Women’s World Cup Quarter Finals Previews

After a dramatic Group Stage was followed by an even more incredible Round of 16, we are now down to the last eight teams in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals in France. The host nation, as well as the current holders, the United States, are amongst the teams battling it out for a place in the semifinals which will take place over Tuesday and Wednesday evenings next week.

For English fans, our Lionesses remain in with a good shout in the tournament as they take on Norway in the very first quarterfinal on Thursday night. France face the United States in what is the biggest of the four games taking place at this stage of the tournament, while Italy face European Champions the Netherlands in the first of two games on Saturday, the second being Germany’s match against Sweden.

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Each of the teams in the quarterfinals has already come through a tricky set of games, as we will review in our preview and tips for each of the four quarterfinals below.

Women’s World Cup Quarter Finals Preview and Tips

Norway v England

Norway’s Results

• Matchday 1 – Norway 3-0 Nigeria (Reiten 17, Utland 34, Ohale OH 37)
• Matchday 2 – France 2-1 Norway (Renard OG 54)
• Matchday 3 – South Korea 1-2 Norway (Hansen 5 (pen), Herlovsen 51 (pen))
• Round of 16 – Norway 1-1 Australia (Herlovsen 31) – Norway win 4-1 on penalties

England’s Results

• Matchday 1 – England 2-1 Scotland (Parris 14 (pen), White 40)
• Matchday 2 – England 1-0 Argentina (Taylor 61)
• Matchday 3 – Japan 0-2 England (White 14,84)
• Round of 16 – England 3-0 Cameroon (Houghton 14, White 45+4, Greenwood 58)

England will begin this quarterfinal as the favourites and they have conceded just one goal, scoring eight so far in the tournament. However, Phil Neville will know his team have looked poor defensively at times in recent games and that could well give Norway a chance. The Norwegians are strong and powerful but have been a little reliant on penalties to get this far in the tournament. England were winners when these two teams met in the last World Cup Finals in Canada and I think the Lionesses will get the job done here too. Back England to win at even money at bet365.

France v United States

France’s Results

• Matchday 1 – France 4-0 South Korea (Le Sommer 9, Renard 39, 45+2, Henry 85)
• Matchday 2 – France 2-1 Norway (Gauvin 46, Le Sommer (pen) 72)
• Matchday 3 – Nigeria 0-1 France (Renard 79 (pen))
• Round of 16 – France 2-1 Brazil aet (Gauvin 52, Henry 106)

United States’ Results

• Matchday 1 – USA 13-0 Thailand (Morgan 12,53,74,81,87, Lavelle 20,56, Horan 32, Mewis 50,54, Rapinoe 79, Pugh 84, Lloyd 90+2)
• Matchday 2 – USA 3-0 Chile (Lloyd 11,35, Ertz 26)
• Matchday 3 – Sweden 0-2 USA (Horan 3, Andersson 50 OG)
• Round of 16 – Spain 1-2 USA (Rapinoe 7 (pen), 76 (pen))

The biggest game of the tournament so far takes place in Paris at the Parc des Princes as the hosts face the holders in a game many feel is good enough to grace the final. The French have had a few nervy moments at times in the group stage and especially against Brazil in the Round of 16, whereas the United States only really were tested by Spain in the last round. Home advantage is huge though and I am backing the French to pull off a shock victory here over the current World Champions at odds of 21/10.

Italy v Netherlands

Italy’s Results

• Matchday 1 – Australia 1-2 Italy (Bonansea 56, 90+5)
• Matchday 2 – Jamaica 0-5 Italy (Girelli 12 (pen), 25, 46, Galli 71.81)
• Matchday 3 – Italy 0-1 Brazil
• Round of 16 – Italy 2-0 China (Giacinti 15, Galli 49)

Netherland’s Results

• Matchday 1 – New Zealand 0-1 Netherlands (Roord 90+2)
• Matchday 2 – Netherlands 3-1 Cameroon (Miedema 41,85, Bloodworth 48)
• Matchday 3 – Netherlands 2-1 Canada (Dekker 34, Beerensteyn 75)
• Round of 16 – Netherlands 2-1 Japan (Martens 17, 90 (pen))

I have to be honest and say of the eight teams that have reached the quarterfinal stages of the tournament, these two teams are the ones that have impressed me the least and I think they are a tad fortunate to have been drawn against each other. Italy were clinically efficient in the Group Stage before resting players against Brazil and then were back to their clinical best against China. The Netherlands look suspect defensively but have found ways to win, none more so than in the game with Japan in the Round of 16 where they were so fortunate to win through a last minute penalty. I’m backing the Dutch sides luck to hold here and taking the Netherlands to win at 23/20.

Germany v Sweden

Germany’s Results

• Matchday 1 – Germany 1-0 China (Gwinn 66)
• Matchday 2 – Germany 1-0 Spain (Dabritz 42)
• Matchday 3 – South Africa 0-4 Germany (Leupolz 14, Dabritz 29, Popp 40, Magull 58)
• Round of 16 – Germany 3-0 Nigeria (Popp 20, Dabritz 27 (pen), Schuller 82)

Sweden’s Results

• Matchday 1 – Chile 0-2 Sweden (Asilani 83, Janogy 90+4)
• Matchday 2 – Sweden 5-1 Thailand (Sembrandt 6, Asilani 19, Rolfo 42, Hurtig 81, Rubensson 90 (pen))
• Matchday 3 – Sweden 0-2 United States
• Round of 16 – Sweden 1-0 Canada (Blackstenius 55)

Germany’s women are as clinically efficient as their mens team have been in years gone by and they are yet to concede a goal in the tournament. Sweden will be their biggest test so far though and although they have lost to the United States, I feel the Swedes did pretty well in that game. I think this one may require extra time and maybe even dreaded penalties to decide the winner, so I am backing the draw here at 13/5.

*All odds shown were correct with bet365 as of 3pm on Wednesday 26^th June 2019.