Germany will in fact have identified the maths: A win was all that was required to make sure passage to the spherical of 16 of the Women’s World Cup. But Canada had identified the maths, too, and went out anyway. So did Brazil and New Zealand and Portugal, all gone for the need of a single treasured objective that by no means got here.
Yet a World Cup that has had some unbelievable moments — Jamaica eliminating Brazil, the U.S. group advancing because of a single, favorable bounce — acquired maybe its greatest stunner thus far on Thursday: Germany, the second-ranked team on this planet, is out after the strangest end to the group stage in its historical past, two video games requiring just one win, and through which it acquired none.
South Korea, a group that was successfully eradicated earlier than the match even kicked off, a group that had not scored a objective earlier than within the match earlier than Thursday, took an early lead after which held on for a tenacious, unbelievable, virtually unthinkable 1-1 tie with Germany. That consequence was not adequate for the Germans solely as a result of Morocco, another unlikely contender, beat Colombia, 1-0, on Anissa Lahmari’s objective off a rebound from a saved penalty kick.
Morocco, after ending its win in Perth, Australia, quickly huddled around one another to look at a stream of the top of the Germany-South Korea sport, which was performed concurrently throughout the continent in Brisbane.
Morocco Coach Reynald Pedros mentioned he welcomed the possibility for the group’s followers to see it play yet another sport. “We love them, we cherish them, we feel they’re behind us. It gives us strength,” he mentioned. “Well done to all the girls and we’re continuing on our merry way.”
The Atlas Lionesses, who symbolize the primary group from North Africa and a majority Arab nation to make the match in any respect, cheered, and sobbed, and shouted in jubilation after realizing that they had gone even past that. Fatima Tagnaout and a number of other of her teammates dashed around the perimeter of the field, fingers prolonged to high-five each fan of their path. They maintained that glee within the locker room, the place they chanted and bounced in unison.
The discipline of 32 groups on this match included eight newcomers; of them, solely Morocco superior previous the group stage. It will play France within the spherical of 16.
“Roaring with pride for our Lionesses,” the team said on Twitter.
The German response, understandably, was a mirror reverse: dismay and disbelief.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Germany midfielder Jule Brand mentioned. “We’re very disappointed. It wasn’t enough. We were motivated and wanted to play the game, but we couldn’t get it done on the field.”
To say that Germany has been constant earlier than now’s an understatement. It had all the time made it out of the group stage, and had all the time superior past the spherical of 16 to succeed in at the very least the quarterfinals, a stretch that has now resulted in its ninth World Cup, the ninth Women’s World Cup.
Germany had a well-balanced roster going into this match, however its kind had come into query because it ready for its run. It had misplaced to Brazil and Zambia, and Vietnam saved issues shut in a warm-up match.
A loss to Colombia in its second sport had already made issues dramatic for Germany, which earlier than then had not misplaced in a bunch stage match since 1995. Colombia, due to that second win, entered the match’s closing day of group stage video games in robust place to advance. It earned a matchup towards Jamaica by successful the group.
Cho So-hyun scored within the sixth minute for South Korea, placing Germany’s possibilities for development in jeopardy. After Germany tied it up, briefly getting again in place for development, it was then Morocco that ratcheted up the stress with its scramble to salvage a failed penalty kick towards Colombia.
What a solution to rating your first worldwide objective 🇲🇦
Catalina Pérez denies the primary try, however Anissa Lahmari on the observe up places it away for the 1-0 Morocco lead! pic.twitter.com/9i3a4hE0VP
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 3, 2023
Alexandra Popp, Germany’s star striker identified for her leaping headers and completely timed finishes, noticed a number of possibilities for a game-winner thwarted. One hit the crossbar. Another was saved by the Korean goalkeeper, Kim Jung-mi. Another, which completed off a spectacular play, discovered the again of the web however was dominated offside after a video assessment.
With every probability, Popp’s frustration visibly mounted as she grabbed at her brow and gnawed on the underside of her jersey. A objective, she knew, wouldn’t solely hold Germany alive however would put it atop its group going into the spherical of 16.
Instead Popp, together with the remainder of its star energy, is gone.
“I just don’t know what to say and what’s going on here,” she mentioned. “That wasn’t what we wanted.”
Content Source: www.nytimes.com
