Women's World Cup Results 2015: Group Scores and Tuesday Twitter Reaction
Four more guaranteed slots in the knockout phase of the Women's World Cup were up for grabs on Tuesday, as powerhouses such as the United States and Japan were set to be in action.
Below, you'll find the results and a recap from each of the day's matches.
| Japan | 1-0 | Ecuador |
| Cameroon | 2-1 | Switzerland |
| United States | 1-0 | Nigeria |
| Australia | 1-1 | Sweden |
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Japan Knocks Off Ecuador, 1-0, Wins All Three Games in Group C
The scoreline doesn't quite accurately represent just how much Japan dominated this game. It scored early in this one, and from there the Group C winners played their possession-style game to perfection.
Japan held a whopping 73 percent of possession, outshot the Ecuadorians 20-3 (9-1 on frame) and earned nine corners without conceding one. Of course, this has been a tough tournament statistically for Ecuador, per Paul Carr of ESPN:
Yuki Ogimi got the Japanese on the board in the fifth minute, though it looked as though Angie Ponce had actually netted an own goal, which remarkably would have been her third of the tournament. She was saved that ignominy, however, as Ogimi was credited with the tally.
Japan's technical ability has to make it one of the handful of favorites remaining in this tournament. The Japanese don't have the flair of Brazil, the quality of depth of the United States or the attacking prowess of Germany, but the team's methodical ball-control approach makes it one others are wary of facing.
Don't sleep on the Japanese.
Cameroon Makes History and Shocks Switzerland, 2-1
Cameroon became the first African side to reach the knockout phase of the Women's World Cup in 16 years—and just the second-ever African nation to get out of the group stage—beating Switzerland 2-1 on Tuesday and finishing second in Group C.
It was an impressive win for the African side, as Oliver Holt of the Mail on Sunday noted:
FCR Malmo's Anita Asante also had kind words for Cameroon:
Andrea Canales of ESPN FC enjoyed watching Cameroon's players celebrate their victory, meanwhile:
For Switzerland, the chance to reach the knockout phase as a third-place team is still a possibility, though Cameroon's win did aid a few other countries, per Carr:
Ana Maria Crnogorcevic gave Switzerland the lead in the 24th minute, but Gabrielle Onguene's goal in the 47th minute and Madeleine Ngono Mani's clutch goal in the 62nd minute gave Cameroon the win.
While Switzerland controlled 57 percent of the possession, Cameroon outshot it 15-11 (Switzerland had the advantage in shots on goal, 5-4), and the Swiss also held a 6-5 advantage in corners. Cameroon, of course, held the advantage in the only stat that mattered: goals.
Cameroon is unlikely to advance far in the knockout phase, but on the other hand, most folks wouldn't have picked it to advance out of this group either. Regardless, its performance to this point has been excellent, and its tournament has to already be deemed a success.
United States Defeats Nigeria 1-0, Wins Group D
A disallowed goal in the early going didn't discourage the Americans, who got a big contribution from seasoned forward Abby Wambach.
The 35-year-old star made the most of a corner kick just before halftime and smashed it into the net. That was all the United States needed, as they managed to preserve a clean sheet and claimed the Group D crown in the process.
BuzzFeed News showed the highlight of Wambach's timely goal:
ESPN's Julie Foudy brought forth some noteworthy context when the Americans scored:
Camellia Senemar of fox Sports recorded what analyst and former pro soccer defender Cat Whitehill had to say about the USA's lack of offensive firepower:
It wasn't the most dominant nor aesthetically pleasing victories for the United States, but they did what they had to in order to gain the three points and take the group. Wambach's breakthrough is especially critical to give the attack some renewed confidence.
Ranked second only to Germany in the FIFA rankings, coach Jillian Ellis will have to tweak the Americans' tactics in order to match up better with the elite World Cup competition. The USA have the blend of talent and experience to win it all, but they have some growing to do in the knockout phase.
Australia Ties Sweden 1-1 to Advance to Round of 16
The score in this match was an indicator of just how even it was. Instead of shrinking from the moment after Australia star Lisa De Vanna scored in the fifth minute, Sweden had a prompt response in the 15th with Sofia Jakobsson's equalizer.
ESPN's Paul Carr highlighted the history behind De Vanna's contribution to the scoresheet:
Exciting as the first 15 minutes were, the rest of the match didn't emulate the entertainment value or intensity, though Sweden did own a narrow 52 percent edge on possession and got four of 11 shots on net to Australia's three.
Sweden have settled for a third straight draw and will now have to wait and see if they'll move on to the Round of 16. It has to be frustrating after expending so much effort and playing at a rather high level against a difficult group.
As for Australia, the challenges only grow from here. They have a showdown with Brazil on tap for Sunday, which promises to be a magnificent match between two of FIFA's top 10 national teams.
