In the first match of this Group Stage final day, Italy tied 1-1 against Germany (1-1 at half-time) securing the second place in Pool B.
The goals both came from penalty shots, first for Germany at minute 18, through Anna Behrendt and then for Italy, two minutes before the end of the first half, through Elena Tamiozzo.
The two teams who, in the previous match, showed tactical versatility in the way they approached each of their matches, faced off against each other. With the score down, the Azzurri took full control of the game. But the Germans closed their area very well, so the Italians had to rely on Erika Ghirardello's long-range shot, to try to open up the opponent’s defence.
In the second half, Italy stepped up its attacks, cornering the Germans in their own zone, turning the goalkeeper Annabell Pillenkamp into the star of the match. With this result, the Squadra Azzurra will face Chile, tomorrow, in the quarterfinals.
In the second match of the day, to define Pool's 2nd and 3rd place, Portugal beat Chile 3-2 (2-2 at half-time), in what was one of the most exciting matches of this Senior Women's World Championship. With this result, the Portuguese team secured the second place in the group and will play tomorrow against Germany, in the quarterfinals.
Portugal had the opportunity to start the game with the advantage in the scoreboard when, in the first minute, a direct shot was signalled against Chile, which Inês Severino failed to convert. Both teams were determined to go in search of the goal, in a fast and well-balanced game, with good opportunities for each.
In the first time-out, the Portuguese coach asked for a "wall on the side-blocks and quick moves with the ball". Portugal's goal was scored at minute 9 in a combined move, in which the team captain, Marlene Sousa, passed the ball, in an excellent move to Raquel Santos, who finished it. In the next minute the Chilean team tied, through Cata Flores and, two minutes later, Marlene Sousa saw the blue card. Cata Flores scored again, converting the direct shot and giving Chile the advantage on the scoreboard. Four minutes before breaktime, Maria Sofia assisted Ana Catarina for the tie and settled the score at half-time.
In the second half, the balance continued to be the dominant note, but the end result hung in Portugal's favour, with Sofia Moncóvio sealing the Portuguese victory, with a fierce shot, with no chance for the Chilean goalkeeper, resulting in the 3-2 final score.
In the penultimate match of the day, Spain beat France 0-8 (0-4 at half-time) and finished the Group Stage undefeated, in Pool's A first place. With this win, Spain will face Colombia in the quarter finals.
It was a game without much of a story, with Spain comfortably overcoming the French team. In the first half, the Spanish scored early on, by Aina Florenza, with only 19 seconds on the clock. The second goal came at minute 3, signed by Laura Puigdeta. In the following minutes, the Spanish team kept on pressing and scored two more goals before the breaktime.
The second half was very similar to the first, with Spain sealing the victory with four more goals. Aina Florenza scored a hat-trick in the match.
In the last match of the day, Argentina thrashed Colombia 7-1 (0-3 at half-time) and also qualified first in its group, where will face, in the quarterfinals, France national team.
The opening goal for Argentina was scored at minute 9 by Julieta Fernández, who after failing to convert a penalty shot, made a great individual move to give her team the lead. Argentina's second goal was scored by Daiana Silva, from a powerful shot outside the area defended by the Colombian goalkeeper, Maria Jose Giraldo. The score continued to increase for Argentina, with Julieta Fernandez scoring again, establishing 0-3 at the breaktime.
In the second half, the score continued to widen for the Argentinian national team, with Julieta Fernández scoring the fourth goal, the third of her personal account. The team’s debutant Florencia Felamini scored the last goal for her team and Sofia Ramirez scored Colombia’s only goal.
Concerning the Women Intercontinental Championship games, Australia won 2-3 Brazil (1-1 at half-time) and Switzerland thrashed Mexico 20-1 (12-1 at half-time).
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WOMEN
3rd matchday - Wednesday 9th November - Venue: Estadio UPCN
10:00 (ART) - 14:00 (CET) - Gr. B - Germany x Italy = 1-1
12:00 (ART) - 15:00 (GMT) - Gr. A - Portugal x Chile = 3-2
14:00 (ART) - 18:00 (CET) - Gr. A - France x Spain = 0-8
16:00 (ART) - 20:00 (CET) - Gr. B - Colombia x Argentina = 1-7
Standing Group A: Spain 6 points, Chile and Spain 3 points and France 0
Standing Group B: Argentina 6 points, Italy and Germany 3 points and Colombia 0
Quarterfinals - Thursday 10th November - Venue: Estadio UPCN
8:30 (ART) - 12:30 (CET) - QF4 - Italy x Chile
11:00 (ART) - 15:00 (CET) - QF3 - Germany x Portugal
13:30 (ART) - 17:30 (CET) - QF1 - Colombia x Spain
16:00 (ART) - 20:00 (CET) - QF2 - Argentina x France
Semifinals - Friday 11th November - Venue: Estadio Aldo Cantoni
13:00 (ART) - 17:30 (CET) - SF1 - Winner QF1 x Winner QF4
15:30 (ART) - 19:30 (CET) - SF2 - Winner QF2 x Winner QF3
Classification 5th to 8th place - Friday 11th November - Venue: Estadio UPCN
8:30 (ART) - 12:30 (CET) - SF4 - Loser QF2 x Loser QF3
10:30 (ART) - 14:30 (CET) - SF3 - Loser QF1 x Loser QF4
INTERCONTINENTAL WOMEN
3rd matchday - Wednesday 9th November - Venue: Estadio UPCN
18:00 (ART) - 8:00 (GMT+11) - Brazil x Australia = 2-3
20:00 (ART) - 18:00 (CDMX) - 24:00 (CET) - Switzerland x Mexico = 20-1
Standing: Switzerland 9 points, Australia 6 points, Brazil 3 points, Mexico 0
3rd matchday - Wednesday 9th November - Venue: Estadio UPCN
18:30 (ART) - 22:30 (CET) - Brazil x Switzerland
20:30 (ART) - 18:30 (CDMX) - 10:30 (GMT+11) - Australia x Mexico
Detailed statistics of World Championship Women
GERMANY - ITALY = 1-1 (1-1, 0-0)
Germany: Pillenkamp, Seidler, Tacke (C), Kahmann, Zech - Henckels, Tolk, Behrendt, Giersch, Gouder - Coach: Reinert
Italy: Caretta, Maniero, Lapolla (C), Ghirardello, Tamiozzo - Santochirico, Lorenzato, Berti, Rossetto, Meneghello - Coach: Giudice
Scorers: !st: 6'50" Behrendt (pen.shot) (G), 23'02" Tamiozzo (pen.shot) (I)
Referees: Benevento (Arg), Montiveros (Arg)
PORTUGAL - CHILE = 3-2 (2-2, 1-0)
Portugal: Vicente C, Moncovio, Sousa (C), Silva, Ferreira - Severino, Santos, Teixeira, Batista, Vieira - Coach: Antunes
Chile: Hidalgo, Donoso, Flores, Ramos, Gaete (C) - Silva V, Valdez, Munoz, Llera, Filipe, Aparicio - Coach: Oyola Scorers: 1st: 15'12" Santos (P), 16'39" Flores (C), 18'53" Flores (C), 20'29" Ferreira (P) - 2nd: 6'31" Moncovio (P) Penalties: 1st: 17'19" Munoz (2') (C) and Moncovio (2') (P), 18'56" Sousa (2') (P)
Referees: Fronte (Ita), Montiveros (Arg)
FRANCE - SPAIN = 0-8 (0-4, 0-4)
France: Buchoux, Daribo (C), Dubocquet, Gohet, Lagroye - Maylis, Fay, Abrial, Roesch, Michoud - Coach: Herin
Spain: Vincente L, Puigdueta, Florenza, Casarramona (C), Gonzalez - Busquets, Colomer, Lolo, Roces, Salvat - Coach: Munoz
Scorers: 1st: 0'19" Florenza (S), 3'00" Puigdueta (S), 16'39" Roces (S), 18'04" Colomer (S) - 2nd: 3'35" Florenza (S), 8'49" Florenza (S), 15'10" Lolo (S), 21'28" Piquero (S)
Referees: Montiveros (Arg), Benevento (Arg)
COLOMBIA - ARGENTINA = 1-7 (0-3, 1-4)
Colombia: Giraldo, Laiton, Ramirez (C), Duque, Arias - Zuluaga, Narvaez, Rodriguez, Vieira, Correa - Coach: Torres
Argentina: Jara A, Fernandez V, Gutierrez, Agudo, Soto - Fernandez J, Silva, Gomez, Felamini, Jara N - Coach: Giuliani
Scorers: 1st: 8'19" Fernandez K (A), 14'08" Silva D (A), 19'54" Fernandez V (A) - 2nd: 9'39" Fernandez (A), 11'44" Soto (A), 12'21" Lampasona (A), 19'44" Ramirez (C), 21'16" Felamini (A) Penalties: 1st: 20'24" Zuluaga (2') (C)
Referees: Torres (Por), Coelho (Por)