WORLD CUP QUARTERFINALS KICK OFF TONIGHT

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It’s Thursday, August 10th. Give us four minutes, we give you everything World Cup.

“Yes, bye”, Juventus and Netherlands forward, Lineth Beerensteyn, reacts to the USWNT removal from the World Cup in the Round of 16. More below.

I. The Quarter-finals 🇪🇸 🇳🇱 🇯🇵 🇸🇪 🇦🇺 🇫🇷 🇨🇴 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 

Spain vs the Netherlands 🇪🇸 🇳🇱 (Thursday, 9 p.m. EST, FOX, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo)

Netherlands’ manager Andries Jonker has said his team does well when his team gets on the ball, working it from “oranje” to “oranje”. Thing is, Spain won’t share much of it. The Dutch will likely find themselves defending and countering, and doing so in the absence of Lyon’s two-way midfielder Daniëlle van de Donk, who misses this momentous match due to yellow-card accumulation. The Dutch backline is skilled and experienced, but can expect shots firing in multiple directions, with a Spanish team ready to press them to win the ball back when they falter. Spain may be favorites, but the Dutch will surely push them.

Japan vs Sweden 🇯🇵 🇸🇪 (Friday, 3:30 a.m. EST, FOX, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo)

Sweden is coming into this match having done the football world a favor in knocking out the reigning champions. Should a swell of ensuing swagger propel them, they might be capable of putting Japan on the backfoot for the first time in this tournament. They’ll be reliably dangerous where they always are: in the air, off a cross and corner. Japan will likely have the ball here, though, and will dictate the pace of the game as they continue to turn heads working through teams with ease in their 3-4-3.

England vs Colombia 🇨🇴 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 (Saturday, 6:30 a.m. EST, FOX, Peacock, Telemundo)

England’s Lionesses have found renewed cohesion as they progressed through the group. In large part, though, that came linked with the arrival of Chelsea’s Lauren James in the starting line-up. After receiving a red card in their Round of 16 detente with Nigeria, James will miss this game (FIFA has confirmed a two-match ban in the past 24 hours, meaning James could play in the final if England arrive there). England’s manager Sarina Wiegman will need to return to her drawing board once again this tournament, and prove able to adjust to find success against Colombia. As for Colombia, the sole-remaining representative of South America will seek to mark even more history against a team that will be wise to be wary of their dynamic attacking depth. That includes, but is not limited to, the ascendant and exceptional talent of Real Madrid’s Linda Caicedo. Who at just 18 years old has left a permanent mark on this tournament, as she unleashes goals like this one against Germany. 

Australia vs France 🇦🇺 🇫🇷 (Saturday, 3 a.m. EST, FOX, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo)

Now, this is a match for the ages and heartstrings. France is a team that for years has seemed sure to threaten for the trophy given the exceptional skill sets of their talented squad. Until now, they’ve fallen short, but they’re grooving at the moment, and look ready for this to be their year. Australia is also grooving, and have their star Sam Kerr back (but will they use her?). Something in the air, the host-country air, perhaps, makes it feel like the Matildas could pull it off.

II. World Cup contenders react to the US loss 🇺🇸 🏆

Among the eight teams still vying for ultimate glory at the 2023 World Cup, there’s been an interesting range of reactions as the USWNT bounced out in the Round of 16.

In some ways, that range of comment reflects that of the public, with many emphasizing the respect they have for the team’s history and their impact on the global game.

That initial emphasis was certainly reflected in the mixed zone, directly following Sweden’s victory over their long-time footballing rivals, the USA. Jonathan Tannenwald of The Philadelphia Inquirer asked AC Milan’s Kosovare Asllani for her thoughts. Asllani was firm in her response, addressing the suggestions that the US had fallen, and may not recover soon:

“I wouldn’t say that they’re out of the game at all. So don’t talk shit about the U.S. women. I think you should be proud of your team. You have a really good team, and really good players, and they are taking the fight not just on the pitch, but outside the pitch.”

Asllani noted also she felt the team would regenerate and grow: “It’s the U.S. They are going to raise their standards, and they will come back. I’ve heard there’s been a lot of talk about it, but they will come back for sure.”

Asllani’s teammate, Magdalena Eriksson (Bayern Munich) said she was impressed by the “youngsters” in particular, naming Sophia Smith and Naomi Girma alongside the injured-absence of Chelsea’s newly-signed American, Catarina Macario.

Eriksson told Tannenwald: “... the future is still bright for the U.S. They’re still a massive powerhouse in women’s football, and they will be for a long time.”

Others, including Juventus’ Dutch forward Lineth Beerensteyn, seemed pleased to see them go.

Given that the US has won four trophies- and two of them back-to-back- it’s not entirely surprising that teams hoping for ultimate glory wouldn’t miss them on their way out.

But Beerensteyn’s comment to the press gathered in Wellington the day before their meeting with Spain, reflects a different sentiment.

After noting that her immediate thought was, “yes, bye”, Beerensteyn continued that she felt there was too much confidence coming from the USA’s camp, too much talk of a final (perhaps she saw all that talk of a three-peat flowing from the press, if not the players) for a team that hadn’t proved it yet. Beerensteyn:

“The first moment when I heard that they were out, I was just thinking ‘yes, bye’, because I mean from the start of this tournament they had already like a really big mouth. They were talking already about the final and stuff. And I was just thinking you first have to show it on the page before you're talking.”

III.News and Notes

1. From Meg Linehan: this USWNT reaction is irrational

2. “The smallest moments with the biggest impacts”; USWNT legends give back in Oz

3. From Caitlin Murray at ESPN: on how the Vlatko Andonovski was the wrong choice from the start