– Germany dominated the match, and should have scored more goals: as in their opening game against Ivory Coast, their build-up was sharp and they pushed plenty of players forward, but their finishing was wayward. Still, their collection of attackers is unmatched in women’s football; and only Switzerland come close in terms of potential potency.
Thailand can be proud of their performance across their debut World Cup. Today they were especially vulnerable down their left side. On the other hand, Boonsing made some solid saves in goal, and Sungngoen’s pace caused problems for the German defenders.
Come again in a couple of hours for the final round of games in Group A, as China meet New Zealand and the Netherlands face tournament hosts Canada.
– So Germany finish atop Group B, with Norway in second place. Thailand are currently the fourth best third-placed team overall, but with all of the other groups still to play, they look unlikely to qualify.
In the Round of Sixteen, Germany will face a third-placed qualifier. That match will take place in Lansdowne Stadium, Ottawa, on 20 June at 16:00 local time. Norway meanwhile will face the Group F runner-up in the same stadium, from 17:00 on 22 June.
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90 (+3) minutes: Full-time here in Winnipeg, and in the game in Moncton too. The games have finished Thailand 0-4 Germany, and Ivory Coast 1-3 Norway.
90 (+2) minutes: In the final moments of the game, Lotzen miskicks on the edge of the area, and though her effort turns into an effective pass, Germany can’t make the most of the opportunity as Dabritz slices wide.
86 minutes: Again Germany go close, with Mittag playing the ball across goal from the left of the six-yard box; and it bounces and bobbles, but won’t land at the feet of a German forward.
85 minutes: Mittag storms through the middle of the pitch as Petermann pulls away to make space, but Mittag drags her left-footed effort just wide.
82 minutes: A scramble in the Thailand penalty area terminates in another corner for Germany.
80 minutes: Leupolz attempts a pass behind the full-back to the overlapping Lena Lotzen, but the angle isn’t quite right and Boonsing collects.
72 minutes: A long ball out from the back and Germany work the play once again down the right. It arrives at the feet of Mittag, and her low pass across the face of goal finds an unmarked Sara Dabritz. Thailand 0-4 Germany
71 minutes: Norway score their third of the game, but Ivory Coast soon pull one back. The goalscorers are Solveig Gulbrandsen for Norway, and Ange Nguessan for Ivory Coast. Ivory Coast 1-3 Norway
63 minutes: Schmidt, playing more like a winger than a full-back, again receives the ball in an advanced position and has time to place her shot; but she fires over the upright from the edge of the area.
62 minutes: Norway score a second goal, and its Hegerberg again. Ivory Coast 0-2 Norway
57 minutes: And just a couple of minutes later, Germany score their third. It is another corner, as Behringer’s cross is headed in by Petermann for her second of the game. Thailand 0-3 Germany
55 minutes: Bianca Schmidt, Germany’s right back, eventually finds space on the right side of the Thailand penalty area. She pushes the ball past her opposite left-back, and hangs a cross to the back post, where substitute Lena Petermann gets above her marker to head home. Thailand 0-2 Germany
53 minutes: Behringer finds space outside Thailand’s area, but she shoots high and wide.
49 minutes: A German attack breaks down and Sungngoen almost outpaces Krahn, but the hugely experienced German centre-back knocks the ball behind for a corner.
45 minutes: Celia Sasic and Dzsenifer Marozsan are replaced for the second half by Anja Mittag and Lena Petermann. Mittag is the tournament’s top scorer so far, with four goals.
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45 (+1) minutes: It is half-time and advantage Germany. There were nineteen German attempts on goal in that half compared to two from Thailand; with ten shots on target to nil. Germany had five corners, with Thailand earning just one. Meanwhile Norway still hold a single-goal lead over Ivory Coast.
44 minutes: Just before half-time, Marozsan finds space between two defenders, and brings the ball down well, but one-on-one with the goalkeeper she shoots tamely. Germany then win a free-kick, but it is blocked by the wall of Thailand.
40 minutes: After a slow spell for the Germans, Dzsenifer Marozsan flicks a cross towards goal with her head, but the effort is comfortably saved by Boonsing.
24 minutes: Germany take the lead. A corner finds Melanie Leupolz, and her looping header beats the Thai defender on the goal-line. Thailand 0-1 Germany
22 minutes: Celia Sasic, on three goals already this tournament, goes close for Germany following a corner.
19 minutes: Annike Krahn makes a mistake in the German defence, and Thailand break for the first time. Kanjana Sungngoen surges through on goal, but the German defenders get back to make a challenge and Thailand have to settle for their first corner.
10 minutes: Germany are well on top in the early stages against Thailand. Midfielder Melanie Behringer forces the first save out of Waraporn Boonsing in the Thailand goal, with a shot from the edge of the area. Germany win their first corner of the game, and it comes to nothing; but then they almost carve Thailand open courtesy of a through-ball.
6 minutes: Norway take an early lead against Ivory Coast through forward Ada Hegerberg. As things stand, they top Group B. Ivory Coast 0-1 Norway
0 minutes: We are off in both Winnipeg and Moncton.
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– We’ll be following Thailand vs. Germany here, while keeping an eye also on affairs in Moncton. The line-ups for Thailand vs. Germany are as follows:
Thailand XI: Boonsing, Chingwong, Sritala (c), Khueanpet, Intamee, Phetwiset, Srangthaisong, Thongsombut, Srimanee, Maijarern, Sungngoen
Substitutes: Sengyong, Chor.Charoenying, Changplook, Phancha, Seesraum, Rukpinij, Chawong, Saengchan, Dangda, Boothduang, Romyen
Germany XI: Angerer (c), Schmidt, Krahn, Behringer, Lotzen, Marozsan, Sasic, Peter, Cramer, Leupolz, Daebritz
Substitutes: Schult, Benkarth, Bartusiak, Maier, Laudehr, Bremer, Mittag, Henning, Popp, Petermann, Goessling, Kemme
– With Group A’s final round of matches to come later today, the teams of Group B get us underway on the tenth day of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada. Qualification for the Round of Sixteen is at stake.
The group stage of the competition has comprised six groups of four teams. The top two sides from each group will qualify for the Round of Sixteen, along with the four best third-placed teams. Qualification depends first on points, with three points for a win and one for a draw; then on goal difference; then goals scored; before the results of matches played between sides are considered.
Germany, who won the Women’s World Cups held in 2003 and 2007, went into the tournament ranked number 1 in the world. They have scored more goals than any other team so far in the championship: eleven in total, ten of which came in their opening 10-0 victory against Ivory Coast. But a 1-1 draw in their second match, versus Norway, means that while they currently top the group, they can’t afford to lose today against Thailand. A result for Norway and a German defeat would see Germany finish third, and dependent upon what happens in the other groups.
After beating Thailand 4-0 in their first group match, Norway are – like Germany – on four points. Thailand are on three points, emerging 3-2 victors over Ivory Coast in their second group match. With Norway possessing a +4 goal difference and Thailand on -3, even if Norway were to suffer a shock loss against Ivory Coast, Thailand would probably still need to beat Germany to finish among the group’s top two. Ivory Coast are, however, the lowest-ranked team in the whole competition, 67th in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, and Norway will be confident of taking the three points.
Thailand vs. Germany is taking place in Winnipeg Stadium, Winnipeg; and just as straightforward, Ivory Coast vs. Norway is being held at Moncton Stadium, Moncton.
