On the road to the Women's World Cup 2023: Group B

We continue to get acquainted with the participants of the Women's World Cup, which will be held in Australia and New Zealand from July 20 to August 20. Group "B" will bring together the hosts of the tournament, one of the best African teams, debutants and leaders of the CONCACAF zone.

Australian national team

Along with New Zealand, this country is hosting the Women's World Cup, which means that the national team received the right to automatically play in it. Australia's best achievement was reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament. Footballers from the Green Continent have reached this stage three times - in 2007, 2011 and 2015.

In 2020, the "Matildas" (as the Australians are called) qualified for the Olympic Games from the first place in their zone. At the Games, they took fourth place, losing in the bronze medal match to the Americans (0:1). This result was the best for the Australian team in the history of the Olympics.

On the eve of the home championship "Matildas" won the Cup of Nations, defeating the national team of Jamaica in the final - 3:0.

Interestingly, the national team includes only three representatives of the domestic championship. Mostly Australian women play for clubs in Sweden, England and the United States. The most effective striker - 29-year-old Sam Kerr - plays for Chelsea. She has scored 63 goals in 121 games for the national team.

Ireland national team

This is the first time this team will play at the tournament. The Irish women qualified for the World Cup through a playoff, in which the second-placed teams in the groups played. Ireland was one of the top three teams among the participants of the elimination games and played only in the second round of the tournament. In the decisive meeting, the players defeated the national team of Scotland - 1:0.

The oldest but one of the brightest players of the national team is 35-year-old Niamh Fahey. She plays on the position of defender, but sometimes coaches use her in the center of midfield. She has played 108 matches for the national team. Fahie scored the only goal for the national team in qualifying for the current World Cup against Georgia.

Nigeria national team

The Nigerian women made it to the tournament after finishing in the top four at the Africa Cup of Nations. This World Cup will be the ninth for the national team. The team's best achievement was the quarterfinals in 1999.

Among the players of the national team there is one that is familiar to Russian fans. Forward Francisca Ordega has been playing for CSKA Moscow since 2021. She played 43 games in the Russian Superleague, in which she scored 14 goals and gave 9 assists.

Canadian national team

Team Canada qualified for the Mundial by winning Group B at the CONCACAF Championships. The Canadians faced the national teams of Costa Rica, Panama and Trinidad and Tobago. In the semifinals "maple" defeated the national team of Jamaica 3:0, and in the final with a minimum score lost to the Americans - 0:1. The best result of the Canadians at the tournament was 4th place in 2003. In 2020, the soccer players won the Olympic Games.

In 2021, Canada established a women's Premier League, but the national team does not yet have its representatives. The real legend of the team is 40-year-old Christine Sinclair. She played 323 games for the national team, in which she scored 190 goals. She is among the three players of both sexes who have scored at five World Cups - in addition to her, Brazilian Marta and Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo are in the ranking. Sinclair is also honored with FIFA's special award for the World's all-time top scorer.

Group stage schedule:

July 20

Australia vs. Ireland

July 21

Nigeria - Canada

July 26

Canada - Ireland

July 27

Australia - Nigeria

July 31

Canada - Australia

Ireland - Nigeria