🌏 What went down Down Under? WWC Day 7️⃣ | OneFootball

With the World Cup taking place in Australia and New Zealand, plenty of fans around the world will be in bed when some of the games take place.

Not to worry, we have you covered.

Quick, what were the results?

Two games, two wins, and Japan would seal qualification as long as Spain avoided defeat to Zambia …

… which they did. And then some. Jenni Hermoso scored twice on her 100th cap as Spain impressed again and sealed their route (as well as Japan’s) through.

Ireland’s first ever goal at a Women’s World Cup will surely win Goal of the Tournament but Canada rallied to send the Girls in Green home after just two games.

So, do you have a Moment or Match of the Day?

As we said, Katie McCabe will win Goal of the Tournament.

Ireland’s first ever goal at a Women’s World Cup came direct from a corner against the Olympic champions. Of course it was the talismanic skipper from Tallaght who scored it.

McCabe is a wonderfully talented player — it is not luck that has made her a star at Arsenal — and one unfortunately (or expertly artistic?) timed image of a foul she was on the end of saw her unfairly accused of being overly aggressive in the opening defeat to Australia.

There is so much more to McCabe than that and it is only right that it was Ireland’s captain made national history. Their two performances Down Under have come against top sides and they’ve deserved much more than two defeats.

And a Player of the Day for me?

If not McCabe, who was the best player on the pitch even if Canada did win 2-1, then Jenni Hermoso.

The 33-year-old striker nodded in from close range for her first and tucked home a rebound from close range for her second (confirmed after a long VAR review) as Spain won convincingly again.

Hermoso is one of the greats of the women’s game in Spain and it was fitting that she should score twice on her 100th international appearance.

Come on, show us a picture perfect moment:

A perfect image of Hikaru Naomoto’s opener for Japan against Costa Rica.

Anything else I should know?

There were shockwaves as Christine Sinclair, at her sixth tournament, started a World Cup game from the bench for the first time for Canada. Still, the 40-year-old was introduced at half-time and Canada turned things around.

If you missed it, there was some mighty confusion with VAR in Spain’s 5-0 win.

Hermoso’s second goal — the one mentioned previously — was disallowed for offside. But it wasn’t offside. Then the referee announced there was no offside and, mistakenly, that it was “no goal” before having to correct herself.

All’s well that ends well, right?

Thursday promises to be a big day. There’s a big game overnight (for anyone in Europe)  as the USA meet the Netherlands in a rematch of the 2019 final before England face Denmark.