Women's World Cup Groups 2015: Updated Standings and Tables After Monday Matches
There weren't quite any double-digit performances like the 2015 Women's World Cup saw on Sunday, but Monday's quartet of group-stage matchups didn't disappoint in terms of goal scoring as some of the tournament's favorites began play.
The United States' opener against Australia took center stage as eyes were fixed on how head coach Jill Ellis' squad would begin in the ever-difficult Group D. The Americans rose above a first-half challenge, winning 3-1 off two goals from Megan Rapinoe that ensured three points out of the gates.
Sweden and Nigeria combined for the day's most exciting match to round out Group D, splitting a 3-3 draw. The Swedes looked poised to rival USA atop Group D after a 2-0 lead, but the Nigerians battled back, and Francisca Ordega's dramatic 87th-minute equalizer secured a point.
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Victory came easily for Cameroon and awfully difficult for Japan in Group C, but three points were indeed earned in each instance. Cameroon throttled overmatched Ecuador to a 6-0 scoreline, while the Japanese held off Switzerland in Monday's late match, 1-0.
With three days in the books in Canada, eight national teams still await their Tuesday debuts. That said, here's how the group table currently looks along with more information on Monday's results.
2015 Women's World Cup Group Table
| Canada | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Netherlands | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| China | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Germany | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 |
| Norway | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Thailand | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -4 | 0 |
| Cote D'Ivoire | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -10 | 0 |
| Cameroon | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
| Japan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Switzerland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Ecuador | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -6 | 0 |
| United States | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Sweden | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nigeria | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 0 |
| Brazil | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| South Korea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Spain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Costa Rica | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| France | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| England | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Colombia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mexico | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Monday Results
Sweden 3, Nigeria 3
Sweden pushed in front early and continued pushing, but Nigeria just wouldn't let them run away with all three points. A furious two-goal surge early in the second half and a late goal from Ordega got Nigeria a well-earned 3-3 draw in unarguably the World Cup's most thrilling match so far.
Set-piece superiority allowed the Swedes to take control of the match in the opening minutes, setting up a 21st-minute own goal and a score from Nilla Fischer 10 minutes later. They took a 2-0 advantage into halftime, but things quickly turned after emerging from the locker rooms for the final 45 minutes.
Within eight minutes of the start of the second half, Nigeria drew level on goals just three minutes apart, as told by Bleacher Report UK:
Sweden looked poised to still take the win after a 60th-minute goal put them in front, but Ordega later canceled it out on a beautiful cross. In the end, Sweden hurt itself by committing 14 fouls and allowing Nigeria 14 chances in the match.
Things were far from perfect for Sweden head coach Pia Sundhage, but she acknowledged the team will be ready to face her former team June 12, per FIFA.com: "The game plan was different than what you saw. Again, we got one point and next time, when we play the States, I hope we will follow the game plan."
From the Nigerian viewpoint, things should have been even more in the team's favor, as its coach told Jeff Kassouf of NBC Sports:
Both teams leave Monday's opener remembering a missed opportunity, and rightfully so. But having one point through one match isn't a horrible place to be in the so-called "group of death."
Cameroon 6, Ecuador 0
It took 34 minutes in Cameroon's World Cup opener with Ecuador for the match's first goal to come. Then, the floodgates opened, and Cameroon ended with six goals in a 6-0 shutout of Ecuador.
Madeleine Ngono Mani got things started for Cameroon in the 34th minute, and Gaelle Enganamouit took things from there. She put in three goals on the day, scoring alone as many goals as any other squad scored on Monday's slate of games.
She also made history for her continent, as told by ESPN's Paul Carr:
A massive talent disparity made itself apparent on the scoreline as well as between the lines, as Cameroon put 25 shots toward Shirley Berruz. A whopping 14 of them were on target, which constantly put pressure on Ecuador's back line and kept them pinned back for long stretches of the game.
The expansion to 24 teams for this year's World Cup has left some overmatched national teams in the field. The storyline jumped off the page in Germany's 10-0 win over Thailand on Sunday and only continued to bubble to the surface with Cameroon dismantling a nation making its first-ever World Cup appearance.
For what it's worth, it's Cameroon's World Cup debut as well. Only, the team appears to look ready for the challenge.
Cameroon will be happy to have gained such a massive goal differential in a brutal group with Japan and Switzerland. Ecuador can at least look toward two more matches to build confidence and make memories before an inevitable early exit.
USA 3, Australia 1
The U.S. women's squad began its quest for its first World Cup title in 16 years in style, overcoming a tough first half to dispatch Australia, 3-1.
With Alex Morgan on the bench until the last dozen minutes, the Americans didn't have any trouble getting off to a blistering start. Rapinoe's first goal of the contest—an outside-the-box rip that glanced off an Australian defender and into the net—put the USA up 1-0 in the 12th minute, but the U.S. began sitting back, allowing Australia's Lisa De Vanna to equalize in the 27th minute.
But the start of the second half signaled a change in the U.S.' aggressiveness, as it attacked forward with menace. Sydney Leroux's run on the left-hand side and pass across to Christen Press set up the side's second goal, and Rapinoe finished a brilliant goal soon after to put the U.S. up 3-1.
The USA needed a big performance from the veteran midfielder, and she made good on the challenge, as Ives Galarcep noted:
Following a Sweden draw with Nigeria that played into the USA's favor, Carr noted that the Americans' chances of getting past the tough group are even higher:
Ellis admitted that there should have been more from her side in the opening frame, but was happy to see them settle down, per FIFA.com: "I don’t think we played particularly well in the first half. But I was pleased that we grew in the game. The fan support was phenomenal. Our players settled in in the second half, which was much better. That’s something we can build upon."
The Americans should certainly hope to build upon Monday's performance, as a difficult second group-stage match with Sweden looms. They figure to have their hands full with the world's fifth-ranked team, even after it sputtered to a draw Monday.
Japan 1, Switzerland 0
Few teams have shown the ability to hold on to a slim 1-0 lead thus far in this World Cup. But leave it to the defending champions to show how it's done, taking an early lead over Switzerland and holding on to it late for the win.
Japan pushed for an early pace-setting goal throughout the opening minutes, but came up short until Kozue Ando finally broke through—leading to a stiff challenge from Gaelle Thalmann. It gave Japan a 29th-minute penalty, which Aya Miyama coolly placed into the bottom corner.
If the three points seemed secured for the Japanese upon the stroke of halftime, they were put in serious jeopardy in the final 45 minutes. Ramona Bachmann showcased her brilliance with a couple of streaming chances from outside that flew just past the frame of the goal.
Late in the second half, some high-quality football was being displayed as the Swiss relentlessly pushed for an equalizer, as told by ESPN's Janusz Michallik:
The Swiss more than proved themselves as dangerous in Group C, but not quite enough to draw level with Japan. However, a stand-up performance against the defending champions should give them the confidence needed to get back into contention in the group.
As for Japan, the Nadeshiko look like the kings of Group C following a strong outing Monday. They trail Cameroon on goal differential, but the World Cup debutants should be no match for the Japanese.
All stats and results courtesy of FIFA.com
