European sides Germany and France booked the first two quarter-final spots in the women’s World Cup from Group A on Thursday, eliminating Nigeria and Canada in contrasting fashion.
France over-ran CONCACAF champions Canada 4-0 in Bochum to assure their first ever place in the final eight, before defending champions Germany spluttered to a 1-0 win over Nigeria in Frankfurt.
A double from Gaetane Thiney (24, 60) and second-half goals from Camille Abily (66) and Elodie Thomis (83) gave France a maximum six points from two games to take top spot in the group.
Germany, also on maximum points, struggled to impose themselves against a battling Nigerian side, however, until midfielder Simone Laudehr scored the crucial goal after 54 minutes.
The stage is now set for a much-anticipated clash between the French and Germans in their final group game in front of 50,000 spectators in Moenchengladbach next Tuesday, with top spot in Group A at stake.
“It’s among the two matches which count the most in the history of French women’s football, after qualification for the 2003 World Cup,” said France coach Bruno Bini.
“But we haven’t obtained our goal yet. We’re savouring this one. It’s well deserved; the girls took the match by the scruff of the neck. A World Cup quarter-final that warms the heart.”
Nigeria will be heading home after their final match against Canada in Dresden the same day, when both teams will be playing for pride after two successive defeats.
After their impressive 2-1 win over Canada on Sunday, this was a less assured performance from two-time winners Germany.
They failed to get a clear shot on goal in the first half and were briefly booed by the sell-out crowd at the half-time whistle with the game scoreless.
Germany finally imposed themselves after the break and it was the introduction of the experienced Inka Grings on 52 minutes for captain Birgit Prinz that made an impact.
Barely two minutes later, the veteran forward latched onto a free-kick and her delicate back heel fell into the path of Laudehr, who fired home in plenty of space.
Having won the 2003 and 2007 editions of the World Cup, Germany will need to raise their game if Silvia Neid’s side are going to return to Frankfurt on July 17 to contest the final.
“We are into the quarter-finals, but without too much glory,” said Neid.
“There was a lot of stress, because we wanted to reach the quarter-finals and that seemed to hinder us. We still have plenty to work on.”
France, who beat Nigeria 1-0 in their first match, were all over Carolina Morace’s Canada from the outset, with Marie-Laure Delie forcing a save from Erin McLeod after seven minutes.
France’s pressing paid off after 24 minutes when Thiney picked up a shot deflected off unfortunate Canadian defender Emily Zurrer to head into the net.
McLeod did well to keep out a Louisa Necib lob on 30 minutes with Delie missing two efforts before the interval.
But after the break the French ran riot, with Thiney picking up a Delie cross to curl into the goal on 60 minutes.
The third came six minutes later after a defensive error from Canada allowed Abily to latch onto a Sandrine Soubeyrand assist to head in.
Canada skipper Christine Sinclair, playing with a ‘Catwoman’ face mask to protect her broken nose, received a knock to the face and was off the pitch as the French completed the rout against the 2003 semi-finalists.
Seven minutes from time Thomis, who a late substitute for Delie, broke through to advance past an advancing McLeod and coolly finish to the delight of the 16,000-plus crowd.
On Friday, the competition continues with the second round of Group B games, with leaders Japan playing Mexico in Leverkusen, while England take on New Zealand in Dresden.
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