder Riley Tanner played 38 minutes as a sub for Panama. Debinha notched her second World Cup assist on the first goal of the game scored by Ary Borges, who erupted for three goals and an assist in her World Cup debut. With her trio of goals, Borges is the fourth Brazilian to record a hat trick in Women’s World Cup history and sits alone atop the Golden Boot race. Three players are tied for second in the standings with two goals, including USWNT forward Sophia Smith. Italy defeated Argentina 1-0 on Monday morning in the first World Cup matchup between the two countries. Orlando Pride forward Mariana Larroquette, who started in the loss, seeks to lead Argentina to victory in a matchup against South Africa on Thursday where both teams look for their first World Cup win.

World Cup Day 4: July 23rd Sweden began their 2023 World Cup campaign with a 2-1 victory over South Africa. Sweden’s roster features San Diego Wave forward Sofia Jakobsson who did not play in the opening matchup. Fans await Jakobsson’s first appearance in her fourth World Cup this year after starting six matches and scoring twice in a 2019 run that saw the Blue and Yellow finish in third place. Racing Louisville forward Thembi Kgatlana started for South Africa in the loss, playing all 90 minutes. Kgatlana scored Nigeria’s first-ever goal in the World Cup in 2019 and was on the field Sunday morning when Hildah Magaia scored the second. Banyana Banyana still seeks their first World Cup point as they prepare for their next matchup against Argentina on Thursday. Jamaica earned its first ever World Cup point in a scoreless draw against France. This was also the first shutout for the Reggae Girlz, who made their first World Cup appearance in 2019. Chicago Red Stars forward Cheyna Matthews started for Jamaica, playing 70 minutes in the loss. Houston Dash midfielder Havana Solaun, who scored Jamaica’s first World Cup goal in 2019, played 20 minutes off the bench. Jamaica remains on the hunt for their first World Cup win when they take on Panama on Saturday.

World Cup Day 3: July 22nd Nadeshiko Japan enjoyed a strong start to the 2023 World Cup with a dominant 5-0 win against Zambia on Saturday. Angel City FC forward Jun Endo had a great game for Japan, earning her third career start and fourth match played overall in her second World Cup appearance. At the 55th minute, Endo made a great pass leading to a sliding goal by Mina Tanaka to give Japan a 2-0 lead on her second World Cup assist. Endo also scored her first World Cup goal in the 71st minute to put Japan up 4-0. In their first World Cup appearance since 2007, Denmark won their first group stage match against China 1-0. Kansas City Current defender Stine Ballisager Pederson started for the Red and White, playing all 90 minutes and recording two tackles and two interceptions while completing 73 passes. Racing Louisville forward Wang Shuang took the field for 45 minutes, initiating two shot creating actions for China in the loss. Denmark’s next game is against England on Friday, July 28th as they look to win two games in the same World Cup for the first time in team history.

World Cup Day 2: July 21st Costa Rica fell 3-0 to Spain on Friday morning. NWSL fans are still awaiting Portland Thorns midfielder Rocky Rodriguez’ return to the pitch for Las Tildas. Rodriguez also suited up for Costa Rica in the 2015 World Cup where she scored a goal against Spain. The back-to-back champions USWNT opened their quest for a three-peat with a 3-0 victory against Vietnam. Reigning NWSL MVP Sophia Smith was dominant, notching two goals and an assist to team captain Lindsey Horan. Horan’s co-captain, San Diego Wave forward Alex Morgan, picked up the assist on Smith’s first career World Cup goal. This is Morgan’s fifth career assist in four World Cup tournaments. USWNT played great defense to prevent Vietnam from registering any shots on target as Chicago Red Stars goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher finished with a clean sheet for the fifth time in her third World Cup.

World Cup Day 1: July 20th Host country New Zealand kicked off the World Cup with a 1-0 victory against Norway early Thursday morning. The result marked the team's first-ever World Cup win and Angel City FC defender and team captain Ali Riley played all 90 minutes for the Football Ferns, completing 29 passes. In the next game, fellow host country Australia defeated Ireland 1-0. Racing Louisville FC’s midfielder Emily van Egmond subbed in for the Matildas at 75’ and played 16 minutes in the win. Gotham FC forward Sinead Farrelly, Washington Spirit forward Marissa Sheva and North Carolina Courage midfielder Denise O’Sullivan all started for the Girls in Green. Farrelly and Sheva each played 62 minutes while O’Sullivan played all 90 and completed 25 passes on 36 attempts. The first day of game action ended in a 0-0 draw between Nigeria and Canada in a match that featured 10 NWSL players. Houston Dash defender Michelle Alozie and Gotham FC forward Ify Onumonu started for the Super Falcons, with Alozie playing all 90 minutes and Onumonu playing 84. Racing Louisville forward Uchenna Kanu subbed in and played 18 minutes. Onumonu made her impact felt as a playmaker, completing 17 of her 22 passes. Team Canada started OL Reign’s midfield duo of Jordyn Huitema and Quinn, Portland Thorns midfielder Christine Sinclair and San Diego Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan. Sinclair played for 70 minutes while Huitema, Quinn and Sheridan all played 90. Houston Dash’s trio of Alyssa Chapman, Sophie Schmidt and Nichelle Prince all suited up off the bench. Quinn recorded an impressive 53 passes on 62 attempts in the draw. Sinclair was taken down in the box at the 48th minute for the most exciting moment of the game, earning Canada their first penalty kick of the tournament. Nigeria’s goaltender Chiamaka Nnadozie made a great diving save to prevent Sinclair, the leading scorer in all of international soccer, from scoring her first goal in what is her sixth-straight World Cup appearance.