Women's World Cup Results 2015: Group Scores and Twitter Reaction from Saturday

The women's World Cup in Canada got underway on Saturday evening in Edmonton, Alberta, as the host nation took on China to open the tournament and New Zealand faced the Netherlands. 

Below, we'll recap the scores and break down the Twitter reaction from the day of action.
 

Results

Group	Team 1	Score	Team 2
A	Canada	1-0	China
A	New Zealand	-	Netherlands

Netherlands Scores First-Ever World Cup Goal, Knocks Off New Zealand, 1-0 

Lieke Martens was the difference for the Netherlands in their World Cup opener on Saturday, as her beautiful 33rd-minute goal, assisted by Danielle van de Donk, was ultimately the game-winner against New Zealand. 

Martens' effort was a thing of beauty, as her curling shot from just outside of the box left the fully extended New Zealand goalkeeper Erin Nayler helpless. It also was a pretty historic moment, per Fox Soccer on Twitter:

Julie Stewart-Binks of Fox Sports 1 added:

"

Holland's Lieke Martens told me scoring her country's first ever World Cup goal was "a dream come true." #FWWConFOX #NED

— Julie Stewart-Binks (@JSB_FOX) June 7, 2015"

Despite New Zealand holding 54 percent of possession, earning eight corners to the Netherlands' three and outshooting the Dutch 10-6—each team finished with three shots on goal—New Zealand couldn't find an equalizer. 

The win certainly gives the Netherlands a leg up on both China and New Zealand in the quest to escape Group A—with Canada also winning on Saturday—though earning points against Canada and China will be no easy feat. Still, with the first World Cup goal behind them, the squad will now turn to advancing out of the maneagable Group A.e

Canada Beats China on 92nd-Minute Penalty, 1-0

Talk about drama to open the World Cup. 

Despite being frustrated by China's pressing style early in the game and the country's staunch defense in the second half, the Canadians escaped with a 1-0 win. After a penalty in the box on second-half substitute Adriana Leon in the 91st minute, Christine Sinclair stepped up and converted the penalty in clutch fashion, as she calmly slid a low shot into the left corner of the net just inside the post.

That tally put Sinclair in rarefied company, per ESPN Stats & Information:

The call on the penalty was certainly controversial. Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated wasn't a fan:

Andrea Canales of ESPN FC thought the ref got it right, however:

Indeed, video replays showed that Rong Zhao essentially close-lined Leon in the box. It was a tough result for a Chinese team that defended furiously through the contest, though, Canada was deserving of the result after dominating the play throughout. 

Per ESPN FC, the Canadians held 64 percent of possession in the match and out-shot the Chinese, 14-5.

For a Canadian side with a ton of pressure to perform in front of the home fans, the result surely was a relief. Yael Averbuch of of the U.S. national team and Washington Spirit spoke about the expectations on Canada's shoulders heading into the contest:

And the home country certainly showed up to support the team. Consider these figures, from Anne M. Peterson of the Associated Press:

The pressure seemed to affect the Canadians early on. Despite dominating possession, the Chinese didn't give them much room to actually advance play forward. The sides each struck the frame with a shot in the first 45, though, neither side could get on the board in the early stalemate. 

Things only seemed to get more difficult for Canada in the second half, and Canales questioned some of the team's tactics as the game entered the late stages:

In the end, however, a foul bailed the host nation out. And Canadian national and Hapoel Haifa player Tosaint Ricketts was certainly pumped up after the win:

The Canadians will be the prohibitive favorite to top Group A after this result and if nothing else, seem a lock to advance out of the group that also includes New Zealand and the Netherlands. With the best player in the group (Sinclair), the home crowd behind them and a victory in the opening contest to give them confidence, the Canadians should settle into a nice rhythm over their next two games.

Of course, a late foul or two from the opposition can't hurt, either.